Did you know about 'The Royal Fusiliers Hackle' ?
The distinctive red and white Hackle, worn by all ranks in the Royal Regiment of Fusiliers, in all forms of dress, was handed down from the Royal Northumberland Fusiliers.
The Hackle was awarded in recognition for the defeat of the French at the Battle of St Lucia in 1778. The white hackles were removed from the French dead by the Fusilier battalions. At the time, all Guards Regiments also wore a white Hackle, so King George ordered a red tip to be added to the white hackle to distinguish the Fusiliers from the Guards.
See: www.army.mod.uk/fusiliers/battalions/1st_battalion/traditions.htm

Did you know why 'Bobby the buck' appears on the badge of the Royal Regiment of Fusiliers ?
The animal on the button is of 'Bobby' an Indian black buck, the mascot of the Royal Regiment of Fusiliers.
They are made up of 4 'old' Fusilier Regts, Lancashire Fusiliers, Royal Fusiliers, Warwickshire Fusiliers and the Northumberland Fusiliers.
The Royal Warwickshire Regiment was one of four raised in 1674 to serve the Dutch Government in their struggle against French and Spanish invaders. The famous Antelope Badge originates from the War of the Spanish Succession. A Moorish standard with that symbol, captured in battle, was presented to Queen Anne, who is thought to have authorised its use. To this day, the Regiment, now part of the Royal Regiment of Fusiliers, has kept an antelope as its mascot.
See: www.fovantbadges.com/his_det.htm and www.fovantbadges.com/unrestored.htm

Did you know about the Fovant badges on Salisbury Plain ?
When the 1914-1918 war broke out, there was a need to find accommodation for the New Army. In many areas, training and transit camps were established for troops leaving for, and returning from, the battlefields in northern France. One of these areas was the village of Fovant, in Wiltshire and its neighbours Compton Chamberlayne and Sutton Mandeville. The villages and the fields in the shadow of the chalk downs became a military camp, complete with barracks, a hospital, parade areas, shooting practice ranges, a camp cinema and YMCA huts. A military railway was constructed to serve the camp, branching off the main line railway from London to the southwest.
Thousands of men from all parts of Britain and overseas lived for a while in the area, passed on to the Western Front and returned from it.
Many never returned but gave their lives on the battlefields in France. Others died of their wounds in the hospital or from disease. Rows of silent War Graves in Fovant and other nearby churchyards are testimony to their presence. In remembrance of their colleagues, many of the regiments carved into the hillside replicas of their cap badges. Many of these no longer survive, but by the end of WW1 there were some twenty discernible badges. The Fovant Down badges are clearly visible from a lay-by in Fovant whilst passing along the A30 road between Shaftesbury and Wilton.
One is of the Royal Warwickshire Regiment, shown right.
www.fovantbadges.com/his_det.htm and www.fovantbadges.com/unrestored.htm

Did you know about the Artillery?
From Richard Collyer, Lowestoft RA Det, Suffolk ACF
1. In the beginning there was chaos and the chaos was the Infantry, for the Infantry was alone.
2. And fear was with the Infantry and they cried unto the Lord saying: ‘Lord, save us for we are afraid.’
3. And the Lord heard their grunts and set some of the Infantry on beasts of burden and these he called Cavalry, and the Cavalry became Armour.
4. And when the Lord saw what he had done he laughed saying: ‘Well, you can't win them all.’
5. The Infantry and the Armour again cried out to the Lord saying: ‘Lord, save us for we are afraid.’ And the Lord heard their cries and decided to end their weeping.
6. And the Lord said unto them: ‘Lo and behold, I send you a race of men noble in heart and spirit.’ And the Lord created the Gunners.
7. And the Lord said unto the Infantry and Armour: ‘When it is dark, the Gunners shall light your way. And when you need smoke, there shall be smoke, and when you need HE, WP, H & I and counter-battery fire, all this ye shall have.’
8. And the Lord gave the Gunners big guns and field guns, and the Infantry and Armour were jealous for they had naught.
9. And the Infantry cried out saying: ‘Lord, thou hast created the Infantry as Queen of Battles, but now thou hast made the Gunners King of Battles and well knowest thou what the King does to the Queen.’
10. And the Lord replied, ‘Right on!’
11. And the Lord gave unto the Artillery rockets and missiles and, best of all, nukes. And when the Infantry and Armour saw this they fell to their knees in wonder saying: ‘Surely God is on the side of the greatest - the
Gunners.’
12. And the Lord sayeth: ‘You got that right.’
Now abideth Infantry, Armour and Artillery; but the greatest of these is Artillery.

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