Blenheim, August 2, 1704.
This battle honour has been conferred on the
King's Dragoon Guards.
3rd Dragoon Guards.
5th Dragoon Guards.
Carabiniers.
7th Dragoon Guards.
5th Lancers.
Royal Scots Greys.
Royal Scots.
Grenadier Guards.
King's Liverpool Regiment.
Buffs.
East Yorkshire.
Lincolns.
Royal Irish.
Bedfords.
South Wales Borderers.
Royal Welsh Fusiliers.
Hampshire.
Cameronians.
A medal to commemorate this victory was struck by order of Queen Anne, but, unfortunately, no lists of the losses suffered by regiments as regards the rank and file have been preserved, or, if preserved, they have been lost sight of. We know from contemporary journals that there were eighteen squadrons and fourteen battalions of British troops engaged, and that the total casualties amounted to 51 officers and 625 men killed, 147 officers and 1,381 men wounded, the casualties amongst the officers being—
Casualties at Blenheim.
| Regiments. | Officers. | Men. | ||
| K. | W. | K. | W. | |
| King's Dragoon Guards | - | - | } | |
| 3rd Dragoon Guards | 3 | 5 | } | |
| 5th Dragoon Guards | 1 | - | } 93 | 156 |
| Carabiniers | 5 | 5 | } | |
| 7th Dragoon Guards | 3 | 3 | } | |
| Royal Dragoons | - | - | } | |
| Scots Greys | - | - | } | |
| 5th Lancers | - | - | } 10 | 22 |
| Grenadier Gds. | 1 | 5 | } | |
| Royal Scots | 3 | 8 | } | |
| Buffs | 3 | 9 | - | - |
| King's Liverpool | 1 | 3 | - | - |
| Lincolns | 8 | 9 | - | - |
| East Yorkshire | 5 | 13 | - | - |
| Bedfords | 4 | 12 | - | - |
| Royal Irish | 4 | 10 | 57 | 96 |
| Royal Scots Fusiliers | 5 | 12 | - | - |
| Royal Welsh Fusiliers | - | 9 | - | - |
| South Wales Borderers | 3 | 9 | 84 | - |
| Cameronians | 5 | 13 | - | - |
| Hampshire | - | 3 | - | - |
Seldom has there been a victory more complete. Twenty-four battalions surrendered en bloc, the total number of prisoners aggregating upwards of 11,000, amongst them being two General officers; 124 guns and 109 stand of colours also fell into our hands. Ireland is now an integral portion of the British Empire, and Irish soldiers have in all our campaigns fought with stubborn determination on our side. So, too, the Royal Irish covered itself with glory on this day, as it has ever done when fighting for us. At the same time, it is worthy of note that the fiercest of our opponents at Blenheim were the regiments of the Irish Brigade in the pay of the King of France.
Marlborough now retraced his steps to the Low Countries, and once more prepared to oppose the French in the field and the Dutch in the Council. The whole of the following year was spent in futile attempts to organize a successful series of military movements in face of the persistent antagonism of our Dutch colleagues.