4th Regiment of Marines (British Army)
| 4th Regiment of Marines 47th Regiment of Foot | |
|---|---|
| Active | 1739–1748 |
| Country | UK |
| Allegiance | Great Britain |
| Branch | British Army |
| Type | Infantry |
| Role | Marine corps |
| Size | Battalion |
| Engagements | War of Jenkins' Ear, Battle of Cartagena |
| Commanders | |
| Notable commanders | John Wynyard, George Byng, James Long |
The 4th Regiment of Marines was a British Army regiment that saw service between 1739 and 1748. The regiment served during the War of Jenkins' Ear and fought at the Battle of Cartagena. N.B. This was an army regiment serving as marines; this was not a Royal Marines unit.
Service
The 4th Regiment of Marines was raised on 17 November 1739 as John Wynyard's Regiment of Marines. From 1742 the regiment was known as Byng's Regiment of Marines. This followed the 18th Century tradition of naming British regiments for their Colonel. The regiment ranked as the 47th regiment of the line and were also known as 4th Marines and 47th Foot.[1]
The regiment embarked from Portsmouth on 4 November 1740 en route for the West Indies. The regiment saw active service during the War of Jenkins' Ear and fought at the Battle of Cartagena and at Cumberland Haven, Cuba. The regiment transferred to Jamaica as garrison troops in September 1741.
The regiment was disbanded on 8 November 1748 when the British Army disbanded its marine regiments. The final commander of the 4th Marines was Colonel James Long. On disbandment of the 4th Marines, the old 58th Regiment of Foot was then renumbered as the new 47th Regiment of Foot.[2]