One of the French threads in the story of The Wild Geese.

The soldiers of Dillon’s regiment knew the battlefield well. The regiment was first formed in Ireland in 1688 but was transferred to France in May 1690.

After the Treaty of Limerick in 1691, the regiment remained in the service of France and recruited some of the Irish exiles – The Wild Geese.

The Colours of soldiers in Dillon's Regiment

As the regiment grew in number, so too did it grow in importance in the French army. It was a huge presence at The Battle of Fontenoy, and helped to turn the tide in the battle, which secured a victory for the French army.

Lead by Arthur Dillon, the regiment went on to fight in the American Revolutionary War, still in the service of France. In 1779, Dillon’s soldiers assisted in the capture of Granada. Five hundred of the regiment’s soldiers volunteered to continued on with Admiral D’Estaing in his campaign to free America, following Sarsfield’s fight for freedom.

The Battle of Grenada by Jean-Francios Hue

The Capture of Grenada