Fusiliers celebrate St George's Day in Afghanistan

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News of my old Regiment

Fusiliers celebrate St George's Day in Afghanistan

23 Apr 09


Being deployed to Afghanistan has not stopped Fusiliers maintaining their 40-year tradition of wearing red and white roses behind their cap badge on St George's Day.


Regimental Sergeant Major WO1 Paul Bland wears his rose
[Picture: British Army]
Troops from 2nd Battalion The Royal Regiment of Fusiliers (2 RRF) have just begun a six-month deployment to Afghanistan, where they have taken over as the Battle Group (North West) from 2nd Battalion The Royal Gurkha Rifles, and are responsible for the area around the town of Musa Qaleh in the north of Helmand province, which over the past few years has seen considerable fighting.

The four regional Fusilier battalions amalgamated on St George's Day in 1968 to form The Royal Regiment of Fusiliers and, ever since, all ranks on St George's Day, 23 April, have worn red and white roses behind their cap badge.

And yesterday was no different, so, before heading off on patrols, at the Battle Group headquarters in Musa Qaleh, and at smaller bases across the area where the battalion is spread, the troops celebrated St George's Day in traditional fashion.

The Fusiliers were woken by drums played by the Drum Major, Warrant Officer Class 2 John Pugh, and then received a shot of 'gunfire' - a drink of tea mixed with rum, served by the officers.



Drum Major WO2 John Pugh wakes the troops in the morning
[Picture: British Army]
This year an improvised drum has been fashioned by the Regimental Sergeant Major, Warrant Officer Class 1 Paul Bland.

Following that, more than 100 Fusiliers took part in a church service, all the while wearing their red and white roses. Within hours the same Fusiliers were out patrolling the area around Musa Qaleh.

Lieutenant Colonel Charlie Calder, Commanding Officer of 2 RRF, said:

"The Royal Regiment of Fusiliers is immensely proud of its history. That history continues as the 2nd Battalion enters into a demanding operational tour in Afghanistan conscious of living up to the impressive record of The Royal Regiment of Fusiliers and its forbearer regiments."

The Royal Regiment of Fusiliers was formed on St George's Day 1968 with the amalgamation of the Northumberland (5th Foot) Fusiliers, Warwickshire (6th Foot) Fusiliers, Royal (7th Foot) Fusiliers and Lancashire (20th Foot) Fusiliers. The regiment maintains its regional heritage by continuing to recruit from these areas.

[Guest Close Slopjockey]

Brilliant

[Guest Close Frenchie]

where they have taken over as the Battle Group (North West) from 2nd Battalion The Royal Gurkha Rifles, and are responsible for the area around the town of Musa Qaleh in the north of Helmand province, which over the past few years has seen considerable fighting.


The Royal Gurkha Rifles.........That's that British Army Regiment isn't it??
Fighting in Afghanistan aren't they?
You'll have to excuse me...I was confused for a minute.

[Guest Close Jimmy Mac]

Yep Frenchie, that's them ... the ONLY Regiment of BRITISH Soldiers who aren't allowed to live in Britain. Y

ou know what, you couldn't blame them if every single one of them were to set their rifle down and thumb it back home ... there must be times when they themselves must wonder wy they bother putting their neck on the block for a Government that shows them such disregard and who treats them with such contempt ... it's shameful.

Back to the story ... this is nothing new. When the Royal Irish Regiment were in Iraq and Afghanistan they held their usual St. Patrick's Day Parade in the desert where they were presented with their shamrock. Not only that, but they did what they always do and the lines were awakened by the sound of the Bagpipes, while Officers served the Soldiers breakfast accompanied by 'gunfire', a mixture of tea and whiskey. Not only that, but those who were availabe also participated in the usual Section Chariot Race where each Section competes against the other in Chariots made of whatever they can get their hands on, while in fancy dress. I had many brilliant St. Patrick's Day Chariot Races, but the one in particular that sticks in my mind was when we had spent two weeks making our Chariot only for someone to nick our wheels the night before the Race (I'm certain it was some of those Liverpudlians as they are renowned for that sort of thing). Anyway, there was nothing else for it ... we had to acwuire a set of whel quickly, and the only set we could find in the whole Camp belonged to the Adjutant and his wife ...... there was only one little snag, they were attached to their eight-month old baby's pram :roll: So what do wedo :? Do we return to the Lines empty handed, or do we do as we were taught and use our initiative :roll: ...... so we weighed up the options and after debating the situation for some considerable time (it must have been at least 20 seconds) we decided to borrow the wheels and return them after the race. Unfortunately we couldn't get the wheels off, and as e didn't want to make any noise so as to attract attention, we took the whole pram. Obviously we didn't want to break the pram or to get into more trouble than we were already in, so we modified the pram slightly with what we already had. We got dressed in our white blankets and went as Centurions ...... and we won. After the Race we wanted to 'ditch the evidence' as quickly as possible, so we abandoned the pram complete with banners and bunches of grapes on the Adjutant's door-step. Surprisingly nothing was ever mentioned about it Later we noticed the Adjutant and his wife pushing the pram with the Banner still attached and eating our grapes ...... I'm sure he knew who it was, but he took it in good spirits. The pram wasn't damaged, although the suspension got some abuse that day :roll:

It's grat to see that the Regiments continue with their traditions, even in the most unusual of places.