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The Rifles



 
 
For the band The Rifles, see The Rifles (band)
The Rifles (band)

The Rifles are an English indie rock band from Chingford, London. Their debut album No Love Lost was released on 17 July 2006 and was produced by Ian Broudie....
. For the novel by William T. Vollmann
William T. Vollmann

William Tanner Vollmann is an United States novelist, journalist, short story writer and essayist. He lives in Sacramento, California, California, with his wife and daughter....
, see The Rifles (novel)
The Rifles (novel)

The Rifles is a 1994 in literature novel by United States writer William T. Vollmann. It is intended to be the sixth book in a planned seven-book cycle entitled Seven Dreams: A Book of North American Landscapes....
.


The Rifles (RIFLES) is a regiment
Regiment

A regiment is a military unit, composed of variable numbers of battalions, commanded by a Colonel. Depending on the nation, military branch, mission, and organization, a modern regiment resembles a brigade, in that both range in size from a few hundred to 5,000 soldiers ....
 of the British Army
British Army

The British Army is the Army branch of the British Armed Forces. It came into being with the unification of the Kingdoms of Kingdom of England and Kingdom of Scotland into the Kingdom of Great Britain in 1707....
. It consists of five regular and two territorial battalions, plus a number of companies in other TA battalions, making the regiment the largest in the infantry. Each battalion of the Rifles was formerly an individual battalion of one of the two large regiments of the Light Division
Light Division

The Light Division was a light infantry Division of the British Army formed in the early 19th Century. It can trace its origins to the Light Companies which had been formed to move at speed over inhospitable terrain and protect the main forces by skirmishing tactics....
 (with the exception of the 1st Battalion, which is an amalgamation of two individual regiments).
Rifles was created as a result of the Future Army Structure
Delivering Security in a Changing World

The 2003 Defence white paper, entitled Delivering Security in a Changing World set out the future structure of the Military of the United Kingdom, 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 September 11 attacks....
.






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For the band The Rifles, see The Rifles (band)
The Rifles (band)

The Rifles are an English indie rock band from Chingford, London. Their debut album No Love Lost was released on 17 July 2006 and was produced by Ian Broudie....
. For the novel by William T. Vollmann
William T. Vollmann

William Tanner Vollmann is an United States novelist, journalist, short story writer and essayist. He lives in Sacramento, California, California, with his wife and daughter....
, see The Rifles (novel)
The Rifles (novel)

The Rifles is a 1994 in literature novel by United States writer William T. Vollmann. It is intended to be the sixth book in a planned seven-book cycle entitled Seven Dreams: A Book of North American Landscapes....
.


The Rifles (RIFLES) is a regiment
Regiment

A regiment is a military unit, composed of variable numbers of battalions, commanded by a Colonel. Depending on the nation, military branch, mission, and organization, a modern regiment resembles a brigade, in that both range in size from a few hundred to 5,000 soldiers ....
 of the British Army
British Army

The British Army is the Army branch of the British Armed Forces. It came into being with the unification of the Kingdoms of Kingdom of England and Kingdom of Scotland into the Kingdom of Great Britain in 1707....
. It consists of five regular and two territorial battalions, plus a number of companies in other TA battalions, making the regiment the largest in the infantry. Each battalion of the Rifles was formerly an individual battalion of one of the two large regiments of the Light Division
Light Division

The Light Division was a light infantry Division of the British Army formed in the early 19th Century. It can trace its origins to the Light Companies which had been formed to move at speed over inhospitable terrain and protect the main forces by skirmishing tactics....
 (with the exception of the 1st Battalion, which is an amalgamation of two individual regiments).

History

The Rifles was created as a result of the Future Army Structure
Delivering Security in a Changing World

The 2003 Defence white paper, entitled Delivering Security in a Changing World set out the future structure of the Military of the United Kingdom, 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 September 11 attacks....
. Under the original announcement, the Light Division would have remained essentially unchanged, with the exception of the Light Infantry
Light infantry

Traditionally light infantry were soldiers whose job was to provide a skirmishing screen ahead of the main body of infantry, Harassment and delaying the enemy advance....
 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
Ministry of Defence (United Kingdom)

The Ministry of Defence is the Departments of the United Kingdom Government responsible for implementation of government defence policy and is the headquarters of the British Armed Forces....
 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
Light Division

The Light Division was a light infantry Division of the British Army formed in the early 19th Century. It can trace its origins to the Light Companies which had been formed to move at speed over inhospitable terrain and protect the main forces by skirmishing tactics....
:
  • The Devonshire and Dorset Light Infantry
    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 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:...
  • The Royal Gloucestershire, Berkshire and Wiltshire Light Infantry
    Royal Gloucestershire, Berkshire and Wiltshire Regiment

    The Royal Gloucestershire, Berkshire and Wiltshire Light Infantry was an infantry regiment of the British Army.It was formed in 1994 by the amalgamation of two English regiments....
  • The Royal Green Jackets
    Royal Green Jackets

    The Royal Green Jackets was an infantry regiment of the British Army, one of two large regiment within the Light Division . It was formed in 1966 by the amalgamation of the three separate regiments of the Green Jackets Brigade:...


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
Battalion

A battalion is a military unit of around 500-1500 men usually consisting of between two and seven company and typically commanded by a Lieutenant Colonel....
. This brought the whole of the Light Division under a single cap badge
Cap badge

A cap badge, also known as head badge or hat badge, is a badge worn on uniform headgear and distinguishes the wearer's nationality and/or organisation....
. On formation, The Rifles became the county regiment of the following counties:
  • Berkshire
    Berkshire

    Berkshire is a Home Counties in the South East England of England. It is also often referred to as the Royal County of Berkshire because of the presence of the royal residence of Windsor Castle in the county; this usage, which dates to the 19th century at least, was recognised by the Queen in 1958, and Letters patent issued confirming...
  • Buckinghamshire
    Buckinghamshire

    Buckinghamshire is a Ceremonial counties of England and Metropolitan and non-metropolitan counties of England home counties Counties of England in South East England England....
  • Cornwall
    Cornwall

    Cornwall , constitutional Duchy and palatine, is a metropolitan and non-metropolitan counties of England of England, United Kingdom, located at the tip of the south-western peninsula of Great Britain....
  • Devon
    Devon

    Devon is a large Counties of England in South West England. The county is also referred to as Devonshire, but that is an entirely unofficial name, rarely used inside of the county but often indicating a shire....
    shire
  • Dorset
    Dorset

    Dorset , is a Counties of England in South West England on the English Channel coast. The county town is Dorchester, Dorset, situated in the south of the county at ....
  • Durham
    Durham

    Durham is a city in North East England. It lies at the heart of the City of Durham local government district. It is the county town of County Durham....
  • Gloucestershire
    Gloucestershire

    Gloucestershire is a Counties of England in South West England England. The county comprises part of the Cotswold Hills, part of the flat fertile valley of the River Severn, and the entire Forest of Dean....
  • Herefordshire
    Herefordshire

    Herefordshire is a Historic counties of England and Ceremonial counties of England Counties of England in the West Midlands Regions of England of England....
  • Oxfordshire
    Oxfordshire

    Oxfordshire is a county in the South East England region, bordering on Northamptonshire, Buckinghamshire, Berkshire, Wiltshire, Gloucestershire, and Warwickshire....
  • Shropshire
    Shropshire

    Shropshire , alternatively known as Salop or abbreviated, in print only, Shrops, is a Counties of England in the West Midlands of England....
  • Somerset
    Somerset

    Somerset is a Counties of England in South West England. The county town is Taunton, which is in the south of the county. The Ceremonial counties of England of Somerset borders the counties of Bristol and Gloucestershire to the north, Wiltshire to the east, Dorset to the south-east, and Devon to the south-west....
  • South Yorkshire
    South Yorkshire

    South Yorkshire is a metropolitan county in the Yorkshire and the Humber region of England. It has a population of List of ceremonial counties of England by population....
  • Wiltshire
    Wiltshire

    Wiltshire is a Ceremonial counties of England in the South West England of England. It is landlocked and borders the counties of Dorset, Somerset, Hampshire, Gloucestershire, Oxfordshire and Berkshire....


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:
  • Croix de Guerre
    Croix de guerre

    The croix de guerre is a military decoration of both France and Belgium, where it is also known as the Oorlogskruis . It was first created in 1915 in both countries and consists of a square-cross medal on two crossed swords, hanging from a ribbon with various degree pins....
     - the French Croix de Guerre ribbon awarded to the Devonshire Regiment in World War I
    World War I

    World War I, or the First World War , was a global military conflict which involved the Great powers, organized into two opposing military alliances: the Allies of World War I and the Central Powers....
    , and subsequently worn by the Devonshire and Dorset Light Infantry, is worn on both sleeves of No. 1 and No. 2 dress.
  • Back Badge - the badge worn on the back of headdress that was awarded as an honour to the 28th Foot, and subsequently worn by the Royal Gloucestershire, Berkshire and Wiltshire Light Infantry is worn on the forage cap and side hat, and on the shako
    Shako

    A shako is a tall, cylindrical military cap, usually with a peak or visor and sometimes tapered at the top. It is usually adorned with some kind of ornamental plate or Cap badge on the front, metallic or otherwise, and often has a feather, Hackle, or pompon attached at the top....
     of the regimental band and bugles.
  • Bugle Horn - the bugle horn badge of the Light Infantry, now surmounted by St. Edward's Crown, is the regiment's cap badge.
  • Maltese Cross - the Maltese Cross of the Royal Green Jackets is worn as a buckle on the cross belt, and will contain the regiment's representative battle honours; currently one space is kept free for future honours. In accordance with the tradition of rifle regiments, the regiment does not carry colours
    Colours, standards and guidons

    In military organizations, the practice of carrying colours, standards or Guidons, to act both as a rallying point for troops, and to mark the location of the commander, is thought to have originated in Ancient Egypt some 5,000 years ago....
    .
  • Black Buttons - the traditional black buttons of a rifle regiment are worn on all forms of dress with the exception of combat dress.


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
28th (North Gloucestershire) Regiment of Foot

The 28th Regiment of Foot was a British infantry regiment from 1782 to 1881.For their conduct at the Battle of Alexandria in 1801 the 28th were given the unique honour of wearing a cap badge on both the front and rear of their head dress....
, one of the Rifle's precursor units.

Organisation

The new regiment has 5 regular and 2 Territorial Army
Territorial Army

The Territorial Army is the volunteer Military reserve force of the British Army, the army of the United Kingdom, and composed mostly of part-time soldiers paid at a similar rate, while engaged on military activities, as their Regular equivalents....
 battalions:
  • 1st Battalion - amalgamation of the 1st Battalion, Devonshire and Dorset Light Infantry
    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:...
     and the 1st Battalion, Royal Gloucestershire, Berkshire and Wiltshire Light Infantry
    Royal Gloucestershire, Berkshire and Wiltshire Regiment

    The Royal Gloucestershire, Berkshire and Wiltshire Light Infantry was an infantry regiment of the British Army.It was formed in 1994 by the amalgamation of two English regiments....
  • 2nd Battalion - redesignation of the 1st Battalion, Royal Green Jackets
    Royal Green Jackets

    The Royal Green Jackets was an infantry regiment of the British Army, one of two large regiment within the Light Division . It was formed in 1966 by the amalgamation of the three separate regiments of the Green Jackets Brigade:...
  • 3rd Battalion - redesignation of the 2nd 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:...
  • 4th Battalion - redesignation of the 2nd Battalion, Royal Green Jackets
    Royal Green Jackets

    The Royal Green Jackets was an infantry regiment of the British Army, one of two large regiment within the Light Division . It was formed in 1966 by the amalgamation of the three separate regiments of the Green Jackets Brigade:...
  • 5th Battalion - redesignation of the 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:...
  • 6th (V) Battalion - redesignation of the Rifle Volunteers
    The Rifle Volunteers

    The Rifle Volunteers is a regiment of the British Territorial Army....
  • 7th (V) Battalion - redesignation of the Royal Rifle Volunteers, minus the Princess of Wales's Royal Regiment
    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....
     company
    Company (military unit)

    A company is a military unit, typically consisting of 75-200 soldiers. Most companies are formed of three to five platoons although the exact number may vary by country, unit type, and structure....
    , plus the Royal Green Jacket companies of the London Regiment
    London Regiment

    The London Regiment is a Territorial Army regiment in the British Army. It was first formed in 1908 in order to regiment the various Volunteer Force battalions in the newly formed County of London, each battalion having a distinctive uniform....


There is only one single CCF unit that still carries the RGJ cap badge and that is the London Oratory School
London Oratory School

The London Oratory School is a Roman Catholic Church, Voluntary aided school, Comprehensive school secondary school in Fulham, London. The Headmaster is David McFadden....
 CCF, London, England.

In addition to the seven battalions above, a further two companies (and a platoon) are also cap badged as The Rifles but are attached to other TA infantry Battalions:
  • D (RIFLES) Company, 5th (V) Battalion Royal Regiment of Fusiliers (includes Y (RIFLES) Platoon) - redesignation of C (Light Infantry) Company, Tyne-Tees Regiment
    Tyne-Tees Regiment

    The Tyne-Tees Regiment was a regiment of the British Territorial Army....
     and Minden (Light Infantry) Company, East and West Riding Regiment
    East and West Riding Regiment

    The East and West Riding Regiment was a regiment of the British Territorial Army....
     (The 'D' and 'Y' designations were specifically chosen to help maintain The Rifles' county links to both Durham and Yorkshire.)
  • E (RIFLES) Company, 4th (V) Battalion, Mercian Regiment
    Mercian Regiment

    The Mercian Regiment is an infantry regiment of the British Army, formed by the amalgamation of four existing regiments in 2007.The Mercian Regiment serves as the county regiment of the following counties:...
     - redesignation of E (Light Infantry) Company, West Midlands Regiment
    West Midlands Regiment

    The West Midlands Regiment was a British Territorial Army regiment from 1998 to 2007.The regiment was formed on April 5, 1988 by the amalgamation of four territorial infantry battalions:...
    .


Following the restructuring of the infantry and the end of the arms plot, the new regiment's five regular battalions will have fixed roles:
  • 1st Battalion - Commando Infantry (3 Commando Brigade
    3 Commando Brigade

    3 Commando Brigade is a commando formation of the British Armed Forces and the main manoeuvre formation of the Royal Marines. Its personnel are predominantly Royal Marines, supported by units of Royal Engineers, Royal Artillery, The Rifles, and the Fleet Air Arm, together with other All Arms Commando Course Sailors, Soldiers and Airmen....
    ) - Beachley Barracks, Chepstow.
  • 2nd Battalion - Light Role (19 Light Brigade) - Abercorn Barracks, Ballykinler, Northern Ireland.
  • 3rd Battalion - Light Role (52 Infantry Brigade though currently re-subordinated to 11 Light Brigade in preparation of a tour to Afghanistan) - Edinburgh.
  • 4th Battalion - Mechanised Infantry (1 Mechanised Brigade
    British 1st Infantry Brigade (Guards)

    The 1st Infantry Brigade is a British Army formation with a long history including service during the First World War and Second World Wars ....
    ) - Kiwi Barracks, Bulford, Wiltshire. Camilla, HRH Duchess of Cornwall
    Duchess of Cornwall

    The Duchess of Cornwall is the title held by the wife of the Duke of Cornwall. Duke of Cornwall is a non-hereditary peerage held by the British monarchy eldest son and heir....
     visited the unit in July 2008. The current commanding officer is Lieutenant-Colonel Rupert Jones, son of Lt-Col "H" Jones VC
    H. Jones

    Lieutenant-Colonel Herbert Jones Victoria Cross Order of the British Empire, , better known as 'H'. Jones, was a United Kingdom army officer and posthumous recognition recipient of the Victoria Cross....
    .
  • 5th Battalion - Armoured Infantry (20th Armoured Brigade) -Alanbrooke Barracks, Paderborn, Germany.
The 1st Battalion formed on 1 February 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
Beachley

Beachley is a village in Gloucestershire, England, near the border with Wales. It is located on a peninsula at the junction between the Rivers River Wye and River Severn, where the Severn Bridge ends and the smaller secondary bridge for the River Wye begins....
 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
3 Commando Brigade

3 Commando Brigade is a commando formation of the British Armed Forces and the main manoeuvre formation of the Royal Marines. Its personnel are predominantly Royal Marines, supported by units of Royal Engineers, Royal Artillery, The Rifles, and the Fleet Air Arm, together with other All Arms Commando Course Sailors, Soldiers and Airmen....
, where it will serve as the one of the brigade's four manoeuvre battalions/units alongside the three commandos of the Royal Marines
Royal Marines

The Royal Marines are the marine and amphibious warfare infantry of the United Kingdom and, along with the Royal Navy and Royal Fleet Auxiliary, form the Naval Service....
.

Territorial Army locations:
  • 6th Battalion - Gloucester, Taunton, Dorchester, Truro and Exeter.
  • 7th Battalion - Oxford, Reading, Milton Keynes, and London.
  • D Coy, 5th Battalion Royal Regiment of Fusiliers - Bishop Auckland, Consett, Doncaster, Sunderland, Washington.
  • E Coy, West Midlands Regiment - Shrewsbury.


HRH The Duke of Edinburgh (Colonel-in-Chief, RGBWLI) is the new regiment's Colonel-in-Chief
Colonel-in-Chief

In the British Army and other Commonwealth of Nations armies, the Colonel-in-Chief of a regiment is its patron. This position is distinct from that of Colonel ....
, but each battalion has its own Royal Colonel:

1st Battalion, The RiflesHRH The Duke of Kent (Colonel-in-Chief, DDLI)
2nd Battalion, The RiflesHRH The Earl of Wessex
3rd Battalion, The RiflesHRH Princess Alexandra, The Hon Lady Ogilvy
Princess Alexandra, The Honourable Lady Ogilvy

Princess Alexandra, The Honourable Lady Ogilvy , is a member of the British Royal Family, the youngest granddaughter of George V of the United Kingdom and Mary of Teck....
 (Colonel-in-Chief, LI)
4th Battalion, The RiflesHRH The Duchess of Cornwall
5th Battalion, The RiflesHRH The Countess of Wessex
6th (V) Battalion, The RiflesHRH The Duke of Gloucester
Richard, Duke of Gloucester

Richard, Duke of Gloucester may refer to:*Prince Richard, Duke of Gloucester *Richard III of England , Duke of Gloucester prior to his accession to the throne...
 (Colonel-in-Chief, RGBWLI)
7th (V) Battalion, The RiflesHRH The Duchess of Gloucester


The Band and Bugles

The 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:
  • The Corunna Band of the Light Infantry
  • The Salamanca Band of the Light Infantry
  • The Peninsula Band of the Royal Green Jackets
  • The Normandy Band of the Royal Green Jackets


In addition, the two TA Battalions maintain their own bands:
  • The Salamanca Band of the Rifles - 6th Battalion (formerly the Band of the Rifle Volunteers)
  • The Waterloo Band of the Rifles - 7th Battalion (formerly the Band of the Royal Rifle Volunteers)


There are also a number of Cadet Force Bands including The Corunna Bugles and Drums 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)

Alliances

Although 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.
  • - Monash University Regiment
    Monash University Regiment

    Monash University Regiment is a Australian Army Reserve officer training regiment of the Australian Army, based in Victoria near Monash University. It is a part of the 2nd Division's 4th Brigade....
  • - Melbourne University Regiment
    Melbourne University Regiment

    The Melbourne University Regiment is an officer training unit in the Australian Army Reserve. It has a depot at Grattan Street, Melbourne, Carlton, Melbourne, Australia....
  • - 11th/28th Battalion, The Royal Western Australia Regiment
    11th/28th Battalion, Royal Western Australia Regiment

    The 11th/28th Battalion, Royal Western Australia Regiment is an Australian Army reserve infantry battalion located in Western Australia and one of the two battalions of the Royal Western Australia Regiment, the infantry component of the Australian 13th Brigade....
  • - The Royal New South Wales Regiment
    Royal New South Wales Regiment

    The Royal New South Wales Regiment is a reserve infantry regiment of the Australian Army based in the state of New South Wales. The regiment consists of four battalions:...
  • - The Royal Canadian Regiment
    The Royal Canadian Regiment

    The Royal Canadian Regiment is an infantry regiment of the Canadian Forces. The RCR is the senior infantry regiment in the Regular Force, but its 4th Battalion is ranked 11th in the order of precedence among Reserve Force infantry regiments....
  • - Princess Patricia's Canadian Light Infantry
    Princess Patricia's Canadian Light Infantry

    Princess Patricia's Canadian Light Infantry is an infantry regiment in the Canadian Forces , belonging to 1 Canadian Mechanized Brigade Group ....
  • - The Queen's Own Rifles of Canada
    The Queen's Own Rifles of Canada

    The Queen's Own Rifles of Canada are a militia regiment within the Canadian Forces, based in Toronto, Ontario. The regiment is part of Land Force Central Area's 32 Canadian Brigade Group....
  • - The Brockville Rifles
    The Brockville Rifles

    The Brockville Rifles is a Primary Reserve infantry regiment of the Canadian Forces. It is fifteenth in the order of precedence.The motto of the regiment is Semper Paratus meaning 'Always Ready'....
  • - The Royal Winnipeg Rifles
    The Royal Winnipeg Rifles

    The Royal Winnipeg Rifles are a Primary Reserve one-battalion infantry regiment of the Canadian Forces. Nicknamed the "Little Black Devils", they are based at Minto Armouries in Winnipeg, Manitoba....
  • - The Royal Regina Rifles
    The Royal Regina Rifles

    The Royal Regina Rifles is a Primary Reserve infantry regiment of the Canadian Forces. Prior to 1982 the regiment was known as The Regina Rifle Regiment....
  • - Les Fusiliers de Sherbrooke
    Les Fusiliers de Sherbrooke

    Les Fusiliers de Sherbrooke is a Primary Reserve infantry regiment of the Canadian Forces. It is based in Sherbrooke, Quebec, with a sub-unit in Granby, Quebec....
  • - The Lincoln and Welland Regiment
    The Lincoln and Welland Regiment

    The Lincoln and Welland Regiment is a Primary Reserve infantry regiment of the Canadian Forces based in St. Catharines, Ontario and Welland, Ontario....
  • - The Algonquin Regiment
    The Algonquin Regiment

    The Algonquin Regiment is a Primary Reserve infantry regiment of the Canadian Forces comprising two companies. A Coy is located in North Bay, Ontario and B Coy is located in Timmins, Ontario....
  • - The British Columbia Regiment (Duke of Connaught's Own) (RCAC)
    The British Columbia Regiment (Duke of Connaught's Own) (RCAC)

    The British Columbia Regiment is a Primary Reserve armoured reconnaissance regiment of the Canadian Forces which is part of 39 Canadian Brigade Group of Land Force Western Area....
  • - The Royal Hamilton Light Infantry (Wentworth Regiment)
    The Royal Hamilton Light Infantry (Wentworth Regiment)

    The Royal Hamilton Light Infantry is a Primary Reserve unit of the Canadian Forces based at John Weir Foote Armouries in Hamilton, Ontario.The regiment has a long history, descending from the 13th Regiment, formed December 11, 1862 on a general order issued by the Governor General....
  • - Le Régiment de Maisonneuve
    Le Régiment de Maisonneuve

    Le R?giment de Maisonneuve is a Primary Reserve infantry regiment of the Canadian Forces.The regiment is Canada's twenty-sixth most senior reserve infantry regiment, and comprises one battalion serving as part of the Land Force Reserve....
  • - The North Saskatchewan Regiment
  • - 1st Battalion, The Ghana Regiment
    Ghana Regiment

    The Ghana Regiment is an infantry regiment that forms the main fighting element of the Military of Ghana.The regiment was formed in 1879 as the Gold Coast Constabulary, from personnel of the Hausa Constabulary of Southern Nigeria, to perform internal security and police duties in the British colony of the Gold Coast ....
  • - 1st and 3rd Battalions, The Kenya Rifles
  • - 6th Battalion, The Royal Malay Regiment
    Royal Malay Regiment

    The Royal Malay Regiment is one of two infantry regiments in the Malaysian Army. The regiment is the premier unit in the Malaysian Army. At its height, 27 battalions of the Malay Regiment were formed....
  • - Special Mobile Force
    Special Mobile Force

    The Special Mobile Force is a paramilitary unit that serves as the main internal security force in Mauritius. As Mauritius has no dedicated military, the SMF forms part of the National Police, with its personnel on long term rotation from the police force....
  • - The Royal New Zealand Infantry Regiment
    Royal New Zealand Infantry Regiment

    The Royal New Zealand Infantry Regiment is the main combat unit in the regular New Zealand Army. It was formed January 9 1947 as the New Zealand Regiment with a single infantry battalion as part of the newly created infantry corps....
  • - The Canterbury, and Nelson-Marlborough and West Coast Regiment
    Canterbury, and Nelson-Marlborough and West Coast Regiment

    The Canterbury, and Nelson-Marlborough and West Coast Regiment is a Territorial Force unit of the New Zealand Army. It was formed in 1964 during the reorganisation of the army by the amalgamation of two separate regiments:...
  • - The Hauraki Regiment
    Hauraki Regiment

    The Hauraki Regiment is a Territorial Force unit of the New Zealand Army. The regiment is unique among the TF units in that it has never been amalgamated, and thus can trace its history directly back to its formation in 1898....
  • - 11th Battalion, The Baloch Regiment
  • - 1st Battalion, The Sind Regiment
  • - 2nd and 13th Battalions, The Frontier Force Regiment
    Frontier Force Regiment

    The Frontier Force Regiment is one of six Infantry regiments in the Pakistan Army. At present, the regiment consists of 52 battalions and has its regimental depot at Abbottabad in the North-West Frontier Province....
  • - The Cape Town Rifles
    Cape Town Rifles

    The Cape Town Rifles Regiment is an infantry regiment of the South African Army. As a reserve unit, it has a status roughly equivalent to that of a United Kingdom Territorial Army or United States Army National Guard unit....
  • - 5 South African Infantry Battalion
    South African Infantry Corps

    The South African Infantry Corps is the largest combat corps within the South African Army.The corps originated as the Infantry Branch of the South African National Defence Force in 1913....
     (Bond of Friendship)
  • - The Rand Light Infantry
    Rand Light Infantry

    The Rand Light Infantry is an infantry regiment of the South African Army. As a reserve unit, it has a status roughly equivalent to that of a United Kingdom Territorial Army or United States Army National Guard unit....
  • - The Durban Light Infantry
    Durban Light Infantry

    The Durban Light Infantry Regiment is a Mechanised infantry regiment of the South African Army. As a reserve unit, it has a status roughly equivalent to that of a United Kingdom Territorial Army unit or United States Army Reserve Unit unit....
  • - The Kaffrarian Rifles
    Kaffrarian Rifles

    The Kaffrarian Rifles is an infantry regiment of the South African Army. As a reserve unit, it has a status roughly equivalent to that of a United Kingdom Territorial Army or United States Army National Guard unit....
  • - HMS Exeter
    HMS Exeter (D89)

    HMS Exeter is a Type 42 destroyer destroyer, the fifth ship of the Royal Navy to be named Exeter, after the city of Exeter in Devon.Exeter was the first of the slightly modified 'Batch 2' Type 42 destroyers....
  • - HMS Cornwall
    HMS Cornwall (F99)

    The sixth and present HMS Cornwall is the first of the Batch 3 Type 22 frigate frigates of the Royal Navy. Cornwall is based at HMNB Devonport in Devon, England, part of the Devonport Flotilla....
  • - HMS Gloucester
    HMS Gloucester (D96)

    HMS Gloucester is a Batch 3 Type 42 destroyer destroyer of the Royal Navy. The ship was built by Vosper Thorneycroft at Woolston, Southampton and launched on 2 November 1982 by The Duchess of Gloucester....
  • - HMS Somerset
    HMS Somerset (F82)

    HMS Somerset is a Type 23 frigate frigate of the Royal Navy.HMS Somerset is the eleventh of the class to join the fleet since 1989. She was built by Yarrow Shipbuilders Ltd on the river Clyde, in Scotland and was launched in June 1994 by Lady Elspeth Layard, wife of then 2nd Sea Lord Admiral and Commander-in-Chief Naval Home Comman...
  • - 6th Mechanized Brigade Regiment


  • - 2e Régiment Étranger d'Infanterie
    2nd Foreign Infantry Regiment

    The 2nd Foreign Infantry Regiment is an infantry regiment of the French Foreign Legion....
     (Bond of Friendship)


Battle Honours

The 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:
  • Gibraltar, Dettingen, Plassey, Minden
    Minden

    Minden is a town in North Rhine-Westphalia, Germany. It is the capital of the district of Minden-L?bbecke....
    , Quebec, Martinique, Marabout, Waterloo, Peninsula, Afghanistan, Jellalabad, Ferozeshah, Delhi, Lucknow, New Zealand, Pekin, South Africa, Inkerman
    Inkerman

    Inkerman is a town in Crimea, Ukraine. It is situated 5 kilometres east of Sevastopol, at the mouth of the Chernaya River that flows into Sevastopol Inlet ....
  • Great War: Nonne Boschen, Ypres
    Ypres

    Ypres , Ieper , or Ypern is a Belgium Municipalities in Belgium located in the Flemish Region Provinces of Belgium of West Flanders....
    , Somme
    Somme

    The Somme is a departments of France of France, located in the north of the country and named after the Somme River. It is part of the Picardie regions of France....
    , Vittoria Veneto, Megiddo
    Megiddo

    Megiddo is a Hebrew place name that can refer to:* Tel Megiddo, site of an ancient city in northern Israel's Jezreel valley** Megiddo, Israel, a kibbutz in Israel...
  • Second World War: Calais, El Alamein
    El Alamein

    El Alamein is a town in northern Egypt on the Mediterranean Sea coast in Matruh Governorate. It is west of Alexandria and northwest of Cairo....
    , Kohima, Pegasus Bridge
    Pegasus Bridge

    Pegasus Bridge is a bascule bridge over the Canal de Caen ? la Mer, near Ouistreham, France. The bridge, also known as the B?nouville, Calvados Bridge after the neighbouring village, was a major objective of Operation Tonga....
    , Normandy, Italy 1943-45, Anzio
  • Imjin, Korea, Iraq 2003
    Iraq 2003

    Iraq 2003 is an X-Presidents episode on Saturday Night Lives TV Funhouse. It originally aired March 18, 2003. Tom Kenny guest starred as the voice of Spongebob Squarepants....


Order of Precedence


Lineage

|-style="text-align: center; background: #F08080;" | align="center" colspan="5"|Lineage |- | width="25%" rowspan="21" align="center" | The Rifles | width="25%" rowspan="3" align="center"| The Devonshire and Dorset Light Infantry | width="25%" colspan="3" align="center"| The Devonshire Regiment |- | width="25%" rowspan="2" align="center"| The Dorset Regiment
Dorset Regiment

The Dorset Regiment was an infantry regiment of the British Army. Until 1951 it was formally called The Dorsetshire Regiment, although usually known as "the Dorsets"....
| width="25%" colspan="2" align="center"| The 39th (Dorsetshire) Regiment of Foot
39th (Dorsetshire) Regiment of Foot

The 39th Regiment of Foot was an infantry regiment of the British Army, formed in 1719 and amalgamated into The Dorsetshire Regiment in 1881....
|- | width="25%" colspan="2" align="center"| The 54th (West Norfolk) Regiment of Foot
54th (West Norfolk) Regiment of Foot

The 54th Regiment of Foot was an infantry regiment of the British Army.Originally formed in 1755 as the 56th Regiment of Foot it was renumbered as the...
|- | width="25%" rowspan="8" align="center" | 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:...
| width="25%" rowspan="2" align="center" | The Somerset and Cornwall Light Infantry
Somerset and Cornwall Light Infantry

The Somerset and Cornwall Light Infantry was formed in 1959 by the merger of two regiments:*The Somerset Light Infantry *The Duke of Cornwall's Light Infantry...
| width="25%" colspan="2" align="center" |
The Somerset Light Infantry (Prince Albert's) |- | width="25%" colspan="2" align="center" | The Duke of Cornwall's Light Infantry
Duke of Cornwall's Light Infantry

The Duke of Cornwall's Light Infantry was an infantry regiment of British Army created from a merger of the 32nd Regiment of Foot and the 46th Regiment of Foot....
|- | width="25%" rowspan="2" align="center" | The King's Own Yorkshire Light Infantry
King's Own Yorkshire Light Infantry

The King's Own Yorkshire Light Infantry was a regiment of the British Army. It officially existed from 1881 to 1968, but its predecessors go back to 1755....
| width="25%" colspan="2" align="center" | The 51st (2nd Yorkshire West Riding) Regiment of Foot |- | width="25%" colspan="2" align="center" | The 105th Regiment of Foot (Madras Light Infantry)
105th Regiment of Foot (Madras Light Infantry)

The 105th Regiment of Foot was an infantry regiment of the British Army from 1862 to 1881, when it was amalgamated into The King's Own Light Infantry ....
|- | width="25%" rowspan="2" align="center"| The King's Shropshire Light Infantry | width="25%" colspan="2" align="center" | The 53rd (Shropshire) Regiment of Foot |- | width="25%" colspan="2" align="center" | The 85th (King's Light Infantry) Regiment of Foot |- | width="25%" rowspan="2" align="center" | The Durham Light Infantry
Durham Light Infantry

The Durham Light Infantry was formed in 1881 from the 68th Regiment of Foot which had originally been raised in County Durham by General John Lambton in 1758, and the 106th Regiment of Foot ....
| width="25%" colspan="2" align="center" | The 68th (Durham) Regiment of Foot
68th (Durham) Regiment of Foot (Light Infantry)

The 68th Regiment of Foot was an infantry regiment of the British Army, formed in 1758 and amalgamated into The Durham Light Infantry in 1881....
|- | width="25%" colspan="2" align="center" | The 106th Regiment of Foot (Bombay Light Infantry)
106th Regiment of Foot (Bombay Light Infantry)

The 106th Regiment of Foot was an infantry regiment of the British Army from 1862 to 1881, when it was amalgamated into The Durham Light Infantry....
|- | width="25%" rowspan="6" align="center" | The Royal Gloucestershire, Berkshire and Wiltshire Light Infantry
Royal Gloucestershire, Berkshire and Wiltshire Regiment

The Royal Gloucestershire, Berkshire and Wiltshire Light Infantry was an infantry regiment of the British Army.It was formed in 1994 by the amalgamation of two English regiments....
| width="25%" rowspan="2" align="center" | The Gloucestershire Regiment | width="25%" colspan="2" align="center" | The 28th (North Gloucestershire) Regiment of Foot
28th (North Gloucestershire) Regiment of Foot

The 28th Regiment of Foot was a British infantry regiment from 1782 to 1881.For their conduct at the Battle of Alexandria in 1801 the 28th were given the unique honour of wearing a cap badge on both the front and rear of their head dress....
|- | width="25%" colspan="2" align="center" | The 61st (South Gloucestershire) Regiment of Foot
61st (South Gloucestershire) Regiment of Foot

The 61st Regiment of Foot was an infantry regiment of the British Army, created in 1758 and amalgamated into The Gloucestershire Regiment in 1881....
|- | width="25%" rowspan="4" align="center" | The Duke of Edinburgh's Royal Regiment (Berkshire and Wiltshire) |width="25%" rowspan="2" align="center" | The Royal Berkshire Regiment
(Princess Charlotte of Wales's) | width="25%" align="center" | The 49th (Princess Charlotte of Wales's) (Hertfordshire) Regiment of Foot |- | width="25%" align="center" | The 66th (Berkshire) Regiment of Foot
66th (Berkshire) Regiment of Foot

The 66th Regiment of Foot was an infantry regiment of the British Army, formed in 1758 and amalgamated into The Princess Charlotte of Wales's in 1881....
|- | width ="25%" rowspan="2" align="center" | The Wiltshire Regiment
(Duke of Edinburgh's)
| width="25%" align="center" | The 62nd (Wiltshire) Regiment of Foot |- | width="25%" align="center" | The 99th Duke of Edinburgh's (Lanarkshire) Regiment of Foot
99th (Lanarkshire) Regiment of Foot

The 99th Regiment of Foot was an infantry regiment of the British Army, formed in 1824 and amalgamated into The Duke of Edinburgh's in 1881....
|- | width="25%" rowspan="4" align="center" | The Royal Green Jackets
Royal Green Jackets

The Royal Green Jackets was an infantry regiment of the British Army, one of two large regiment within the Light Division . It was formed in 1966 by the amalgamation of the three separate regiments of the Green Jackets Brigade:...
| width="25%" rowspan="2" align="center" | The Oxfordshire and Buckinghamshire Light Infantry
Oxfordshire and Buckinghamshire Light Infantry

The Oxfordshire and Buckinghamshire Light Infantry was an infantry regiment of the British Army.The regiment was formed as a consequence of Childers reforms of the armed forces, a continuation of the Cardwell reforms, by the amalgamation of the 43rd Regiment of Foot and the 52nd Regiment of Foot, forming the 1st and 2nd Battalions, The...
| width="25%" colspan="2" align="center" |
The 43rd (Monmouthshire) Regiment of Foot (Light Infantry)
43rd (Monmouthshire) Regiment of Foot

The 43rd Regiment of Foot was an infantry regiment of the British Army. It was raised as Thomas Fowke's Regiment of Foot in 1741, renamed the 54th Regiment of Foot in 1747, and became the 43rd Foot in 1751....
|- | width="25%" colspan="2" align="center" | The 52nd (Oxfordshire) Regiment of Foot (Light Infantry)
52nd (Oxfordshire) Regiment of Foot

The 52nd Regiment of Foot was a light infantry regiment of the British Army throughout much of the 18th and 19th centuries. The regiment first saw active service during the American Revolutionary War, and were posted to India during the Anglo-Mysore Wars....
|- | width="25%" colspan="3" align="center" | The King's Royal Rifle Corps
King's Royal Rifle Corps

The King's Royal Rifle Corps was a British Army infantry formation, originally raised in colonial North America as the Royal Americans, and recruited from American colonists....
|- | width="25%" colspan="3" align="center" | The Rifle Brigade (Prince Consort's Own)

See also

  • The Rifle Brigade
  • Pegasus Bridge
    Pegasus Bridge

    Pegasus Bridge is a bascule bridge over the Canal de Caen ? la Mer, near Ouistreham, France. The bridge, also known as the B?nouville, Calvados Bridge after the neighbouring village, was a major objective of Operation Tonga....
  • The Borneo Band of Durham Army Cadet Force


External links