Formed in 1685, the King's Regiment now comprises the 1st or Regular Battalion, stationed with its families in Cyprus until 1998, and the King's Companies of the King's and Cheshire Regiment which has bases in Liverpool, Warrington and Manchester. The Colonel in Chief is HM Queen Elizabeth the Queen Mother and the Colonel of the Regiment is Malcolm Grant Haworth CBE. Officers join the regiment from all over the United Kingdom but the regiment prides
itself on its unique position as the Army's only City Regiment, recruiting its soldiers - the Kingsmen - from Liverpool and Manchester.
The Regiment expanded in 1756 to two battalions. In 1758, one formed the 8th or King's Regiment of Foot and the other became the 63rd which was later still to become the Manchester Regiment. In 1958, these two Regiments rejoined as today's King's Regiment. The Regiment has battle honours from service all over the world, from Marlborough's battles in the 18th century to Korea in 1953. In World War I the Regiment raised the second largest number of battalions of any regiment in the Army - 87.
In World War II, the Regiment served world-wide. Battalions fought in France in 1940, took part in the heroic defence of Malta, landed in the first few minutes of the D-Day operation and fought in the jungles of Burma. A battalion of the Regiment fought with great distinction in the first Chindit expedition and another battalion fought with equal bravery, providing the glider-borne spearhead of the second Chindit expedition. Battalions fought in Italy and across Northwest Europe until the end of the war.
In the last 50 years, regular battalions, often reinforced from territorial battalions, have served on operations in Malaya, Kenya, Kuwait, Northern Ireland, Hong Kong and Belize. Garrisons have been provided for Guyana, the Falklands and of course for extended periods all over Germany. Men from Liverpool and Manchester have been decorated for gallantry or commended for service in all theatres and most recently in Northern Ireland and the Balkans.
The Regiment's volunteer battalion tradition stems both from its 5th King's (Liverpool) Battalion (which was originally the third to be raised in the country and the first in the North West of England) and the 8th Battalion the Manchester Regiment. This tradition is maintained in the King's and Cheshire Regiment which includes a Scottish Platoon, tracing its origins to the Liverpool Scottish Battalion whose doctor gained one of only three bars ever awarded to the Victoria Cross. In total, over 23 Victoria Crosses and one George Cross have been awarded to men of the Regiment, including one of the very few VCs to have been awarded between World War I and World War II.
The 1st Battalion comprises 35 officers recruited from all over the country and nearly 600 men recruited almost exclusively from Liverpool and Manchester. In addition there are many thousands of former serving officers and soldiers settled in the North West of England who retain the closest links with the Regiment through the two Regimental offices in Liverpool and Manchester.
The Regiment has a fine sporting record, having won the unique Army double of boxing and football championships in its tercentenary year of 1985. Many of the Regiment's boxers have fought for their country and the Battalion football team had the privilege of training with England's winning 1996 World Cup Squad. In 2001 the Regiment is again the Army's boxing champions.
Liverpool, Manchester and the Borough of Tameside have honoured the Regiment with the granting of the Freedom of the Cities and the Borough. This very close link is exemplified by the warmth and goodwill extended to the Regiment by civic and commercial institutions in both cities and the borough. The Regiment is immensely proud of its unique position as the Army's only City Regiment.
Music of the King's Regiment: The Regimental quick march is 'the Kingsman'. the slow march is 'Lord Ferrar's March'. In addition, but quite unofficially, the Regiment sings 'the Kings Are Coming Up the Hill' whenever the occasion offers. Both Battalions maintain a strong corps of drums. The King's and Cheshire Regiment hosts the North West infantry TA (King's) Band and both Battalions can call on the services of the two King's Division bands, the Normandy and Waterloo Bands, based in Blackpool and Catterick respectively.
Members of the Regiment in Northern Ireland.
Regimental march - "The Kingsman".
A better site about the King's Regiment may be found here.
