King's Own Fusiliers

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The King's Own Fusiliers

Cap badge of the King's Own Fusiliers
Active 1993-
Country United Kingdom
Branch Army
Type Line Infantry
Role Air Assault Infantry
(at end of series)
Size One battalion
Part of King's Division
Garrison/HQ 1st Battalion - Aldershot
(at end of series)
Motto Honi Soit Qui Mal Y Pense (Evil to he Whom Evil Thinks)
Insignia
Hackle Blue over White
From King's Fusiliers

The King's Own Fusiliers is a fictional British Army infantry regiment portrayed in the ITV drama series Soldier Soldier. Like all fusilier regiments, the King's Own Fusiliers wears a hackle in its head-dress; this is coloured dark blue over white. Initially, the regiment was called the "King's Fusiliers"; however in the third series of Soldier Soldier, which took place during the Options for Change military reforms, the King's Fusiliers was forced to amalgamate with another regiment, "The Cumbrians (Duke of Rutland's Own)"; although attempts were made by the Cumbrians to keep the new regiment as an ordinary infantry regiment, rather than a fusilier regiment, the regimental commander of the King's Fusiliers found in his research that, at some point during their history, the Cumbrians had served as fusiliers. As a result, the new regiment was named the "King's Own Fusiliers".

Contents

[edit] Regiment

[edit] Role

As an ordinary infantry battalion, the King's Fusiliers/King's Own Fusiliers was in the arms plot rotation, and thus participated in a number of different roles:

During its time in Windsor, in addition to other duties, the King's Own Fusiliers provided the guard at Buckingham Palace, the Tower of London and Windsor Castle.

[edit] Recruiting Area

As the King's Own Fusiliers has no geographical location in its name, it can only be speculated what recruiting area it represents. However, using Options for Change as a marker, it would be reasonable to assume that the regiment is from somewhere in the north of England, given that it is amalgamated with a regiment from Cumbria. In addition, the regiment's collar dogs are in the form of a stylised rose, suggesting the Red Rose of Lancashire. This suggests that the regiment is part of the King's Division.

[edit] Amalgamation

Although Soldier Soldier ended in 1997, it can be speculated that, had the series continued, the changing climate following the 1997 General Election with regards to the armed forces would have been addressed; the wars in Afghanistan and Iraq may have led to the regiment being deployed operationally, while the defence review of 2004 would probably have resulted in the King's Own Fusiliers, as a single battalion regiment, being forced to amalgamate again, this time as part of a large, multi-battalion regiment with another north-west regiment.

The cap badge of the King's Own Fusiliers features the lion surmounting the crown, which is the recognised symbol of the British Army, within the band of the Order of the Garter. Surmounting the garter band is the traditional flame that indicates a fusilier regiment. (Note - in Crush (Red Cap episode 1.2), the Royal Cambrian Fusiliers wore the same cap badge and hackle as the King's Own Fusiliers)

[edit] List of Commanding Officers

  • 1st Battalion, King's Fusiliers
    • Lt Colonel D. Fortune (1991-1992)
    • Lt Colonel N. Hammond (1992-1993)
  • 1st Battalion, King's Own Fusiliers
    • Lt Colonel N. Hammond (1993-1994)
    • Lt Colonel I. Jennings (1994-1995)
    • Lt Colonel P. Philips (1995-1996)
    • Lt Colonel M. Eastwood (1996-1997)
    • Lt Colonel P. Drysdale (1997)

[edit] See also