1818
On the 4th of June, 1818 the Fourth were again encamped near St. Omer, and received the thanks of Lord Hill for their appearance and correct discipline at the review on the 24th of June; also the expression of the Duke of Wellington's approbation at the review on the 31st of July: they were subsequently encamped on the horn-work of Valenciennes; they formed a guard for the Duke of Kent during his residence at that city, and were reviewed on the 10th of September, with the remainder of the army commanded by his grace the Duke of Wellington, in presence of their Royal Highnesses the Duke and Duchess of Kent; when a number of evolutions were gone through, and during the manœuvres the army crossed the Scheldt by pontoon bridges.
The King's Own having returned to Valenciennes on the 21st of October, furnished guards of honour for the Emperor of Russia, King of Prussia, Prince of Orange, and Grand Dukes Constantine and Michael, who reviewed the Russian, British, Danish, Saxon, and Hanoverian contingents of the army of occupation, on the 23d of October. This force amounted to between fifty and sixty thousand men; the evolutions of a mock engagement were gone through, and two rivers were passed by pontoon bridges.
The Emperor of Russia was so well pleased with the conduct of the King's Own, that on quitting Valenciennes he presented one hundred and nineteen Napoleons (pieces of twenty francs each) to be divided among the men of the grenadier company composing his guard; also ten Napoleons each to the two serjeants who were his orderlies; and directed the aide-de-camp to give them his feather to keep in remembrance of the Emperor's regard for the corps. The King of Prussia also gave money to the men of the light company of the King's Own forming his guard.
On the breaking up of the army of occupation in France, the King's Own received, with the other corps, the expressions of the approbation of the Duke of Wellington, in general orders; also of Lieut.-General Lord Hill in general orders to the two divisions under his command; of Lieut.-General Sir Charles Colville in division orders; and of Major-General Sir Denis Pack in brigade orders.
The regiment embarked at Calais on the 29th of October, landed at Dover on the following morning, and proceeding from thence to Winchester barracks, was immediately afterwards ordered to hold itself in readiness to embark for the West Indies; at the same time the establishment was reduced to seven hundred and forty-six officers and men.
1819
In the early part of January, 1819, the regiment marched to Cumberland fort; on the 1st of February it embarked at Portsmouth, and having landed at Barbadoes on the 5th of April, was reviewed by Lieut.-General Lord Combermere on the same day, and afterwards returned on board the transports. His lordship expressed in general orders his approbation of the appearance and discipline of the regiment.
On the following day six companies sailed for Grenada (head-quarters) under the command of Lieut.-Colonel Piper; two companies to Trinidad under Lieut.-Colonel Faunce; and two to Tobago under Captain Fletcher.
At the half-yearly inspection in July, Major-General Sir Frederick Robinson expressed in brigade orders "the very high satisfaction he had enjoyed in the military appearance and the report of the good conduct of the King's Own regiment, which he perceives has not lost any of its former character,—hitherto a subject for praise and admiration with officers of the highest rank and military reputation."