Other ranks’ cap badge, c1900.
NAM. 1963-12-150Introduction
In 1688 William of Orange commissioned Sir Robert Peyton to raise a new regiment of foot in East Devon. Peyton died the following year, and Hamilton’s Regiment as it was then called, was deployed to Ireland where it fought at the Boyne (1690) and Aughrim (1691), before serving at Gibraltar in 1702.
During the War of the Austrian Succession it fought at Dettingen (1743) and Fontenoy (1745). At the former engagement, James Wolfe served as acting adjutant of the regiment. He later fought with the 20th at Culloden in 1746.
Early in the Seven Years War the regiment was used for raids on the French ports of Rochefort and St Malo and served at Minden (1759), where it stood up to and broke a French cavalry charge.
During the American War of Independence the regiment served at Quebec in 1776 and at Saratoga the following year, where it surrendered with General Sir John Burgoyne. It was then interned in Massachusetts and Pennsylvania until April 1783, when it sailed for England.
Men of the 2nd Battalion, The Lancashire Fusiliers, with Achilles tank destroyers in support, Italy, April 1945.
NAM. 1999-03-88-127The first 12 years of the French Revolutionary Wars were eventful for the regiment, taking it to the West Indies, Ireland, the Quiberon Bay landings, Minorca, Egypt, Italy and Sicily. During the Peninsular War, the regiment fought in several battles but earned particular distinction at Corunna (1809) and Vittoria (1813).
During the remainder of 19th century its overseas service included the Crimea (1854-56), where it fought at the Alma and Inkerman, and the First Sudan War of 1884-85. Prior to that deployment the regiment was designated the Lancashire Fusiliers in 1881. During the Boer War the regiment fought at Spion Kop and took part in the Relief of Ladysmith in 1900.
During the First World War the Lancashire Fusiliers raised 30 battalions that served on all the major fronts, including France and Belgium and the Dardanelles. The author JRR Tolkien served on the Western Front with the 13th Battalion in 1915-16. The Gallipoli landings of April 1915 witnessed the 1st Battalion famously win ‘six Victoria Crosses before breakfast’ during its heroic performance at Helles.
The Second World War saw the raising of 15 additional battalions to the regular peacetime establishment of two. Battalions of the regiment served in France and Germany, North Africa, Sicily, Italy, India and Burma.
Its first post-war service was as occupation troops in Austria and it also spent two further terms in West Germany before amalgamation. During the 1950s it deployed to Egypt, Kenya, Trieste and Cyprus, whilst 1965 saw it posted to the West Indies.
In 1958 the regiment had joined with the three other English fusilier regiments to form a Fusilier Brigade. 10 years later all four of these regiments merged to form the two-battalion Royal Regiment of Fusiliers.
Key facts
Motto:
- 'Omnia Audax' (meaning 'Daring In All Things')
Nicknames:
- The Two Tens (from its numeral 20)
- The Double Xs (after its numeral in Roman numerals, XX)
- The Minden Boys (from its involvement at Minden), Kingsley’s Stand (after its colonel at Minden)
- The Young Fuzileers (it is the youngest of the four regiments later amalgamated to form the Royal Regiment of Fusiliers)
Titles to date:
- Peyton’s Regiment of Foot
- Hamilton’s Regiment of Foot
- 20th Regiment of Foot
- 20th East Devon Regiment of Foot
- The Lancashire Fusiliers
- 4th Battalion, The Royal Regiment of Fusiliers
- The Royal Regiment of Fusiliers
Find out more
Regimental Museum
Regimental Merchandise
National Army Museum Collection
Add your comment
Please note: By submitting a comment you are agreeing to the terms laid out in the National Army Museum's Rules for User Comments. Any views expressed in user comments do not necessarily reflect or represent the views of the National Army Museum or its staff.