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Royal Regiment of Fusiliers

The Royal Regiment of Fusiliers (often referred to as the Royal Fusiliers or, simply, the Fusiliers) is an infantry regiment of the British Army, part of the Queen's Division. Currently, the regiment has two battalions: the 1st Battalion, part of the Regular Army, is an armoured infantry battalion based in Tidworth, Wiltshire, and the 5th Battalion, part of the Army Reserve, recruits in the traditional fusilier recruiting areas across England. The Royal Regiment of Fusiliers was largely unaffected by the infantry reforms that were announced in December 2004, but under the Army 2020 reduction in the size of the Army, the 2nd Battalion was merged into the first in 2014.

The Royal Regiment of Fusiliers

23 April 1968 – present

"Honi soit qui mal y pense" (French)
"Evil be to him who evil thinks"

Traditional – Black Buck – Bobby
Substitute – Otterhound – George

Red over White
From Royal Northumberland Fusiliers

FUSILIERS

Royal Northumberland Fusiliers

Royal Warwickshire Fusiliers

Royal Fusiliers (City of London Regiment)

Lancashire Fusiliers

The Royal Regiment of Fusiliers was formed on 23 April 1968 as part of the reforms of the British Army that saw the creation of 'large infantry regiments', by the amalgamation of the four English Fusilier regiments:[1]


The 3rd Battalion of the regiment saw active service in Iraq during the Gulf War in 1991.[2] All battalions were also deployed to Northern Ireland on Operation Banner multiple times.[3]


In 2003, the 1 Fusiliers battlegroup was at the forefront of the coalition invasion of Iraq, ultimately occupying the city of Basra.[4] Over the next decade, the regiment carried out multiple operational tours of Iraq.[3]


In 2006, elements of the 2nd Battalion were deployed to Afghanistan to support the International Security Assistance Force. Deployed to the town of Now Zad in Helmand Province, they rapidly found themselves fighting off a sustained Taliban attack that lasted for 107 days - the longest siege of British troops since World War II.[5] Over the following years, elements of the regiment deployed on several occasions to Afghanistan and saw heavy fighting.[6] Most recently, the entire 1st Battalion deployed to Nahri Saraj District in Helmand in 2013, where they took part in mounted and dismounted infantry operations.[7]


The regiment received a reserve battalion, the 5th battalion, through the redesignation of the Tyne-Tees Regiment, on 1 April 2006.[8]


In September 2014, the 2nd Battalion was amalgamated with the 1st Battalion under Army 2020, forming just one regular battalion - an armoured infantry battalion under 1st Armoured Infantry Brigade.[9]

Structure[edit]

Cold War[edit]

During the Cold War, the regiment saw a massive expansion, expanding from three regular battalions to six battalions in just a few years. Below is a list of those units raised within the regiment during the era:[10]


Regulars

Hackle[edit]

As a Fusilier regiment, the Fusiliers wear a hackle – the red-over-white hackle of the Royal Northumberland Fusiliers. This distinction was originally a white plume which, according to regimental tradition, men of the 5th Regiment of Foot had taken from the headdress of fallen French troops at St. Lucia in December 1778. In 1829, King George IV ordered the white plume to be worn by all infantry regiments, and in order not to take away from the 5th (Northumberland) Regiment of Foot's peculiar distinction and reflecting the "gallantry of the exploits" it commemorated [18]' (according to legend the original plumes were stained red with the blood of their foes), their plume was differentiated by being made "half red and half white, the red uppermost, instead of the plain white feather worn by the rest of the army per the 1829 order, as a peculiar mark of honour."[19]

Victoria Crosses[edit]

The combined Victoria Crosses of the Fusiliers and its ancestor regiments total fifty five.[20] Of particular note are the first and last Victoria Crosses of the First World War - won by Lt Dease and Pte Godley at Mons in 1914 and Sgt Pearse in North Russia in 1919 - and the famous "Six VCs Before Breakfast" won at Gallipoli on 25 April 1915.[21]

Mascot[edit]

The regiment's traditional mascot is an Indian Blackbuck Antelope called Bobby, inherited from the Royal Warwickshire Fusiliers.[22] However, Indian Blackbuck Antelopes are now protected under animal welfare rules and the Regiment has not been allowed one for several years. As a substitute, the Regiment uses an Otterhound called George, who holds the rank of Fusilier and attends all the major parades in which the Regiment is involved.[23]

The - The United red and white rose slipped ensigned with the Royal Crest, in the upper canton nearer the pike.

Royal Northumberland Fusiliers

- On a mount vert an Antelope statant argent, attired, tufted, ducally gorged and rope reflexed over the back, in the upper canton further from the pike.

Royal Warwickshire Fusiliers

The Queen’s Colour of each battalion of the regiment is identical except for the battalion numeral. The field of this Colour is blue which is the same as the facing colour of the Regiment. The Regimental title is in gold in a crimson circle within a Union Wreath of roses, thistles and shamrocks. The Regimental title is in gold in a crimson circle within a Union Wreath of roses, thistles and shamrocks. St George within the Garter, which is the centre badge, is on a crimson ground within the circle. The whole is ensigned with St Edward’s Crown. Forty battle honours, 20 in respect of World War I and 20 in respect of World War II, are borne on scrolls in gold in three groups of six honours on each horizontal arm of St George’s Cross and one group of four honours on the lower vertical arm of the Cross. Honours are emblazoned in chronological order by theatres across the horizontal arm of the Cross and vertically on the lower arm of the Cross. The fringe is of crimson and gold alternate strands.[20] Honorary distinction badges of the four former regiments are borne in each canton of the Colour:[20]


Finally, thirty-eight battle honours, which were borne on the Regimental Colours of the four former regiments, are emblazoned on gold scrolls placed on the branches of a large laurel wreath outside the Union Wreath.[20]


The Drummer’s Colour (or Wilhelmstahl Colour) is of gosling green silk edged with gold, embroidered with St George and the Dragon in the centre, with red scrolls edged with gold, above and below. The motto of the Northumberland Fusiliers ‘QUO FATA VOCANT’ is, on the upper scroll, and the word ‘NORTHUMBERLAND’ between V REGT, also in gold, on the lower scroll. A wreath of green laurel with red berries and the ‘slipped’ red and white rose surmounted by a crown in the four corners, makes up the design. This unusual third colour is traditionally carried by the youngest drummer on the annual St George's Day parade.[20]

Combined of The Royal Northumberland Fusiliers

Battle Honours

Combined of The Royal Warwickshire Fusiliers

Battle Honours

Combined of The Lancashire Fusiliers

Battle Honours

Wadi al Batin, ,

Gulf 1991

Iraq 2003

Al Basrah

The Royal Regiment of Fusiliers carries the combined battle honours of its four antecedent regiments, as well as two honours obtained during the years of the regiment's own existence. There are a total of 40 representative honours each emblazoned on the Queen's Colour and Regimental Colour.[28]

1968–1974: Gen. Sir , GBE, KCB, DSO

Kenneth Thomas Darling

1974–1977: Lt-Gen. Sir , KCB, DSO, MBE

George Harris Lea

1977–1982: Lt-Gen. Sir , KBE, MC

Alexander James Wilson

1982–1986: Maj-Gen. David Milner Woodford, CBE

1986–1996: Maj-Gen. , DSO

Jeremy Calcott Reilly

1996–2001: Brig. David Arnold Kellett Biggart, OBE

2001–2007: Brig. Roy Maddox Wilde, CBE

2007–2012: Brig. Trevor J. Minter OBE DL

2012–2015: Brig. David J. Paterson, OBE

2015–2020: Maj-Gen. , CBE[30]

Paul Anthony Edward Nanson

2020-: Maj-Gen. OBE

Jonathan Swift

Regimental Colonels have been:[29]

  - HMS Diamond

Royal Navy

  - HMS Northumberland

Royal Navy

  - The Hauraki Regiment

New Zealand

The Worshipful Company of Mercers

The Worshipful Company of Cordwainers

The Worshipful Company of Fletchers

The Royal Highland Fusiliers

The Royal Welch Fusiliers

The King's Own Fusiliers

Media related to Royal Regiment of Fusiliers at Wikimedia Commons

The Royal Regiment of Fusiliers

Royal Regiment of Fusiliers Regimental Shop

The Royal Regiment of Fusiliers Regimental Handbook

Archived 31 December 2017 at the Wayback Machine

Fusiliers Association

Fifth Foot reenactment group