31st May 1783
The 95th Regiment of Foot is disbanded
The 95th Regiment of Foot was founded on 23 July 1779 when France entered the American War of Independence on America’s side. This left Britain feeling vulnerable to invasion, and considering how it could bolster its defences. The 95th was raised by John Reid, a British army general who was also the founder of the chair of music at the University of Edinburgh, where Reid had been educated. Reid was colonel of the 95th Regiment of Foot from 7 April 1780 until its abolition, and he remained active in the military until his death in 1807.
Ultimately, France didn’t invade the British mainland but, like Germany 150 years later, it did invade Jersey. That invasion, which occurred in 1781, came to be known as the Battle of Jersey and it was fought in part by the 95th Regiment of Foot.
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Other events that occured in May
St Brelade’s Church is consecrated
- Although the church at St Brelade was consecrated in the 12th century, evidence suggests a building had resided on that spot for some time.
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A new type of aircraft debuts on Jersey route
- The Handley Page Dart Herald was a short-range regional airline for developing countries, but it was also used on the Jersey route.
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The Queen gives Jersey ownership of its beaches
- It took until 2015 for the queen to hand over Jersey’s beaches and the 12 miles of seabed stretching away from them.
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Murdered Zsuzsanna Basenyei last seen alive
- Hungarian national Zsuzsanna Basenyei was last seen alive on 10 May 2018. Six days later, her body was discovered at La Pulec.
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