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115-773: The Devonshire Regiment was a line infantry regiment of the British Army that served under various titles and served in many wars and conflicts from 1685 to 1958, such as the Second Boer War , the First World War and the Second World War . In 1958 the regiment was amalgamated with the Dorset Regiment to form the Devonshire and Dorset Regiment which, in 2007, was amalgamated with

230-568: A church building of its own and therefore offers religious services at St Barth's Beach Hotel. The main religious holidays are Christmas , the day of the Assumption of the Virgin Mary (15 August), All Saints' Day (1 November) and the feast of St. Bartholomew (patron saint of the island) on 24 August. Until 2007 the whole island of St. Barthélemy was a French commune ( commune de Saint-Barthélemy ), forming part of Guadeloupe which

345-518: A company of voltigeurs , who were expected to act as skirmishers as well being able to deploy into line. In the Russian Empire, light infantry was forming at a very fast pace; by the end of the 18th century, regiments of light infantry totaled 40,000 soldiers ( Jaeger ). The armament of light infantry was very different from the armament of linear infantry. They were armed with high-quality muskets, as well as pistols (for close combat). After

460-662: A depot at Topsham Barracks in Exeter from 1873, or by the Childers reforms of 1881 – as it already possessed two battalions, there was no need for it to amalgamate with another regiment. Under the reforms the regiment became the Devonshire Regiment on 1 July 1881. At the same time it merged with the militia and rifle volunteer units of the county of Devon . It took part in the Tirah Campaign in 1897 and

575-447: A distinct group that lies upon the western edge of a flat bank of soundings composed chiefly of shells, sand, and coral. From St. Barthélemy, the bank extends east-southeast, ending in a small tongue or spit. It is separated from the main bank by a narrow length of deep water. East of the island, the edge of the bank lies 22 kilometres (14 miles) away. Grande Saline Bay provides temporary anchorage for small vessels while Colombier Bay, to

690-458: A marine reserve. The marine reserve, founded in 1999, covers more than 1,000 hectares (2,500 acres) of protected and vulnerable habitats, bays, and islands, and includes a zone that is restricted to scientific observations only. As the sea surrounding the St. Barthélemy is rich in coral reefs and other precious marine life, the area has been declared a protected area since 1996. Environmental awareness

805-500: A pied (light infantry), one of Grenadiers and one of Carabiniers . Similar differentiations were made in the majority of European armies of the period, although English-speaking authors sometimes use the designation "line infantry" when referring to the ordinary infantry of some other countries where the exact term was not in use. The term was also used by US units during the Second World War, as shown by this quote from

920-654: A population of 9,961 at the Jan. 2017 census. Its capital is Gustavia , which also contains the main harbour. It is the only Caribbean island that was a Swedish colony for any significant length of time. It remained so for nearly a century before it returned to French rule after a referendum . Symbolism from the Swedish national arms , the Three Crowns , still appears in the island's coat of arms. The language, cuisine and culture, however, are distinctly French . The island

1035-658: A regular army officer but nearly all the officers and men of the 12th Devons had enlisted for hostilities-only. The 2nd Battalion was disbanded at Topsham Barracks in Exeter in 1948. The remaining battalion was in Malaya from 1948 to 1951 at the time of the Malayan Emergency and in Kenya from 1953 to 1955, during the Mau Mau Uprising . In 1958, the regiment was amalgamated with the Dorset Regiment to form

1150-572: A report of the 782nd Tank Battalion in late April 1945: On the 22nd of April, the Battalion moved from Oberkotzau, Germany to Wunsiedel , Germany. Here the attachment of the line companies to the Regimental Combat Teams of the 97th Division was completed. We separated, not coming together again until the war was over. Company "A" joined the 303rd at Rehau, Germany: Company "B" joined the 386th at Arzburg, Germany: and Company "C"

1265-410: A result, there is a boom in house-building activity catering to the tourists and also to the permanent residents of the island. Saint Barthélemy is renowned for its high-end villas and luxury real estate market, attracting both short-term visitors and permanent residents. Real estate agencies such as WIMCO Real Estate specialize in offering exclusive villa rentals and property sales, further enhancing

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1380-540: A rise in living standards and rapid modernisation. The island was not electrified until the 1980s. Saint Barthélemy was for many years a French commune forming part of Guadeloupe , which is an overseas region and department of France. Through a referendum in 2003 , island residents sought separation from the administrative jurisdiction of Guadeloupe. The island officially became a separate collectivity on 22 February 2007. The island of Saint Barthélemy became an Overseas Collectivity (COM). A governing territorial council

1495-740: A short distance. In some cases, it was possible to defeat the enemy with just one volley at close range. The line was considered the fundamental battle formation as it allowed for the largest deployment of firepower. Against surrounding enemy cavalry, line infantry could swiftly adopt square formations to provide protection. Such squares were hollow (consisting of four lines), unlike the pikemen's and old-style musketeers' square. Troops in skirmish formation, though able to take cover and use initiative, were highly vulnerable to cavalry and could not hold ground against advancing infantry columns. Line infantry provided an "anchor" for skirmishers and cavalry to retreat behind if threatened. Movement in line formation

1610-435: A small part of the infantry branch of most armies, because of their vulnerability to hostile cavalry. Pikemen formed the majority of infantrymen and were known as heavy infantry. A significant part of infantry consisted of old-style musketeers, who did not use the linear tactics, instead skirmishing in open formation. However, by the middle of the 17th century, musketeers deployed in line formation already provided about half of

1725-401: A two-year term). The French State is represented by a prefect appointed by the president on the advice of the minister of the interior . As a collectivity of France, the island's national anthem is La Marseillaise , though L'Hymne a St. Barthélemy is also used unofficially. The economy of the island is based on tourism and duty-free retail. The official currency of St. Barthélemy is

1840-486: A way of instilling discipline and unit cohesion . Members of the US Army utilize the term "line company" (informally) in light infantry battalions to differentiate those companies (generally A–D) that perform the traditional infantry role from the support companies (generally F and HHC) charged with supporting the "line companies". The Marine Corps does the same for all its infantry units. In this vein, officers assigned to

1955-448: Is 13 °C (55 °F). The Caribbean sea waters in the vicinity generally maintain a temperature of about 27 °C (81 °F). As of 2017, Saint-Barthélemy had a population of 9,961. Residents, known as Saint-Barthélemois, are French citizens. Most of them are descendants of the first settlers, of Breton , Norman , Poitevin , Saintongeais and Angevin lineage. There is also a big community of Portuguese emigrants mainly from

2070-399: Is a popular tourist destination during the winter holiday season, geared towards the high-end, luxury tourist market. The island was named by Christopher Columbus after his younger brother Bartholomew Columbus in 1493. Before European contact the island was possibly frequented by Eastern Caribbean Taíno and Arawak people, who called the island 'Ouanalao', though it is believed that

2185-802: Is also part of the Diocese of the North Eastern Caribbean and Aruba ( diocèse de la Caraïbe du Nord-Est et d'Aruba ), which is under the Church of England ( Church in the Province of the West Indies ) that serves a small minority on the island that is centered in the Anglican Church of Saint Bartholomew ( Église anglicane de Saint-Barthélemy ) built between 1853 and 1855. The small Pentecostal Christian community does not have

2300-524: Is an overseas région and overseas département of France. In 2003, the population voted through a referendum in favour of secession from Guadeloupe to form a separate overseas collectivity ( collectivité d'outre-mer , or COM ) of France. On 7 February 2007, the French Parliament passed a bill granting COM status to both St. Barthélemy and (separately) to the neighbouring Saint Martin . The new status took effect on 15 July 2007, when

2415-551: Is an overseas collectivity of France in the Caribbean . The island lies about 30 kilometres (19 mi) southeast of the island of Saint Martin ; it is northeast of the Dutch islands of Saba and Sint Eustatius , as well as north of the independent country of Saint Kitts and Nevis . Saint Barthélemy was for many years a French commune forming part of Guadeloupe , which is an overseas region and department of France. In 2003

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2530-454: Is in a remote location and is considered suitable for experienced surfers as the water current is very strong. On the leeward side, the notable beaches are Anse du Gouverneur, Anse du Colombier which is only accessible by foot or by boat, Anse de Grand Galet (Shell Beach), and Anse de Grande Saline which is popular with nudists. The area around the salt ponds near the Anse de Grande Saline beach

2645-693: Is limited to the windward side. Unlike other populations in the Caribbean, language preference between the Créole and Patois is geographically, and not racially, determined. The majority of the population of Saint Barthélemy are Christian ; Saint Barthélemy is considered the most religiously homogeneous territory in the French West Indies, with particular importance given to the Catholic Church . The territory of Saint-Barthélemy forms

2760-474: Is marshy and is a habitat for tropical birds. Ile islet, an offshoot of the leeward side, has a white sandy beach. Shell Beach, also called Anse de Grand Galet (in French, 'Anse' means "cove" and Galet means "pebble"), is a beach in the southwestern part of Gustavia. A large number of sea shells are scattered on this beach. This beach was subject to the strong waves of hurricane Lenny in 1999, which resulted in

2875-533: Is noted for its handicrafts; weaving hats and bags from palm fronds is a low-income economic activity of the Indigenous people. As the terrain is generally arid, the hills have mostly poor soil and support only cacti and succulent plants. During the rainy season, the area turns green with vegetation and grass. The eastern part of the island is greener as it receives more rainfall. A 1994 survey has revealed several hundred indigenous species of plants including

2990-567: Is quite pronounced in St. Barthélemy and is promoted by the Environmental Commission. There are as many as 22 public beaches (most beaches on St. Barthélémy are known as "Anse de...") of which 15 are considered suitable for swimming. They are categorized and divided into two groups, the leeward side (calm waters protected by the island itself) and the windward side (some of which are protected by hills and reefs). Windward beaches are popular for windsurfing. The beach of St Jean

3105-430: Is suitable for water sports and facilities have been created for that purpose. The long beach at Lorient has shade and is a quiet beach as compared to St. Jean. Grand-cul-de-sac is a long beach with facilities for water sports. Anse de Flamands is a very wide sandy beach and Le petit Anse (The little beach), just to the north of Anse de Flamands is very safe and popular with the locals for their children. Anse Toiny beach

3220-473: The 45th (Wessex) Infantry Division on the outbreak of war. However, none of these units, save the 4th Battalion, saw active service outside of the United Kingdom and were used mainly for home defence, training or supplying the other battalions of the regiment with infantry replacements and served with many different brigades and divisions such as the 80th Infantry (Reserve) Division . The 4th Battalion

3335-605: The Allied invasion of Sicily , and, briefly, in the Allied invasion of Italy in September. After Italy the brigade was withdrawn to Sicily and then the United Kingdom where it became permanently part of the veteran 50th (Northumbrian) Infantry Division and trained with them in preparation for the Allied invasion of Normandy . On D-Day , 6 June 1944, it was intended that the battalion, commanded by Lieutenant Colonel Cosmo Nevill , should land at Le Hamel, on Gold Beach , behind

3450-497: The American Civil War . The Austro-Prussian War in 1866 showed that breech-loading rifles , which gave the individual shooter a greatly increased rate of fire as well as the capability to reload from a prone position, were greatly superior to muzzle loaded rifles. In the 1860s, most German states and Russia converted their line infantry and riflemen into 'united' infantry, which used rifles and skirmish tactics. After

3565-735: The Battle of Dettingen in June 1743, the Battle of Fontenoy in May 1745 and the Battle of Rocoux in October 1746. The regiment embarked for the continent in spring 1760 for service in the Seven Years' War ; it fought at the Battle of Warburg in July 1760, the Battle of Kloster Kampen in October 1760 and the Battle of Villinghausen in July 1761 as well as the Battle of Wilhelmsthal in June 1762 and

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3680-517: The Battle of Normandy but as normal infantrymen. The battalion remained in Normandy until August 1944 where it participated in the breakout from the beachhead . The battalion, along the rest of 6th Airborne, was withdrawn to England in early September where they received new replacements, equipment and continued training. In December 1944 they fought briefly in the Battle of the Bulge but the outcome

3795-855: The Battle of the Pyrenees in July 1813, the Battle of Nivelle in November 1813 and the Battle of the Nive in December 1813 as well as the Battle of Orthez in February 1814 and the Battle of Toulouse in April 1814. The regiment spent most of the 19th century on garrison duty throughout the Empire . The regiment was not fundamentally affected by the Cardwell Reforms of the 1870s, which gave it

3910-714: The Devonshire and Dorset Regiment . The regimental collection is displayed in the Keep Military Museum in Dorchester . The regiment was awarded the following battle honours : Colonels of the Regiment were: The following members of the regiment were awarded the Victoria Cross : Regimental titles in italics indicate they were disbanded or renumbered before 1881. Line infantry Line infantry mainly used three formations in its battles:

4025-655: The Franco-Prussian War , both the German Empire and the French Third Republic did the same. However, Great Britain retained the name "line infantry", although it used rifled muskets from 1853 and breech loading rifles from 1867, and switched from closed lines to extended order during the Boer wars . The growing accuracy, range, and rate of fire of rifles, together with the invention of

4140-630: The Maxim machine gun in 1883, meant that close order line infantry would suffer heavy losses before being able to close with the enemy, while the defensive advantages given to line infantry against cavalry became irrelevant with the effective removal of offensive cavalry from the battlefield in the face of the improved weaponry. With the turn of the 20th century, this slowly led to infantry increasingly adopting skirmish style light infantry tactics in battle, while retaining line infantry drill for training. Although linear battle tactics had become obsolete by

4255-664: The Peninsular War . It took part in the Battle of Bussaco in September 1810 and then fell back to the Lines of Torres Vedras . It took part in the siege of Badajoz in April 1811, the siege of Ciudad Rodrigo in January 1812 and earned its nickname, The Bloody Eleventh , at the Battle of Salamanca in July 1812. It fought at the siege of Burgos in September 1812 and then pursued the French Army into France taking part in

4370-573: The River Rhine . The division advanced on its destination of the city of Hamburg , Germany , as part of the Western Allied invasion of Germany , taking part in the Battle of Hamburg in late April 1945. The Devonshire Regiment raised the 7th, 8th and 9th Territorial Army battalions, in addition to the 4th, 5th and 6th, all of which (except the 5th, which was converted pre-war into 86th Anti-Tank Regiment, Royal Artillery) were serving in

4485-555: The Royal Gloucestershire, Berkshire and Wiltshire Regiment , the Royal Green Jackets and The Light Infantry to form a new large regiment , The Rifles . In June 1667 Henry Somerset, Marquess of Worcester , was granted a commission to raise a regiment of foot, The Marquess of Worcester's Regiment of Foot . The regiment remained in existence for only a few months and was disbanded in the same year. It

4600-816: The Second Boer War in 1899. The 1st Battalion were besieged at Ladysmith. It departed for India on 3 January 1902. The 2nd Battalion fought in the Second Anglo-Afghan War , the Anglo-Ashanti wars and the Second Boer War . In 1908, the Volunteers and Militia were reorganised nationally, with the former becoming the Territorial Force and the latter the Special Reserve ; the regiment now had one Reserve and four Territorial battalions. The 1st Battalion, Devonshire Regiment

4715-632: The Western Front throughout the war, seeing action first during the Battle of La Bassée in October where they helped in the capture of Givenchy Ridge, followed by the First Battle of Ypres , where the battalion, in common with most of the rest of the British Regular Army, sustained very heavy casualties. The 1st Devons lost in the battle two thirds of their officers and a third of the other ranks. The battalion then took part in

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4830-540: The Winter operations 1914–1915 , occupying trenches in deep mud and snow before, in April 1915, suffering 200 casualties from shelling and German counterattacks after holding Hill 60 after its capture a few days before. The 2nd Battalion, assigned to the 23rd Brigade , 8th Division , was another Regular Army unit, that was awarded the French Croix de Guerre for holding up the massive final German advance of

4945-421: The euro . It is estimated that the nominal GDP of Saint Barthélemy amounted to 367 million euros in 2014 (US$ 487 million at 2014 exchanges rates; US$ 411 million at Feb. 2022 exchange rates). In that same year the nominal GDP per capita of Saint Barthelemy was 38,994 euros (US$ 51,735 at 2014 exchanges rates; US$ 43,626 at Feb. 2022 exchange rates), which was one of the highest GDP per capita in

5060-589: The liberation of North-West Europe . However, in December 1944, the 50th Division was disbanded, due to a severe shortage of infantrymen in the British Army at the time, and the battalion was transferred to the 131st (Lorried) Infantry Brigade , part of the 7th Armoured Division , The Desert Rats , and remained with them for the rest of the war, participating in Operation Blackcock in January 1945 followed by Operation Plunder where they crossed

5175-408: The matchlock muskets of some line infantry were equipped with bayonets . Bayonets were attached to the muzzles and were used when line troops entered melee combat. They also helped to defend against cavalry. At the end of the 17th century, a solution was sought to a flaw within the design of matchlock muskets. Since the matchlock musket used a slow burning piece of twine known as a slow match ,

5290-522: The royal palm , sea grape trees in the form of shrubs on the beaches, and as 5 to 7 metres (16 to 23 feet) trees in the interior areas of the island, aloe or aloe vera (brought from the Mediterranean ), the night blooming cereus , mamillaria nivosa , yellow prickly pear or barbary fig which was planted as barbed wire defences against invading British army in 1773, Mexican cactus , stapelia gigantea , golden trumpet or yellow bell which

5405-693: The staircases , the outbuildings and the gardens have been protected as historic monuments of France since 28 March 2002. There are two main Catholic churches both dedicated to Our Lady of the Assumption or Notre-Dame-de-l'Assomption ( the one in Lorient and the one in Gustavia) and a chapel of St. Catherine of Siena ( Chapelle de Sainte Catherine de Sienne ) in Colombier. Saint Barthélemy

5520-418: The 1st Hampshires. However, owing to adverse sea conditions and an unexpectedly high tidal surge, three of the four rifle companies were carried over a mile to the east before they could make landfall and had to make their way to their assigned assembly point on foot. Of the four company commanders , two were wounded and one was killed. The battalion continued to fight well throughout the Battle of Normandy and

5635-641: The 2/4th and 2/5th later serving in Palestine and Mesopotamia respectively. The 1/7th and 2/7th (Cyclist) Battalions served in Home Defence. The 9th (Service) Battalion was one of the few British units to reach its initial objectives on the first day of the Battle of the Somme , albeit at the cost of 463 dead or wounded of the 775 men who went 'over the top', with only one officer remaining unwounded. The 8th (Service) Battalion, part of 20th Brigade reserve,

5750-498: The 387th at Waldsassen, Germany. The British Army retains the traditional distinction between "Guards", "Line Infantry" and "the Rifles" on ceremonial occasions for historical reasons. It is linked to the order of precedence within the British Army and regimental pride, so for example Colonel Patrick Crowley states in the "introduction" in A Brief History of The Princess of Wales’s Royal Regiment (2015): The examples of valour, adherence to duty, and fortitude, continue to inspire

5865-446: The Allies." The 3rd (Special Reserve) Battalion (formerly part of the Militia ) was mobilised upon the outbreak of war to serve mainly in a training capacity, holding and training officers and men before sending them overseas to active battalions of the regiment throughout the world. By the end of the war over 13,000 men and 750 officers had passed through the battalion. The 1/4th , 1/5th (Prince of Wales's) and 1/6th Battalions of

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5980-436: The American Civil War, both Union and Confederate armies had only a few line regiments equipped with the old-style smooth-bore muskets. However, France, due to Napoleon III, who admired Napoleon I, had 300 line battalions (comprising an overwhelming majority) even in 1870. Although the French line infantry received Chassepot rifles in 1866, it was still being trained in the use of close formations (line, column and square), which

6095-441: The Austrian army abandoned their pikes. In 1703, the French army did the same, in 1704 the British and 1708 the Dutch. In 1699–1721, Peter I converted almost all Russian foot-regiments to line infantry. The abandonment of the pike, together with the faster firing rate made possible by the introduction of the new flintlock musket and paper cartridge , resulted in the replacement of the deeper formations of troops more suitable for

6210-442: The Caribbean, more than double the GDP per capita of the nearby Collectivity of Saint Martin , as well as 85% higher than Guadeloupe and 19% higher than metropolitan France 's GDP per capita in 2014. International investment and the wealth generated by tourists explain the high standard of living on the island. Most of the food is imported from the United States or France. Tourism attracts about 200,000 visitors every year. As

6325-437: The Devon Regiment, in 1918, is provided by A S Bullock. The 1st Battalion was serving in British India when the Second World War broke out, and spent the entire war in India , Ceylon and Burma . In 1942 the battalion joined the 80th Indian Infantry Brigade , attached to the 20th Indian Infantry Division and served with them until 1945 when the battalion was transferred to the British 26th Infantry Brigade . The brigade

6440-440: The Devonshire Regiment, all First Line Territorial Force (TF) units, were mobilised upon the outbreak of war, serving together in the Devon and Cornwall Brigade of the Wessex Division , and were sent to India . The 1/4th and 1/6th Battalions later saw action in Mesopotamia , while the 1/5th was transferred to the Western Front . The Second Line battalions ( 2/4th , 2/5th (Prince of Wales's) and 2/6th) also went to India, with

6555-403: The French West India Company, and initially comprised about 50 to 60 settlers, later augmented by smaller numbers coming from St Kitts . Led by Jacques Gentes, the new arrivals began cultivating cacao . However, the settlement was attacked by Caribs in 1656 and briefly abandoned. De Poincy was the dominant administrator in this period and a member of the Order of Saint John . He facilitated

6670-443: The French at Portalegre in 1704 and part of the British army defeated at the Battle of Almansa in April 1707. Back in the United Kingdom, it helped put down the Jacobite rising of 1715 , fighting the rebels at the inconclusive Battle of Sheriffmuir in November 1715 and at the Battle of Glen Shiel in June 1719. The regiment was deployed to Flanders in summer 1742 for service in the War of Austrian Succession and took part in

6785-604: The German Jäger ), armed with rifled carbines and trained in aimed shooting and use of defilades . In Britain, much of the light infantry was armed with smooth-bore muskets, only a few regiments used rifled muskets. In France, during the Revolutionary and Napoleonic Wars , the division into the Guard, line infantry and light infantry formally continued to exist, line and "light" regiments had identical weaponry (smooth-bore fusils) and tactics. (Napoleon preferred smooth-bore weaponry for their faster reload speeds.) However, each battalion in both line and "light" regiments included

6900-416: The North of Portugal, around 3000 people. French is the native tongue of the population, though English is understood in most hotels and restaurants; a small population of Anglophones has been resident in Gustavia for many years. The St. Barthélemy French patois is spoken by some 500–700 people in the leeward portion of the island and is superficially related to Quebec French , whereas Créole French

7015-400: The Russian light infantry were equipped with the M1854 rifle, the remainder retaining smoothbore percussion muskets. In the second half of the 19th century, the development of mass production and new technologies, such as the Minié ball , allowed European armies to gradually equip all their infantrymen with rifled weapons, and the percentage of line infantry equipped with muskets fell. In

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7130-403: The Sixth Coalition , the training of regular French line infantry recruits was limited due to the relentless attack of the Coalition Forces. A recruit was trained by firing only two cartridges and four blanks. There was also light training of forming several formations. However, training large quantities of elite line infantry was generally a complicated process. In the middle of the 16th century,

7245-428: The Swedes declared Gustavia (named after the Swedish king Gustav III who ruled at that time) a free port, convenient for trading by the Europeans for goods, including contraband material. Slavery was practised in St. Barthélemy under the Ordinance concerning the Police of Slaves and free Coloured People of 1787. The last legally owned slaves in the Swedish colony of St. Barthélemy were granted their freedom by

7360-478: The best shooting soldiers fight in loose ranks and cover their battalions from the enemy skirmishers. The total number of light infantry reached 40% of the entire field infantry. The sharp increase in the number of light infantry greatly influenced their quality of training and equipment. The Russian infantry of 1854 comprised 108 regiments, of which 42 were line infantry. The remainder were specialized or elite units such as Guards, Grenadiers and Jägers. Only part of

7475-400: The command of officers, but in practice this happened only in the first minutes of the battle. After one or two volleys, each soldier charged his musket and fired at his own discretion, without hearing the commands of the officers. This disrupted the system, while the gunsmoke prevented accurate shooting. Such a shootout in clouds of smoke could occur for an extended period of time and the result

7590-480: The current officers and soldiers of the modern Regiment, who are proud to belong to the most senior English Regiment of the Line. The Canadian Army also retained these traditional distinctions, and its infantry regiments were organized, titled, and uniformed in full dress as foot guards , fusiliers , light infantry, line infantry, rifles, and kilted infantry regiments. The infantry of most 21st-century armies are still trained in formation manoeuvre and drill , as

7705-459: The early years of the French Revolutionary Wars serving as detachments in the Mediterranean with the Royal Navy . It also took part in an abortive raid on the port of Ostend in 1798. It was deployed to the West Indies in 1801 where it captured Saint Barthélemy and Saint Martin later that year. A 2nd Battalion was formed in 1809 and took part in the disastrous Walcheren Campaign . The 1st battalion returned to Europe in July 1809 to fight in

7820-521: The erosion of the sand. This necessitated supplementing the beach with new sand in 2000. On the north coast, on the far eastern side of the island, there are two lagoons called the Anse de Marigot and Anse du Grand Cul-de-Sac. Morne de Vitet , 286 metres (938 feet) in height, is the highest peak on the island. Hills and valleys of varying topography cover the rest of the island. Notable are Morne Rouge, Morne Criquet, Morne de Grand Fond, Morne de Dépoudré and Morne Lurin. The largest bodies of water on

7935-406: The first territorial council was elected, according to the law. The island has a president (elected every five years), a unicameral Territorial Council of nineteen members who are elected by popular vote and serve for five-year terms, and an executive council of seven members. Elections to these councils were first held on 1 July 2007 with the most recent election in 2022. One senator represents

8050-399: The foot troops in most Western European armies. Maurice of Nassau was noted as the first large scale user of linear tactic in Europe, introducing the 'counter-march' to enable his formations of musketeers to maintain a continuous fire. After the invention of the bayonet, musketeers could finally defend themselves from the enemy's horsemen, and the percentage of pikemen fell gradually. In 1699,

8165-406: The home country, line infantry forces were often raised from the local population, with the British East India Company 's sepoys perhaps being the most historically significant example. Line tactics required strict discipline and simple movements practiced to the point where they became second-nature. During training, the drill and corporal punishments were widely used. During 1814, in the War of

8280-477: The huge expansion of the British Army's airborne forces , the battalion was transferred to the 6th Airlanding Brigade , part of the 6th Airborne Division , and were converted into glider infantry , trained to enter battle by glider . The battalion landed in Normandy in the late afternoon of 6 June 1944 in Operation Mallard . The battalion also fought in the Battle of Breville , and served throughout

8395-401: The inconclusive Iberian campaign . After the war, it garrisoned the island of Menorca . The regiment served under the name of its various Colonels until it was numbered as the 11th Regiment of Foot when the numerical system of regimental designation was adopted in 1751. It was given the additional county title of 11th (North Devonshire) Regiment of Foot in 1782. The 11th Regiment spent

8510-481: The island are Étang de Saint-Jean, Grande Saline, Grand Étang, and Petit Étang. The population is spread among 40 quartiers , roughly corresponding to settlements. They are grouped into two paroisses (parishes): The island covers an area of 25 square kilometres (10 sq mi). The eastern side is wetter than the western. Although the climate is essentially arid, the rainfall does average 1,000 millimetres (40 inches) annually, but with considerable variation over

8625-648: The island in the Senate , while a deputy jointly elected with Saint Martin represents it in the National Assembly . St. Barthélemy became an overseas territory of the European Union on 1 January 2012, but the island's inhabitants remain French citizens with EU status holding EU passports. France is responsible for the defence of the island and as such has stationed a security force on the island comprising six policemen and thirteen gendarmes (posted on

8740-677: The island voted in favour of secession from Guadeloupe to form a separate overseas collectivity ( collectivité d'outre-mer , abbreviated to COM ) of France. The collectivity is one of four territories among the Leeward Islands in the northeastern Caribbean that make up the French West Indies , along with Saint Martin , Guadeloupe (200 kilometres (120 mi) southeast) and Martinique . A volcanic island fully encircled by shallow reefs, Saint Barthélemy has an area of 25 square kilometres (9.7 sq mi) and

8855-405: The island was not inhabited permanently due to its lack of fresh water sources and poor soil. Christopher Columbus was the first European to encounter the island in 1493. Sporadic visits continued for the next hundred years until formal colonisation began taking shape. By 1648 the island was settled by the French, encouraged by Phillippe de Longvilliers de Poincy , the lieutenant-governor of

8970-438: The island. The island's tourism industry, though expensive, attracts 70,000 visitors every year to its hotels and villas; another 130,000 people arrive by boat. It also attracts a labour force from Portugal . A team of analysts have analysed Airbnb 's Luxe offerings in 27 of their most popular luxury locations around the world and concluded that St Barths is the top location for luxury Airbnb accommodation worldwide. Corossol

9085-413: The island. Following a referendum in 1877, Sweden sold the island back to France in 1878, after which it was administered as part of Guadeloupe . Swedish media supported the sale of the island to France, characterizing the island's poverty as a source of national humiliation for Sweden. On 19 March 1946, the people of the island became French citizens with full rights. With few economic prospects on

9200-621: The islands, many men from St. Barthélemy took jobs on Saint Thomas to support their families. Organised tourism and hotels began in earnest in the 1960s and developed in the 1970s onwards, particularly after the building of the island's landing strip that can accommodate mid-sized aircraft. The island soon became renowned as a high-class luxury destination, being frequented by numerous celebrities such as Greta Garbo , Howard Hughes , Benjamin de Rothschild , David Rockefeller , Lorne Michaels , Chevy Chase , Steve Martin , Jimmy Buffett and Johnny Hallyday . The boost in tourist numbers has led to

9315-472: The island’s reputation as a luxury destination. St. Barthélemy has about 25 hotels, most with 15 rooms or fewer; the largest has 58 rooms. Hotels are classified in the traditional French manner; 3 Star, 4 Star and 4 Star Luxe. Of particular note are Eden Rock and Cheval Blanc . Hotel Le Toiny , the most expensive hotel on the island, has 12 rooms. Most places of accommodation are in the form of private villas, of which there are some 400 available to rent on

9430-458: The line, the square, and the column. With the universal adoption of small arms (firearms that could be carried by hand, as opposed to cannon) in infantry units from the mid-17th century, the battlefield was dominated by linear tactics , according to which the infantry was aligned into long thin lines, shoulder to shoulder, and fired volleys . A line consisted of two, three, or four ranks of soldiers. The soldiers were expected to fire volleys at

9545-542: The main objectives of which were fast deployment of a line, rapid shooting, and manoeuvre. Line infantry quickly became the most common type of infantry in European countries. Musketeers and grenadiers , formerly elite troops , gradually became part of the line infantry, switching to linear tactics. Over time the use of line infantry tactics spread outside of Europe, often as a result of European imperialism. In European colonies and settlements with small populations from

9660-497: The melee-oriented pikemen with shallower lines that maximized the firepower of an infantry formation. Besides regular line infantry, there were elite troops (royal guards and other designated elite regiments) and the light infantry . Light infantry operated in extended order (also known as skirmish formation) as opposed to the close order (tight formations) used by line infantry. Since the late 18th century, light infantry in most European countries mostly consisted of riflemen (such as

9775-467: The movement of units. In Russia, Great Britain, France, Prussia, and some other states, linear tactics and formation discipline were maintained into the late 19th century. With the invention of new weaponry, the concept of line infantry began to wane. The Minié ball , an improved rifle ammunition, allowed individual infantrymen to shoot more accurately and over greatly increased range. Men walking in formation line-abreast became easy targets, as evidenced in

9890-528: The naturalized varieties of flora; some grow in irrigated areas while the dry areas are dominated by the cacti variety. Sea grapes and palm trees are a common sight with mangroves and shrubs surviving in the saline coastal swamps. Coconut palm was brought to the island from the Pacific islands . Important plants noted on the island include flamboyant trees , frangipanis , sabal palms , wild trumpet and Manchineel trees . Other trees of note include

10005-1049: The nearer Virgin Islands , St. Barthélemy lies immediately southeast of the islands of Saint Martin and Anguilla . St. Barthélemy is separated from Saint Martin by the Saint-Barthélemy Channel . It lies northeast of Saba and St Eustatius , and north of St Kitts . Several smaller uninhabited islands lie offshore, the largest of which are Île Fourchue , Île Coco, Île Chevreau (Île Bonhomme), Île Frégate , Île Toc Vers , Île Tortue , Roche Plate (Table à Diable) and Mancel ou la Poule et les Poussins. There are numerous smaller islets, such as La Petite Islette, L'Îlet au Vent, Île Pelé, Île le Boulanger, Roche le Bœuf, Île Petit Jean, L'Âne Rouge, Les Gros Islets, La Baleine des Gros Islets, Pain de Sucre, Les Baleines du Pain de Sucre, Fourmis, Les Petit Saints, Roches Roubes, Les Baleines de Grand Fond and Les Grenadins. St. Barthélemy forms, with St. Martin, Anguilla, and Dog Island ,

10120-412: The new fusils retained the name "musket". Both muskets and fusils were smoothbore , which lessened their accuracy and range, but made for faster loading, lesser amount of bore fouling and more robust, less complicated firearms. The accuracy of smooth-bore muskets was in the range of 300–400 yd (270–370 m) against a line of infantry or cavalry. Against a single enemy, however, the effective range

10235-402: The northwest, has a 4 fathoms patch near mid-entrance. In the bight of St. Jean Bay, there is a narrow cut through the reef. The north and east sides of the island are fringed, to a short distance from the shore, by a visible coral reef. Reefs are mostly in shallow waters and are clearly visible. The coastal areas abound with beaches and many of these have offshore reefs, some of which are part of

10350-410: The parish of Our Lady of the Assumption ( Notre-Dame-de-l'Assomption ), which in turn depends on the diocese of Basse-Terre and Pointe-à-Pitre ( diocèse de Basse-Terre et Pointe-à-Pitre ) whose see is located in the cathedral of Our Lady of Guadeloupe ( Notre-Dame-de-Guadeloupe ). The presbytery is located in the district of Lorient and dates from 1822. The building, including the masonry terrace,

10465-584: The rifle companies are referred to as "line officers" while billeted to positions such as Platoon Leaders and Commanding and Executive Officers. Saint Barth%C3%A9lemy in the Western Hemisphere Saint Barthélemy ( French : Saint-Barthélemy , [sɛ̃ baʁtelemi] ), officially the Collectivité territoriale de Saint-Barthélemy , also known as St Barts (English) or St. Barth (French),

10580-513: The sea, the females come to the shore to lay eggs and are protected by private societies. Three species of turtles are particularly notable. These are: The leatherback sea turtles are the largest of the type found here, sometimes measuring as much as 3 metres (10 feet) (average is about 1.5 m or 5 ft) and weighing about 450; the hawksbill turtles , are found near reefs, generally about 90 centimetres (35 inches) in diameter and weigh about 60 and their diet consists of crabs and snails ; and

10695-580: The second half of the nineteenth century, regiments in several European armies retained the "line infantry" (or cavalry) title. This designation had come to mean an army's regular or numbered regiments, as opposed to specialist or elite formations. Accordingly, the distinction had become a traditional title or classification without significance regarding armament or tactics. For example, the Belgian Army order of battle in 1914 comprised 14 regiments of Infanterie de Ligne (line infantry), three of Chasseurs

10810-405: The state on 9 October 1847. Since the island was not a plantation area, the freed slaves suffered economic hardships due to lack of opportunities for employment and many left to more prosperous islands, and few people of African descent remain on the island. In 1852, a devastating hurricane hit the island, followed by a fire. The economy suffered, and thus Sweden sought to relieve themselves of

10925-616: The terrain. Summer is from May to November, which is also the rainy season. Winter from December to April is the dry season. Sunshine is very prominent for nearly the entire year and even during the rainy season. Humidity, however, is not very high due to the winds. The average temperature is around 25 °C (77 °F) with day temperatures rising to 32 °C (90 °F). The average high and low temperatures in January are 28 °C (82 °F) and 22 °C (72 °F), respectively, while in July they are 30 °C (86 °F) and 24 °C (75 °F). The lowest night temperature recorded

11040-693: The transfer of ownership from the Compagnie des Îles de l'Amérique to the Order. He continued to rule the island until he died in 1660. Five years later, it was bought by the French West India Company along with the Order's other possessions in the Caribbean. By 1674, the company was dissolved and the islands became part of the French Kingdom and added to the colony of Guadeloupe . The island proved economically unsuccessful, and

11155-504: The twine sometimes would accidentally set fire to the gunpowder reservoir in the musket prematurely setting off the gunpowder, resulting in serious injury or death to the operator. For this reason and others, matchlock muskets began to be replaced by lighter and cheaper infantry fusils with flintlocks , weighing 5 kg (11 lb) with a caliber of 17.5 mm (0.69 in), first in France and then in other countries. In many countries,

11270-477: The unsuccessful army reforms of Paul I, the number of light infantry in the Russian army was significantly reduced and made up only 8% of the entire field infantry. However, the Russian army soon returned to the trend of increasing the number of light infantry, begun in the 18th century. By 1811, 50 light infantry regiments were formed in the Russian army. In addition, each linear battalion was required to have 100 of

11385-672: The war at the Bois des Buttes on 27 May 1918, the first day of the Third Battle of the Aisne . General Henri Berthelot , General Office Commanding the French 5th Army in his Order of the Day of 20 August 1918 said: "Thus the whole battalion, colonel, 28 officers and 552 non-commissioned officers and men, responded with one accord and offered their lives in ungrudging sacrifice to the sacred cause of

11500-671: Was elected for its administration, which has provided the island with a certain degree of autonomy. A senator represents the island in Paris . St. Barthélemy has retained its free port status. Saint Barthélemy ceased being an outermost region and left the EU , to become an OCT, (Overseas Country or Territory) on 1 January 2012. The island sustained damage from Hurricane Irma in September 2017 but recovered quickly, and by early 2018 transport and electricity were largely operational. Approximately 250 kilometres (160 mi) east of Puerto Rico and

11615-505: Was a Regular Army unit and, after absorbing some 500 reservists, departed for France, landing at Le Havre on 21 August 1914, just 17 days since Britain's entry into the war, as part of the British Expeditionary Force (BEF). The battalion joined the 8th Brigade of the 3rd Division in early September 1914, and then transferred to the 14th Brigade of the 5th Division later in the month. The battalion served on

11730-595: Was a corps-level Anti-tank unit with XII Corps in the North West Europe Campaign , while the 87th Anti-Tank Regiment was active in North Africa with the British 1st Army before being disbanded in 1944. The 50th (Holding) Battalion was raised in 1940 and renumbered the 12th Battalion the same year and spent most of its time on home defence anticipating a German invasion . In June 1943, due to

11845-721: Was already decided before the division arrived. The battalion crossed the River Rhine in Operation Varsity in March 1945 alongside the U.S. 17th Airborne Division . The battalion ended the war by the River Elbe . Throughout its time in 6th Airlanding Brigade, the battalion was allegedly nicknamed the Swedebashers by the men in the other battalions (1st RUR and 2nd OBLI ), due to the battalion being commanded by

11960-467: Was changed only after the dethronement of Napoleon III. This was common practice in all conventional Western armies until the late 19th century, as infantry tactics and military thinking had yet to catch up with technological developments. In the years after the Napoleonic Wars, line infantry continued to be deployed as the main battle force, while light infantry provided fire support and covered

12075-476: Was committed within 3 hours of the beginning of the attack and suffered 639 casualties on the first day. The 8th Battalion later served on the Italian Front . The 10th (Service) Battalion served at Salonika . The regiment also raised the 11th (Reserve) , 12th (Labour), 13th (Works) and 14th (Labour) Battalions. The experience of an 18-year-old volunteer joining the 35th Training Reserve Battalion, part of

12190-835: Was drawn away from Bristol. Its first action came in Ireland at the Battle of the Boyne in July 1690 and the siege of Limerick in August 1691 when it fought for William III against the Irish Army of the deposed James II . It joined the armies of the Duke of Marlborough in Holland in the War of Spanish Succession in 1703, and also fought in the Iberian Campaign, being captured by

12305-468: Was no more than 50–100 yd (46–91 m). It should be borne in mind that ordinary linear infantrymen were poorly trained in aimed shooting, due to the expense of gunpowder and lead (modern reenactors achieve much better results by firing smooth-bore muskets). Line infantrymen were trained in rapid reloading. The recruit was expected to load 3 rounds a minute, while an experienced soldier could load 4–6 rounds per minute. In battle conditions, this number

12420-434: Was originally from South America, bougainvillea and others. Marine mammals are many, such as dolphins , porpoises and whales , are seen here during the migration period from December until May. Turtles are a common sight along the coastline of the island. They are a protected species and on the endangered list. It is stated that it will take 15–50 years for this species to attain reproductive age. Though they live in

12535-409: Was part of the British 36th Infantry Division . The 2nd Battalion, Devonshire Regiment was a Regular Army unit that was serving on the island of Malta as part of the 1st Malta Infantry Brigade (redesignated as the 231st Infantry Brigade in April 1943) and was involved in the siege of Malta from June 1940 until November 1942. In July 1943 the battalion, together with the 231st Brigade, fought in

12650-454: Was re-raised in January 1673 and again disbanded in 1674. In 1682, Henry Somerset was created Duke of Beaufort , and in 1685 he was again commissioned to raise a regiment, The Duke of Beaufort's Regiment of Foot , or Beaufort Musketeers , to defend Bristol against the Duke of Monmouth's rebellion . The regiment was not required to fight at the time of its formation since the Duke of Monmouth

12765-485: Was reduced and after the first few minutes of combat, no more than 2 rounds per minute could be expected even from well trained troops. The bulk of the line infantry had no protective equipment, as armor that could provide protection from musket fire were considered too expensive and heavy. Only the former elite troops could keep by tradition some elements of protection, for example, the copper mitre caps of grenadiers. Initially, soldiers equipped with firearms formed only

12880-543: Was sent, in May 1940, to Gibraltar to join the 2nd Gibraltar Brigade and returned to the United Kingdom on 28 December 1943 and eventually joined the 164th Brigade , 55th (West Lancashire) Infantry Division before finally ending the war in the 183rd Infantry Brigade , 61st Infantry Division . The 6th Battalion was transferred to the 141st Brigade , 47th Division . The 5th and 7th Battalions were converted to anti-tank units, becoming 86th, and 87th Anti-Tank Regiments, Royal Artillery respectively. The 86th Anti-Tank Regiment

12995-419: Was slow, and unless the battalion was superbly trained, a breakdown in cohesion was assured, especially in uneven or wooded terrain. As a result, the line was mostly used as a firing formation, with troops moving in column formations and then deploying to the line at their destination. Usually, columns would be adopted for movement and melee attacks. Line infantry was trained in the manual of arms evolutions,

13110-530: Was subject to the activities of pirates (most notably Daniel Montbars aka 'Montbars the Exterminator'). In 1744, British forces captured the island, holding it until 1764 when it reverted to French control. Thus deeming it to be of little worth, King Louis XVI traded the island to Sweden in 1784 in return for trading privileges in Gothenburg . This change of control saw progress and prosperity as

13225-439: Was unpredictable. In addition, at the time of the “hot” shootout, the soldiers were so engaged and focused on shooting that they were not watching out for an attack of cavalry from the flank. For these reasons, experienced officers tried to avoid such uncertain exchanges and restrained their soldiers from premature firing in order to get as close to the enemy’s line as possible so that they could deliver several devastating volleys at

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