Regular Army 1st Battalion The King’s Own Royal Border Regiment’s Timeline
In 1959 based at Humbleton Camp, Barnard Castle, Co. Durham; the 1st battalion received New Colours from the Chief of the Imperial General Staff General Sir Francis Festing G.C.B. K.B.E. D.S.O. at the amalgamation parade on 31st October 1959 at Barnard Castle.
The freedoms of Carlisle, Appleby-in-Westmorland and Lancaster (the county towns of Cumberland, Westmorland and Lancashire) were granted to the Regiment on St.George’s Day, 23 April 1960.
Between 1960-61 the battalion served in the Southern Cameroons in West Africa to oversee the elections in the new Independent State in 1961.
From 1962-64 the 1st battalion was based at Keightley Barracks, and then moved to Wupperthal in West Germany between 1964-67 as well as time at Heathfield Camp Honiton, Devon.
From December 1964 to September 1965, the battalion went on a Tour of British Guyana, South America it also assisted local authorities in the aftermath of the Aberfan Mining disaster in South Wales in 1966.
In February 1967 The 1st Battalion went to Bahrein in the Middle East with Company Tours in Aden; C Company being the last British unit to leave the Colony at Aden in November 1967
In 1968-70 the 1st Battalion was on Cyprus, based in Episkopi and Dhekelia.
1970-72 based at Roman Way Camp, Colchester, Essex. On St,George’s Day in 1970 the Regiment took the Lion and Reef cap badge in place of the old Lancastrian Brigade Badge.
The 1st battalion went on to take a short introductory tour in N. Ireland in March 1971. Then a residential tour based at Ballykinler and Londonderry, N. Ireland, from 1972-73. The Battalion became actively engaged in all areas of the province.
1973-74 Saighton Camp, Chester
1974-77 Queen Elizabeth Barracks, Minden, West Germany BAOR; tours in West Belfast, N. Ireland December 1974 to April 1975; Belfast June to October 1976
1977-81 The battalion was based at Weeton Camp near Blackpool, Lancashire and undertook a tour in West Belfast from September 1978 to January 1979; . It was also on tour in Crossmaglen, South Armagh, Northern Ireland from December 1979 to May 1980; and provided emergency cover during the Firemens’ and Ambulancemens’ disputes in 1977. The Regiment celebrated its Tercentenary in July 1980 and received New Colours from HRH Princess Alexandra, who had been appointed the Regiment’s Colonel-in-Chief in 1977.
1981-83 Montgomery Barracks, Berlin, West Germany BAOR.
1983-85 1st Battalion based at Somme Barracks, Catterick, North Yorkshire; tour of the Falkland Islands, South Atlantic from 18th July until November 1983
1985-87 Palace Barracks, Holywood, Belfast N. Ireland; second residential tour in the province
1987-88 Meanee Barracks, Colchester Essex; UN tour in Cyprus December 1987 to July 1988;
1989 Tour in S. Armagh, N. Ireland April to September 1989 (Op Fondant);
Provided search teams in aftermath of the Lockerbie plane crash to search Kielder Forest;
1990 to 1991.the Regimental band served in the Gulf War In 1991 the 1st Battalion Tour in Belize, S. America then in April to October; provided emergency cover during the Ambulancemens’ dispute and
1992-95 based at Ebrington Barracks, Londonderry, N. Ireland; the longest ever residential tour of the Province by an Infantry Battalion.
1995-1997 based at Bourlon Barracks, Catterick in N. Yorkshire; re-roled as an Armoured Infantry Battalion using Warrior, 432 and CVR(T) tracked vehicles;
1997- 1998 tour with SFOR in Bosnia October 1997 to April 1998, in Macedonia with KFOR in
1999 Op Upminster;
2000 Op Palatine Bosnia
2001 based at Salamanca Barracks, Episkopi in Cyprus, serving in the light role as Sovereign base troops.
2003 September to St. George’s Barracks, North Luffenham, Rutland; training in Belize October/November 2003; last N. Ireland tour June 2004 to January 2005;
Op Telic 7 tour in Iraq October 2005 to April 2006.
2006 Merged with the King’s Regiment (Liverpool & Manchester) and The Queen’s Lancashire Regiment to form The Duke of Lancaster’s Regiment (King’s, Lancashire & Border) on 1st July
