Colonel Denzil Holles’ Regiment of Foot

Parliamentarian regiment of foot that served with the Earl of Essex’s army in 1642 until destroyed at Brentford

• 23rd August: Battle of Southam
• 23rd October: Battle of Edgehill - Part of Colonel Thomas Ballard's Brigade (second line). 1,100 men app
• 12th November: Battle of Brentford - 500 men app

Initially consisted of six companies of some 1,200 men exclusive of officers recruited predominantly from London apprentices of the butchering and dying trades. By 1 October 1642 the regiment consisted of 1,130 men exclusive of officers in ten companies. The regiment maintained a reputation for being both godly and ill-disciplined. 400 Musketeers from Holles' regiment were interlaced with Ramsey’s squadrons at Edgehill.

The regiment suffered heavy losses at Brentford and was disbanded. Some of the survivors were used to recruit Sergeant Major General Philip Skippon’s Regiment of Foot, while the remainder were sent into Sussex and formed the basis of Colonel Herbert Morley’s Regiment of Foot.

Issued red coats in September 1642 ¹⁾.

Denzil Holles, First Baron Holles

• Colonel Denzil Holles
• Lieutenant-Colonel Henry Billingsley (Cashiered August 1642)
• Lieutenant Colonel James Quarles (Killed at Brentford)
• Sergeant-Major Timothy(?)Neale
• Captain Alan Povey
• Captain Richard Lacey (Killed at Brentford)
• Captain George Hurlock
• Captain John Francis
• Captain William Bennett (Killed at Brentford)
• Captain William Burles
• Captain Richard Beaton
• Captain-Lieutenant Richard Parker

• 1200 in 6 companies originally
• October 1642: 1130 in 10 companies

• Colonel Herbert Morley’s Regiment of Foot
• Sergeant Major General Philip Skippon’s Regiment of Foot