King's Own Royal Regiment (Lancaster)

The King's Own Royal Regiment (Lancaster)

Badge of the King's Own Royal Regiment (Lancaster)
Active 1680–1959
Country  Kingdom of England (1680–1707)
 Kingdom of Great Britain (1707–1800)
 United Kingdom (1801–1959)
Branch British Army
Type Infantry
Role Line Infantry
Nickname Barrell's Blues, The Lions
Colors Blue Facings, Gold Braided Lace
March Quick: Corn Riggs are Bonnie
Slow: And Shall Trelawny Die?
Engagements Nine Years War, War of the Spanish Succession, Battle of Culloden, Seven Years' War, French Revolutionary Wars, Peninsula War, War of 1812, Waterloo, Crimean War, Indian Rebellion of 1857, 1868 Expedition to Abyssinia, Anglo-Zulu War, Second Boer War, First World War, Second World War

The King's Own Royal Regiment (Lancaster) was an infantry regiment of the line of the British Army, which served under various titles from 1680 to 1959. Its lineage is continued today by the Duke of Lancaster's Regiment.

Contents

History

The regiment was raised on July 13, 1680, as the 2nd Tangier, or Earl of Plymouth's Regiment of Foot. It saw service for nearly three centuries. In 1751, after various name changes, the regiment was titled 4th (King's Own) Regiment of Foot. The regiment retained this title until the Childers Reforms of 1881 when it became The King's Own (Royal Lancaster Regiment). In 1921, it was re-designated The King's Own Royal Regiment (Lancaster).

The regiment's first battle honour was gained at Namur (1695) during the War of the Augsburg League, 1688-1697. Soon after they again saw action at Gibraltar in 1704-1705, Guadeloupe 1759, and St. Lucia 1778. In 1746, the regiment received most of the government casualties at the Battle of Culloden.

During the Napoleonic Wars they fought at Corunna, Badajoz, Salamanca, Vittoria, San Sebastian, Nive, Bladensburg, and Waterloo.

During the Crimean War the regiment fought at Alma, Inkerman, Sevastopol, before also seeing action at Abyssinia, South Africa 1879, the Relief of Ladysmith, and South Africa 1899-1902.

The regiment also saw colonial service in Australia from 1832 until 1837, being stationed variously at Tasmania, Sydney, Victoria South Australia, and the Swan River Colony under the command of Lieut. Colonel J. K. McKenzie.

During the First World War, the regiment received battle honours for France, Greece, Turkey, and Mesopotamia, and during the Second World War, they received honours for France, NW Europe, Iraq, Syria, N. Africa, Italy, Malta, and Burma.

The regiment received the freedom of Lancaster in 1953, before being amalgamated with The Border Regiment into the The King's Own Royal Border Regiment on October 31, 1959.

Battle honours

Victoria Crosses

The following members of the regiment were awarded the Victoria Cross:

King's Own Royal Regiment Museum

The King's Own Royal Regiment Museum is part of the Lancaster City Museum in Lancaster, Lancashire. Opened in 1929,[1] the exhibits include regimental uniforms, medals, regalia, silver, paintings, medals, weapons and other memorabilia reflecting the regiment's history since 1680 to 1960.

Colonels-in-Chief

Colonels

References

  1. ^ http://www.kingsownmuseum.plus.com/museum02.htm Museum Introduction and History

External links