10 June 1991 (1991-06-10) – 9 December 1997 (1997-12-09)
Soldier Soldier is a British televisiondrama series. Created by Lucy Gannon, produced by Central Television and broadcast on the ITV network, it ran for a total of seven series and 82 episodes from 10 June 1991 to 9 December 1997. It featured the daily lives of a group of soldiers in 'A' Company, 1st Battalion The King's Fusiliers, a fictional British Army infantry regiment loosely based on the Royal Regiment of Fusiliers.[1] The title comes from a traditional song of the same name, "Soldier, Soldier, Won't You Marry Me?", an instrumental version of which is used as its theme music.
Synopsis
Set in the immediate aftermath of the Cold War, it is a dramatisation of army life in the early to mid-1990s, when the British Army was undergoing significant change. This is perhaps best demonstrated during the third series, around 1994, when a significant number of real regiments were forced into amalgamations with one another due to downsizing of the army. Within the world of Soldier Soldier, the King's Fusiliers are forced to amalgamate with the Cumbrian Regiment, another fictional regiment, becoming the King's Own Fusiliers. At the time Soldier Soldier was broadcast, the fatality rate was low, with most casualties due to training accidents and suicides. The military as a whole was assigned to performing more peacekeeping missions than actually doing any fighting. As a consequence, the show served well to portray the army, despite the domestic problems that could occur, in a fairly good light.
Production
Although many well known and not so well known actors appeared in Soldier Soldier over the period it was broadcast, perhaps the best known are Robson Green and Jerome Flynn, who portrayed Fusilier Dave Tucker and Sergeant Paddy Garvey respectively. It was their performance of "Unchained Melody" in an episode of the fourth series that propelled them to stardom, giving them several number one songs and a best selling album.[2] At the end of the fifth series in 1995, both actors left the show.[3] After a decline in viewing figures (following their departure), 1997 saw the decision to end the drama after seven series.
TV presenter Chris Kelly wrote and produced some episodes of the series.[4]
Honi Soit Qui Mal Y Pense (Shamed Be He Who Thinks Ill Of It)
Insignia
Hackle
Blue over White From King's Fusiliers
Military unit
The King's Own Fusiliers, originally the King's Fusiliers, is the infantry regiment portrayed in the series. Like all fusilier regiments, both the "King's" and the "King's Own" wear a hackle in its head-dress; this is coloured dark blue over white. During the third series of Soldier Soldier, which took place during the Options for Change military reforms, the King's Fusiliers was forced to amalgamate with another regiment, "The Cumbrians (Duke of Rutland's Own)", mimicking the real life amalgamation of the King's Own Royal Regiment (Lancaster) and the Cumbrian based Border Regiment in 1959 to form the King's Own Royal Border Regiment.
During negotiations with the commanding officer of the other regiment to be merged (over which customs and traditions should be carried over to the new regiment), attempts were made by the Cumbrians to keep the new regiment as an ordinary infantry regiment, rather than a fusilier regiment, which would also see the loss of the King's hackle. However, research by the regimental commander of the King's Fusiliers, Lt Col Osbourne, found that, during the Cumbrians' (fictional) service in the Crimea, the Cumbrians had worn the hackle and served as fusiliers for six months in honour of the fusiliers that had served alongside them. As a result, the new regiment was named "The King's Own Fusiliers".
The cap badge of the King's Own Fusiliers features the lion surmounting the crown, which is the recognised symbol of the British Army, within the circlet of the Order of the Garter. Surmounting the garter is the traditional flame that indicates a fusilier regiment. (Coincidentally, in series 1 episode 2 of Red Cap, the Royal Cambrian Fusiliers wore the same cap badge and hackle as the King's Own Fusiliers.)
Role
As an ordinary infantry battalion, the King's Fusiliers/King's Own Fusiliers was in the arms plot rotation, and thus participated in a number of different roles:
As the King's Fusiliers/King's Own Fusiliers has no geographical location in its name, it can only be speculated what recruiting area it represents. In early episodes, the senior officers discuss the possibility of being amalgamated with other regiments from the Midlands. During series 1, the possibility of merging or disbanding regiments is discussed, and, at that point, the Cumbrians and the Rutlands are expected to be amalgamated. During the final episode of series 2, the regiment's commanding officer announces orders for the King's Fusiliers to form a new "Midlands Regiment" along with the Cumbrians and the Rutlands, though, in later episodes, the other regiment to be merged is referred to as The Cumbrians (Duke of Rutland's Own).
Other anecdotal references in the series pointing to the regiment's location being in the Midlands include the use of a Midlands commercial radio station, BRMB, being played by various characters, and a local, specifically Birmingham, telephone area code on signage and vehicles. However, given that the series was made in the Midlands by the "Central Films" division of Central Television, these local references can be expected.
Commanding officers
1st Battalion, King's Fusiliers
Lt Col D Fortune (1991–1992) (Miles Anderson, series 1 and 2). A mild mannered man who is nonetheless a firm disciplinarian. Fortune is a widower, having lost, off-screen, his first wife to cancer. Between series 1 and 2, he meets and then, in series 2, marries a journalist, Rachel Elliot. After receiving orders for the regiment to be amalgamated, he decides to retire from the army.
Lt Col M Osbourne (1992–1993) (Patrick Drury, series 3). Succeeding Lt Col Fortune, his command of the regiment mainly occurs during the time between series; he appears in three episodes of series 3. After helping to negotiate the regimental merger, he resigns his commission to spend more time with his daughter.
1st Battalion, King's Own Fusiliers
Lt Col N Hammond (1993–1994) (Robert Gwilym, series 3). A keen and ambitious officer, who takes command of the new King's Own Fusiliers during their posting in Germany. A no-nonsense man who makes his mark by having LCpl Tucker demoted for bringing the regiment into disrepute. After taking the regiment to Bosnia on NATO peacekeeping duties, he hands over control to Lt Col Jennings.
Lt Col I Jennings (1994–1995) (John Bowe, series 4). Jennings assumes command from Hammond upon the regiment's return from Bosnia. His first task is presenting the UN medals; the major assignment that follows is the regiment's relocation from Munster to Windsor. The regiment is later assigned to public duties, guarding locations such as Buckingham Palace and the Tower of London.
Lt Col P Philips (1995–1996) (Duncan Bell, series 5). The regiment's youngest commanding officer, Philips is an approachable man, but a stickler for regulations, adhering rigidly to the army's anti-gay stance on discovering that two of his men are in a relationship. Despite this, he bends the rules himself by starting a relationship with Capt Sadie Williams, the medical officer.
Lt Col M Eastwood (1996–1997) (Philip Bowen, series 6). An older man who is married with stepchildren, Eastwood has an avuncular nature and takes on something of a fatherly role to the men. He leads the regiment into combat when the British protectorate Deliverance Island is invaded, but loses a leg to a land mine during the operation, and retires soon afterwards.
Lt Col P Drysdale (1997) (James Cosmo, series 7). A combat veteran, Drysdale alienates most of the other officers and some of the men with his brusque style, especially when he withholds information during an exercise that leads to a civilian volunteer being injured. After a disastrous peacekeeping operation in Zokindi, where his decisions result in a group being captured and three men killed, he is court martialled for failing to follow the chain of command, and resigns.
Fictional regiments featured in Soldier Soldier
The King's Fusiliers (later the King's Own Fusiliers)
The Cumbrians (Duke of Rutland's Own) – amalgamates with the King's Fusiliers
The Malvern Regiment – exercises with the King's Fusiliers during their time in Germany
