A considerable reduction being made in the British contingent of the Army of Occupation, the regiment proceeded to Calais, where it embarked for England, and landed at Harwich on the 2nd of April, 1817.
1818
In May, 1818, the regiment marched to Portsmouth.
In June, the officers were authorised to wear a long coat, of a pattern approved of by His Royal Highness the Duke of York.
1819
The regiment embarked from Portsmouth, in March, 1819, for the West Indies, when Lieut.-Colonel Nooth, C.B., received the following communication from Major-General Lord Howard of Effingham, then commanding at Portsmouth, and Lieutenant-Governor of that fortress: "I am not in the habit of giving out orders of thanks to regiments on quitting my district, because these things are apt to degenerate so much into words of course, that they lose any value they might otherwise possess; my orders likewise to corps on their half-yearly inspections enable me to convey to them my opinion on their state of discipline, &c.; but I cannot, however, allow the TWENTY-FIRST regiment, under your command, to embark without expressing the sense I have of the good conduct of the regiment since it has been under my orders, and that its interior discipline, mode of doing duty, and external appearance, have been such as to merit my perfect approbation, and amply testify the strict attention paid by you to those under your command,—that you are properly supported by the officers and non-commissioned officers, in their respective stations, in carrying into effect the regulations of the service." His Lordship was also pleased to express his admiration of the conduct of the corps on the day of embarkation, adding,—"The regiment is more like one parading for inspection or review, than for embarkation for the West Indies."
The regiment landed at Barbadoes in April, without a single casualty, and was inspected by Lieut.-General Lord Combermere, who requested Major Meyrick to return the officers his lordship's thanks, for the very great attention they must have paid to those under their orders, to have brought them to the very high state of discipline in which his lordship found them.
1820
1821
In September, 1820, a detachment of one hundred rank and file proceeded to Tobago, where it remained until January, 1821, during which period it lost four officers and thirty-seven men by an epidemic disease.