On the 28th of September, 1722, Major-General Wightman died, and King George II. conferred the colonelcy of the regiment on Brigadier-General Thomas Ferrers, from the thirty-ninth regiment; and this officer dying three weeks afterwards, he was succeeded by Colonel James Tyrell, who had commanded one of the regiments of dragoons disbanded in 1718.
1726
In 1726 the regiment proceeded to Minorca, the second of the Balearic Islands, situate in the Mediterranean, near the coast of Spain: this island was captured by the British in 1708, and was ceded to Great Britain at the peace in 1713.
1727
In this island, which is diversified with hill and valley, and in some parts rich in vegetation and abounding with the necessaries and many of the luxuries of life, the regiment was stationed twenty-five years. In 1727 it sent a detachment to Gibraltar, to assist in the defence of that fortress against the Spaniards. When the siege was raised, the detachment returned to Minorca.
1742
On the 1st of August, 1742, Lieut.-General Tyrell died; the colonelcy remained vacant three weeks, and was then conferred on Colonel John Wynyard, from the fourth marines, who had previously held the commission of lieut.-colonel in the SEVENTEENTH regiment upwards of twenty years, and performed the duties of commanding officer with good reputation.
1748
At the termination of the war of the Austrian succession in 1748, the regiment was relieved from duty at the island of Minorca, and proceeded to Ireland, where it was stationed during the following six years.
1751