The West India Regiments in the Napoleonic Wars

Join David Wells as he explores the service of the West India Regiments in Britain’s early 19th-century military campaigns against France and America.

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While the Napoleonic Wars were being fought for supremacy in Europe, fighting was also taking place in the Caribbean, a region heavily colonised by the European superpowers.

The recently formed West India Regiments served in the Caribbean theatre of the Napoleonic Wars from 1807 to 1815, playing a key role in the British invasions of Les Saintes and Guadeloupe.

They also deployed to mainland America in the War of 1812, serving during the ill-fated Louisiana campaign and the incursions into Georgia.

In this talk, David Wells will examine how the onset of peace in Europe led to changes in the West India Regiments and how their service during these conflicts affected the British military establishment. He will also discuss the manner in which the regiments were deployed for the remainder of their existence.  

This talk is part of a programme of events supporting our ‘West Indian Soldier’ exhibition. 

David Wells is Director of Research and Heritage at the West India Committee. He has been working with the National Army Museum as co-curator of the ‘West Indian Soldier’ exhibition.

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