Duke of Lancaster's Regiment

The Duke of Lancaster's Regiment (King's, Lancashire and Border) (LANCS) is one of the new large infantry regiments of the British Army. The regiment's formation was announced on 16 December 2004 by Geoff Hoon and General Sir Mike Jackson as part of the restructuring of the infantry, when it was initially to be known as the King's, Lancashire and Border Regiment. The regiment was given its new name in November 2005. Initially formed of three regular army battalions, it was eventually reduced to two regular battalions, plus a Territorial Army battalion. The regiment was formed through the merger of three single battalion regiments:

• The King's Own Royal Border Regiment
• The King's Regiment (or King's Liverpool Manchester Regiment)
• The Queen's Lancashire Regiment

The regiment was formed on July 1 2006. Initially, on formation, the regiment contained three regular battalions, with each battalion simply being renamed:

• 1st Battalion, Queen's Lancashire Regiment - 1st Battalion, Duke of Lancaster's Regiment (King's, Lancashire and Border)
• 1st Battalion, King's Regiment - 2nd Battalion, Duke of Lancaster's Regiment (King's, Lancashire and Border)
• 1st Battalion, King's Own Royal Border Regiment - 3rd Battalion, Duke of Lancaster's Regiment (King's, Lancashire and Border)

However, very soon after formation the regiment gained its own character as a result of the cross-posting of individuals of the antecedent regiments.

In March 2007, the 3rd Battalion was disbanded, with its personnel dispersed to the other two, leaving the final roll of two regular battalions and one TA battalion. The 4th Battalion (Volunteers) was completed in late 2006 by adding the two King's Regiment companies from the King's and Cheshire Regiment to the battalion which had been initially formed from the Lancastrian and Cumbrian Volunteers.

Private soldiers inherited the rank of Kingsman from The King's Regiment. The cap badge is a Lancaster rose in a Fontenoy laurel surmounted by a crown. At the base is a scroll with the motto Nec Aspera Terrent (Difficulties be Damned). The regiment's Colonel-in-Chief is HM The Queen, who also bears the title Duke of Lancaster.

The regiment has brought forward a number of Golden Threads from its antecendents, as displays of its history and heritage:

• Lion of England - the English Lion, facing inwards as worn by the KORBR, has been adopted as the regiment's collar badge.
• Glider Flash - the Glider awarded as an honour to the KORBR is worn on the sleeve of No. 1 and No. 2 dress. The glider is also incorporated on the regiment's TRF.
• Fleur-de-Lys - the fleur-de-lys worn by the King's Regiment is featured on the regiment's buttons.

The Duke of Lancaster's Regiment serves as the county regiment for the following counties:

• Cumbria
• Lancashire (South, East, North and North Central)
• Merseyside
• Greater Manchester

The 1st Battalion is a mechanised infantry battalion based in Germany (moving to Catterick by 2009), while the 2nd Battalion was initially an armoured infantry unit stationed at Catterick Garrison. However, as part of the final round of the arms plot, it converted to light infantry and moved to Cyprus as a resident battalion. The 3rd Battalion was a light infantry battalion stationed at St George's Barracks, North Luffenham in Rutland before being amalgamated with the 1st and 2nd Battalions. On 26th June 2008, the regiment was presented with its first stand of colours since formation by the Colonel-in-Chief.

Roll of Honour

• 2nd Lt Joanathan Brancho-Cooke - 05/02/07
• Sergeant Graham Hesketh - 28/12/06
• Kingsman Alan Jones - 23/04/07
• Kingsman Adam Smith - 05/04/07
• Kingsman Danny Wilson - 01/04/07
• Kingsman Alexander Green - 13/01/07
• Kingsman Jamie Hancock - 06/11/06

In addition 2nd Lt Joanna Yorke Dyer, Intelligence Corp attached to the 2nd Battalion, was killed on this tour of Iraq on 05/04/07

Alliances

• - The King's Own Calgary Regiment (RCAC)
• - The Royal Queensland Regiment
• - 1st and 15th Battalions, The Frontier Force Regiment
• - The Royal Regiment of Canada
• - The Royal South Australia Regiment
• - The Otago and Southland Regiment
• - 5th Battalion, The Sikh Regiment
• - The Princess of Wales' Own Regiment
• - The West Nova Scotia Regiment
• - The Loyal Edmonton Regiment (4th Battalion, Princess Patricia's Canadian Light Infantry)
• - The Royal Tasmania Regiment
• - The Wellington (City of Wellington's Own) and Hawke's Bay Regiment
• - 8th and 14th Battalions, The Punjab Regiment
• - 2nd Battalion, The Royal Malay Regiment
• - The Kimberley Regiment
• - HMS Cumberland
• - HMS Liverpool
• - HMS Manchester
• - HMS Lancaster

Order of Precedence

Lineage

External links

• Regimental Website

SOURCES

• MOD Press Release Nov 2005
• Donnelly, P The King's Own Royal Regiment Museum (Lancaster). www.kingsownmuseum.plus.com. . The official website of the King's Own Royal Regiment Museum, Lancaster, United Kingdom.