Most military units throughout the world have a nickname
that they are often called in an informal setting. Sometimes
these nicknames are given out of respect for some heroic
deed, but more often they were given to the unit by people
outside of the unit to make fun of it. The reasons why units
received these negative nicknames varied from misconduct on
the field to the color of their uniforms to their
pretensions.
Unfortunately over the years, even though the nickname
has stuck, the reasons why they were given have been lost,.
The British Army is rich in tradition and in many cases not
only have the nicknames survived, but the reason why they
received it has also. Interestingly, in a sampling of 60
British memoirs and diaries from the Napoleonic Wars, very
few of the writers referred to their own units by their
nicknames, which would re-inforce the negative side of the
nickname.
The nicknames listed below are from a variety of sources.
In some cases we were able to pinpoint exactly when the
nickname came into use (such as the "Die Hards" for the 57th
Foot). In others, the nicknames were in use prior to the
Napoleonic Wars. Although the nickname may have been earned
50 - 75 years earlier, the regiment was still referred to by
the nickname ( such as the "Slashers" for the 28th Foot.) In
other cases, the nickname was earned earlier and was
recorded in the regiment's official history, but it is
difficult to determine whether they were still used.
During the Peninsula War, the British Army was organized
into eight infantry divisions. Each division had a nickname,
usually based upon some action they had participated in.
|
Regiment
|
Nickname
|
First Used
|
Reason for Nickname
|
|
Household Cavalry
|
Unfortunate Gentlemen
|
Unknown
|
Unknown
|
|
The Life Guards
|
The Cheeses
|
1788
|
After a reduction in social qualifications for
recruiting officers, the members of the regiment
declared that they were 'no longer gentlemen but
cheesemongers' ie 'tradesmen'
|
|
|
The Cheesemongers
|
1815
|
Same as above
|
|
|
The Piccadilly Butchers
|
1810
|
Were used to quell the Burdett riots during
which one rioter was killed
|
|
|
Roast and Boil
|
Peninsula
|
Because they were part of the Guard &
thought to be better fed than the Line
|
|
Royal Horse Guards
|
The Blues
|
1660
|
Color of uniform
|
|
1st Dragoon Guards
|
The Trades Union
|
1800s
|
Used to quell trade riots
|
|
|
The Royals
|
1800s
|
Regimental Name
|
|
2nd Dragoon Guards
|
The Bays
|
1600s/1700s
|
Color of Horses
|
|
|
Rusty Buckles
|
1700s
|
Because of a less than spectacular parade in
Ireland
|
|
3rd Dragoon Guards
|
The Old Canaries
|
1600s/1700s
|
Color of facings
|
|
4th Dragoon Guards
|
The Blue Horse
|
1746
|
Color of facings
|
|
5th Dragoon Guards
|
The Green Horse
|
1700s
|
Color of facings
|
|
|
The Green Dragoons
|
1700s
|
Color of facings
|
|
|
The Old Farmers
|
1700s/1800s
|
Due to 80 years spent in Ireland
|
|
7th Dragoon Guards
|
The Black Horse
|
1700s
|
Color of facings
|
|
|
The Virgin Mary's Bodyguard
|
1700s/1800s
|
Sent by George II to assist Maria Theresa, of
Austria.
|
|
1st Dragoons
|
The Bird Catchers
|
1815
|
Captured an Eagle at Waterloo
|
|
2nd Dragoons
|
The Greys
|
1700s/1800s
|
Color of uniforms when first raised. Also color
of horses.
|
|
|
The Bird Catchers
|
1815
|
Captured an Eagle at Waterloo
|
|
6th Dragoons
|
The Old Inniskillings
|
1750s
|
Regimental Badge had Inniskilling Castle on
it.
|
|
|
The Skillingers
|
1700s/1800s
|
Slang for Inniskilling
|
|
|
The Inniskillings
|
Peninsula
|
From Badge
|
|
7th Hussars
|
The Saucy Seventh
|
1809
|
Because of high uniform standards
|
|
11th Light Dragoons
|
The Cherry Pickers
|
1811
|
Detachment captured by French whilst picking
cherries and had to fight dismounted
|
|
12th Light Dragoons
|
The Supple Twelfth
|
1812
|
Because of high standards of training that led
to their superb performance at Salamanca
|
|
13th Light Dragoons
|
The Lily-Whites
|
1784
|
Due to white stripe on overalls.
|
|
|
The Ragged Brigade
|
Peninsula
|
Due to worn out equipment and clothing
|
|
14th Light Dragoons
|
Hawks
|
1812
|
Eagle on shako plate resembled a hawk
|
|
|
The Emperor's Chambermaids
|
1813
|
Captured King Joseph's chamberpot at Vitoria
|
|
15th Light Dragoons/Hussars
|
Eliott's Light Horse
|
1759
|
Reference to George Augustus Eliott, Lord
Heathfield who raised them to help quell a strike
by journeymen tailors - see next nickname.
|
|
|
The Tabs
|
1759
|
Reference to number recruits who joined the
regiment when it was raised who were formerly
journeymen tailors by trade; a Tab was a nickname
for a journeyman (one who was employed by another)
tailor and a reference to the small piece of cloth
that the tailor used to incorporate into clothing
to identify his work.
|
|
17th Light Dragoons
|
The Horse Marines
|
1795
|
Because a detachment served on the HMS
Hermione
|
|
18th Light Dragoons
|
Drogheda Light Horse
|
1759
|
Originally from Ireland
|
|
Light Dragoons
|
Young Eyes
|
Peninsula
|
Given to them by Foot Guards
|
|
Regiment |
Nickname |
First Used |
Reason for Nickname |
|
Foot Guards |
Old Eyes |
Peninsula |
Given to them by Light Dragoons |
|
1st Foot Guards |
The Tow-Rows |
Unknown |
From the regimental march |
|
|
The Coalers |
1600s |
The regiment's officers once hired the men out
to 'heave' coal to raise money to refurbish the
officers' mess at St James' Palace. |
|
2nd (Coldstream) Foot Guards |
Coldstreamers |
1600s |
Recruited from Coldstream, Scotland |
|
1st Foot |
Pontius Pilate's Bodyguards |
1630s |
It is the oldest regiment in the British army.
Originally Régiment de Douglas; when in
French service, the story goes that at a regimental
'function', to which officers of the
Régiment Picardy had been invited, a dispute
arose concerning which regiment was the oldest. An
officer from the Régiment Picardy claimed
that his regiment was the oldest in any army,
anywhere, and that the Régiment Picardy had
been on duty on the night following the
Crucifixion. He then promptly passed out. An
officer of the Douglas' replied that the Picardies
must have been asleep at their posts, and that if
the Régiment de Douglas had been on duty
Christ would not have been crucified. Now, the
flawed logic of this will not have escaped you,
since on the night following the Crucifixion the
deed was already done and, as a result they
received the nickname. |
|
2nd Foot |
Kirke's Lamb |
1682 |
Regimental badge is the Paschal Lamb and they
were commanded by a Colonel Kirke |
|
3rd Foot |
The Buffs |
1700s/1800s |
Because of their facing color |
|
|
The Resurrectionists |
1810 |
Because of the large number of wounded men and
those who escaped from the French who returned
after Albuera |
|
|
Resurrection Men |
1810 |
Same as above |
|
4th Foot |
The Lions |
1685 |
Regimental badge had a lion |
|
5th Foot |
The Fighting Fifth |
Peninsula |
Wellington's comment "The ever fighting, often
tried, but never failing fifth." |
|
|
Wellington's Bodyguard |
Peninsula |
Often served as the Army HQ guard |
|
|
The Old and Bold |
c1808 |
Because of service at Rolica |
|
6th Foot |
Saucy 6th |
1790s |
Because of high recruiting standards |
|
7th Foot |
The Elegant Extracts |
1685 |
When the regiment was raised, the officers came
from many different regiments |
|
8th Foot |
The Leather Hats |
c1780 |
Used civilian hats during American War of
Independence |
|
9th Foot |
The Fighting Ninth |
c1808 |
Unknown |
|
|
The Holy Boys |
Peninsula |
Spanish thought the figure of Britannia on their
shako plate was the Virgin Mary |
|
10th Foot |
The Yellow Bellies |
1700s/1800s |
After the Yellow Belly frog that lives in the
Lincolnshire Fens |
|
|
The Springers |
1776 |
Was used as light infantry during the American
War of Independence |
|
11th Foot |
Bloody Eleventh |
1812 |
Due to heavy casualties at Salamanca (340 of
412) |
|
12th Foot |
The Old Twelfth |
1700s |
Number of Regiment |
|
|
The Old Dozen |
1700s |
Number of Regiment |
|
14th Foot |
Calvert's Entire |
c1806 |
Colonel was Sir Harry Calvert and had three
battalions from 1806 to 1824 |
|
15th Foot |
The Snappers |
1777 |
At the Battle of Brandywine the regiment ran
short of ball which was distributed to the best
shots, whilst the remainder 'snapped' powder
charges only. |
|
16th Foot |
The Old Bucks |
1700s/1800s |
From Buckinghamshire and senior to the 85th
Regiment |
|
17th Foot |
The Tigers |
c1804 |
For service in India; its regimental badge was
the Bengal Tiger. |
|
18th Foot |
Paddy's Blackguards |
1684 |
Was an Irish Regiment |
|
|
The Namurs |
1695 |
For service at Namur |
|
19th Foot |
The Green Howards |
1740 |
Because of facing color and their colonel was
named Howard |
|
20th Foot |
Kingsley's Stand |
1759 |
Having been stood-down by the Duke of Brunswick
and placed in reserve due to casualties after
Minden, Major General Kingsley, also Colonel of the
regiment, declined to obey the order with the words
"Kingsley's Regiment, at its own request will
resume its portion of duty in the line." |
|
|
The Two Tens |
1700s/1800s |
Because their regimental number was always shown
in Roman numerals thus XX |
|
|
The Minden Boys |
1700s/1800s |
Service at Minden |
| |
Young Fusiliers |
1800s |
Possibly because they joined the Fusilier Brigade
in 1812 |
|
21st Foot |
Grey Breeks |
1600s/1700s |
When first raised, wore grey trousers |
|
22nd Foot |
The Red Knights |
1795 |
Uniform was entirely red: coat, waistcoat and
trousers |
|
|
The Two Twos |
1800s |
Because of regimental number |
|
23rd Foot |
Nanny Goats |
1800s |
Mascot was a goat |
|
|
Royal Goats |
1800s |
Mascot was a goat |
|
24th Foot |
Howard's Greens |
1737 |
To prevent confusion with 19th Foot, who also
had green facings and a colonel called Howard |
|
27th Foot |
The Skins |
c1800 |
Corruption of Inniskilling, from where they were
recruited |
|
28th Foot |
The Slashers |
1775 |
At the Battle of White Plains, the regiment had
to leave its muskets behind to climb a cliff and
drove the rebels from their positions with their
short swords. Alternatively, soldiers of 28th are
alleged to have cut off the ear of an anti-British
magistrate in Montreal in 1764. |
|
|
The Silver Tailed Dandies |
Peninsula |
Officers' coat-tails were apparently longer than
regulation and had ornate silver decorations on
them |
|
29th Foot |
The Firms |
Peninsula |
For standing Firm at Albuera |
|
30th Foot |
The Three Tens |
1700s/1800s |
Because of regimental number |
|
31st Foot |
The Young Buffs |
c1760 |
Because of facing color they were mistaken by
George II for 3rd Foot who greeted them with "Bravo
Buffs" at Dettingen. On being told that they were
not the 'Old Buffs' but the 31st Foot, he replied
"then bravo Young Buffs." |
|
33rd Foot |
Havercake Lads |
1700s/1800s |
A havercake is an oat pancake very popular in the West of Yorkshire, which was (and is) the main recruiting area for the 33rd Foot, later Duke of Wellington's and now the Yorkshire Regiment. |
|
34th Foot |
Cumberland Gentlemen |
Peninsula |
Large officers from Cumberland |
|
35th Foot |
Prince of Orange's Own |
1700s/1800s |
William III (of Orange) gave them their orange
regimental distinctives |
|
36th Foot |
The Grasshoppers |
1700s/1800s |
Facing color was grass green |
|
39th Foot |
The Green Linnets |
1700s |
Possibly because of facing color |
|
40th Foot |
Fighting Fortieth |
1700 |
Unknown |
|
|
The Exellers |
1700s/1800s |
The regimental number in Roman numerals was
XL |
|
41st Foot |
The Invalids |
1787 |
Was originally raised as an invalid regiment |
|
42nd Foot |
The Forty-twa |
1700s/1800s |
Because of regimental number |
|
44th Foot |
Little Fighting Fours |
Peninsula |
Because the regiment had a large number of short
men |
|
45th Foot |
Old Stubborns |
c1809 |
Because of service at Talavera |
|
46th Foot |
The Red Feathers |
1777 |
At Brandywine Creek, the regiment's light
company defeated a group of rebels who swore
revenge. In order that they not be confused with
another regiment the 46th stained their plumes
red |
|
47th Foot |
The Cauliflowers |
c1740 |
White facings |
|
|
Wolfe's Own |
1700s |
Served under Wolfe at Quebec |
|
50th Foot |
The Dirty Half-Hundred |
1700s/1800s |
Because black facings ran after they got wet |
|
|
The Blind Half-Hundred |
1801 |
Because of large number of ophthalmia cases
while serving in Egypt |
|
53rd Foot |
The Old Five and Threepennies |
1700s/1800s. |
Because of regimental number |
|
|
The Red Regiment |
1820 |
Name given by Napoleon to then when they guarded
him on St. Helena |
|
54th Foot |
The Popinjays |
1700s/1800s |
Green shade of their facings |
|
|
The Flamers |
1781 |
Burned 12 privateers at New London |
|
55th Foot |
The Cattle Reavers |
1700s/1800s |
Recruited from border region of England and
Scotland; reavers were cattle thieves |
|
|
The Two Fives |
1700s |
Because of regimental number |
|
56th Foot |
The Pompadours |
1755 |
Because of their purple facings |
|
57th Foot |
The Steelbacks |
c1760 |
Had a reputation for being a flogging
regiment |
|
|
The Diehards |
1811 |
Cry to men of regimental commander who laid
serious wounded at Albuera |
|
58th Foot |
The Honeysuckers |
1813 |
Were caught stealing beehives by Wellington and
were flogged. |
|
|
The Steelbacks |
1813 |
Were caught stealing beehives by Wellington and
were flogged. |
|
59th Foot |
The Lilywhites |
1700s/1800s |
Because of facing color |
|
60th Foot |
Jaggers |
Peninsula |
Regiment was mostly Germans; corruption of
jaegers. |
|
61st Foot |
The Flowers of Toulouse |
1814 |
Regiment's heavy casualties at Toulouse were
very apparent due to new uniform coats on the
dead |
|
62nd Foot |
The Springers |
1776 |
Were used as light infantry to pursue rebels at
Trois Rivières in Canada |
|
62nd Foot |
The Splashers |
1758 |
Regiment had to use their buttons for ammunition
when they ran out of ball at the defence of
Carrickfergus; their buttons thereafter had a dent
or 'splash' in them in commemoration |
|
|
The Moonrakers |
1700s/1800s |
Moonrakers is a nickname of people from the
county of Wiltshire in south-west England. Legend
says that two smugglers were caught by excise
officers retrieving kegs of brandy they had hidden
in a pond and told the officers that they were
attempting to retrieve a cheese, the reflection of
the moon in the water (hence raking the moon). |
|
63rd Foot. |
The Bloodsuckers |
1808 |
The Fleur-de-lys shako badge bore a similarity
in appearance to the blood-sucking insects in the
West Indies that spread the disease which virtually
wiped out the regiment |
|
64th Foot |
The Black Knots |
c1760 |
Had black facing color and regimental badge had
heraldic device of Lord Stafford -- a knot |
|
69th Foot |
The Ups and Downs |
1700s/1800 |
Because of regimental number |
|
|
The Old Agamemnons |
c1790 |
Served as marines on the
HMS Agamemnon; nickname supposedly
given to them by Admiral Nelson |
|
71st Foot |
The Assaye Regiment |
1803 |
For service at Assaye where all 17 officers and
384 men out of 550 were casualties; the remnant
being command by a sergeant-major |
|
72nd Foot |
The Wild Macraes |
c1780 |
Originally recruited from the Clan Macrae |
|
76th Foot |
The Old Imortals |
c1790 |
Because of high casualties during Lake's
campaigns in India. The Seven and Sixpennies
1700s/1800s: after the number - seven shillings and
a sixpence in pre-decimal currency. |
|
|
The Seven and Sixpennies |
1700s/1800s |
Because of its number - seven shillings and a
sixpence |
|
77th Foot |
The Pot Hooks |
1700s/1800s |
Their number '7' looked like a pot-hook |
|
78th Foot |
The King's Men |
c1793 |
Because the regimental motto 'Cuidich'n Righ'
means 'Help to the King'. |
|
83rd Foot |
Fitch's Grenadiers |
c1795 |
Raised by Lieutenant Colonel Fitch |
|
85th Foot |
The Young Bucks |
1700s/1800s |
From Buckinghamshire, but junior to the 16th
Foot which was also from that county |
|
|
The Elegant Extracts |
1811 |
A large number of officers were court-martialed
and had to be replaced by officers from other
regiments. |
|
86th Foot |
Royal County Downs |
1792 |
An Irish Regiment |
|
87th Foot |
Blayney's Bloodhounds |
1798 |
Hunted rebels in Ireland under Lord Blaney |
|
|
The Faughs |
1700s/1800s |
From their motto "Faugh-a-Ballagh" (Clear
the Way) |
|
|
Aigle Catchers |
1811 |
Captured an Eagle at Barosa |
|
|
The Aiglers |
1811 |
Captured an Eagle at Barosa |
|
88th Foot |
Devil's Own |
1700s/1800s |
Unknown |
|
92nd Foot |
Gay Gordon's |
1790s |
Unknown |
|
95th Foot: |
The Rifles |
1800s |
Becaused they carried a rifle. |
|
|
Manningham's Sharpshooters |
1800 |
When the unit was formed it did not have a
regimental number. |
|
|
The Sweeps |
c.1802 |
The uniform was such a dark green they resembled
chimney sweeps. |
|
|
The Grasshoppers |
Peninsula |
Because of their green uniform |
|
96th Foot |
The Ups and Downs |
1803 |
Because of their regimental number |
|
97th Foot |
The Celestials |
1798 |
Because of blue facings |
|
99th Foot |
The Nines |
1700s/1800s |
Hence the expression 'dressed up to the nines'.
The officers of regiment were considered
particularly sartorial). |
|
Brunswick Oels |
Death or Glory Men |
Peninsula |
Death Head Skull on Shako |
|
|
Owls |
Peninsula |
Corruption of Oels |
|
Kings German Legion Light Battalions |
Halkett's Green Germans |
Peninsula |
Halkett was brigade commander |
Brett-James, Anthony. Life in Wellington's Army
London : Tom Donovan Publishing; 1994.
Carew, Tim. How the Regiments got their Nicknames
London : Leo Cooper; 1974.
Dalton, Charles. The Waterloo Rollcall New York
: Hippocrene Books; 1971.
Fortescue, John. The History of the British Army
London : MacMillan; 1910.
Fosten, Bryan. Wellington's Infantry Volume 1;
London : Osprey; 1981.
Fraser, Edward. The Soldiers whom Wellington Led
London : Methuen; 1913.
Haythornhwaite, Philip J. The Armies of Wellington
London : Arms and Armour Press; 1994.
Oman, Charles. Wellington's Army, 1809-1814 London
: Greenhill Books; 1993.
Siborne, H.T. Waterloo Letters London
: Greenhill Books; 1993.
Swinson, Arthur. A Register of the Regiments and Corps
of the British Army London : Archive Press;
1972.
Once again we wish to thank the numerous people who
helped us our research: Ron McGuigan, Rory Muir, Lewis
Orans, Radford Polinsky, John White of the Association of Friends of the
Waterloo Committee, and the re-enactors of the 93rd
Sutherland Highland Regiment.
