History
The regiment was formed as part of the Honourable East India Company's army firstly as a Guard of Honour in 1652. By 1756 it was the Bengal European Regiment - 'European' indicating it was composed of white soldiers, not Indian sepoys - and when this was split in 1765, it became the 1st Bengal European Regiment. In 1846 it became the 1st Bengal European Fusiliers, also referred to in contemporary official papers, with inverted word ordering, as 1st European Bengal Fusiliers. It retained this title until British India was transferred to the Crown after the Indian Mutiny of 1857. The "European" was then dropped and replaced by Royal, the title becoming in 1861 1st Royal Bengal Fusiliers. The regiment was then transferred to the British Army and renumbered as the 101st Regiment of Foot at the same time retaining the Royal Bengal name.
In 1881 it was combined with the 104th Regiment of Foot (Bengal Fusiliers) to form part of the new Royal Munster Fusiliers.
Read more about this topic: 101st Regiment Of Foot (Royal Bengal Fusiliers)
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