VETERANS will take to the streets of Warwick this weekend as the colours of the disbanded 2nd Battalion The Royal Regiment of Fusiliers are paraded for the last time.
The colours of Warwickshire’s own infantry regiment will be paraded on Sunday (October 9) before being laid in St Mary’s Church.
Many former battalion members from across the country are set to attend and celebrate the battalion which was disbanded in 2014 as part of army cuts.
The Royal Regiment of Fusiliers has a long history dating back to 1680. The Fusiliers have been recruiting in Warwickshire since the early 1700s, and many ‘Warwickshire Lads’ have served bravely and proudly in the Royal Warwickshire Regiment, the Royal Warwickshire Fusiliers and now the Royal Regiment of Fusiliers – traditionally, in the now disbanded 2nd Battalion.
The Regiment has an area deadquarters in Warwick, at St John’s House, who keep a Fusilier presence in what is regarded as a home area.
Today, the Regiment has one Fusilier battalion in Tidworth, Wiltshire as Reaction Force armoured infantry. The second is a Reserve battalion in Newcastle, as light role infantry. Both are well manned, busy on operations and training around the world.
Speaking about Sunday’s parade, a regiment spokesman said: “It is a more poignant occasion than usual, as it will be the last time the colours of the now disbanded 2nd Battalion will be paraded. At the end of the Parade, they will be laid up in St Mary’s Church, Warwick, never to be used again.”
The parade will start at 2pm, followed by a service at St Mary’s at 3pm.
Visit www.warwickfusiliers.co.uk to find out more.
