Royal Wessex Rangers

Infobox Military Unit
unit_name=The Royal Wessex Rangers


caption=Cap badge of the Royal Wessex Rangers
dates=1881-
country=United Kingdom
branch=Army
type=Line Infantry
command_structure=Prince of Wales' Division
role=Light Role
(at end of series)
size= One battalion
current_commander=
garrison= 1st Battalion - Hong Kong
(at end of series)
ceremonial_chief=
ceremonial_chief_label=Colonel in Chief
colonel_of_the_regiment=
nickname="The Spearhead"
motto=
colors=
march=
mascot=
identification_symbol_2=
identification_symbol_2_label=Hackle
battles=
notable_commanders=
anniversaries=The Royal Wessex Rangers is a fictional British infantry regiment portrayed in the ITV series "Spearhead" (1978-1981). In the series, the regiment is a standard infantry battalion in the British Army during the late 1970s. As an ordinary infantry battalion, during the three year run of the show, the regiment is shown in different roles on different postings; to begin with, the battalion is on an operational tour of Northern Ireland at the height of The Troubles as light infantry, during which one of the sergeants of the battalion's 'B' Company, Sergeant 'Jacko' Jackson (played by Michael Billington) is chosen to become a platoon commander, even though he is only an NCO. Subsequently, the battalion is posted first as a mechanised infantry battalion to West Germany as part of BAOR, then as a resident light infantry battalion to Hong Kong.

The regiment is titled as a regiment of rangers; this distinguishes it from the majority of real infantry regiments in the British Army at the time (the only regiment of rangers at the time was the Royal Irish Rangers).

As the regiment has the geographical name Wessex in its name and Exeter castle on its capbadge, it can be assumed that it is from the west of England. As such, it may also be assumed that the regiment is part of the Prince of Wales' Division.

ee also

*"Spearhead"
*King's Own Fusiliers
*Northdale Rifles

External links

*imdb title|id=0163495|title=Spearhead
* [http://www.tv-ark.org.uk/itvsouthandsoutheast/southern-progs-1.html "Spearhead" (including audio and video clip) on the Southern TV ark]
* [http://mikebillingtonfans.com/spearhead.html Michael Billington fan site]
* [http://www.army.mod.uk/rac/ta_yeomanry_regiments/royal_wessex_yeomanry.htm Royal Wessex Yeomanry - British Army regiment]
* [http://www.reserveforceswessex.org.uk/start.html British Wessex-based reserve forces]