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The Rifles (RIFLES) is a regiment of the British Army. It consists of five regular and two territorial battalions, plus a number of companies in other TA battalions, making it the largest regiment in the infantry. Each battalion of the Rifles was formerly an individual battalion of one of the two large regiments of the Light Division (with the exception of the 1st Battalion, which is an amalgamation of two individual regiments).
[edit] HistoryThe Rifles was created as a result of the Future Army Structure. Under the original announcement, the Light Division would have remained essentially unchanged, with the exception of the Light Infantry gaining a new battalion through the amalgamation of two other regiments, and both gaining a TA battalion. However, on 24 November 2005, it was announced by the Ministry of Defence that the four regiments would amalgamate into a single five battalion regiment. The Rifles was formed on 1 February 2007 by the amalgamation of the four Light Infantry and Rifle Regiments of the Light Division:
The two existing battalions each of the Light Infantry and the Royal Green Jackets were renamed, while the single battalions of the DDLI and the RGBWLI were merged into one battalion. This brought the whole of the Light Division under a single cap badge. On formation, The Rifles became the county regiment of the following counties:
As a rifle regiment, a private soldier in The Rifles is known as a Rifleman and Serjeant is spelt in the archaic fashion; the regiment wears a Rifle green beret. A number of golden threads have been brought into the new regiment from each of its founder regiments:
In addition, the new regiment's "Double Past" march (the music used when marching past at the double) is an amalgam of the Light Infantry's (Keel Row) and the Royal Green Jackets' (Road to the Isles). The unit's back badge reads Egypt, in honour of service by the 28th (North Gloucestershire) Regiment of Foot, one of the Rifle's precursor units. [edit] Organisation
The new regiment has 5 regular and 2 Territorial Army battalions:
In addition to the seven battalions above, a further two companies are also cap badged as The Rifles but are attached to other TA infantry Battalions:
Approximately one third of all cadets now wear The Rifles cap bagde. There is only one single CCF unit that still carries the RGJ cap badge and that is the London Oratory School CCF, London, England. Following the restructuring of the infantry and the end of the arms plot, the new regiment's five regular battalions will have fixed roles:
The 1st Battalion formed on 25 December 2007 in Alma Barracks, Catterick Garrison (the same place where the RGBW formed in 1994) as part of 52 Infantry Brigade. In August that year, the Battalion moved again to its permanent home of Beachley Barracks at Chepstow still under 52 Brigade, whose HQ had departed for Afghanistan. From 1 April 2008 however, it was permanently attached to 3 Commando Brigade, where it will serve as one of the brigade's four manoeuvre battalions/units alongside the three commandos of the Royal Marines. Territorial Army locations:
HRH The Duke of Edinburgh (ex-Colonel-in-Chief, RGBWLI) is the new regiment's Colonel-in-Chief, but each battalion has its own Royal Colonel:
[edit] The Band and BuglesThe Rifles maintains a single regular regimental band, the Band and Bugles of The Rifles. This was formed by renaming the Band and Bugles of the Light Division, which in itself was an amalgamation of four separate bands:
In addition, the two TA Battalions maintain their own bands:
There are also a number of Cadet Force Bands including The Corunna Band & Bugles of Oxfordshire (The Rifles) Army Cadet Force and The Borneo band of Durham Army Cadet Force, as well as the Peninsula Band and Bugles of the Cornwall Army Cadet Force Battalion (The Rifles) . More recently E (The Rifles) Company (Yorkshire N&W) ACF have formed a Bugle & Drum section - Minden Bugles & Drums [edit] AlliancesAlthough no list of regimental alliances has been announced as yet, using the large regiments that have formed already as examples, it can be assumed that all of the current alliances of the four individual regiments will be carried into the Rifles.
[edit] Battle honoursThe following battle honours are a representation of the total honours awarded to the regiments which formed The Rifles. These are inscribed on the regiment's belt badge:
[edit] Order of Precedence
[edit] Lineage[edit] See also[edit] Further reading
[edit] External links[edit] References
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