 |
The
Kings Regiment formed in 1685
A
Company KCR continues the traditions and values started then.
|
 |
| |
Formed
in 1685, the King's Regiment now comprises the 1st or Regular Battalion,
stationed with its families in Bourlon Barracks, Catterick Garrison,
North Yorkshire since March 2001, and the Territorial Army companies
of the King's and Cheshire Regiment which has King's Regiment bases
in Liverpool, Warrington, Manchester and Ashton-Under-Lyne. The post
of Colonel-in-Chief is vacant following the death of HM Queen Elizabeth
The Queen Mother while Colonel of the Regiment is Colonel Malcolm
Grant Haworth CBE. Officers join the Regiment from all over the United
Kingdom but the Regiment prides itself on its unique position as the
Army's only City Regiment, recruiting its soldiers - the Kingsmen
- from Liverpool and Manchester. The Regiment expanded in 1756 to
two battalions. In 1758, one formed the 8th or King's Regiment of
Foot and the other became the 63rd which was later still to become
the Manchester Regiment. In 1958, these two Regiments rejoined as
today's King's Regiment.
|
 |
|
| |
|
|
|
| |
 |
|
The Regiment has battle honours from service all over the world,
from Marlborough's battles in the 18th century to Korea in 1953. In
World War I the Regiment raised the second largest number of battalions
of any regiment in the Army - 87. |
|
| |
|
|
|
|
| |
In
World War II, the Regiment served world-wide. Battalions fought in
France in 1940, took part in the heroic defence of Malta, landed in
the first few minutes of the D-Day operation and fought in the jungles
of Burma. A battalion of the Regiment fought with great distinction
in the first Chindit expedition and another battalion fought with
equal bravery, providing the glider-borne spearhead of the second
Chindit expedition. Battalions fought in Italy and across Northwest
Europe until the end of the war. In the last 50 years, regular battalions,
often reinforced from territorial battalions, have served on operations
in Korea, Malaya, Kenya, Kuwait, Northern Ireland, Hong Kong and Belize.
Garrisons have been provided for Guyana, the Falklands and of course
for extended periods all over Germany. |
|
| |
The
Regiment's volunteer battalion tradition stems both from its 5th (Rifle)
Battalion The King's (Liverpool) - which was originally the third
to be raised in the country and the first in the North West of England
- and the 8th (Ardwick) Battalion the Manchester Regiment.
|
|
| |
This
tradition was maintained in the 5th/8th Battalion which included
a Scottish Company, tracing its origins to the Liverpool Scottish
Battalion whose doctor gained one of only three bars ever awarded
to the Victoria Cross. In total, 23 Victoria Crosses and one George
Cross have been awarded to men of the Regiment, including one of
the very few VCs to have been awarded between World War I and World
War II. In 2000 this battalion was reduced to two companies, one
in Liverpool and one in Manchester, and part of Battalion Headquarters
as part of the new King's and Cheshire Regiment.
|
|
 |
|
| |
Liverpool,
Manchester and the Borough of Tameside have honoured the Regiment
with the granting of the Freedom of the Cities and the Borough.
This very close link is exemplified by the warmth and goodwill extended
to the Regiment by civic and commercial institutions in both cities
and the borough. The Regiment is immensely proud of its unique position
as the Army's only City Regiment.
|
|
| |
|
|
| |
GuestBook |
|
Kings
Website
|
|
|
| |
|
|
| |
 
Copyright
Ben Barry 2002©
|
|
|
