Seven Years’ War 1756-63
When the Seven Years’ War began in 1756, the 7th took part in the June 1758 Raid on St Malo, at which 100 enemy vessels were burned, the Raid on Cherbourg in August 1758 and the Battle of Warburg in July 1760.
Raid on St Malo
The Raid on St Malo took place in June 1758 when an amphibious British naval expedition landed close to the French port of St Malo in Brittany. While the town itself was not attacked, as had been initially planned, the British destroyed large amounts of shipping before re-embarking a week later. The naval forces were under the command of Richard Howe while the army was led by the Duke of Marlborough and Lord Sackville.
On 1 June the expedition sailed from England, reaching Cancale Bay near St Malo on 5 June. That evening the landing craft carrying the soldiers were put ashore. St Malo was situated at the end of a causeway, and it was hoped that the British could cut off the fresh water supply that ran along with it. Once ashore the only immediate opposition they faced was a French artillery battery, which was subdued by the guns of the British warships. The troops then marched towards St Malo, but it soon became apparent they would need to conduct a full-scale siege to take the town – something they did not have the time to do. Instead the British occupied St Servan, a nearby port, and burned 30 privateers and 100 other vessels.
Troops were also sent on a reconnaissance eastwards towards Dol. They reported the approach of a sizeable French force – and Marlborough decided that it was the right time to withdraw. On 11 and 12 June, the British expedition re-embarked.
The force remained off St Malo for more than a week, and then sailed along the coast in an attempt to scout out fresh targets. The possibility of an attack on Le Havre or Caen was considered but not followed through. The British then began to focus their attention on Cherbourg in Normandy. However, bad weather forced them to abort planned landings on 29 June and 3 July and with his force short of water and other provision Marlborough made the decision to return home, and the expedition sailed for Portsmouth.
Raid on Cherbourg
The Raid on Cherbourg took place in August 1758 during the Seven Years’ War when a British force was landed on the coast of France by the Royal Navy with the intention of attacking the town of Cherbourg as part of the British government’s policy of “descents” on the French coasts.
The British forces were under the command of Lieutenant General Thomas Bligh with the offshore naval contingent commanded by Richard Howe. They cruised along the coast of Normandy threatening a number of ports, before arriving outside Cherbourg on 7 August. The conditions were favourable and they were able to make a successful landing at Urville-Nacqueville beach. Once ashore they brushed aside the small French force defending Cherbourg, and stormed it, capturing the town. They set about destroying the fortifications and port. On 16 August, the British left Cherbourg and re-embarked having stayed exactly a week.
Battle of Warburg
The Commander of the British cavalry was the Marquis of Granby. To prevent du Muy, the French leader, from threatening Cassel, the Allies offered battle five miles from Warburg on the 31st of July 1760.
The 7th Dragoons were in the second line of cavalry and on the right-wing. Soon after the action started du Muy’s left was driven in and the cavalry pressed on towards Warburg forming two columns, the second of which was headed by the 7th Queen’s Own Dragoons.
Du Muy made gallant and strenuous efforts to retrieve his reverse, but Granby formed his cavalry into two lines and bareheaded, with twenty-one squadrons charged upon du Muy’s right-wing.
Only three French squadrons stood up to the onslaught; the remainder fled. These three squadrons were cut to pieces. The victory was absolute and complete.
In this action, the regiment suffered little loss.
