1st / 17th Foot (Leicestershire) Regiment

1830 - 1836.

Known as (nickname)..............................................." Colonial Lillywhites" " The Lilywhites " , The Green tigers" , "The Bengal Tigers "

Facings......................................................................... WHITE

Braided Lace............................................................... Silver

Service in Australia .................................................... Arrived during the latter part of 1830 through to 1831 seeing service in Tasmania , Parramatta & Sydney. The Regiment was despatched to Afghanistan and left Sydney in March of 1836

Commanding Officer.......................................................Lieut. Colonel H. Despard

Surnames of the 1/17th Regiment Soldiers who stayed

Weapons used by the 1/17th Leicestershire Regiment

Representation of the 17th Regiment Uniform

Ships the 17th Regiment sailed on

The Regiment came in to being in 1688 in London. During this year it was given the name the Colonel Solomon Richards Regiment of Foot. For the next four years it was known by the name of the Commanding Colonel. In 1751 the Regiment was renamed the 17th (Leicestershire) Regiment of Foot, a name it retained until 1881.

The following is a history of many name changes.

1688.....Colonel Solomon Richards Regiment of Foot

1689.....Named after the Commanding Officer's name

1751.....17th Regiment of Foot

1881.....The Leicestershire Regiment

1946.....Royal Leicestershire Regiment

1970.....Royal Anglian Regiment. " Tiger Company"

Military records of the Regiment , Pay rolls, Pay Musters, Cemetery Records, Church Records & General Muster Records. Reference :

Records of the 17th . Mitchell Library, Sydney, Australia.

Last revised: March 27, 2007.