Royal Wessex Regiment
Encyclopedia
The Royal Wessex Regiment was the name suggested for a regiment proposed by the initial discussions into the Future Army Structure brought up as part of Delivering Security in a Changing World
. It was planned to be formed by the amalgamation of the Devonshire and Dorset Regiment
and Royal Gloucestershire, Berkshire and Wiltshire Regiment
.
had previously rejected the formation of a large regiment in the 1960s, although the territorial Wessex Regiment (Volunteers) had existed from 1967 to 1995. When the Brigade structure was ended in the late 60s, the Wessex Brigade reverted to single battalion regiments, becoming part of the Prince of Wales' Division
. However, in 2004 it was announced that all remaining single battalion regiments would be amalgamated into large regiments.
The interim plan proposed by the Executive Committee of the Army Board (ECAB) for the Prince of Wales' Division was to create 3 Regiments, each with two regular and one territorial battalion:
On 16 December 2004, the Secretary of State for Defence
announced that, as part of the final restructuring, the Royal Gloucestershire, Berkshire and Wiltshire Regiment would be deamalgamated into its constituent parts, with the former Gloucestershire Regiment element merging with the Devonshire and Dorset Regiment to become the new 1st Battalion, The Light Infantry
, and the former Duke of Edinburgh's Royal Regiment (Berkshire and Wiltshire) amalgamating with the Princess of Wales's Royal Regiment (Queen's and Royal Hampshires)
. Approximately six months later, this decision was reversed, with the RGBW then to be amalgamated wholesale with the D&D as a single battalion of the new large regiment that eventually became The Rifles
.
Delivering Security in a Changing World
The 2003 Defence White Paper, titled Delivering Security in a Changing World, set out the future structure of the British military, and was preceded by the 1998 Strategic Defence Review and the 2002 SDR New Chapter, which responded to the immediate challenges to security in the aftermath of the...
. It was planned to be formed by the amalgamation of the Devonshire and Dorset Regiment
Devonshire and Dorset Regiment
The Devonshire and Dorset Regiment, usually just known as the Devon and Dorsets, was an infantry regiment of the British Army. It was formed in 1958 by the amalgamation of two county regiments:*The Devonshire Regiment*The Dorset Regiment...
and Royal Gloucestershire, Berkshire and Wiltshire Regiment
Royal Gloucestershire, Berkshire and Wiltshire Regiment
The Royal Gloucestershire, Berkshire and Wiltshire was an infantry regiment of the British Army.It was formed in 1994 by the amalgamation of two English regiments.*The Gloucestershire Regiment...
.
History
The Wessex BrigadeWessex Brigade
The Wessex Brigade was an administrative formation of the British Army from 1948 to 1968. The Brigade administered the regular infantry battalions of the Wessex area of south and south west England....
had previously rejected the formation of a large regiment in the 1960s, although the territorial Wessex Regiment (Volunteers) had existed from 1967 to 1995. When the Brigade structure was ended in the late 60s, the Wessex Brigade reverted to single battalion regiments, becoming part of the Prince of Wales' Division
Prince of Wales' Division
The Prince of Wales's Division is a British Army command, training and administrative apparatus designated for all land force units in the West of England and Wales. The Prince of Wales's Division was formed in 1968 with the union of the Mercian Brigade, Welsh Brigade and Wessex Brigade...
. However, in 2004 it was announced that all remaining single battalion regiments would be amalgamated into large regiments.
The interim plan proposed by the Executive Committee of the Army Board (ECAB) for the Prince of Wales' Division was to create 3 Regiments, each with two regular and one territorial battalion:
- The Royal Welch FusiliersRoyal Welch FusiliersThe Royal Welch Fusiliers was an infantry regiment of the British Army, part of the Prince of Wales' Division. It was founded in 1689 to oppose James II and the imminent war with France...
and Royal Regiment of Wales (24th/41st Foot)Royal Regiment of WalesThe Royal Regiment of Wales was an infantry regiment of the British Army, part of the Prince of Wales' Division. It was formed in 1969 by the amalgamation of The South Wales Borderers and The Welch Regiment....
would be amalgamated into a two battalion Welsh regimentRoyal WelshThe Royal Welsh was formed on St David's Day, 1 March 2006. It is one of the new large infantry regiments of the British Army, and the regiment's formation was announced on 16 December 2004 by Geoff Hoon and General Sir Mike Jackson as part of the restructuring of the infantry.-Formation:The... - The 22nd (Cheshire) RegimentCheshire RegimentThe Cheshire Regiment was an infantry regiment of the British Army, part of the Prince of Wales' Division.The regiment was created in 1881 as part of the Childers reforms by the linking of the 22nd Regiment of Foot and the militia and rifle volunteers of Cheshire...
, Worcestershire and Sherwood Foresters Regiment (29th/45th Foot)Worcestershire and Sherwood ForestersThe Worcestershire and Sherwood Foresters Regiment was an infantry regiment of the British Army, part of the Prince of Wales' Division...
and the Staffordshire Regiment (The Prince of Wales's) would be amalgamated into a two battalion regimentMercian RegimentThe Mercian Regiment is an infantry regiment of the British Army, formed by the amalgamation of three existing regiments on 1 September 2007.The regiment has three regular army battalion's and one Territorial Army or reserve battalion... - The Devonshire and Dorset RegimentDevonshire and Dorset RegimentThe Devonshire and Dorset Regiment, usually just known as the Devon and Dorsets, was an infantry regiment of the British Army. It was formed in 1958 by the amalgamation of two county regiments:*The Devonshire Regiment*The Dorset Regiment...
and the Royal Gloucestershire, Berkshire and Wiltshire RegimentRoyal Gloucestershire, Berkshire and Wiltshire RegimentThe Royal Gloucestershire, Berkshire and Wiltshire was an infantry regiment of the British Army.It was formed in 1994 by the amalgamation of two English regiments.*The Gloucestershire Regiment...
would be amalgamated into a two battalion regiment.
On 16 December 2004, the Secretary of State for Defence
Secretary of State for Defence
The Secretary of State for Defence, popularly known as the Defence Secretary, is the senior Government of the United Kingdom minister in charge of the Ministry of Defence, chairing the Defence Council. It is a Cabinet position...
announced that, as part of the final restructuring, the Royal Gloucestershire, Berkshire and Wiltshire Regiment would be deamalgamated into its constituent parts, with the former Gloucestershire Regiment element merging with the Devonshire and Dorset Regiment to become the new 1st Battalion, The Light Infantry
The Light Infantry
The Light Infantry was an infantry regiment of the British Army, part of the Light Division. It was formed on 10 July 1968 as a "large regiment" by the amalgamation of the four remaining light infantry regiments of the Light Infantry Brigade:...
, and the former Duke of Edinburgh's Royal Regiment (Berkshire and Wiltshire) amalgamating with the Princess of Wales's Royal Regiment (Queen's and Royal Hampshires)
Princess of Wales's Royal Regiment
"PWRR" redirects here. For the railroad with these reporting marks, see Portland and Western Railroad.The Princess of Wales's Royal Regiment is the senior English line infantry regiment of the British Army, part of the Queen's Division...
. Approximately six months later, this decision was reversed, with the RGBW then to be amalgamated wholesale with the D&D as a single battalion of the new large regiment that eventually became The Rifles
The Rifles
The Rifles is the largest regiment of the British Army. Formed in 2007, it consists of five regular and two territorial battalions, plus a number of companies in other TA battalions, Each battalion of the Rifles was formerly an individual battalion of one of the two large regiments of the Light...
.
External links
- Anthony Steen
- Gloucestershire Regiment association
- DERR association
- "Fury as famous regiments go into Hoon's melting pot" Daily Telegraph 16/07/04
- "Hoon wins his regimental campaign" Daily Telegraph 16/07/04