Royal Gloucestershire, Berkshire and Wiltshire Regiment
Encyclopedia
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 regiment was unique in the British Army
in that it was permitted to wear the United States Distinguished Unit Citation
, which it inherited from the 1st Battalion, Gloucestershire Regiment which was awarded for their defence of Gloster Hill
during the Battle of the Imjin River
in April 1951 during the Korean War
.
It was also the only regiment in the British Army whose members were permitted to wear a cap badge
on both the front and the rear of their headdress. The back badge was awarded to the 28th Regiment of Foot for their actions at the Battle of Alexandria
in 1801 when the regiment fought on whilst completely surrounded by the enemy. During the Battle of the Imjin River
, during the Korean War, the 1st Battalion, Gloucestershire Regiment (the Glorious Glosters), and their mortar battery — numbering perhaps 750 men in total — again fought on when surrounded on Gloster Hill
by at least one Chinese division of 10,000 men.
Between 2002 and 2005, the 1st Battalion, Royal Gloucestershire, Berkshire and Wiltshire Regiment served as a public duties
battalion in London, where its duties included providing the Queen's Guard
. It was while the RGBW was on guard at Buckingham Palace
that the Fathers 4 Justice protest took place.
On 16 December 2004, it was announced that the Royal Gloucestershire, Berkshire and Wiltshire Regiment was to be disbanded - the Gloucestershire element, along with the Devonshire and Dorset Regiment
was to be merged with the Light Infantry
, while the Berkshire and Wiltshire elements would have merged with the Princess of Wales's Royal Regiment
. In March 2005, it was further announced that the de-amalgamation of the regiment would not take place; instead it would merge completely with the Devonshire and Dorset Regiment as 1st Battalion, Light Infantry. In preparation for this, the regiment was moved from the Prince of Wales' Division
to the Light Division
and renamed the Royal Gloucestershire, Berkshire and Wiltshire Light Infantry in July 2005.
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On 24 November 2005, the Ministry of Defence
announced further changes to the amalgamations. The regiment would still merge with the Devonshire and Dorset Regiment
resulting in a single battalion, however, they were now to join a new large regiment created by the amalgamation of The Light Infantry
and the Royal Green Jackets
. This new regiment was to be called The Rifles
and would be formed by the end of 2007. The battalion that will result from the merger of the Royal Gloucestershire, Berkshire and Wiltshire Regiment and the Devonshire and Dorset Regiment
will be designated 1st Battalion, The Rifles. On becoming part of a rifle regiment, the RGBW will no longer carry its colours
; the Colours of the 1st. Battalion will be laid up at The Soldiers of Gloucestershire Museum, Gloucester and the Colours of the 2nd Battalion will be laid up at the Wardrobe, home of The Rifles (Berkshire and Wiltshire) Museum, Salisbury.
- The Lincoln and Welland Regiment
- The Algonquin Regiment
- 11th/28th Battalion, The Royal Western Australia Regiment
- 13th Battalion, The Frontier Force Regiment
- 3rd Battalion, The Kenya Rifles - The Cape Town Rifles
- HMS Gloucester
Infantry
Infantrymen are soldiers who are specifically trained for the role of fighting on foot to engage the enemy face to face and have historically borne the brunt of the casualties of combat in wars. As the oldest branch of combat arms, they are the backbone of armies...
regiment
Regiment
A regiment is a major tactical military unit, composed of variable numbers of batteries, squadrons or battalions, commanded by a colonel or lieutenant colonel...
of the British Army
British Army
The British Army is the land warfare branch of Her Majesty's Armed Forces in the United Kingdom. It came into being with the unification of the Kingdom of England and Scotland into the Kingdom of Great Britain in 1707. The new British Army incorporated Regiments that had already existed in England...
.
It was formed in 1994 by the amalgamation of two English regiments.
- The Gloucestershire RegimentThe Gloucestershire RegimentThe Gloucestershire Regiment was an infantry regiment of the British Army. Nicknamed "The Glorious Glosters", the regiment carried more battle honours on their regimental colours than any other British Army line regiment.-Origins and early history:...
- The Duke of Edinburgh's Royal Regiment (Berkshire and Wiltshire)
The regiment was unique in the British Army
British Army
The British Army is the land warfare branch of Her Majesty's Armed Forces in the United Kingdom. It came into being with the unification of the Kingdom of England and Scotland into the Kingdom of Great Britain in 1707. The new British Army incorporated Regiments that had already existed in England...
in that it was permitted to wear the United States Distinguished Unit Citation
Presidential Unit Citation (US)
The Presidential Unit Citation, originally called the Distinguished Unit Citation, is awarded to units of the Armed Forces of the United States and allies for extraordinary heroism in action against an armed enemy on or after 7 December 1941...
, which it inherited from the 1st Battalion, Gloucestershire Regiment which was awarded for their defence of Gloster Hill
Gloster Hill
The Gloucester Valley Battle Monument is a memorial in South Korea that commemorates the actions of the Gloucestershire Regiment during the Battle of the Imjin River in 1951.-Hill 235:...
during the Battle of the Imjin River
Battle of the Imjin River
The Battle of the Imjin River, also known as the Battle of Kumgul-san, P'ap'yong-san and Solma-ri or the Battle of Xuemali , took place 22–25 April 1951 during the Korean War. Forces from People’s Republic of China attacked UN positions on the lower Imjin River in an attempt to achieve a...
in April 1951 during the Korean War
Korean War
The Korean War was a conventional war between South Korea, supported by the United Nations, and North Korea, supported by the People's Republic of China , with military material aid from the Soviet Union...
.
It was also the only regiment in the British Army whose members were permitted to wear a 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. The wearing of cap badges is a convention commonly found among military and police forces, as well as uniformed civilian groups such as the Boy...
on both the front and the rear of their headdress. The back badge was awarded to the 28th Regiment of Foot for their actions at the Battle of Alexandria
Battle of Alexandria
The Battle of Alexandria or Battle of Canope, fought on March 21, 1801 between the French army under General Menou and the British expeditionary corps under Sir Ralph Abercrombie, took place near the ruins of Nicopolis, on the narrow spit of land between the sea and Lake Abukir, along which the...
in 1801 when the regiment fought on whilst completely surrounded by the enemy. During the Battle of the Imjin River
Battle of the Imjin River
The Battle of the Imjin River, also known as the Battle of Kumgul-san, P'ap'yong-san and Solma-ri or the Battle of Xuemali , took place 22–25 April 1951 during the Korean War. Forces from People’s Republic of China attacked UN positions on the lower Imjin River in an attempt to achieve a...
, during the Korean War, the 1st Battalion, Gloucestershire Regiment (the Glorious Glosters), and their mortar battery — numbering perhaps 750 men in total — again fought on when surrounded on Gloster Hill
Gloster Hill
The Gloucester Valley Battle Monument is a memorial in South Korea that commemorates the actions of the Gloucestershire Regiment during the Battle of the Imjin River in 1951.-Hill 235:...
by at least one Chinese division of 10,000 men.
Between 2002 and 2005, the 1st Battalion, Royal Gloucestershire, Berkshire and Wiltshire Regiment served as a public duties
Public duties
Public duties are performed by military personnel, and usually have a ceremonial or historic significance rather than an overtly operational role.-Germany:...
battalion in London, where its duties included providing the Queen's Guard
Queen's Guard
The Queen's Guard and Queen's Life Guard are the names given to contingents of infantry and cavalry soldiers charged with guarding the official royal residences in London...
. It was while the RGBW was on guard at Buckingham Palace
Buckingham Palace
Buckingham Palace, in London, is the principal residence and office of the British monarch. Located in the City of Westminster, the palace is a setting for state occasions and royal hospitality...
that the Fathers 4 Justice protest took place.
On 16 December 2004, it was announced that the Royal Gloucestershire, Berkshire and Wiltshire Regiment was to be disbanded - the Gloucestershire element, along with 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...
was to be merged with 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:...
, while the Berkshire and Wiltshire elements would have merged with 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...
. In March 2005, it was further announced that the de-amalgamation of the regiment would not take place; instead it would merge completely with the Devonshire and Dorset Regiment as 1st Battalion, Light Infantry. In preparation for this, the regiment was moved from 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...
to 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...
and renamed the Royal Gloucestershire, Berkshire and Wiltshire Light Infantry in July 2005.
Ministry of Defence (United Kingdom)
The Ministry of Defence is the United Kingdom government department responsible for implementation of government defence policy and is the headquarters of the British Armed Forces....
announced further changes to the amalgamations. The regiment would still merge with 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...
resulting in a single battalion, however, they were now to join a new large regiment created by the amalgamation of 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 Royal Green Jackets
Royal Green Jackets
The Royal Green Jackets was an infantry regiment of the British Army, one of two "large regiments" within the Light Division .-History:...
. This new regiment was to be called 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...
and would be formed by the end of 2007. The battalion that will result from the merger of the Royal Gloucestershire, Berkshire and Wiltshire Regiment and 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...
will be designated 1st Battalion, The Rifles. On becoming part of a rifle regiment, the RGBW will no longer carry its colours
Colours, standards and guidons
In military organizations, the practice of carrying colours, standards or Guidons, both to act 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...
; the Colours of the 1st. Battalion will be laid up at The Soldiers of Gloucestershire Museum, Gloucester and the Colours of the 2nd Battalion will be laid up at the Wardrobe, home of The Rifles (Berkshire and Wiltshire) Museum, Salisbury.
Alliances
- The Royal Canadian RegimentThe Royal Canadian Regiment
The Royal Canadian Regiment is an infantry regiment of the Canadian Forces. The regiment consists of four battalions, three in the Regular Force and one in the Primary Reserve...
- 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 and Welland, Ontario.The Regimental Colonel-in-Chief is The Countess of Wessex and...
- 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.-Early period:...
- 11th/28th Battalion, The Royal Western Australia Regiment
11th/28th Battalion, Royal Western Australia Regiment
The 11th/28th Battalion, Royal Western Australia Regiment is a Reserve infantry battalion of the Australian Army. Located in Western Australia, it is one of the two battalions of the Royal Western Australia Regiment, and forms the infantry component of the 13th Brigade.-History:The 11th/28th...
- 13th Battalion, The Frontier Force Regiment
Frontier Force Regiment
For Pakistan's Border Guard see: Frontier CorpsThe Frontier Force Regiment is one of six Infantry regiments in the Pakistan Army. At present, the regiment consists of 67 battalions and has its regimental depot at Abbottabad in Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa. For that reason Abbottabad is also known as Home of...
- 3rd Battalion, The Kenya Rifles - 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 British Territorial Army or United States Army National Guard unit....
- HMS Gloucester
HMS Gloucester (D96)
HMS Gloucester was a Batch 3 Type 42 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 Gloucester was one of the modified last four of the class to be built, having a lengthened hull...