to death by court-martial were shot, and the remainder transported to the British West Indies: although they blamed the Government, and not their officers, for a breach of faith, it was an unfortunate start to what was to become a remarkable record of service. Highlanders on display to the King It is recorded by General Stewart of Garth that King George II of Great Britain having never seen a Highland soldier expressed a desire to see one. Three privates were selected and sent to London under Sir Robert Munro shortly before the 43rd Regiment went to the Continent. One of these privates – John Grant died on the way but the other two – Gregor MacGregor and John Campbell were presented to the King by Sir Robert Munro. They went through the broadsword exercise, and showed their skill in handling the Lochaber axe before his Majesty the king, Prince William, Duke of Cumberland, Marshal George Wade and a number of general officers. Their dexerity and skill in management of their weapons satisfied the King. War in France War on Continental Europe was moving towards a direct confrontation between the Kingdom of Great Britain and France under Louis XV, and the regiment embarked immediately for Flanders. There the men earned high praise for their behaviour towards the civilian population, and the regiment became a favourite choice as guardians of property; Charles Theodore, Elector of Bavaria told his envoy in London that this was owing to Sir Robert's care, "for whose sake he should always pay a regard to a Scotchman". Their first action against the French came on 11 May 1745 at the Battle of Fontenoy. A British army under Prince William Augustus, Duke of Cumberland faced the forces of Maurice, comte de Saxe and was defeated, but the "Highland furies" (as one Frenchman called them) saved it from disaster by their gallantry. Allowed "their own way of fighting" by the young Commander-in-Chief, each time they received the French fire Sir Robert ordered his men to "clap to the ground" (while he himself, because of his corpulence, stood alone with the colours behind him), and then springing up and closing with the enemy, they several times drove them back, and finished with a successful rear-guard action. Jacobite rising of 1745–1746 In June 1745, a little more than a month after the battle of Fontenoy, Sir Robert was "rewarded" by an appointment