During the action at the Battle of Alma the Regiment stormed and captured the Russian position consisting of strongly fortified earthworks and fourteen guns known as "The Great Redoubt". It was here that six drums were taken from the Russian Borodino, Minsk, and Vladimir regiments. During the Crimean War, the regiment was awarded its first two Victoria Crosses.

Following the Crimean War the regiment returned to England, but were very shortly afterwards sent out to British India following the Mutiny of 1857. The regiment remained in India until 1871.

In 1868 the Regiment took part in the Hazara Campaign against the tribes in the Black Mountains of the North West Frontier.

The Regiment was in action again in the Sudan in 1885 against the forces of the Mahdi. At the Battle of Ginnis they last wore the scarlet coat of the English Infantry in battle.

In 1897 they were present during the Tirah Campaign on the North-West Frontier of India. Two years later the Regiment played a prominent part in the South African War between 1899-1902, where the third Victoria Cross was awarded after the Battle of Paardeberg.

During the First World War (1914-1918) twenty four battalions of the Regiment were raised, and the Regiment took part in most of the principal battles and campaigns of the war, including that in North Russia in 1919.

Over 65,000 men served in the ranks of the Regiment, and of these over 7,500 were killed and nearly 24,000 wounded. Twelve Victoria Crosses were awarded during World War I.

Between 1918 and 1939, the Regiment took part in the third Afghan War of 1919, the operations in Palestine during 1938, the Waziristan operations of 1937-1939, and many other internal security duties overseas including those in Shanghai between 1927 and 1930.

In the Second World War (1939-1945), twelve battalions of the Regiment were raised. The Regiment fought in Norway, the Western Desert, Sicily, Italy, Burma, France, Holland and Germany. Two battalions were amongst the first to land in the assault on D-Day 1944, where a member of the 6th Battalion was the only Victoria Cross to be awarded on D-Day.

Between 1949 and 1952 the Regiment served with great distinction in the campaign against the Chinese and Malayan Communist Terrorists in Malaya.

In the years since 1952, the Regiment has served in Afghanistan, Austria, West Germany, Suez, Cyprus, Hong Kong, Libya, Belize, Berlin and England. It has distinguished itself in operations in Northern Ireland. One Regimental Officer was killed in action whilst serving with very great gallantry in the Falkland Islands in 1982. Elements of the First Battalion took part in the Gulf War in 1991, and in operations in Bosnia 1996-97.