Soldier Soldier (1991-1997): Overview

Introduction Soldier Soldier was a British television drama series. The title comes from a traditional song of the same name – “Soldier, soldier won’t you marry me, with your musket, fife and drum?” – an instrumental version of which was used as its theme music. Created by Lucy Gannon, produced by Central Television and broadcast…

Andrew Marshall
6–8 minutes
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Introduction

Soldier Soldier was a British television drama series. The title comes from a traditional song of the same name – “Soldier, soldier won’t you marry me, with your musket, fife and drum?” – an instrumental version of which was used as its theme music.

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 09 December 1997.

It featured the daily lives of a group of soldiers in ‘B’ Company, 1st Battalion The King’s Fusiliers, a fictional British Army infantry regiment loosely based on the Royal Regiment of Fusiliers.

Set in the immediate aftermath of the Cold War, it is a dramatisation of army life in the early to mid-1990’s, 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.

At the end of the fifth series in 1995, both actors left the show. After a decline in viewing figures (following their departure) 1997 saw the decision to end the drama after seven series.

TV presenter Chris Kelly wrote and produced some episodes of the series.

Regular Cast

  • Officers:
    • Miles Anderson as Lieutenant Colonel Dan Fortune (Series 1-2).
    • Patrick Drury as Lieutenant Colonel Mark Osbourne (Series 3).
    • Robert Gwilym as Lieutenant Colonel Nick Hammond (Series 3).
    • John Bowe as Lieutenant Colonel Ian Jennings (Series 4).
    • Duncan Bell as Lieutenant Colonel Paul Philips (Series 5).
    • Philip Bowen as Lieutenant Colonel Mike Eastwood (Series 6).
    • James Cosmo as Lieutenant Colonel Philip Drysdale (Series 7).
    • David Haig as Major Tom Cadman (Series 1).
    • William Gaminara as Major Harry, “Dickie” Bird (Series 1).
    • Simon Donald as Major Bob Cochrane (Series 2).
    • Adrian Rawlins as Major Tim Radley (Series 3).
    • Dorian Healy as Captain (later Major) Kieran Voce (Series 3-4).
    • Dougray Scott as Major Rory Taylor (Series 5).
    • James Callis as Major Tim Forrester (Series 6).
    • Ben Nealon as Second Lieutenant (later Lieutenant then Captain) Jeremy Forsythe (Series 4-7).
    • Peter Wingfield as Lieutenant Nick Pasco (Series 1).
    • Angus Macfadyen as Second Lieutenant Alex Pereira (Series 2).
  • Company Sergeant Majors (CSM’s):
    • Sean Baker as Company Sergeant Major Chick Henwood (Series 1).
    • Rob Spendlove as Company Sergeant Major (later Regimental Sergeant Major then Lieutenant) Michael Stubbs (Series 3-5).
    • Conor Mullen as Company Sergeant Major Alan Fitzpatrick (Series 7).
  • Non Commissioned Officers (NCOs):
    • Robert Glenister as Colour Sergeant (later Lieutenant) Ian Anderson (Series 1).
    • Gary Love as Corporal (later Sergeant and then Corporal again) Anthony “Tony” Wilton (Series 1-4).
    • Jerome Flynn as Lance Corporal (later Corporal and then Sergeant and then Corporal again) Patrick “Paddy” Garvey (Series 1-5).
    • Debra Beaumont as Sergeant Sally Hawkins (Series 4).
    • Richard Dillane as Sergeant Brad Connor (Series 5).
    • Razaaq Adoti as Corporal William Markham (Series 5).
    • Jonathan Guy Lewis as Sergeant Chris McCleod (Series 6-7).
    • Ian Curtis as Corporal Mark Hobbs (Series 6-7).
    • Shaun Dingwall as Lance Corporal Steve Evans (Series 5-6).
    • Ross O’Hennessy as Cpl Dando P.T.I. Instructor (series 5 + 7)
  • Fusiliers:
    • Robson Green as Fusilier (later briefly Lance Corporal) David “Dave” Tucker (Series 1-5).
    • Winston Crooke as Fusilier Joe Meakin (Series 1).
    • Mo Sesay as Fusilier Michael “Midnight” Rawlings (Series 2-3).
    • Akim Mogaji as Fusilier Luke Roberts (Series 3).
    • David Groves as Fusilier Joe Farrell (Series 4-6).
    • Paterson Joseph as Fusilier Eddie Nelson (Series 4).
    • Simon Sherlock as Fusilier Mel Briggs (Series 5-6).
    • Danny Cunningham as Fusilier Andy Butcher (Series 5-7).
    • Thomas Craig as Fusilier Jacko Barton (Series 7)
    • .Chris Gascoyne as Fusilier Tony Rossi (Series 7)
  • Attached Arms:
    • John McGlynn as Major James McCudden (Series 4).
    • Lucy Cohu as Major Jessica Bailey AGC (Series 7).
    • Richard Hampton as Reverend Simon Armstrong CF RAChD (Series 1-2).
    • Lesley Vickerage as Second Lieutenant (later Lieutenant and then Captain) Kate Butler (later Voce) AGC (Series 2-4).
    • Sophie Dix as Captain Sadie Williams RAMC (Series 5).
    • Biddy Hodson as Second Lieutenant Samantha Sheridan AGC (Series 6).
    • Fiona Bell as Sergeant Angela McCleod AGC (Series 6-7).
    • Holly Aird as Corporal (later Sergeant) Nancy Thorpe (later Garvey, then Thorpe, then Garvey) RMP (Series 1-3, 5).
    • Kate O’Malley as Private Stacey Grey (later Butcher) RLC (Series 6-7)
  • Civilians:
    • Rosie Rowell as Donna Tucker (Series 1-5).
    • Annabelle Apsion as Joy Wilton (Series 1-5).
    • Matthew Beard/David Gallivan/Sonny Dudley/Luke Burt as Matthew Wilton (Series 1-5).
    • Melanie Kilburn as Carol Anderson (Series 1).
    • Samantha Morton as Clare Anderson (Series 1).
    • Gareth Parrington as James Anderson (Series 1).
    • Cathryn Harrison as Laura Cadman (Series 1).
    • Susan Franklyn as Juliet Grant (Series 1).
    • Lesley Manville as Rachel Fortune (née Elliot) (Series 2).
    • Suzanne Burden as Sandra Radley (Series 3).
    • Rakie Ayola as Bernie Roberts (Series 3).
    • Denise Welch as Marsha Stubbs (Series 3-5).
    • William Ash as Jack Stubbs (Series 3-4).
    • Tara Simpson as Sarah Stubbs (Series 3-4).
    • Angela Clarke as Colette Daly (Series 4-5).
    • Gabrielle Reidy as Isabelle Jennings (Series 4).
    • Ellis Fernandez/Milo Taylor as Macaulay Tucker (Series 4-5).
    • Nthati Moshesh as Lilian Malanje (later Forsythe) (Series 5-7).
    • Alison Skilbeck as Dr Sarah Eastwood (Series 6).
    • Kate Ashfield as Cate Hobbs (Series 6).
    • Kelly Hunter as Jackie Reece (Series 6).
    • Laura Howard as Deborah Osbourne (later Briggs) (Series 6).
    • Joanna Phillips-Lane as Karen Fitzpatrick (Series 7).
    • Lee Ingleby as Kevin Fitzpatrick (Series 7).
    • Sarah Smart as Lucy Fitzpatrick (Series 7).
    • Michelle Butterly as Julie Oldroyd (Series 7)

Soldier Soldier Series

Production & Filming Details

  • Creator: Lucy Gannon.
  • Executive Producers: Ted Childs (series 1-5); Jonathan Powell (series 6-7).
  • Production: Central Independent Television.
  • Distribution: ITV Studios.
  • Released Date: 10 June 1991 to 09 December 1997 (UK).
  • Running time: 50 minutes.
  • Country: UK.
  • Language: English.

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