Created in Tortosa by the Royal Decree of 27 July 1877, with the designation 52nd Philippines Infantry Regiment, it was raised from the 44th Tarragona and 73rd Lorca Reserve Battalions, which constituted its first and second Battalions. The new Regiment stayed in Catalonia with detachments in Lleida, la Seu d'Urgell, Tremp, and Solsona. In July 1880, the First Battalion moved to Palma, stationed in Carmen Barracks, and the second to Mahón. During the same month, the latter joined its Staff in Palma. From the beginning the Regiment maintained detachments in Ibiza and Cabrera.
In 1944 Colors donated by the Most Excellent City Council of Palma were delivered to the Regiment. In April 1968 it was moved to General Asensio Base. Presently it includes a Command, a Staff, and the "Philippines" Light Infantry Battalion.
It participated, with attached units, in peacekeeping operations in Bosnia, Kosovo, and Iraq.
Famous quotes containing the words light and/or regiment:
“A light exists in spring
Not present on the year
At any other period.”
—Emily Dickinson (1830–1886)
“We had an inspection today of the brigade. The Twenty-third was pronounced the crack regiment in appearance, ... [but] I could see only six to ten in a company of the old men. They all smiled as I rode by. But as I passed away I couldn’t help dropping a few natural tears. I felt as I did when I saw them mustered in at Camp Chase.”
—Rutherford Birchard Hayes (1822–1893)