52nd ( Oxfordshire ) Regiment of Foot The 52nd ( Oxfordshire ) Regiment of Foot was a light infantry regiment of the British Army throughout much of the 18th and 19th centuries . The regiment first saw active service during the American War of Independence , and were posted to India during the Anglo - Mysore Wars . During the Napoleonic Wars , the 52nd were part of the Light Division , and were present at most of the major battles of the Peninsula campaign , becoming one of the most celebrated regiments , described by Sir William Napier as " a regiment never surpassed in arms since arms were first borne by men " . They had the largest British battalion at Waterloo , 1815 , where they formed part of the final charge against Napoleon ' s Imperial Guard . They were also involved in various campaigns in India . The regiment was raised as a line regiment in 1755 and numbered as the " 54th Foot " ; they were renumbered as the " 52nd Regiment of Foot " in 1757 . In 1781 , the regional designation " 52nd ( Oxfordshire ) Regiment of Foot " was given , and in 1803 the regiment was the first regular British Army regiment to be designated " Light Infantry " . In 1881 the regiment was merged with the 43rd ( Monmouthshire ) Regiment of Foot to become the regiment later known as the Oxfordshire and Buckinghamshire Light Infantry . Regimental structure . Throughout the period of the 52nd ' s existence , the British Army comprised both infantry and cavalry line regiment s , as well as the Household Division s . The regiments of the line were numbered and , from 1781 , were given territorial designations – " Oxfordshire " in the 52nd ' s case – which roughly represented the area from which troops were drawn . This was not rigid , and most English regiments had a significant proportion of Irish and Scots . Regiments comprised at least one battalion , often two – as the 52nd did intermittently – and occasionally more . Commanded by a lieutenant colonel , an infantry battalion was composed of ten companies , of which eight were " centre " companies , and two flank companies : one a grenadier and one ( in regular line regiments ) a specialist light company . Companies were commanded by captains , with lieutenant s and ensigns ( or subaltern s ) beneath him . Ideally , a battalion comprised 1000 men ( excluding NCO s , musicians and officers ) ; the 1st ( or senior ) battalion of a regiment would frequently draw fit recruits from the 2nd battalion to maintain its strength . If also sent on active service , the 2nd battalion would consequently be weaker . In periods of long service , battalions were generally operating under strength . Seriously under - strength battalions might be dissolved , or temporarily drafted into other regiments , as happened to the 52nd on several occasions . The 52nd was initially a one - battalion regiment , but increased recruiting resulted in the creation of a second battalion in 1798 . While the 1st Battalion saw some action in Spain and Portugal in 1800 – 1801 , the 2nd remained stationed in England . In 1803 the regiment ' s fittest officers and men were concentrated in the 1st battalion , for training as light infantry , and the 2nd battalion was transferred to the 96th Foot . A new second battalion was raised in 1804 . Both battalions saw extensive action during the Napoleonic Wars , and they were brigaded together for a time during the Peninsula Campaign , but heavy losses at Badajoz in 1812 resulted in the reduction of the 2nd battalion to a cadre ( skeleton staff ) . The 2nd was eventually reformed with new recruits and saw service in Holland in 1813 – 14 . Following the conclusion of the war in 1814 , both battalions were billeted in England , where the 2nd ' s effectives were transferred to the 1st battalion , in preparation for further service . The 2 / 52nd remained in England during the Waterloo Campaign , and were disbanded in 1815 . Subsequently , the 52nd remained a one - battalion regiment until their merger with the 43rd . Light infantry . Initially raised as a regular line regiment , the 52nd fought in the line during the American wars and the early Indian campaigns , and did not become a light regiment until 1803 . However , they were the first regular British regiment to be so designated . Prior to this , the British Army had relied on irregulars and mercenaries to provide most of its light infantry or , when conditions demanded it , temporarily seconded regular line companies . While regular regiments were required to include one company of light infantry from 1758 , the training of such light troops was inconsistent , and frequently inadequate . Consequently , when beginning a restructure of the British Army in the late 18th century , the Duke of York recognised a need for dedicated light troops , especially coming into a war against Napoleon and his experienced light infantry , the " chasseur s " . During the early war against the French , the British Army was bolstered by light infantry mercenaries from Germany and the Low Countries , but the British light infantry companies proved inadequate against the experienced French during the Flanders campaign , and in in 1799 , and infantry reform became urgent . In 1801 , the " Experimental Corps of Riflemen " was raised ( later designated the 95th Rifles ) , and a decision was made to train some line regiments in light infantry techniques , so they might operate as both light and line infantry . Sir John Moore , a proponent of the light infantry model , suggested that his own regiment of line infantry , the 52nd , be first to undergo this training , at Shorncliffe Camp . They were followed shortly afterwards by the 43rd Foot , by whose side they would fight many campaigns as part of the Light Division . Several other line regiments were designated " light infantry " in 1808 . Moore wrote of the 52nd in his diary that " it is evident that not only the officers , but that each individual soldier , knows perfectly what he has to do ; the discipline is carried on without severity , the officers are attached to the men and the men to the officers . " This had much to do with the method of training ; unlike other regiments , light infantry officers drilled with the men and were expected to be familiar with drill routines , including weapons training . The ranks also received additional training , and were encouraged to develop initiative and self - direction ; while skirmishing in the field they would need to react without direct orders . While most regiments of the time fought in tight formation , allowing easy administration of orders , light infantry worked in small groups , in advance of the main line , so complicated bugle calls were developed to pass orders . Consequently , the bugle became the emblem of the light infantry regiments . When skirmishing , light infantry fought in pairs , so that one soldier could cover the other while loading . Line regiments fired in volleys , but skirmishers fired at will , taking careful aim at targets . While some consideration was given to equipping light infantry with rifles , due to their improved accuracy , the expected difficulty and expense in obtaining sufficient rifled weapons resulted in the standard infantry musket being issued to most troops . The accuracy of the musket decreased at long range and , since the French " chasseurs " and " voltigeurs " also used muskets , it is likely that skirmishers ' firefights took place at ranges of only 50 yards ( or less ) . 10 yards provided the accuracy of point - blank range . Although the French infantry ( and , earlier , the Americans ) frequently used multi - shot and grapeshot in their muskets , the British light infantry used only standard ball ammunition . Light infantry were equipped more lightly than regular line regiments , and marched at 140 paces per minute . Tasks of the light infantry included advance and rear guard action , flanking protection for armies and forward skirmishing . They were also called upon to take regular line formations during battles , or to act as part of fortification storming parties . During the Peninsular War , they were regarded as the army ' s elite corps . Regimental history . Early history . The 52nd began as a standard infantry line regiment in 1755 , when Colonel Hedworth Lambton received papers to raise a new regiment , to be numbered as the 54th Foot . It was renumbered as the " 52nd Regiment of Foot " in 1757 , and was stationed in England and Ireland . ( At the same time , the previous 52nd Foot was renamed the 50th Foot . ) In 1765 , the Regiment was posted to Canada . The regiment , under the command of Colonel John Clavering , departed Cork , Ireland aboard the transport " Pitt " , for Quebec . En route , the ship ran aground in dense fog in the Gulf of St Lawrence , near the coast of Nova Scotia ; the wreck remained intact enough for all on board , including the soldiers ' wives , to disembark safely , transferring their effects and regimental provisions to shore . General Murray , Governor of Quebec , sent a schooner to retrieve the personnel and belongings , and carry them to Quebec . American War of Independence . Twenty years after its founding , the regiment saw active service in the American War of Independence , from 1774 to 1778 . The 52nd was shipped to America from Canada , arriving in Boston , and fought in the battles of Lexington and Bunker Hill in 1775 . Major - General William Howe led the main assault at Bunker Hill with Brigadier Robert Pigot leading the 52nd and 43rd Foot in support . This was the first occasion that the 52nd fought alongside the 43rd . They suffered heavy casualties at Bunker Hill , and in their grenadier company , only 8 men were left unwounded . In August , 1778 , the men were drafted into other regiments and the officers returned to England . The regiment obtained new recruits and in 1782 the introduction of county titles for regiments resulted in the 52nd adding " Oxfordshire " to their name . Indian Wars . In 1783 , the 52nd arrived in Madras , for nine years of war spanning the Second and Third Anglo - Mysore War s . The Second War had begun in 1778 , when the British responded to news of war against France by moving against French - held bases in India . Hyder Ali , then ruler of Mysore , sided with the French and marched against the British . Hyder died in 1782 , and was succeeded by his son , Tippu Sultan , who continued the war through some minor campaigns until a peace treaty was signed in 1784 . Shortly afterwards , a detachment from the 52nd took part in the 1785 siege of Cannanore . The 52nd stormed the breach at Cannanore , under command of Sir Martin Hunter . In 1786 , Lord Cornwallis was appointed Governor - general , and the war against Tippu Sultan was resumed after Tippu attacked British allies in 1789 . ( This was known as the Third Mysore war ) . Initially , military actions were fairly minor . In 1790 , the 52nd were involved at Pollighautcherry and in a battle near Seringapatam . In 1791 , the regiment fought at Bangalore in March , and Arakere ( near Seringapatam ) in May . In December that year , the flank companies from the 52nd and 76th Foot , with sepoy grenadier s , formed the storming party during the assault on Savandroog ; the defenders abandoned the fortress , and it was successfully taken at the cost of just one British soldier wounded . Throughout the assault , the band of the 52nd played to spur on the attackers . The 52nd were also present at the February 1792 siege of Seringapatam , where the battalion ' s grenadier company received heavy casualties while crossing the Kaveri River . During that battle , the 52nd came to the aid of Lord Cornwallis , whose companies were exposed and in danger of capture . Tippu Sultan sued for peace during the siege , and a treaty was signed in 1792 , ending the war . However , in August 1793 the regiment took part in an assault on Pondicherry . French Revolutionary Wars . With the outbreak of the French Revolutionary Wars in 1793 , the British renewed their intermittent war against Holland ; amongst the action was an assault on the Dutch colony at Ceylon . In 1795 , a force commanded by Colonel James Stuart , of the 72nd Foot , and including the 52nd , left India for Ceylon , laying siege to Trincomalee ; by February 1796 the island was in British hands . The 52nd returned to Britain in 1798 where , bolstered by new recruits , a second battalion was created . In 1800 the 1 / 52nd took part in the Qiberon Bay , Vigo , Cadiz and Ferrol expeditions and , after short stations in Gibraltar and Lisbon , returned to England in 1801 . In January 1803 , the regiment ' s 2nd battalion was transferred into the 96th Foot ; prior to the transfer , the fittest men and officers were seconded by the 1st battalion , which was converted into " a corps of light infantry " , and began training under Major - General Moore ( who was also Colonel of the 52nd ) at Shorncliffe Camp . They formed a brigade with the 95th Rifles , and three line regiments . Much of the training was undertaken by Lieutenant - Colonel Kenneth MacKenzie , who devised many of the tactics of light infantry training . A new second battalion was raised in 1804 . Napoleonic Wars . Both battalions of the 52nd experienced active service throughout the Napoleonic Wars , their paths occasionally overlapping . In 1806 – 7 , the 1st battalion were stationed in Sicily , where they helped train local soldiers ; later , they accompanied Moore to Sweden . In August 1806 , the 2nd battalion accompanied the expedition to Copenhagen , taking part in the 1807 assault against Copenhagen , which was led by General Wellesley . The 2 / 52nd landed in Portugal in August 1808 and , with the 2 / 43rd , were positioned in the village of Vimeiro to provide cover for the army landings at the nearby Maceira Bay . Three companies of the 2 / 52nd were posted with the advance guard , and were the first to encounter the enemy during the Battle of Vimeiro . Following the battle , the British commander Wellesley was superseded in turn by two superiors , Sir Harry Burrard and Sir Hew Dalrymple respectively , who signed the Convention of Sintra . The three commanders were recalled to England to explain their actions , and the command of the British troops devolved on Sir John Moore , the 52nd ' s colonel . In October , Sir John Moore led the army into Spain , reaching as far as Salamanca . In December , they were reinforced by 10 , 000 troops from England , including the ' 1st Flank Brigade ' , which consisted of 1 / 52nd , 1 / 43rd and 1 / 95th and led by Robert Craufurd . Moore ' s army now totalled 25 , 000 , but his advance was cut short by the news that Napoleon had defeated the Spanish , held Madrid , and was approaching with an army of 200 , 000 . Moore turned his men , and retreated to Corunna , over mountain roads and through bitter winter weather . French cavalry pursued the British Army the length of the journey , and a Reserve Division was set up to provide rearguard protection for the British troops . The core of this Reserve , commanded by Edward Paget , consisted of the 1 / 52nd and 1 / 95th battalions , who displayed none of the ill - discipline which plagued other regiments during the retreat , but " made a stand at every defile and riverline , buying time for the rest of the army to get away . " Following the secondment of the 1 / 52nd and 1 / 95th to the Reserve , Craufurd ' s 1st Flank Brigade was reformed , and comprised the 1 / 43rd , 2 / 52nd and 2 / 95th . The 1st Flank Brigade deployed with the Reserve for a time , protecting the crossing of the river Esla near Benavente , before it separated from the Reserve and the main army and marched to Vigo , with over 4 , 000 other troops , for eventual transportation to England . The 1 / 52nd remained with the main army , which was caught by the French at Corunna . During the ensuing battle , in January 1809 , Moore was killed ; the army , including the 1 / 52nd , were evacuated to England . The 1 / 52nd , along with 1 / 43rd and 1 / 95th , returned to the Peninsula in June 1809 , where they were designated the " Light Brigade " , under the command of General Craufurd . Alighting in Lisbon and hearing of the army ' s engagement with the French , they undertook a forced march to Talavera , arriving mere hours after the battle . The march was an extraordinary achievement , covering 42 miles in 26 hours , at a time when an infantry march of 15 miles a day was standard . Henceforth , the 1 / 52nd generally remained in advance of the army , as a forward party , a role which was to be theirs throughout much of the war . In February 1810 , Portuguese Cazadores were added to Craufurd ' s brigade , creating the Light Division , the 1 / 52nd forming a brigade with 1st Cazadores and four companies from the 95th , under Lt - Col Barclay . While holding a forward outpost , the Light Division was involved in the Battle of the Côa , in July 1810 , and took part in the Battle of Bussaco , where the Light Division held the left against the main French charge , which they successfully repulsed , inflicting high casualties ; 1200 Frenchmen were killed , wounded or captured , while the Light Division suffered only 120 casualties . When Wellington ' s army retreated back to the Lines of Torres Vedras , late 1810 , the Light Division acted as rearguard . The French were unable to broach the Torres Vedras defences , but engaged the British army in a number of small skirmishes , such as those fought by the Light Division , under the temporary command of Sir William Erskine , at Casal Novo – where they unwittingly came upon 11 French divisions in the fog – and Sabugal ( April 1811 ) , an engagement of which Wellington later wrote : " I consider that the action that was fought by the Light Division [ . . . ] with the whole of the [ French ] 2nd Corps , to be the most glorious that British troops were ever engaged in . " After returning to England in 1809 , the 52nd ' s 2nd battalion had joined the unsuccessful Walcheren Campaign in the Netherlands . Walcheren was surrounded by marshes , and many of the officers and men came down with " Walcheren Fever " ( malaria ) , which was to recur for years afterwards , and deplete the strength of the battalion . They eventually returned to the Peninsula in 1811 and were brigaded with their first battalion , who were manning outposts near Almeida . In early May , battle was engaged at Fuentes d ' Onoro ; initially set in the reserve , the Light Division came to the aid of the struggling British 7th Division , and provided a fighting retreat , as Wellington retired his army . For the rest of the year , both battalions of the 52nd , with the Light Division , manned outposts , which were constantly moved to mark the changing French positions . January 1812 saw the siege of Ciudad Rodrigo . Companies from the Light Division , under the 52nd ' s Colonel Colborne , captured the Francisco redoubt on 9 January , and thereafter built trenches for the main assault , under enemy fire . Once the army ' s artillery had breached the walls , a 4 - column assault was planned for 19 January , the Light Division forming the column which assaulted the breach near the Convent of San Francisco . Lt John Gurwood of the 52nd led the Forlorn Hope , followed by 300 " stormers " under the command of the 52nd ' s Major George Napier . The breach was carried and the fortress was taken within half an hour , at high cost . Amongst the 1300 British and Portuguese casualties was Craufurd , who died several days later . The army turned its attention to Badajoz , another strong fortress , which the British had failed to carry on an earlier occasion . The Light Division dug trenches near Fort Picurina , which was stormed , and established batteries . On 6 April , the breaches were deemed practicable , and the Light Division were ordered to storm the breach at Santa Maria . As the Light Division ' s Forlorn Hope reached the ditch , the French exploded a mine . Various other barricades and gunpowder defences were in place , and the toll at the breaches was heavy . Wellington ordered a withdrawal . Elsewhere , the fortress walls were achieved by escalade , encouraging an attack on the breaches again . The fortress was taken , at great cost ( over 5000 British casualties ) , and for three days the army sacked and pillaged the town in undisciplined revenge . The 52nd and the 43rd together lost 39 officers and 700 men , resulting in a reduction of the 2 / 52nd , who saw no more action in the Peninsula . Soon after the assault on Badajoz , Wellington marched his men to confront the French near Salamanca . For a month the armies marched and counter - marched against each other , seeking advantage , and on 22 July Wellington attacked in the Battle of Salamanca , achieving a comprehensive victory . The Light Division were in the reserve during the battle , and afterwards pursued and harried the retreating French . August saw the army in Madrid , where the 1 / 52nd remained while Wellington led a force on to Burgos , which he attempted to take . The siege was unsuccessful , and it was lifted by Wellington in October ; the 1 / 52nd , with the Light Division , covered the army ' s retreat back into Portugal . This " Winter Retreat " bore similarities with the earlier retreat to Corunna , as it suffered from poor supplies , bitter weather and rearguard action , including one skirmish near the River Huebra , where the 43rd and 1 / 52nd lost 95 men . Ciudad Rodrigo was reached on 19 November , where the 1 / 52nd were billeted and resupplied with both men and clothing . Diversions were set up , including the " Light Division Theatre " , in which the 52nd were described as " highly gentlemanly men , of steady aspect ; they mixed little with other corps , but attended the theatricals of the 43rd with circumspect good humour , and now and then relaxed . " In spring , 1813 , the army returned to the offensive , leaving Portugal and marching northwards through Spain to Vitoria where the French stood in preparation for battle , which took place on 21 June . The Light Division held the centre of the Allied line , and took the bridges of Villodas and Tres Puentes . The battle proved an overwhelming victory for the British , and the following day the 1 / 52nd , with the Light Division , were sent in pursuit of the retreating French , skirmishing with the enemy rearguard . In August , volunteers from the 1 / 52nd were involved in the storming of San Sebastian . The 1 / 52nd crossed into France on 7 October , when they stormed redoubts above Vera . The 1 / 52nd also fought in the battles at Nivelle ( November 1813 ) , Nive ( December 1813 ) and Orthes ( February 1814 ) . During the battle of Orthes , the 52nd led an assault up the ridge under heavy fire , an advance which was later described by Sir Harry Smith as the most majestic he had ever seen . Napoleon abdicated on 6 April 1814 , but the news arrived in Wellington ' s camp too late to prevent the Battle of Toulouse , on 10 April , during which battle the 1 / 52nd ' s Lieutenant Whichcote was first into the city . Over this later period , the 2 / 52nd , who had left the Peninsula , were bolstered with new recruits and were sent to Holland in 1813 – 14 , as part of Sir Thomas Graham ' s force which made an unsuccessful attack on Bergen op Zoom in March 1814 . Afterwards they spent some time in Belgium before returning home to England . Once peace agreements had finally been settled – the French Governor of Bayonne being the last , on 26 April – the army left the Peninsula ; the infantry marched to Bordeaux for transportation to their new postings . The 1 / 52nd were returned to England and , on 6 June 1814 , stood on the quayside at Dover with their Light Division comrades from the 43rd and 95th as part of the official welcome for the Allied sovereigns visit to England . They were later billeted in Hythe and Chatham , where they were joined by the 2 / 52nd , returned from Belgium , who transferred their effectives to the 1st battalion . Waterloo Campaign . In January , 1815 , the 1 / 52nd departed Portsmouth for Cork , where they were due to embark for America , where fighting in the War of 1812 continued . Gales prevented sailing , and by the time conditions had improved , news had arrived of Napoleon ' s escape from Elba . The 1 / 52nd were sent to Belgium , at the start of the Hundred Days . Napoleon marched swiftly through France to meet the Allies , who had formed two armies , with the Duke of Wellington commanding the Anglo - Allies , and Gebhard Leberecht von Blücher commanding the Prussia ns . The 52nd were assigned to Lt - Gen Hill ' s II Corps , as part of the 2nd Division ' s 3rd Brigade , under General Adam . As a response to Napoleon ' s movements , on 15 June , II Corps were posted west and southwest of Brussels , with a cavalry screen . Wellington ' s forward army engaged the French at Quatre Bras on 16 June , but he later fell back to remain in contact with his Prussian allies , who had retreated following the Battle of Ligny , and took position near the village of Waterloo . The field at Waterloo was 5 . 5 km wide , with two parallel ridges running west to east , creating a shallow valley 1 . 4 km across . The Allies took position on the northern ridge . As the army prepared for battle in 18 June , the 2nd Division were initially held in reserve , placed in the centre left , behind Major - General Cooke ' s 1st Division . Following the French cavalry ' s battering of the British squares over the afternoon , Adam ' s brigade was brought up to reinforce the right . In this position the 52nd endured a heavy bombardment , of which Ensign Leeke of the 52nd reported afterwards " the old officers , who had served during the whole of the Peninsular War , stated that they were never exposed to such a cannonade as the 52nd squares had to undergo on this occasion for 2½ hours from French artillery ½ mile to the front " . While the 52nd ' s squares stood waiting , British artillery fired over their heads . Activity was happening elsewhere on the field , however , and as the battle drew to a close , Napoleon ' s Middle Guard launched an assault on the British line , to the 52nd ' s left , and were met by a number of regiments including the 1st Foot Guards , who repulsed the " 3rd Chasseurs " , but had to themselves retreat when the " 4th Chasseurs " moved forward to threaten their left . The 52nd , under Sir John Colborne , wheeled to the left , deploying parallel to the French column , and fired volleys against their left flank . William Hay , a Light Dragoon watching from the right , later recalled that " so well - directed a fire was poured in , that down the bank the Frenchmen fell and , I may say , the battle of Waterloo was gained . " Seeing the 52nd begin an advance , Wellington reputedly ordered " Go on , Colborne , they won ' t stand ! " ; the battalion then advanced diagonally across the field . When this was later followed by a bayonet charge by all of General Adam ' s 3rd Brigade , the Guard broke , forced into full retreat . Having pursued the French down the escarpment of Mont St Jean , the 52nd crossed the valley floor ( that at the start of the battle had separated the armies ) and on the other side attacked a square of Old Guard ( part of the personal body guard of Napoleon , ) that had formed up to the British right of the inn " La Belle Alliance " and forced it to retreat . The 1 / 52nd were the largest battalion at Waterloo , and one of the few British battalions operating at full strength . Of the 1 , 130 men and officers present , 168 were wounded , and 38 killed . Later history . The 1st battalion were sent to Paris after Waterloo , and remained stationed in France until 1818 . In 1816 , the 2nd battalion were disbanded , in line with the other reductions in the army which occurred following the conclusion of the Napoleonic Wars . Returning to England in 1818 , the 52nd were stationed in the Midlands , where they were responsible for domestic peacekeeping and policing under the command of Lt . Col . Charles Rowan , experience which fitted Rowan for his 1829 posting to establish a military - style metropolitan police service under Sir Robert Peel . In 1821 , the regiment were posted to Dublin . Over the following years the 52nd received a number of overseas postings . Between 1823 and 1831 , the regiment was stationed at , in turn , New Brunswick , Nova Scotia , Newfoundland , and Prince Edward Island . In early 1842 , the 52nd performed garrison duty in Barbados , where British units frequently supplemented the local forces . In 1842 , the regiment returned to Canada , and were posted to New Brunswick , Nova Scotia , Prince Edward Island , and Quebec ; they left Canada in 1845 . The 52nd later returned to India , arriving in Allahabad in 1853 . The regiment found the heat and dust of India gruelling , and Major Bayley , of the 52nd , described the great clouds of dust which rose over their columns in the march from Allahabad to Umballa in 1853 – 4 ; " it was worse in the rear than in the front ; so , in order that everyone should have a fair chance , the order of march was changed daily . " They were in India during the Indian Rebellion of 1857 , where they took part in the Siege of Delhi . Once breaches had been made by the artillery by a bombardment of the walls , an attempt was made on the city on 14 September . The Kashmir Gate was blown by a party of engineers , accompanied by Bugler Robert Hawthorne of the 52nd , who won the Victoria Cross for his bravery . The 52nd led the assault on the blown gate ; amidst the action , Lance Corporal Henry Smith also won the Victoria Cross . After six days of heavy fighting , the city was won . The 52nd remained in India until 1865 , when they returned to England . Over the next sixteen years they received postings in Ireland , England , Malta and Gibraltar . In 1881 , due to the Childers Reforms , they were merged with the 43rd ( Monmouthshire ) Regiment of Foot , a regiment they had fought alongside as part of the Light Division during many campaigns . The newly - combined unit was named the " Oxfordshire Light Infantry " – the 52nd becoming the 2nd Battalion – and in 1908 the Oxfordshire and Buckinghamshire Light Infantry . In 1958 , the " Ox & Bucks " became 1st Battalion The Green Jackets ( 43rd & 52nd ) , and in 1966 were merged into the Royal Green Jackets . In 2007 , the Royal Green Jackets became part of The Rifles . Colours and honours . Like most British regiments , the 52nd carried flags known as " colours " : the First , or " King ' s Colour " , and the Second , or " Regimental Colour " . The First had the Union Flag with the Regiment ' s number in the centre , surrounded by a wreath . Following the presentation of their colours in 1799 , the 52nd ' s King ' s Colour included the Royal Cipher in the centre , a non - standard addition . The Second was in the colour of the regimental facings ( buff , in the 52nd ' s case ) with a small Union Flag in the corner ; the regimental number took the centre . The colours were carried into battle for identification , and as a rallying point , in the care of sergeants or ensigns . Attending the colours in battle was dangerous , since they were a target for enemy artillery and assault ; due to the symbolic significance of the colours , their loss was a grave issue , and extreme measures were often taken to prevent such dishonour occurring . The skirmishing and forward positions maintained by light infantry frequently made the bearing of colours inconvenient . For this reason , the newly raised 95th Rifles received no colours , but the converted line regiments , such as the 52nd , retained their existing colours . While some light infantry regiments opted not to carry them in the Peninsula , the 52nd and 43rd did . Battle honour s are awarded to a regiment for their performance in certain battles and campaigns , and are displayed on their colours . The 52nd received the following honours : Hindoostan , Vimeiro , Corunna , Bussaco , Fuentes d ' Onor , Ciudad Rodrigo , Badajoz , Salamanca , Vitoria , Nivelle , Nive , Orthes , Toulouse , Peninsula , Waterloo and Delhi 1857 . Badges and decorations . Regimental badge . The Regimental Badge of the 52nd showed a bugle horn , suspended by cords from a knot , with the number " 52 " below the tassels . The bugle horn had been the badge of light infantry regiments since 1770 , adapted from the Hanoverian Jaegar regiments , and became standard for the newly formed Light Infantry regiments , since it represented the bugle call s used for skirmishing orders instead of the standard line infantry drum . The regimental badge was worn on much of the equipment , including the shakos and belts , and also frequently on turnbacks and officers ' shoulder wings . Valiant Stormers . During the Peninsular War , the 52nd fulfilled their dual role as line and light infantry by contributing to fortress assault parties . The companies that led the breach assaults were known as the " Forlorn Hope " , ( from the Dutch " verloren hoop " ( lost troop ) ) . It was deemed an act of high honour , since the lead troops faced the greatest danger . The 52nd contributed to the Forlorn Hope at the sieges of Ciudad Rodrigo , Badajoz ( 1812 ) and San Sebastian . Officers and sergeants who survived would be very likely be put up for battlefield promotions ( although it was not assured ) while other ranks would receive laurels from their commander also with the chance of promotion being greatly increased . The 52nd , however , offered its own recognition : those who survived the Forlorn Hope at Ciudad Rodrigo and Badajoz were entitled to wear on their right arm a badge displaying a laurel wreath and the letters " V . S . " for " Valiant Stormer " . This honour was awarded by the 52nd ' s commanding officer , and was restricted to the 52nd . Victoria Cross . The Victoria Cross ( VC ) was instituted in 1856 as the British Empire ' s highest decoration for valour . From that date , until the 52nd merged with 43rd in 1881 , two soldiers from the 52nd were awarded the Victoria Cross , both at Delhi in 1857 : Bugler Robert Hawthorne and Lance Corporal Henry Smith . Bugler Hawthorne accompanied a party of engineers , led by Lieutenants Home and Salkeld of the Bengal Engineers , who had been ordered to lay a charge and blow the Kashmir Gate , so that entry to the city might be obtained . Once the charges had been detonated , Hawthorne sounded the advance , and then attended to a wounded officer from the explosion party , all the while enduring intense fire from the city ' s defenders . Three others from the explosion party were awarded VCs : Sgt Smith , Lt . Home and Lt . Salkeld , who was the first recipient of the VC . Lance Corporal Smith ' s medal was won during the following assault on the blown gate , when he " most gallantly carried away a wounded comrade under a heavy fire of grape and musketry , in the Chandnee Chouk of the city of Delhi , on the morning of the assault " . Both VC medals are on display at the Royal Green Jackets Museum in Winchester . Uniform and equipment . Throughout most of the regiment ' s life , the 52nd Foot wore traditional British Army red coats , with buff facings . During the American wars , the coat was long tailed , with buff facings , buff waistcoat and breeches . The grenadier company wore a bearskin hat with the King ' s Crest and the regimental number . Officers wore crimson sash , gorget and silver epaulettes . When becoming a light infantry regiment in 1803 , the uniform accordingly changed . Light infantry dress has its origins in the American War of Independence , when uniforms were altered to allow ease in the field . " Wings " , similar to those worn by grenadier s , were added to the shoulders and lacing was dispensed with , to make the quick removal of coats possible . At that time , the irregular light infantry also sought less conspicuous dress than the traditional red coat . However , conservatism returned with the new regular light infantry ; while the 95th Rifles were permitted to retain the green clothing used by the German regiments , the seconded line regiments were required to retain the red coat , which remained an impediment to their skirmishing duties . Thus , throughout the Napoleonic wars , the 52nd foot continued to wear red uniforms with buff facings . The officers had silver lace , while the other ranks ' lace was worn in pairs , red with orange stripes ( according to 1802 regulations ) ; in 1812 a commentator described the lace as red with two blue stripes . Light infantry officers wore short jackets , rather than the tailed coats of the other line regiments , with white piping , silver buttons , and silver and scarlet shoulder wings . The uniform was completed with a crimson sash ; to match the buff facings and turn - backs , the officers generally wore buff breeches , or grey overalls . Field officer s of the 52nd wore silver epaulettes , with regimental badge , overtop the light infantry wings , to designate rank . An 1810 order stipulated these be badged with a star ( for majors ) , a crown ( lieutenant colonels ) or star and crown ( colonels ) . Light infantry also commonly wore a narrow waist belt instead of the customary shoulder belt . The 52nd did not adopt the " Belgic cap " but retained the stovepipe shako throughout the Napoleonic period ; it was adorned with the brass bugle badge and green plumes of the light infantry . In the 52nd , officers ' plumes were made from horsehair . Officers generally carried a stirrup - hilted sabre . Officers were responsible for providing ( and paying for ) their own uniforms ; consequently , variable style and decoration was present , according to the officer ' s private means . Equipment could consume a significant portion of an officer ' s pay ; during the Napoleonic era , the 52nd ' s plain regimental sabre , for example , cost 4 guineas , approximately 16 days ' pay for an ensign . The red coat remained standard uniform for the British Army until khaki was introduced as standard in 1885 , although some allowances were made for colonial conditions , with the use of lighter materials , and slight change of design . However , the uniform and equipment remained quite restrictive , particularly in colonial warfare . In 1841 , the " light bob " ' s situation was compared unfavourably with his enemy ' s light marching order : " Buckle him up in a tight red jacket , when the thermometer is about 80° ; place across his breast two buff - leather belts , about a quarter of an inch in thickness , and each what the milliners call a nail in breadth ; hang to one of them a cartouche - box containing sixty rounds of ball cartridges , each of these about above an ounce in weight ; strap across his shoulders a square well - packed wallet , containing four shirts , with or without frills , and other " notions " ; plant a cap on his head which in point of weight is equal to an iron pot ; then place over his shoulder a musket and bayonet weighing a stone ; with three days ' provisions in his haversack , and a couple of quarts of liquid in a canteen . " While no official service uniform was developed for the tropics , during the Mutiny in India in 1857 , many of the regiments fought in their undress uniform ( white drill ) , rather than the standard uniform . The 52nd were the first regiment to dye their white uniforms khaki for use in the field . This early khaki was a grey colour . For most purposes , they discarded their coats and , adopting the Indian traditions , wore their shirts out , rather than tucked in ; shirts were also dyed . The 52nd also developed turbans to wear over their standard - issue forage caps . Following the mutiny , regiments returned to the standard red clothing . Legacy . Despite its continual merging with other units from 1881 , the legacy of the 52nd remains . Many of the 52nd ' s battle honours are represented on the Belt Badge of The Rifles ( being a rifle regiment , The Rifles do not carry colours ) . Various museums record the actions of the 52nd and hold collections of artifacts and memorabilia , including the Royal Green Jackets Museum , and the Soldiers of Oxfordshire Trust , whose archives are managed by the Oxfordshire County Council . Some officers of the 52nd recorded their experiences in the regiment . One of the most notable was the Reverend William Leeke who , as a young ensign , carried the Regimental Colours at Waterloo . He believed that the actions taken by Sir John Colborne ( Lord Seaton ) and the 52nd to defeat the Imperial Guard at the close of the battle had been unjustly overlooked in official dispatches and histories , and wrote his memoirs so that " the truth , with regard to what we knew the 52nd had achieved at Waterloo , [ should ] see the light " . In 1866 , his two - volume work " The History of Lord Seaton ' s Regiment , ( the 52nd Light Infantry ) at the Battle of Waterloo " was published , and has served as a primary source for most Waterloo historians since . Also to publish memoirs , although less successfully , was Reginald Wilberforce , grandson of slavery abolitionist William Wilberforce , who wrote , in 1894 , " An Unrecorded Chapter of the Indian Mutiny " ; on publication , the book was criticised by his fellow officers of the 52nd for its inaccuracy .