This is the first of a 4-volume history of the regiment from its formation in 1689 to the end of the Great War. The RWF is one of only four out of fifty-one English and Welsh regiments of infantry of the line that have remained unaffected by disbandments, amalgamations and redesignations since Cardwell's reforms at the end of the nineteenth century. This volume covers the period 1689 - 1815, the recording of which has been considerably handicapped by the almost entire absence of letters, diaries or journals of officers who served with the regiment. Nevertheless the compilers, with the help of contributors named in the introduction, have, by accuracy of treatment and attention to detail, contrived to give a reliable record of the deeds of the regiment.The book is compiled in the form of a running narrative arranged on a year-by-year basis, and begins with a ten-page chronological summary in which all significant dates (including every move of the regiment) are listed for each year, beginning with 16 March 1689 when Henry, Lord Herbert of Cherbury was authorised to raise the Twenty-third [of Foot], and appointed colonel of the regiment. During the first 126 years of its existence the regiment saw a great deal of action and a vigorous account has been given of the campaigns in which it took part. Where it has been possible to illustrate by incident the story has been graphically told. Battle honours (twenty during the period) also tell the story: Namur, Marlborough's wars, Dettingen, Minden, Egypt, Corunna, the capture of the island of Martinique, the Peninsular War, and finally Waterloo. The regiment also fought in the American War of Independence. Officer casualties are named with numbers of rank and file casualties, and from time to time strength details are given. On 23rd April 1713 the regiment was, for the first time. officially styled "The Royal Regiment of Welch Fusiliers and a second battalion was formed in August 1756 which, less than two years later, became a regiment in its own right (68th Foot, later the DLI). Appendices give the succession of Colonels of the Regiment with record of service and extracts from the Regimental Mess records which include the amounts to be paid in by officers on promotion (£20 for a Lieut-Colonel getting command of the Regiment), and the amount to be paid by officers coming from other regiments. Finally there is a comprehensive index.