Fusiliers History

History of the Royal Regiment of Fusiliers

Detailed below is the period of history during which a number of Regiments of the line went on to form Fusilier Regiments culminating in the amalgamation and formation of the Royal Regiment of Fusiliers in 1968.

Sadly there have been further defense cuts, these current establishment of which can be seen in the 1992 paragraph.

1674

The Dutch employed British troops to fight with them against the French and amongst the British contingent was Lillingstone’s Regiment. In 1688, William of Orange came to England to be King, bringing with him a body of troops that included Lillingstone’s Regiment. An early nickname for them was ‘The Dutch Guards’ and it was this relationship with the House of Orange that resulted in the Regiment adopting the colours of ‘Royal Blue and Old Gold with a touch of Dutch Pink’.

1743

Infantry Regiments of the Line were allocated numbers according to their seniority and the successors to Lillingstone’s Regiment was named The Sixth Regiment of Foot. In 1778, the Sixth of Foot came to Warwickshire to recruit and raised companies in Birmingham, Coventry, Warwick and Stratford-upon-Avon. By 1878, the Regimental Training Depot had been established at Budbrooke Barracks outside Warwick. The site is now the village of Hampton Magna. Infantry Regiments established formal links with a particular geographical area and The Sixth Regiment became also named The First Warwickshire Regiment of Foot.

1832

The ‘Royal’ title was awarded by King William IV in recognition of the Regiment’s long and faithful service. Thus, The Regiment became The Royal (First) Regiment Warwickshire Regiment.

1881

The name became The Royal Warwickshire Regiment, which lasted until well after World War II.

1963

As part of the re-organisation of the British Army, The Royal Warwickshire Regiment joined three other English Fusilier Regiments in the Fusilier Brigade and was re-named The Royal Warwickshire Fusiliers. The Fusiliers head-dress was a beret and hackle. The Warwick’s hackle was in the Regimental colours of ‘Royal Blue and Old Gold with a touch of Dutch Pink’. The Depot at Budbrooke had been closed for several years and the Fusilier Brigade Training Depot was established at Sutton Coldfield in Warwickshire.

1968

The four English Fusilier Regiments merged into a ‘large regiment’ named The Royal Regiment of Fusiliers with four regular battalions:

• 1st Battalion, originally The Royal Northumberland Fusiliers, The Fifth of Foot.

• 2nd Battalion, originally The Royal Warwickshire Fusiliers, The Sixth of Foot.

• 3rd Battalion, originally The Royal Fusiliers (who recruited from London), The Seventh of Foot. 4th Battalion, originally The Lancashire Fusiliers, The Twentieth of Foot.

The Fusilier Territorial Army effort was formed into The 5th (Volunteer Battalion) whose Headquarters was in Coventry and which consisted of Companies in each of the old Regimental areas. The blue and gold hackle was replaced by the new Regiment’s red and white hackle.

1971

As part of the significant reduction in British military forces, the 4th Battalion was disbanded. Its regimental silver was distributed amongst the remainder of The Royal Regiment of Fusiliers and its traditions, including the eating of a rose on Minden Day, 1st August, were taken up by the remaining Regular Battalions.

1992

There was a further reduction in the size of Britain's Armed Forces and on this occasion it was the 3rd Battalion that was merged with the two remaining Regular Army Battalions.

The 5th (Volunteer) Battalion was also contracted down from 3 rifle companies and Headquarters Company to one rifle company, located at Sheldon in the West Midlands, that became A (Fusilier) Company of The Midlands Regiment.

Fusiliers Regimental emblem is St. George with the Garter, all within a laurel wreath and surrounded by St. Edwards crown.

Fusiliers Regimental flag is the red cross of St. George on a white field, with the Regimental emblem in the centre of the cross.

Fusiliers Regimental motto, inherited from the Royal Warwickshire regiment and the Royal Fusiliers is that of the Garter - Honi soit qui mal y pense – 'Evil be to he who evil thinks.'

Fusiliers Regimental Cap badge consists of the symbol of St. George and the dragon within a laurel wreath ensigned with the crown. The St. George and the dragon is inherited from the Royal Fusiliers and the laurel wreath from the Lancashire fusiliers.

Fusiliers Regimental mascot "Bobby" and Indian black buck, is inherited from the Royal Warwickshire Fusiliers and appears on the buttons of N0.1 and No.2 dress uniforms. The Regimental hackle is the red over the white Hackle of the Royal Northumberland Fusiliers to whom it was awarded as a battle honour in recognition of the victory over the French at St.Lucia in 1778.

Following the defeat of the French, the Fusiliers took the white plumes from the head dress of their enemy and wore them in their own caps. In addition to the Queen’s Colour and Regimental Colour, there is the Willemstahl of Drummers' Colour - a commemorative banner sanctioned by King George V, which is inherited from the Royal Northumberland Fusiliers.

New Colours were awarded to the Second Battalion the Royal Regiment of Fusiliers by Field Marshall His Royal Highness the Duke of Kent KG, the Colonel-in-Chief, on the 30th June 1995.

The Regimental day is St. Georges's Day 23rd April, which is the Anniversary of the birthday of the Regiment and one which is normally marked by a ceremonial parade when red and white roses are worn behind the cap badge of all ranks. The following days are also observed since they were traditional days of the former Regiments. Gollipoli Day 25th April; Albuhera Day 16th May; Normandy Day 6th June; Minden Day 1st August.

Regimental Headquarters are in HM tower of London, this was inherited from the seventh of Foot, the Royal Fusiliers.