Formation The regiment was raised in
Edinburgh by Major-General
Gage John Hall as the
99th Regiment of Foot, in response to the threat posed by the
French intervention in Spain, in March 1824. It was a distinct unit, unrelated to earlier units designated as the 99th Regiment of the British Army. In 1832, the new 99th Regiment received its county title, becoming the
99th (Lanarkshire) Regiment of Foot. The rest of the 99th arrived on with successive shipments of convicts. The 99th rotated through various colonial posts during much of 1842 until being ordered to Sydney, Australia. However, the 99th soon earned an unsavory reputation, alienating the locals to such an extent that an additional regiment had to be assigned to Sydney. The
11th Regiment of Foot's principal job was keeping the men of the 99th under control. The 99th remained in Tasmania for three years before being dispatched to New Zealand to take part in the
New Zealand Wars. Detachments of the 99th took part in the
Hutt Valley Campaign, seeing action at the
Battle of Battle Hill. Three government soldiers and at least nine Ngāti Toa were killed. Following the capture of
Te Rauparaha in 1846, the Regiment would depart New Zealand and return to Australia, although detachments would be sent as needed to reinforce the British forces in New Zealand for the next few years to keep the peace. For its service in the
First Maori War, the regiment earned its first battle honour: New Zealand. Following its tour of duty at Aldershot, the regiment rotated to India in 1859. From 1865 until 1868, the 99th served in South Africa. Although it would not participate in the final battle at
Ulundi, the 99th was honoured for its service in Anglo-Zulu War, being awarded the battle honour South Africa 1879. On 1 July 1881 the
Childers Reforms came into effect and the regiment amalgamated with the 62nd (Wiltshire) Regiment of Foot to form the
Duke of Edinburgh's (Wiltshire Regiment). ==Battle honours==