The Royal Regiment of Fusiliers

Origins

This unit was formed in 1968 by amalgamating the four regiments of the Fusilier Brigade: The Royal Northumberland Fusiliers, The Royal Warwickshire Fusiliers, The Royal Fusiliers (City of London Regiment) and The Lancashire Fusiliers. 

Each of the new unit’s four battalions continued the traditions of one of the predecessor regiments, although the 4th (Lancashire Fusiliers) Battalion was disbanded after only a year.

The regiment's cap badge features an image of St George slaying a dragon, an emblem which was inherited from The Northumberland Fusiliers.

Deployments

Over the next two decades, the three remaining battalions alternated between Northern Ireland, West Germany and England, rarely all in one base at the same time. Exceptions included tours to Gibraltar and postings to Cyprus in 1977, 1985 and 1987 and the Falklands in 1983-84 and 1988.

In 1991, the 3rd (City of London) Battalion served during the Gulf War (1990-91). The following year, it was disbanded and absorbed by the remaining two battalions, with 1st Battalion now operating as armoured infantry and 2nd Battalion as light infantry.

1st Battalion deployed to Bosnia in 1995. It was joined there two years later by 2nd Battalion, which also served in Kosovo in 2000. The regiment went on to serve in ​​​​​​Iraq in 2003-04 and 2005-07 and in Afghanistan during 2006, 2009 and 2013, as well as returning to its past postings of Germany and Northern Ireland. 

More recently, the Fusiliers have deployed on exercise to Canada, East Africa and Eastern Europe.