1752
During the succeeding seven years, the regiment was employed on home service in Great Britain, and was distinguished as an efficient and well-conducted corps.
1755
1756
In 1755, when the aggressions of the French in North America led to acts of open hostility, the establishment was augmented one corporal and fifteen men per troop. Shortly afterwards a light troop was added on the same principle as light companies to infantry corps: and the regiment consisted of six heavy troops and one light troop. The light dragoons were sometimes styled hussars. A periodical of this date (June, 1756) has the following paragraph: 'On Monday morning the newly-raised light horse, or, as they are commonly called, hussars, were exercised in Hyde Park, as were also some life guards and horse grenadiers. The hussars in particular made a very pretty and genteel appearance; went through their peculiar method of exercise, both on horseback and on foot, with the greatest vivacity and exactness, to the satisfaction of many thousands of spectators.'
War was proclaimed, and the French monarch made such extensive preparations for invading England, that some alarm was occasioned.
1757
These preparations being continued in 1757, the country was placed in a posture of defence. Seven battalions were encamped on Barham Downs under the Duke of Marlborough; five at Chatham under Lord George Sackville; six at Amersham under Lieutenant-General Campbell; a regiment of cavalry and six battalions of infantry at Dorchester under Sir John Mordaunt; another camp was formed on the Isle of Wight; and the Inniskilling dragoons, with the third dragoon guards, and first, third, fourth, and eleventh dragoons were encamped on Salisbury plain, under Lieutenant-General Hawley. The formidable attitude assumed by the government, with the increased military power prepared to oppose the invasion, induced the French monarch to lay aside his design of landing troops on the British coast, and he resolved to attack the possessions of his Britannic Majesty in Hanover.
1758
The increased naval and military establishments of Britain enabled King George II. to assail the coast of France, and an expedition was prepared for that purpose under the command of Charles Duke of Marlborough. The light troop of the Inniskilling dragoons was selected to take part in this enterprise, and having been encamped some time on Southsea Common, and formed in brigade with the light troops of eight other regiments, under the command of Brigadier-General Eliott, (afterwards Lord Heathfield,) it embarked towards the end of May, 1758, and sailed for the coast of France on the 1st of June. On the evening of the 5th a landing was effected in Cancalle Bay, in the province of Brittany; on the 7th the troops advanced to Paramé; and during the following night the light dragoons and piquets of the infantry regiments proceeded to the harbour of St. Maloes, and destroyed by fire one hundred vessels with extensive magazines of maritime stores. The light cavalry afterwards advanced to the town of Dol, and evinced signal intrepidity in skirmishing with detachments of French troops. After remaining five days in France the British re-embarked, and severe weather rendering another descent impracticable, they returned to Portsmouth. The light troop of the Sixth dragoons having landed, was encamped a short time at Portsmouth, and subsequently on Southsea Common. In the beginning of August it sailed on a second expedition under Lieutenant-General Bligh. A landing having been effected in the Bay des Marées, Cherbourg was taken, and the fortifications and vessels in the harbour were destroyed. The troops returned on board the fleet, and another landing was effected in the bay of St. Lunar; but no advantage resulted from this enterprise, and before the whole were re-embarked, the enemy attacked the rear with such fury that the grenadiers and foot guards sustained considerable loss. The expedition returned to England, and the light troop of the Sixth dragoons went into cantonments in villages along the coast.
Disastrous events had, in the mean time, occurred in Germany; the Hanoverian, Hessian, and Brunswick troops commanded by the Duke of Cumberland, had been subject to a capitulation, and the electorate of Hanover was taken possession of by the enemy. The French having violated the conditions of the capitulation, the Hanoverians, Hessians, and Brunswickers reassembled under Prince Ferdinand of Brunswick; a body of British troops was sent to Germany under Charles Duke of Marlborough; and the six heavy troops of the Sixth dragoons were selected for this service. The light troop of the regiment was left in England on coast duty; and it was subsequently employed in the travelling escort duty for the royal family.