The King's Own Royal Border Regiment Cap Badge: History, Symbolism & Meaning

Introduction

The King's Own Royal Border Regiment was formed on 1 October 1959 by amalgamating The King's Own Royal Regiment (Lancaster) and The Border Regiment. It served until 1 July 2006, when it became part of The Duke of Lancaster's Regiment.

The regiment's distinctive cap badge combined the principal devices of its two immediate predecessors: the Lion of England from The King's Own Royal Regiment and the wreath associated with The Border Regiment. National Army Museum examples show the completed badge as a lion passant guardant within a wreath, surmounted by the Crown.

Formation of the Regiment

The King's Own Royal Regiment (Lancaster) traced its history to a regiment raised in 1680. The Border Regiment had been created in 1881 from the 34th (Cumberland) and 55th (Westmorland) Regiments of Foot. Their 1959 amalgamation therefore brought together Lancashire, Cumberland and Westmorland infantry traditions in a single regiment.

The new regiment recruited principally from Lancashire, Cumberland and Westmorland, with Carlisle Castle remaining an important regimental centre.

For its early years the regiment operated within the brigade system and wore the Lancastrian Brigade cap badge. Photographs from the amalgamation parade at Barnard Castle on 31 October 1959 show the newly formed regiment still wearing that Brigade badge. The familiar KORBR lion-and-wreath badge belongs to the later 1970–2006 period.

Key Dates

Date	Event
1680	The regiment later known as The King's Own Royal Regiment (Lancaster) is raised.
1702	The future 34th (Cumberland) Regiment of Foot is raised.
1755	The future 55th (Westmorland) Regiment of Foot is raised.
1881	The 34th and 55th form The Border Regiment under the Childers reforms.
1 Oct 1959	The King's Own Royal Border Regiment is formed by amalgamation.
1967	The regiment deploys to Bahrain; C Company becomes the last British Army unit to leave Aden on 29 November.
1970–1984	The regiment undertakes repeated tours in Northern Ireland, interspersed with service in Britain and West Berlin.
1997 & 2000	Operational tours in Bosnia.
2005–2006	Final operational deployment in Iraq.
1 Jul 2006	The regiment amalgamates into The Duke of Lancaster's Regiment.

The Cap Badge

The familiar King's Own Royal Border Regiment badge was taken into use after the brigade-badge period and is documented by the King's Own Royal Regiment Museum as the regiment's 1970–2006 pattern. A National Army Museum example from about 2000 is a die-struck anodised-aluminium badge by Firmin, described as a lion passant guardant within a wreath surmounted by a Crown.

The Lion of England

The lion came from The King's Own Royal Regiment (Lancaster). An earlier King's Own cap badge held by NAM depicts the Lion of England above the regimental title; the Museum records that the device was granted to the regiment by William III in 1688.

The Wreath

The wreath represents the Border Regiment side of the amalgamation. Regimental tradition connects it with the 34th Foot and its service at Fontenoy in 1745. Because the British-led army was defeated at Fontenoy, the wreath should be understood as an inherited regimental distinction rather than as a simple victory emblem.

The Crown

The KORBR existed entirely during the reign of Elizabeth II. Surviving service badges of the familiar metal pattern therefore use St Edward's Crown. A Tudor-Crown version of this same KORBR pattern would be a later commemorative or reproduction item rather than an original badge issued to the regiment during its 1959–2006 existence.

The Regimental Title

The lower scroll identifies the regiment as The King's Own Royal Border Regiment. Its combination with the lion and wreath makes the badge a visual statement of the 1959 amalgamation.

Operational Service

The KORBR's own operational history should be kept separate from the earlier battle honours inherited from the King's Own and Border lineages.

Its first overseas deployment came in 1960–61, when a detachment served in the Cameroons. Another detachment went to British Guiana in 1964, and in October 1966 soldiers assisted rescue efforts after the Aberfan disaster.

In 1967 the regiment moved to Bahrain. C Company became the final British Army unit to leave Aden on 29 November 1967. The regiment then spent two years on peacekeeping duties in Cyprus.

Between 1970 and 1984 it completed repeated tours in Northern Ireland, with a posting to West Berlin from 1981 to 1983. Detachments also served in the Falkland Islands and Belize.

Post-Cold War service included Bosnia in 1997 and 2000, further Cyprus and Falklands commitments, and finally Iraq in 2005–06 before amalgamation.

Regimental Traditions

The regiment inherited traditions from both predecessor families.

Arroyo Day, observed on 28 October, commemorated the 34th Foot's role at Arroyo dos Molinos in 1811, when it captured the drums of the French 34th Regiment.

The regimental motto was Tried and Valiant, for Duty not Display, recorded by the National Army Museum with the regiment's cap badge.

2006 and The Duke of Lancaster's Regiment

On 1 July 2006, The King's Own Royal Border Regiment joined The King's Regiment and The Queen's Lancashire Regiment to form The Duke of Lancaster's Regiment (King's, Lancashire and Border).

National Army Museum cataloguing records KORBR becoming the new regiment's 3rd Battalion at formation. Later restructuring altered that battalion organisation, but the KORBR lineage remains part of the Duke of Lancaster's Regiment heritage.

Collecting King's Own Royal Border Regiment Cap Badges

The regiment existed from 1959 to 2006, but its insignia falls into two important phases: the early Lancastrian Brigade badge period and the later 1970–2006 KORBR lion-and-wreath pattern.

Identify the Pattern First

A KORBR soldier from the 1960s may correctly be shown wearing the Lancastrian Brigade badge. The later recognised KORBR metal badge uses the lion within the wreath beneath St Edward's Crown and belongs to the 1970–2006 period. Earlier King's Own or Border Regiment badges belong to the predecessor formations and should not be catalogued as KORBR simply because they share one of its devices.

Materials and Rank

Anodised-aluminium service examples are documented by NAM. Other rank- and dress-related versions also exist, but material or apparent finish should not be used on its own to assign rank.

Crown Form

Because the regiment existed entirely under Elizabeth II, the familiar service pattern uses St Edward's Crown. Crown type is therefore unusually useful here, although construction and provenance still need to be considered.

Reverse Fittings

Sliders, lugs and other fittings can support identification, but repairs and replacements occur. The reverse should be assessed with the front die, dimensions and provenance.

Originals and Reproductions

No single feature proves authenticity. Lion detail, wreath shape, Crown, title lettering, dimensions, material, fittings and provenance should all be considered together and compared with documented examples.

Where the Heritage Is Preserved

Cumbria's Museum of Military Life at Carlisle Castle preserves the Border Regiment and KORBR collections, while the King's Own Royal Regiment Museum in Lancaster preserves the King's Own side of the lineage. The National Army Museum also holds KORBR and predecessor material.

Further Reading

• National Army Museum — The King's Own Royal Border Regiment
• National Army Museum — KORBR Cap Badge, c.2000
• Cumbria's Museum of Military Life
• King's Own Royal Regiment Museum

Officially Licensed King's Own Royal Border Regiment Displays

Precision Military Emblems produces officially MOD-licensed King's Own Royal Border Regiment display pieces from approved artwork.

• King's Own Royal Border Regiment Silver and Gold Cap Badge
• King's Own Royal Border Regiment Full Colour Badge Display
• King's Own Royal Border Regiment Beret Badge Display Frame

These are modern commemorative display pieces rather than original service-issued insignia. Intellectual Property of the Secretary of State for Defence is used under licence.

About Precision Military Emblems

Precision Military Emblems produces officially MOD-licensed 3D-printed British military badge display pieces and framed heritage displays in Leicestershire. The Military Heritage series is researched from regimental, museum, government and institutional sources.