Royal Munster Fusiliers (101 and 104) : Naval & Military Press : 9781843422730 : 1843422735 : 01 Oct 2002 : This history is dedicated to The Royal Munster Fusiliers, in Glorious Memory of Their Illustrious Origin, The Bengal European Regiment, of whose Honour, Fame, and Decorations They are the Inheritors and Trusted Guardians. The origins of the regiment go back a hundred years before Plassey, to the very early days of the East India Company when each of the three Presidencies (Bengal, Madras and Bombay) had their own armies of Native and European troops. The latter were initially organised in companies and it was as a small guard of honour (an Ensign and thirty men) that the Bengal Regiment began life in 1652. This grew into several companies till 1756 when, under Clive's orders, they were grouped to form the regiment, then known as "The Bengal European Battalion." In 1839 a second Bengal European Regiment was formed so we now had the 1st and 2nd Regiments. In 1858 the Presidencies'