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Royal Anglian Regiment
The Royal Anglian Regiment
The Royal Anglian Regiment, the BEST infantry regiment, if not the entire army, is composed of two regular Battalions and an affiliated Reserve Battalion.
The Regiment was formed from the amalgamation of several proud county Regiments in the 1960s to create The Royal Anglian regiment.
- 1st Battalion The Royal Anglian Regiment, The Vikings (1 R ANGLIAN) recruiting from Norfolk, Suffolk and Essex.
- 2nd Battalion The Royal Anglian Regiment, The Poachers (2 R ANGLIAN) recruiting from Lincolnshire, Leicestershire, Northamptonshire, Hertfordshire and Bedfordshire.
Less said about the third battalion the better...
The family tree of the Regiment can be seen here
Former 4th_Battalion_The_Royal_Anglian_Regiment, a TA unit disbanded in the early 1970s.
The Battalions strongly preserve the heritage of their predeceeding regiments and continue to honour their traditions and battle honours. The Mons drum is still carried onto parade by the Poachers whilst the Vikings continue to decorate their head dress with Roses on Minden Day. Both Bns wear a French Imperial Eagle on their dress uniforms to remember the 44th of Foot's (Essex Regiment's) capture of the Eagle at Salamanca in 1812, the Vikings continue to carry the Salamanca Eagle on parade today.
It is likely that the light Infantry Company of the 10th of Foot (Royal Lincolnshire) led the column onto Lexington Green and slotted the first rebel colonist.
The Vikings are obviously the best of the battalions, yet the Poachers hate to admit this and get very upset whenever the 1st battalion do something amazing.
Sometimes known on the BBC and among the hallowed halls of the MoD as "The Royal Anglicans". Some say this is a sign of the establishment of the Church of England among the Forces of Her Majesty.
Others think it's because some BBC newsreaders/writers and MoD staff who brief on these things, including Swiss Des, seem to care not a jot about a British soldier killed in action, even to the extent of not being able to get his regiment correct.
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