The Government resolved upon making a descent on the French coast, by which it was expected to create such a diversion in favour of the British allies in Germany as would obviate the necessity of sending them a reinforcement of troops. The Thirty-sixth formed a part of the army selected for this service, which amounted to fourteen thousand men, and was commanded by General Charles Duke of Marlborough. The Thirty-sixth proceeded to the Isle of Wight, where it was formed in brigade with the Fifth, Twenty-fifth, and Seventy-fourth regiments (the latter corps since disbanded), under Major-General John Mostyn. The embarkation commenced on the 24th of May; the expedition sailed on the 1st of June, and on the 5th of that month a landing was effected, without loss, about two leagues to the eastward of St. Maloes, towards which place the army advanced in two columns on the 7th of June, and encamped within a mile from the town: here the Commander-in-Chief reconnoitred, and having observed several houses filled with naval and military stores, which were not protected by the guns of the town, the Thirty-sixth, in common with the other regiments, furnished a detachment, which was sent after dark to set fire to them, a service which was most effectually performed, thirteen vessels of war, besides several merchantmen, and vast quantities of stores being destroyed. St. Maloes, though incapable of making an effectual resistance against a regular siege, was considered too strong to be attempted by a coup-de-main; the troops were accordingly re-embarked, and preparations were afterwards made for a descent at Granville, on the coast of Normandy, and afterwards at Cherbourg; but, the weather being severe, the fleet returned to England.
In August of the same year the Thirty-sixth was engaged in a second expedition to the coast of France, when Cherbourg was captured, and the harbour, forts, magazines, and ordnance, consisting of 173 pieces of iron cannon and three mortars were destroyed; at the same time, 22 pieces of fine brass cannon and two brass mortars were brought off as trophies, and sent to England, when, after being viewed by King George II. in Hyde Park, they were conducted in procession through the City to the Tower of London.
Another descent was made on the coast of Brittany on the 4th of September, when the batteries in the bay of St. Lunaire were destroyed, and the troops marched into the interior, while the fleet proceeded to the bay of St. Cass, thus alarming the country with the view of producing the return of the French army from Germany. Upon the troops being re-embarked at St. Cass, the enemy attacked the rear-guard and occasioned considerable loss. Towards the end of September the regiment landed at Cowes, and, having encamped a short period near Newport, went into winter quarters.
1759.
During the summer of 1759 the regiment was encamped at Chatham under Lieut.-General John Campbell, afterwards Duke of Argyle.
1760.
In the course of the year 1760 the Thirty-sixth regiment was encamped at Sandheath under Lieut.-General the Earl of Ancram.
1761.
In the spring of 1761 a force proceeded under the command of Major-General Studholme Hodgson against Belle-Isle, a French island in the Bay of Biscay, off the coast of Brittany. The expedition appeared before Belle-Isle on the 7th of April, and a landing was attempted on the following day, but without success;—other endeavours to secure a landing on different points of the island proving also unsuccessful, orders were given to desist from the attempt, and the men returned to the boats, and proceeded back to their several ships. Many of the boats were destroyed or damaged in these efforts, and about five hundred men were lost in killed, wounded, and missing.
Major-General Hodgson subsequently received the following reinforcements, of which the Thirty-sixth formed part:—