Soldier Soldier Full Episodes

[Darth Gupta]

SoldierSoldier is a British television drama series. Created by Lucy Gannon, produced by Central Television and broadcast on the ITV network, it ran for a total of seven series and 82 episodes from 10 June 1991 to 9 December 1997. It featured the daily lives of a group of soldiers in 'A' Company, 1st Battalion The King's Fusiliers, a fictional British Army infantry regiment loosely based on the Royal Regiment of Fusiliers.[1] The title comes from a traditional song of the same name, "Soldier, Soldier, Won't You Marry Me?", an instrumental version of which is used as its theme music.

Set in the immediate aftermath of the Cold War, it is a dramatisation of army life in the early to mid-1990s, when the British Army was undergoing significant change. This is perhaps best demonstrated during the third series, around 1994, when a significant number of real regiments were forced into amalgamations with one another due to downsizing of the army. Within the world of Soldier Soldier, the King's Fusiliers are forced to amalgamate with the Cumbrian Regiment, another fictional regiment, becoming the King's Own Fusiliers. At the time Soldier Soldier was broadcast, the fatality rate was low, with most casualties due to training accidents and suicides. The military as a whole was assigned to performing more peacekeeping missions than actually doing any fighting. As a consequence, the show served well to portray the army, despite the domestic problems that could occur, in a fairly good light.

Although many well known and not so well known actors appeared in Soldier Soldier over the period it was broadcast, perhaps the best known are Robson Green and Jerome Flynn, who portrayed Fusilier Dave Tucker and Sergeant Paddy Garvey respectively. It was their performance of "Unchained Melody" in an episode of the 4th series that propelled them to stardom, giving them several number one songs and a best selling album.[2] At the end of the fifth series in 1995, both actors left the show.[3] After a decline in viewing figures (following their departure), 1997 saw the decision to end the drama after seven series.

The King's Own Fusiliers, originally the King's Fusiliers, is the infantry regiment portrayed in the series. Like all fusilier regiments, both the "King's" and the "King's Own" wear a hackle in its head-dress; this is coloured dark blue over white. During the third series of Soldier Soldier, which took place during the Options for Change military reforms, the King's Fusiliers was forced to amalgamate with another regiment, "The Cumbrians (Duke of Rutland's Own)", mimicking the real life amalgamation of the King's Own Royal Regiment (Lancaster) and the Cumbrian based Border Regiment in 1959 to form the King's Own Royal Border Regiment.

During negotiations with the commanding officer of the other regiment to be merged (over which customs and traditions should be carried over to the new regiment), attempts were made by the Cumbrians to keep the new regiment as an ordinary infantry regiment, rather than a fusilier regiment, which would also see the loss of the King's hackle. However, research by the regimental commander of the King's Fusiliers, Lt Col Osbourne, found that, during the Cumbrians' (fictional) service in the Crimea, the Cumbrians had worn the hackle and served as fusiliers for six months in honour of the fusiliers that had served alongside them. As a result, the new regiment was named "The King's Own Fusiliers".

The cap badge of the King's Own Fusiliers features the lion surmounting the crown, which is the recognised symbol of the British Army, within the circlet of the Order of the Garter. Surmounting the garter is the traditional flame that indicates a fusilier regiment. (Coincidentally, in series 1 episode 2 of Red Cap, the Royal Cambrian Fusiliers wore the same cap badge and hackle as the King's Own Fusiliers.)

As the King's Fusiliers/King's Own Fusiliers has no geographical location in its name, it can only be speculated what recruiting area it represents. In early episodes, the senior officers discuss the possibility of being amalgamated with other regiments from the Midlands. During series 1, the possibility of merging or disbanding regiments is discussed, and, at that point, the Cumbrians and the Rutlands are expected to be amalgamated. During the final episode of series 2, the regiment's commanding officer announces orders for the King's Fusiliers to form a new "Midlands Regiment" along with the Cumbrians and the Rutlands, though, in later episodes, the other regiment to be merged is referred to as The Cumbrians (Duke of Rutland's Own).

Other anecdotal references in the series pointing to the regiment's location being in the Midlands include the use of a Midlands commercial radio station, BRMB, being played by various characters, and a local, specifically Birmingham, telephone area code on signage and vehicles. However, given that the series was made in the Midlands by the "Central Films" division of Central Television, these local references can be expected.

A number of MP5A3s are seen being carried by police during the terrorist incident in "Sweet Revenge" (Season 5, Episode 7). They all have flashlight handguards attached, and either mount a laser sight or telescopic sight.

A number of double barreled shotguns can be seen in "Battlefields" (Season 1, Episode 5) at a clay pigeon shooting ground, and another double barreled shotgun features prominently in "Bushed" (Season 5, Episode 4) being used by a farmer in Australia, who mistakenly fires it at a group of soldiers believing them to be intruders.

The L85A1 Is the standard weapon used by the British Forces in this series, and is used throughout the run of the show. Normally they have SUSATs mounted (as the Kings Own Fusiliers is an infantry regiment) and is often seen with mounted blank firing adapter (BFA). The majority of the SUSATs used in the series are the correct British variant, however on some occasions the Swedish variant designed for the Bofors AK 5B is used as identified by the different mounting base.

The L1A1 (British version of the FN FAL, also known as the SLR) can be seen in the title sequence for Season 1 of the show. These images appear to be stock footage, and hence are likely video clips of real soldiers.

A short barreled variant of the G3 is seen in the hands of a Makindi militiaman in "Baptism of Fire" (Season 5, Episode 14). This is a Namibian version of the G3 hence the stock and vented handguard, with the barrel cut down all the way to the front sight.

The L86A1 LSW is seen multiple times throughout the series. However, it is not seen as regularly as it should be, as when the series was set the LSW was issued at a rate of one per four man fire team.

The UK version of the FN MAG, the L7 is the standard general purpose machine gun of the British armed forces, and is also seen mounted on South African helicopters. Generally in the series it is only vehicle mounted, or used in prepared positions.

The Browning M1919 is seen in use by Australian, South African, Makindi Militia and the Caravian Army (Who attempt to shoot down a Westland Lynx in the episode "Deliver us from Evil"). With the exception of the M1919s that are mounted on Australian M113 APCs which are real military vehicles, it is possible that the M1919s used in the series are prop replicas, as there is no belt inserted into the gun, yet it appears to fire, producing flash and smoke.

A Browning M2HB is first seen mounted in an Australian M113 turret, and is later seen with a Drum Magazine mounted on a South African vehicle. Similarly to the M1919 above, it is likely that this is a modified prop gun.

The Makindi militia are seen using a weapon that is identified as a mortar and used as such in "Baptism of Fire" (Season 5, Episode 14), but could possibly be a recoilless rifle or a complete fabrication.

Seen in "Something Old, Something New" (Season 2, Episode 2), the gun in question is the actual "Noonday Gun" which is a former naval gun mounted on a small enclosed site near the Causeway Bay Typhoon Shelter on Hong Kong Island. As the name implies, the gun is fired daily at noon, as well as at midnight on New Years Eve.

The L4A2 can be seen being used by British Soldiers during exercises. This grenade is basically an L2A2 complete with fuse, but without an explosive filler. This creates a mild flash and bang when thrown as the fuse detonates.

PE4 can be seen in "Leaving" (Season, Episode) where it is used to detonate an unexploded L2A2 grenade. In this instance it appears that it is to be detonated using detcord attached to a slow burning powder fuse, that is lit with a match when the PE4 is correctly placed.

A number of unidentified mines can be seen in "Learning" (Season 3, Episode 13) at a Serbian checkpoint. It is noted in dialogue that they are surface mines as the Serb forces constantly moved the checkpoints, and the British forces were not allowed to remove the mines as this would be seen as taking sides rather than peacekeeping.

A signalling smoke grenade of the L50 series can be seen in "The Last Post" (Season 2, Episode 7). The L50 series of smoke grenade is notable by its somewhat squat appearance relative to other smoke grenades. Specific model numbers vary with the signalling color of the grenade.

A number of grenades from the L60 series are used during the series, in both screening and signalling varieties and in a range of colors. These differences change precise model number of the grenade and the printing on the body.

Mark 8 Thunderflashes are used on numerous training exercises throughout the series as simulators. They are sometimes used in conjunction with smoke grenades to simulate explosions, and have also been used to simulate the back-blast and firing report of a LAW 80.

"A Buffalo Soldier Speaks" is a weekly audio podcast featuring National Park Ranger Shelton Johnson as Sergeant Elizy Boman, Troop "K," Ninth U.S. Cavalry, who was dispatched to Yosemite National Park in 1903 and served there through 1904. On their routine patrols through the high country of Yosemite, these Buffalo Soldiers recorded the pertinent but mundane details of their journeys in ledgers that were housed in the remote patrol posts that served as both the beginning and end of long days spent in the saddle. Certainly they must have entertained thoughts more provocative than "encountered 500 head of sheep in Return Canyon. Brand "P," which mirrors the sort of entry you can find in the historic patrol reports! This podcast is an exploration of those thoughts via the imagination of Ranger Johnson, but based on years of historic research of what a particular Buffalo Soldier by the name of Elizy Boman, a man who did exist but of whom we know practically nothing about, might have been feeling or thinking after one of those long, arduous, but inspiring patrols through the "Range of Light."

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