KINGS OWN

The regiment was raised on July 13, 1680, as the 2nd Tangier, or Earl of Plymouth's Regiment of Foot. It saw service for nearly three centuries. In 1751, after various name changes, the regiment was titled 4th (King's Own) Regiment of Foot. The regiment retained this title until the Childers Reforms of 1881.

The regiment's first battle honour was gained at Namur (1695) during the War of the Augsburg League, 1688-1697. Soon after they again saw action at Gibraltar in 1704-1705, Guadeloupe 1759, and St. Lucia 1778. In 1746, the regiment received most of the government casualties at the Battle of Culloden. During the Napoleonic Wars they fought at Corunna, Badajoz, Salamanca, Vittoria, San Sebastian, Nive, Peninsula, Bladensburg, and Waterloo. During the Crimean War the regiment fought at Alma, Inkerman, Sevastopol, before also seeing action at Abyssinia, South Africa 1879, the Relief of Ladysmith, and South Africa 1899-1902.

The regiment also saw colonial service in Australia from 1832 until 1837, being stationed variously at Tasmania, Sydney, Victoria South Australia, and the Swan River Colony under the command of Lieut. Colonel J. K. McKenzie.

During the First World War, the regiment received battle honours for France, Greece, Turkey, and Mesopotamia, and during the Second World War, they received honours for France, NW Europe, Iraq, Syria, N. Africa, Italy, Malta, and Burma.

The regiment received the freedom of Lancaster in 1953, before being amalgamated with The Border Regiment into the The King's Own Royal Border Regiment on October 31, 1959.