| Fusiliers Volunteers 5th Battalion The Royal Regiment of Fusiliers | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Active |
1966—1999 2006—Present |
| Country |
 United Kingdom |
| Branch | |
| Role | Reserve Armoured Infantry |
| Size | Battalion |
| Part of | 20th Armoured Infantry Brigade |
| Garrison/HQ | Battalion Headquarters in Quayside |
| Nickname(s) |
"The Budgies" 5 R FUSILIERS |
| Website | Royal Regiment of Fusiliers |
The 5th Battalion, The Royal Regiment of Fusiliers are one of two battalions within the Royal Regiment of Fusiliers. Originally formed as the Fusilier Volunteers, the battalion saw many changes and reforms before finally gaining their modern title of the 5th battalion in 2006.
Following the more recent Army 2020 Refine, the battalion is today paired with 1 R FUSILIERS and is organised as a reserve armoured infantry battalion within the 20th Armoured Infantry Brigade.
History[]
Cold War[]
The Fusilier Volunteers were first formed in 1967 following the 1966 Defence White Paper many new "large" regiments were formed. One of these new regiments was the Royal Regiment of Fusiliers, formed from the amalgamation of the Royal Northumberland, Royal Warwickshire, Royal City of London, and Lancashire Fusiliers regiments. As a result, the fusiliers formed a new reserve regiment/battalion known as the Fusilier Volunteers.[1][2]
In 1967, the Fusiliers Volunteers were formed within TAVR II (volunteer reserve units with BAOR assignments) with the following structure;[1][3]
- Regimental Headquarters in Coventry
- Headquarters (Warwickshire) Company in Coventry
- A (The Royal Northumberland Fusiliers) Company in Sandyforth from 4th/5th Battalion The Royal Northumberland Fusiliers and 6th Battalion The Royal Northumberland Fusiliers.[3]
- B (The Royal Warwickshire Fusiliers) Company in Coventry, from 7th Battalion The Royal Warwickshire Fusiliers[3]
- C (The City of London Company, The Royal City of London Fusiliers) Company in Balham from The City of London Battalion The Royal Fusiliers[3]
- D (The Lancashire Fusiliers) Company in Bury from 5th Battalion The Lancashire Fusiliers[3]
In 1968 the regiment was renamed as the 5th (Volunteer) Battalion following their induction into the regiment. In December the E (Northumberland) Company was formed in Ashington with a platoon in Alnwick following the expansion of the cadre of the former 7th (Territorial) battalion of the Royal Northumberland Fusiliers.[1][3]
During the 1970s, the Ministry of Defence implemented a new major reform scheme known as the 1975 Mason Review which would re-evaluate the way the British Army of the Rhine was organised. As part of these reforms, the territorials were re-organised into new brigades, with many divisions being disbanded and re-organised into districts. As part of these reforms, A (Northumberland) Company based in Sandyford at this time was transferred as X Company and E (Northumberland) Company transferred as Z Company.[1][3]
In 1981 the 1981 "The Way Forward" Defence White Paper was published with many changes of the former Mason Review being reverted, namely the reinstatement of division and brigades of the British Army of the Rhine. Among the changes of the review was the reformation of the Home Guard under the new title of the Home Service Force. Following the formation of this new group, G (Home Service Force) Company was formed within the battalion. A few years later in 1986 the territorial army was again re-organised to be more efficient in the event of war with the Warsaw Pact.[1][3] One of the changes brought through this was the re-organisation of the battalion into the following;[1][3]
- Battalion Headquarters and Headquarters (Warwickshire) Company in Coventry
- A Company in Sparkbrook (formed in 1986 from expansion of a platoon from B Company)
- C (City of London) Company transferred to the 8th Queen's
- C Company in Ashton-under-Lyne from C Company of the 4th Queen's Lancs
- D (Lancashire) Company in Bury
- G (Home Service Force) Company
Modern-day[]
In 1992 following the end of the Cold War, the Options for Change reforms were announced. These reforms were mostly focused on the regular army and reduced the army, namely the army in Germany, to just a division.[1] As a result of these reforms, the battalion was now all based in Warwickshire.[1] Following these changes, the battalion then had the following structure;[1][3]
- Battalion Headquarters and Headquarters Company in Coventry
- A Company in Sparkbrook
- B Company in Sheldon
- C Company in Shirley (Formed in 1992)[3]
As seen in the list above, all unit subtitles were removed, this not only happened to the battalion but to almost all territorial units. Eventually in 1997, following the Front Line First reforms, the battalion was renamed as the 5th (Warwickshire) Battalion. Finally in 1999, following the Strategic Defence Review the battalion was disbanded and formed part of the new West Midlands Regiment.[1][3]
In 2003 following the Delivering Security in a Changing World reforms, it was announced that most 1 battalion units would be amalgamated. As a result, the 5th Battalion (Volunteers) was re-formed in 2006 following conversion of the Tyne-Tees Regiment and assigned back to The Royal Regiment of Fusiliers.
After the Army 2020 refines, the battalion moved from the 15th (North-East) Brigade to join the 20th Armoured Infantry Brigade. As a result, the battalion was paired with the 1st battalion and reorganised and converted to a reserve armoured infantry battalion.[4] After the refines, the battalion now has the following structure;[4][5]
- Battalion Headquarters and Headquarters Company at Anzio House, Quayside, Newcastle upon Tyne
- Band of the Royal Regiment of Fusiliers at St George's Army Reserve Centre, Jesmond, Newcastle upon Tyne
- A (Fusilier) Company at Sheldon, Birmingham
- C (London Fusiliers) Company at Fusilier House, Balham, London
- Platoon in Hollyhedge House, Blackheath, London
- X Company at St George's Army Reserve Centre, Jesmond, Newcastle upon Tyne
- Platoon at Dare Wilson Barracks, Hexham
- Machine-Gun Platoon at Castle Street Armoury, Bury (moves from 4th Battalion Duke of Lancaster's Regiment)
- Z Company at St Lucia Barracks, Omagh
- Reconnaissance Platoon at Duke of Northumberland Barracks, Alnwick
References[]
- ↑ 1.0 1.1 1.2 1.3 1.4 1.5 1.6 1.7 1.8 1.9 Regiments.org
- ↑ "Regimental History | THE FUSILIERS" (in en). https://thefusiliers.org/regimental-history/.
- ↑ 3.00 3.01 3.02 3.03 3.04 3.05 3.06 3.07 3.08 3.09 3.10 3.11 British Army in 1945
- ↑ 4.0 4.1 "Army 2020 Refine Order of Battle (Updated August 2019". 2019. https://britisharmedforcesreview.files.wordpress.com/2019/08/army-2020-refine-orbat-6.pdf.
- ↑ "Royal Regiment of Fusiliers" (in en-GB). https://www.army.mod.uk/who-we-are/corps-regiments-and-units/infantry/royal-regiment-of-fusiliers/.