Fifth Battalion the Royal Regiment of Fusilers was formed on the 1st April 2006 following the disbandment of the Tyne-Tees Regiment. The Battalion Headquarters of 5 RRF is in Durham. now consists of 2 Fusilier Companies with their Head Quarters in Newcastle and Ashington and a Light Infantry Company based in Bishop Auckland. 

The Royal Regiment of Fusiliers

The Royal Regiment of Fusiliers traces its history back to 1674 when ten companies of Englishmen were raised under Sir Walter Vane to fight the French in Holland. A number of them were later called back to England in 1685 to suppress Monmouth's Rebellion and under Lord Dartmouth were armed with the 'snap-hance' musket similar to the French 'fusil' from which came the name Fusiliers. 

The famous red and white hackle dates from 1778 when he 5th Regiment of Foot thwarted the French in St Lucia, taking their defeated enemies' white plumes to wear in their own caps. The white plumes having been long authorised for grenadier companies, the 5th of Foot were then permitted to wear white plumes tipped with red to perpetuate their hard won privilege. 

n May 1836 the 5th of Foot, associated with Northumberland since 1784 were made Fusiliers. The 5th Battalion Royal Northumberland Fusiliers (as the 5th of Foot became) the Militia Battalion of the Fifth (fondly known as the 'Old and Bold' or 'Fighting Fifth'), have a long history in the County and value close links with the 6th Foot, Royal Warwickshire Regiment, the 7th Foot, Royal Fusiliers and the 20th Foot, Lancashire Fusiliers. 

In the Great War these four regiments raised 163 battalions and was inevitable that these would serve alongside each other, and the first such battle was Le Cateau in 1914. In 1968 the four regiments were amalgamated to form the Royal Regiment of Fusiliers in which the 6th Battalion, RRF was the TA battalion formed north of the River Tyne. 6 RRF continued the tradition of naming its companies (W, X, Y and Z Companies) in the same fashion as the Royal Northumberland Fusiliers which provided machine gun battalions in WW2.

6 RRF was also eventually to amalgamate in 1999 with4/index.htm5GH and 7LI to form The Tyne-Tees Regiment. X (Fusiliers) Company based in Newcastle and Alnwick and Z (Fusiliers) Company based in Ashington and Tynemouth maintain the highly regarded traditions, styles and local links which are the very essence of the Royal Regiment of Fusiliers.

The Durham Light Infantry

The (Durham) Light Infantry's history dates back to 1758 when a new regiment (68th of Foot) was constituted. Lt Col John Lambton, grandfather of the first Earl of Durham was appointed Colonel of the 68th thus forging the Regiment's link with County Durham.

In the North American Wars of the 1750's a small corps of Light Troops was formed consisting of specially trained men, carefully selected for their toughness and intelligence, able to scout and skirmish, concentrating and dispersing at great speed. Their dress, equipment and tactics were adjusted to meet this role in operating against the Indians and French colonists. So effective were these Light Troops that steps were taken to increase the numbers available. Regiments formed Light Companies and the bugle horn (which subsequently became the emblem of light troops) replaced the drum as the means of communication in the often widely dispersed light companies. 

During the early 19th Century the much coveted title of Light Infantry was granted to regiments that particularly distinguished themselves in action. In 1808 the 68th of Foot became a Light Infantry regiment, only the third to be so honoured. The 68th saw action with Wellington's army in the Peninsular Campaign at Salamance in 1812, Vittoria (1813), and the Pyrennees, Nivelle and Orthes (1814). 

The Durham Light Infantry fought in the Crimea and their historic action at Inkerman when they threw off their greatcoats and fought in their scarlet tunics is well known. Inkerman Day is celebrated every year on 5th November and the Senior NCOs wear a whistle on their sashes to mark their leadership in the battle. In the Great War the Durham Light Infantry fielded 37 battalions, more than any other infantry regiment, and in the Second World War 18 battalions were raised.