Royal Welsh Fuzileers

[anitacorbett]

Can anyone help me with this enquiry? We went on hols to Berry Head near Brixham and came across an old fort where they had found cap badges of serveral Regiments including the RWF, but the wording on them was Royal Welsh Fuzileers! They think it was from 1700 + but I've never know it to be so. Any helpers out there?
Just curious thats all.
Thanks
Take care
Anita xx

[Gwyn Nicholas]

www.royalfuzileers.com/

Only ones I could find with that spelling (Fuzileers) though it would appear that the spelling is an "Archaic" form of Fusilier. Fusil from the French for rifle and Fuzil from the Portuguese for the same. Fought side by side with the 23rd of Foot at Waterloo. Perhaps, as we were at war with the French and allies of the Portuguese at that time whoever did the job went for the latter form of spelling. I'm sure our wizards will come up with the facts.

[ivor43]

hi.
interesting bit of info.

http://www.royalfuzileers.com/regiment.html




ivor

[Baconwallah]

As described in the Military Collections and Remarks of Major (later Major-General) Robert Donkin (1727-1821):

"The royal regiment of welch Fuzileers has a privilegeous honour of passing in review preceded by a Goat with gilded horns, and adorned with ringlets of flowers: and although this may not come immediately under the denomination of a reward for Merit, yet the corps values itself much on the ancientness of the custom."

This, incidentally, is also the first documented appearance of the Goat.

You will find this quotation in the first volume of the Regimental Records.

John

[dcdl12976]

The infantry of the line practice of wearing a distinctive head dress badge dates from Royal Warrants published on 1st July 1751 and 19th Oct 1768. The Grenadier cap for the XXIIII d or Royal Welsh Fuzileers was stated as "The device of the Prince of Wales, viz three feathers issuing out of the Princes coronet". These grenadier caps were highly ornate and few survive today in anything like decent condition. This type of headress went out when the Regency Shako came into use around 1816.
Although these warrants authorised the wearing of distinctive grenadier caps they were being worn long before this date and not only by regular forces
The grenadiers caps were to be made of black bear skin and on the front the Kings crest of silver plated metal on a black background with the motto Nec aspera terrant, a grenade ojn the back of the cap with the regimental number on it.
Most of the army at this time were still wearing the Tricorn cap with there regimental number on it.

Information from Headress badges of the british army vol 1 by Arthur L Kipling and Hugh King.

i suspect the badge you have seen is thus "Below the cypher the Prince of Wales Plumes, coronet and motto and the Sphinx superscribed EGYPT side by side with the roman numerals XXIII beneath". The is a picture of one on page 15 of the book mentioned however i have no way of putting it on the site sadly.

Cheers

Dave

[dcdl12976]

Some history.

Earliest recognised formation:	1689; when raised as Lord Herbert's Regiment of Foot. (Became "The Royal Regiment of Welch Fuzileers" in 1713, and the 23rd Regiment of Foot in 1743.)
Motto:	Nec Aspera Terrent = Difficulties be Damned
Regimental Journal:	Y Ddraig Goch
WWI:	Battle Honours; 77	Victoria Crosses; 8	Died; 9800
WWII:	Battle Honours; 25	Victoria Crosses; 0	Died; ???
Amalgamated:	2006, with The Royal Regiment of Wales to form The Royal Welsh. (officially "united" rather than amalgamated, RWF becoming the 1st battalion of the new regiment.

[dcdl12976]

A picture of some reenacters in the Other ranks uniform of the day.



Note the examples of the headress.

By the way the badge i described in the earlier post was for Officers

[jungle1810]

Hello Anita et al,
Reading from the pamphlet "Ludlow and the Royal Welch Fusiliers" which describes the raising of the Regiment in Appendix 1.I quote the following.On March the 8th 1689 Lord Herbert was commissioned Colonel of a newly formed regiment for service against James in Ireland but the letter of service authorising him to raise the troops was not dated until the 16th of March 1689. The new regiment was to be quartered in Ludlow, and was of course, designated Herbert's regiment. It was not until 1702 that it was selected one of the three original regiment's of Fusilier's, which were armed with the new issue of Flintlock "Fusils, and given the title of " The Welsh Regiment of Fuziliers".In recognition of of it's distinguished service during Marlborough's Campaigns. Queen Anne dubbed it our Royal Regiment of Fuzilier's in 1712, and as such with only minor adjustments it continues to be known. I reckon I have touched on the "The forum ( FUSIL'S in another thread. It appears that the FUSIL was carried to defend food and families Wagon trains etc, travelling with the regiment on various campaigns. I intend placing this pamphlet on the forum (Possibly with the help of Keith) with more Red Dragon journals I have had sent to me from former friends.
Regards R B D aka jungle1810

[anitacorbett]

Wow! Thanks everyone, thats sooo interesting. What a fabulous mine of info you all are. I've never known the spelling that way, though I did know that Fuzileer was a flintlock carrying foot soldier.
Thanks again, loved the info.
Take care
Anita xx

[Baconwallah]

Photo taken in the Alameda Botanical Gardens, Gibraltar (courtesy of Blairy) also mentions Fuzileers.

John

Sally Buckley.JPG