Fusiliers Celebrate 50 Years With London Parade

London's financial district came to a halt to allow troops to march through (Image: Crown Copyright).

The Royal Regiment of Fusiliers have been marking its 50th anniversary with a 'Privilege Parade' through London's financial district.

This means that they are exercising their right to march through the Square Mile - an honour only given to the City of London’s so-called 'Privileged Regiments'.

The soldiers are permitted to march through the streets with their drums beating, colours flying and bayonets fixed.

The parade route progressed from the Tower of London, the Fusiliers regimental headquarters, to the Guildhall and featured more than 500 serving and retired personnel, alongside support from affiliated regiments in Canada and Australia.

The parade was led by the Commanding Officer of the 1st Battalion, Lieutenant Colonel Jeremy Lamb, who said it was an honour granted to very few regiments, based on their affiliation to a region.

"The whole of the City of London stops to allow us through. The commercial centre of the capital of the country stops in our honour, so it is a huge privilege"

The regiment was formed on St. George's Day, 1968, and the parade is the culmination of a year of events to celebrate the 50th anniversary.

Colonel Lamb said he was happy to relive the experience.

"We did it for our 40th anniversary, ten years ago. There are about three of us still left who were lucky enough to take part on that day. But for the vast majority this will be a new experience."

Ahead of the event, Colonel (Retired) James Denny, Regimental Secretary for the Fusiliers said:

"It is a great honour to be allowed to parade through the City of London in this, our 50th anniversary year, so a huge thank you to all the officials for enabling this momentous occasion to take place.

"Thank you also to our Colonel-in-Chief, His Royal Highness the Duke of Kent for his continued support throughout the years and we all look forward to what lies ahead for the Regiment in years to come.”

Charles Bowman, The Lord Mayor of London added:

 "I’m delighted to help the Fusiliers celebrate their 50th anniversary as they exercise their right to parade through the Square Mile.

"The City of London Corporation has always had a close relationship with the military, and I look forward to this continuing for many years to come."

In April, the Fusiliers were granted special permission to guard the Tower of London for 48 hours as part of the 50th anniversary celebrations, while in March the regiment was honoured with the naming of a locomotive.

Who Are The Royal Regiment of Fusiliers?

The Royal Regiment of Fusiliers, known as ‘The Fusiliers’, is an infantry regiment whose origins date back to 1685.

In June of that year, it was formed from two companies of Guards at the Tower of London. It was then known as the Ordnance Regiment. 

The present-day formation of the regiment was formed in 1968 after the Royal Northumberland Fusiliers, the Royal Warwickshire Fusiliers and the Lancashire Fusiliers were amalgamated.

Since then, the Fusiliers have seen service across the world in Northern Ireland, Cyprus, the Balkans, the First and Second Gulf Wars and Afghanistan.

The Royal Regiment of Fusiliers has two battalions – First Fusiliers in Tidworth and Fifth Fusiliers in Newcastle.