Royal Regiment of Fusiliers

Royal Regiment of Fusiliers
Unit name	Royal Regiment of Fusiliers
Dates	23 April 1968 – present
Country	United Kingdom
Branch	United Kingdom
Type	Line Infantry
Role	Armoured Infantry (1st Battalion)
Size	One battalion
Command structure	Queen's Division
Garrison	Tower of London (Regimental Headquarters)
Garrison label	RHQ
Motto	Honi soit qui mal y pense, (Evil be to him who evil thinks)
March	Quick: The British Grenadiers, Slow: The Duchess of Kent
Anniversaries	23 April (St George's Day)
Battles	The Troubles, Gulf War, War in Afghanistan (2001–2021), Iraq War
Battle honours	See list

Royal Regiment of Fusiliers. The Royal Regiment of Fusiliers is a line infantry regiment of the British Army, formed in 1968 through the amalgamation of four historic English fusilier regiments. As part of the Queen's Division, its single remaining regular battalion, the 1st Battalion, serves in the armoured infantry role. The regiment maintains its headquarters at the historic Tower of London and upholds distinctive traditions linked to its founding regiments, including the wearing of a unique fur cap known as the Racal.

History

The regiment was created on St George's Day, 23 April 1968, as part of the 1968 reforms of the British Army. It was formed from the amalgamation of four regiments, each with origins in the 17th and 18th centuries: the Royal Northumberland Fusiliers, the Royal Warwickshire Fusiliers, the Royal Fusiliers (City of London Regiment), and the Lancashire Fusiliers. These constituent units had fought in numerous conflicts including the Napoleonic Wars, the Crimean War, and both World War I and World War II. Since its formation, the regiment has seen operational service across the globe, with deployments during The Troubles in Northern Ireland, the Gulf War, the War in Afghanistan (2001–2021), and the Iraq War.

Organisation

Following the 2010 defence review, the regiment was reduced to a single regular battalion. The 1st Battalion, Royal Regiment of Fusiliers, is currently configured as an armoured infantry battalion, equipped with the Warrior armoured fighting vehicle. It forms part of the 20th Armoured Infantry Brigade within the 3rd (UK) Division. The regiment also maintains an Army Reserve presence through companies of the 4th Battalion, The Princess of Wales's Royal Regiment, and the 5th Battalion, The Royal Anglian Regiment. The regimental headquarters is located at the Tower of London.

Regimental traditions

The regiment preserves many customs from its forebears, most visibly the wearing of the Racal, a fur cap derived from that of the Royal Northumberland Fusiliers. Its quick march is the iconic The British Grenadiers, a tune shared with other fusilier units and the Grenadier Guards. The regiment's motto, Honi soit qui mal y pense, is that of the Order of the Garter. A distinctive feature is the "flash", a five-tailed ribbon worn at the back of the headdress, a legacy of soldiers tying their hair back in the 18th century. The annual regimental day is celebrated on St George's Day, the date of its formation.

Battle honours

The regiment inherits and displays the battle honours of its four founding regiments, representing over three centuries of service. Selected honours include Blenheim, Ramillies, Oudenarde, Malplaquet, Dettingen, Minden, Gibraltar, Lucknow, Relief of Ladysmith, the Somme, Arras, Passchendaele, Normandy, and Kohima. More recent honours awarded to the regiment itself include Gulf 1991, Al Basrah, and Afghanistan.

Colonels-in-Chief and Colonels

The first Colonel-in-Chief of the regiment was Queen Elizabeth The Queen Mother from 1968 until her death in 2002. The position was subsequently assumed by the then Duchess of Cornwall in 2020, now Queen Camilla. The senior regimental appointment is the Colonel of the Regiment, a role held by senior officers. Past Colonels have included notable figures such as General Sir Richard Worsley and Major General Sir John Sutherell.

Alliances

The regiment maintains formal alliances with several Commonwealth and other forces, fostering camaraderie and exchange. These include The Royal Canadian Regiment, the Royal Australian Regiment, the Royal New Zealand Infantry Regiment, the South African Infantry Corps, and The Royal Gibraltar Regiment. It also has an alliance with the Durham Light Infantry, a regiment with shared regional heritage in the North East of England.

Category:British Army infantry regiments Category:Fusilier regiments Category:Military units and formations established in 1968