The '''King's Own Fusiliers'
, originally the King's Fusiliers'', is the infantry regiment portrayed in the series. Like all
fusilier regiments, both the "King's" and the "King's Own" wear a
hackle in its head-dress; this is coloured dark blue over white. During 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)"''', mimicking the real life amalgamation of the
King's Own Royal Regiment (Lancaster) and the Cumbrian based
Border Regiment in 1959 to form the
King's Own Royal Border Regiment. During negotiations with the commanding officer of the other regiment to be merged (over which customs and traditions should be carried over to the new regiment), attempts were made by the Cumbrians to keep the new regiment as an ordinary infantry regiment, rather than a fusilier regiment, which would also see the loss of the King's hackle. However, research by the regimental commander of the King's Fusiliers, Lt Col Osbourne, found that, during the Cumbrians' (fictional) service in the
Crimea, the Cumbrians had worn the hackle and served as fusiliers for six months in honour of the fusiliers that had served alongside them. As a result, the new regiment was named "The King's Own Fusiliers". 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 circlet of the
Order of the Garter. Surmounting the garter is the traditional flame that indicates a fusilier regiment. (Coincidentally, in series 1 episode 2 of
Red Cap, the
Royal Cambrian Fusiliers wore the same cap badge and hackle as the King's Own Fusiliers.)
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: • '''1st Battalion, King's Fusiliers''' •
Light infantry battalion in the UK • Resident infantry battalion in
Hong Kong (with training deployment to
New Zealand) • '''1st Battalion, King's Own Fusiliers''' •
Armoured infantry battalion with
4th (Armoured) Brigade in
Germany •
United Nations peacekeepers with
UNPROFOR in
Bosnia •
Public duties battalion in
Windsor • Infantry training battalion
Warminster •
Air assault infantry battalion with
5th (Airborne) Brigade 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.
Recruiting area As the King's Fusiliers/King's Own Fusiliers has no geographical location in its name, it can only be speculated what recruiting area it represents. In early episodes, the senior officers discuss the possibility of being amalgamated with other regiments from the Midlands. During series 1, the possibility of merging or disbanding regiments is discussed, and, at that point, the Cumbrians and the Rutlands are expected to be amalgamated. During the final episode of series 2, the regiment's commanding officer announces orders for the King's Fusiliers to form a new "Midlands Regiment" along with the Cumbrians and the Rutlands, though, in later episodes, the other regiment to be merged is referred to as The Cumbrians (Duke of Rutland's Own). Other anecdotal references in the series pointing to the regiment's location being in the Midlands include the use of a Midlands commercial radio station,
BRMB, being played by various characters, and a local, specifically
Birmingham, telephone area code on signage and vehicles. However, given that the series was made in the Midlands by the "Central Films" division of
Central Television, these local references can be expected.
Commanding officers • '''1st Battalion, King's Fusiliers''' • Lt Col D Fortune MC (1991–1992) (
Miles Anderson, series 1 and 2). A mild mannered man who is nonetheless a firm disciplinarian. Fortune is a widower, having lost, off-screen, his first wife to cancer. Between series 1 and 2, he meets and then, in series 2, marries a journalist, Rachel Elliot. After receiving orders for the regiment to be amalgamated, he decides to retire from the army. • Lt Col M Osbourne (1992–1993) (
Patrick Drury, series 3). Succeeding Lt Col Fortune, his command of the regiment mainly occurs during the time between series; he appears in three episodes of series 3. After helping to negotiate the regimental merger, he resigns his commission to spend more time with his daughter. • '''1st Battalion, King's Own Fusiliers''' • Lt Col N Hammond (1993–1994) (
Robert Gwilym, series 3). A keen and ambitious officer, who takes command of the new King's Own Fusiliers during their posting in Germany. A no-nonsense man who makes his mark by having LCpl Tucker demoted for bringing the regiment into disrepute. After taking the regiment to Bosnia on NATO peacekeeping duties, he hands over control to Lt Col Jennings. • Lt Col I Jennings (1994–1995) (
John Bowe, series 4). Jennings assumes command from Hammond upon the regiment's return from Bosnia. His first task is presenting the UN medals; the major assignment that follows is the regiment's relocation from Munster to Windsor. The regiment is later assigned to public duties, guarding locations such as
Buckingham Palace and the
Tower of London. • Lt Col P Philips (1995–1996) (
Duncan Bell, series 5). The regiment's youngest commanding officer, Philips is an approachable man, but a stickler for regulations, adhering rigidly to the army's anti-gay stance on discovering that two of his men are in a relationship. Despite this, he bends the rules himself by starting a relationship with Capt Sadie Williams, the medical officer. • Lt Col M Eastwood (1996–1997) (
Philip Bowen, series 6). An older man who is married with stepchildren, Eastwood has an avuncular nature and takes on something of a fatherly role to the men. He leads the regiment into combat when the British protectorate Deliverance Island is invaded, but loses a leg to a land mine during the operation, and retires soon afterwards. • Lt Col P Drysdale (1997) (
James Cosmo, series 7). A combat veteran, Drysdale alienates most of the other officers and some of the men with his brusque style, especially when he withholds information during an exercise that leads to a civilian volunteer being injured. After a disastrous peacekeeping operation in Zokindi, where his decisions result in a group being captured and three men killed, he is court martialled for failing to follow the chain of command, and resigns. ==Fictional regiments featured in
Soldier Soldier==