• 1758-63 - 71st Foot was raised in the North of Scotland in 1756, as a second battalion 32nd Foot, and was made a separate regiment as the 71st Foot in 1758. It served in some of the descents on the French coast in 1758, at the famous siege of Belle Isle in 1761, and afterwards in the West Indies. It was disbanded at the peace of 1763.
  
• 1764-65 - On the reduction of the previous 71st, its place was taken by the 81st (Invalids), one of the invalid or veteran regiments raised in 1758. It had a short existence under its new title, and then was broken up into independent garrison companies for duty in the United Kingdom.
  
• 1777-84 - The 71st (Highland) Regiment of Foot, or "Fraser's Highlanders," of two battalions, was raised by Lieutenant-General Simon Fraser, Master of Lovat, who had raised the famous old 78th, or Fraser's Highlanders, of 1756-63, and commanded that regiment at Louisburg and Quebec, and who died in 1782. Many officers and men of the old "Fraser's" joined the 71st, which was formed at Glasgow, and saw much arduous service in America during the War of Independence. The regiment served under Lord Cornwallis in the Carolinas and Virginia, and the greater part was included in the surrender at Yorktown, 17th October, 1781. These troops were detained in America until the peace, when they returned home, and the regiment was disbanded.
  
• 1782-84 - A second 71st (Highland) Regiment of foot, of which the Earl of Balcarres was lieutenant-colonel commandant, was formed out of the portions of the 71st Highlanders not included in the surrender at Yorktown. It was disbanded at the peace of 1783, when the place of the 71st Foot remained vacant for a while.
  
• The 71st H.L.I. has their roots in the 73rd (Lord MacLeod's) Highlanders, established in 1777. (5)¹ 2nd Battalion raised in 1778.
  
• They were re-designated the 71st Highlanders in 1786 and later the Highland Light Infantry. (6)¹
  
• 1780-83 - 1/73rd in Southern India. Fought at Conjeveram, Porto Novo, Sholinghur, Vellore, Cuddalore, and Arcot. 2/73rd as marines in Rodney's fleet at the 'Moonlight Battle' off Cape St. Vincent, and in the siege of Gibraltar. Battalion disbanded in 1783.
  

• 1790-1 - campaigns against Tippoo Sahib, siege of Pondicherry, reduction of Ceylon (flank companies). Bangalore, Seringapatam.
  
• 1798 - Scotland - 200 men stayed in India, having joined the 74th
  
• 1803 - second battalion raised at Dumbarton - remained a home battalion
  
• 1806 - 1st battalion - recapture of the Cape of Good Hope
  
• 1807 - Buenos Ayres, then Portugal - Roleia, Vimiera, Corunna
  
• 1808 - Appellations "Glasglow Highland" conferred, changed to "Glasglow Highland Light Infantry" for a few years before being dropped. 71st sailed from Cork for Portugal. Landed near Lisbon and defeated Marshal Junot at Roleia, where only the light company of the 71st was engaged. Took up a defensive position at Vimiera where Junot attacked on August 21. The 71st were on the left flank. 
  
• 1810 - Walcheren Expedition and at the siege and capture of Flushing, Mafra - Portugal
  
• 1812 - Almaraz
  
• 1813 - Vittoria

  1810-14 - 71st and 74th in the Peninsula War. Fought at Busaco, Fuentes D'Onor, Almaraz, Badajoz, Ciudad Rodrigo, Salamanca, Vittoria, Arinez, Pyrenees, Nive, Nivelle, Orthes, Toulouse.
  

• 1813 - 1818 - France
  
• 1815 - Quatre Bras, Waterloo
  
• 1815 - 2nd Bn. disbanded at Glasglow
  
• 1825 - 1832 - Canada
  
• 1832 - 1834 - Bermuda
  
• 1838 - assist in quelling a rebellion in Canada
  
• 1842 - 1854 - Reserve battalion formed and sent to Canada
  
• 1843 - 1847 - West Indies, then home
  
• 1853 - Corfu
  
• 1855 - after return home, reduced to one battalion then to Crimea - Balaklava, Kertch, Sebastopol then Kertch and Yeuikale, then Malta
  
• 1857 - India - Gwalior, pursuit of Tantia Topee, North West Frontier
  
• 1858-59 - in the Central Indian Campaign
  
• 1863 - in the Ambeyla Campaign
  
• 1865 - Home
  
• 1867 - 1880 - Gibraltar, Malta
  
• 1880 - Home
  

• In 1881 the 71st was linked with the 74th to become the 1st and 2nd Highland Light Infantry (244)¹
  

1 - From the book, "PROUD HERITAGE, The story of the Highland Light Infantry", Volume 1, (71st H.L.I., 1777-1881) by Lieutenant-Colonel L. B. Oatts, D.S.O. Items in ( ) are reference to page numbers.