Royal Irish Regiment
Encyclopedia
The Royal Irish Regiment (27th (Inniskilling) 83rd and 87th and Ulster Defence Regiment) (R IRISH) is an infantry
unit of the British Army
.
proposals which recommended through the amalgamation of the Royal Irish Rangers
and the Ulster Defence Regiment
(UDR). Most of the membership of the new Regiment came from the UDR. This produced a regiment with eleven battalions:
The Home Service battalions, permanently based in Northern Ireland, filled the role formerly occupied by the UDR, conducting counter-terrorism
operations in Northern Ireland
under Operation BANNER
. The 1st and 2nd Battalions could serve worldwide as general service battalions.
Because of its size, the regiment was removed from the King's Division
and existed outside the divisions of infantry. In 1993, the two regular battalions were amalgamated as 1 R IRISH. In 2001, the number of Home Service battalions reduced to three:
, then serving as the TA battalion, was renamed as 2nd Battalion, Royal Irish Regiment. Today, the operational command of the Royal Irish Regiment encompasses:
Regimental Headquarters was, until Summer 2008, at St Patrick's Barracks, Ballymena
, and is now at Palace Barracks, Holywood
, Belfast
.
, and as the only remaining Irish
line infantry
regiment, it was decided to leave the Royal Irish Regiment as it was. This allowed a 'line infantry footprint' to remain in Northern Ireland
.
In Northern Ireland
the Regiment recruits from all sections of the community and both sides of the sectarian divide. In common with other line infantry regiments it has recruited many non-UK personnel, particularly from across the border in the Republic of Ireland
, which permits its citizens to enlist in the British forces, but forbids active recruiting.
The regiment also recruits from overseas countries such as South Africa
, Zimbabwe
, Fiji
and from around the Caribbean
.
role as part of 16 Air Assault Brigade. As part of this, the battalion moved from Fort George
, Inverness
to Tern Hill in 2007. In September 2008 the battalion completed a tour in the Operational Mentoring and Liaison role in Afghanistan
(Op HERRICK VIII) and returned to Shropshire, following which it became the first unit in the Army to receive three Conspicuous Gallantry Crosses (CGC) in a single operation. The Battalion has since deployed again to Afghanistan with 16 Air Assault in HERRICK XIII.
(IRA) announced an end to its armed campaign in the summer of 2005. In response the United Kingdom government announced military cuts which included the Royal Irish Regiment. Having played a significant role in creating the environment for normalisation the Home Service Battalions of the Regiment were told that they would be disbanded. In March 2006, a redundancy package was announced and they ceased to be operational in October that year. On 1 August 2007 Operation BANNER, the military support to the civilian police (the Police Service of Northern Ireland
, PSNI) in Northern Ireland ended, and the three HS battalions were disbanded.
Adam Ingram
, Armed Forces Minister said:
Regimental Colonel
Mark Campbell said 'The end of Operation BANNER
(the military operation in support of the Police Service of Northern Ireland) reflects the success of the home service whose men and women have played a significant role in bringing Northern Ireland to the far more peaceful circumstances it enjoys today.'
The home service battalions were awarded the Conspicuous Gallantry Cross
(CGC) by HM The Queen
in Belfast
, on 6 October 2006. It is the first time the gallantry decoration, second in precedence only to the Victoria Cross
, has been awarded to a military unit rather than to an individual member of the armed forces
.
The 1st Battalion, other than accepting transfers of willing Home Service soldiers into its Order of battle
, was unaffected by these disbandments. As part of the reduction of Army strength in Northern Ireland to a conventional garrison, the RHQ in Ballymena
was designated for closure. It closed in the Summer of 2008, with Royal Irish RHQ moving to Palace Barracks in Belfast. The Royal Irish band, the largest musical ensemble in the British Army
, has been transferred to the Territorial Army.
. They served with 1 R IRISH during the ground war in 2003 and, inter alia, the Princess of Wales's Royal Regiment
(PWRR) in Al Amarrah and in other areas of Iraq with 1 R IRISH and The London Regiment. With 1 R IRISH now back as part of 16 Air Assault Brigade, the newly titled 2nd Battalion are now trained for a more operational role commitment, in support of their regular counterparts as Air Assault Infantry. A formed company (Imjin Company)of 2 R IRISH was part of the R IRISH Battlegroup (BG) in Helmand in HERRICK VIII while over 80 members of 2 R IRISH served with 1 R IRISH in HERRICK XIII in 2010-11
. This Brigade is one of two British light brigades, designed to be capable of rapidly deploying to trouble spots around the world.
In 2000 in Sierra Leone
, while deployed to train government troops, eleven Royal Irish soldiers and their local army liaison officer, were kidnapped by the West Side Boys
insurgents. Five hostages were later released and the remaining six were freed by the Special Air Service
and The Parachute Regiment during Operation BARRAS
, with the West Side Boys suffering severe casualties in the action.
1 R IRISH deployed to Iraq
at the beginning of Operation Telic
in March 2003, where they carried out operations in the south of the country. Its now-retired Commanding Officer
, Lt Col Tim Collins was honoured with an Order of the British Empire
for distinguished service.
1 R IRISH returned from six months in Iraq on Op TELIC 6/7 where they served in the Shaibah Logistics Base near Basra. Although the majority of the Battalion was deployed around the MND(SE) area a single Company was deployed to Baghdad.
Three platoons of 1 R IRISH (Barrosa, Somme and Ranger Platoons) deployed to Afghanistan in 2006, as part of 16 Air Assault Brigade and supported 3rd Parachute Regiment, later forming E Coy 3 PARA. They were involved in some of the heaviest fighting during HERRICK VI. Lance Corporal Paul Muirhead, Lance Corporal Luke McCulloch and Ranger Anare Draiva lost their lives to enemy fire during HERRICK VI.
1 R IRISH and 2 R IRISH deployed to Afghanistan in 2008, as part of 16 Air Assault Brigade. 1 R IRISH provided Operational and Liaison Teams (OLMT) to assist in training the Afgahn National Army (ANA) and Afghan National Police (ANP), and 2 R IRISH were the first Territorial Army company strength grouping to provide OLMT training from NATO forces. They were also the first TA Company to fully man Forward Operating Bases (FOBs) within the green zone. One Company attached to 2 PARA, named Ranger Company, undertook offensive operations in the Sangin area of Helmand Province. 1 R IRISH lost Ranger Cupples to an improvised explosive device (IED)HERRICK VIII.
1 and 2 R IRISH again deployed with 16 Air Assault Brigade to Afghanistan on HERRICK XIII from September 2010. Based in the southern part of Helmand, they lost three soldiers during their operational tour.
and Memorial Scrolls have been issued to the families of Royal Irish personnel.
in Afghanistan
, a new Regimental March, composed by Chris Attrill and commissioned by Larne Borough Council
, was gifted to the regiment on Saturday 1 November 2008 in Larne
, County Antrim
during an event in which the regiment was also presented with the 'Freedom of the Borough'. This gives the regiment the right to march through the town with 'flags flying, bands playing and bayonets fixed'. The March was named, 'Musa Qala'.
| align="center" colspan="4"|Lineage
|-
| width="25%" rowspan="20" align="center" | Royal Irish Regiment (27th (Inniskilling) 83rd and 87th and Ulster Defence Regiment)
| width="25%" rowspan="6" align="center"| The Royal Irish Rangers (27th (Inniskilling) 83rd and 87th)
| width="25%" rowspan="2" align="center"| The Royal Inniskilling Fusiliers
| width="25%" align="center"| The 27th (Inniskilling) Regiment of Foot
|-
| width="25%" align="center"| The 108th Regiment of Foot (Madras Infantry)
|-
| width="25%" rowspan="2" align="center"| The Royal Ulster Rifles
| width="25%" align="center"| 83rd (County of Dublin) Regiment of Foot
|-
| width="25%" align="center"| The 86th (Royal County Down) Regiment of Foot
|-
| width="25%" rowspan="2" align="center"| The Royal Irish Fusiliers (Princess Victoria's)
| width="25%" align="center"| The 87th (Royal Irish Fusiliers) Regiment of Foot
|-
| width="25%" align="center"| The 89th (The Princess Victoria's) Regiment of Foot
|-
| width="25%" colspan="3" align="center" | The Ulster Defence Regiment
- The Princess Louise Fusiliers
- 2nd Battalion, The Irish Regiment of Canada
- Adelaide University Regiment - The Canterbury, and Nelson-Marlborough and West Coast Regiment - The South African Irish Regiment
- The Royal Gibraltar Regiment - 1st Battalion, The Punjab Regiment
- 9th Battalion, The Frontier Force Regiment
- HMS Bulwark
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...
unit 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...
.
1992 creation
With an antecedence reaching back to 1689, the regiment was formed in 1992. The creation followed the Options for ChangeOptions for Change
Options for Change was a restructuring of the British Armed Forces in 1990, aimed at cutting defence spending following the end of the Cold War....
proposals which recommended through the amalgamation of the Royal Irish Rangers
Royal Irish Rangers
The Royal Irish Rangers was a regular infantry regiment of the British Army.-Creation:...
and the Ulster Defence Regiment
Ulster Defence Regiment
The Ulster Defence Regiment was an infantry regiment of the British Army which became operational in 1970, formed on similar lines to other British reserve forces but with the operational role of defence of life or property in Northern Ireland against armed attack or sabotage...
(UDR). Most of the membership of the new Regiment came from the UDR. This produced a regiment with eleven battalions:
- Regular ArmyRegular ArmyThe Regular Army of the United States was and is the successor to the Continental Army as the country's permanent, professional military establishment. Even in modern times the professional core of the United States Army continues to be called the Regular Army...
- General Service- 1st Battalion, Royal Irish Regiment
- 2nd Battalion, Royal Irish Regiment
- Territorial Army
- 4th Battalion, Royal Irish Rangers
- 5th Battalion, Royal Irish Rangers
- Regular Army — Northern Ireland Resident Battalions (Home Service)
- 3rd (County DownCounty Down-Cities:*Belfast *Newry -Large towns:*Dundonald*Newtownards*Bangor-Medium towns:...
) Battalion, Royal Irish Regiment - 4th (County FermanaghCounty FermanaghFermanagh District Council is the only one of the 26 district councils in Northern Ireland that contains all of the county it is named after. The district council also contains a small section of County Tyrone in the Dromore and Kilskeery road areas....
and County TyroneCounty TyroneHistorically Tyrone stretched as far north as Lough Foyle, and comprised part of modern day County Londonderry east of the River Foyle. The majority of County Londonderry was carved out of Tyrone between 1610-1620 when that land went to the Guilds of London to set up profit making schemes based on...
) Battalion, Royal Irish Regiment - 5th (County LondonderryCounty LondonderryThe place name Derry is an anglicisation of the old Irish Daire meaning oak-grove or oak-wood. As with the city, its name is subject to the Derry/Londonderry name dispute, with the form Derry preferred by nationalists and Londonderry preferred by unionists...
) Battalion, Royal Irish Regiment - 6th (County ArmaghCounty Armagh-History:Ancient Armagh was the territory of the Ulaid before the fourth century AD. It was ruled by the Red Branch, whose capital was Emain Macha near Armagh. The site, and subsequently the city, were named after the goddess Macha...
) Battalion, Royal Irish Regiment - 7th (City of BelfastBelfastBelfast is the capital of and largest city in Northern Ireland. By population, it is the 14th biggest city in the United Kingdom and second biggest on the island of Ireland . It is the seat of the devolved government and legislative Northern Ireland Assembly...
) Battalion, Royal Irish Regiment - 8th (County TyroneCounty TyroneHistorically Tyrone stretched as far north as Lough Foyle, and comprised part of modern day County Londonderry east of the River Foyle. The majority of County Londonderry was carved out of Tyrone between 1610-1620 when that land went to the Guilds of London to set up profit making schemes based on...
) Battalion, Royal Irish Regiment - 9th (County AntrimCounty AntrimCounty Antrim is one of six counties that form Northern Ireland, situated in the north-east of the island of Ireland. Adjoined to the north-east shore of Lough Neagh, the county covers an area of 2,844 km², with a population of approximately 616,000...
) Battalion, Royal Irish Regiment
- 3rd (County Down
The Home Service battalions, permanently based in Northern Ireland, filled the role formerly occupied by the UDR, conducting counter-terrorism
Counter-terrorism
Counter-terrorism is the practices, tactics, techniques, and strategies that governments, militaries, police departments and corporations adopt to prevent or in response to terrorist threats and/or acts, both real and imputed.The tactic of terrorism is available to insurgents and governments...
operations in Northern Ireland
Northern Ireland
Northern Ireland is one of the four countries of the United Kingdom. Situated in the north-east of the island of Ireland, it shares a border with the Republic of Ireland to the south and west...
under Operation BANNER
Operation Banner
Operation Banner was the operational name for the British Armed Forces' operation in Northern Ireland from August 1969 to July 2007. It was initially deployed at the request of the Unionist government of Northern Ireland to support the Royal Ulster Constabulary . After the 1998 Belfast Agreement,...
. The 1st and 2nd Battalions could serve worldwide as general service battalions.
Because of its size, the regiment was removed from the King's Division
King's Division
The King's Division is a British Army command, training and administrative apparatus designated for infantry regiments in the North of England. The King's Division was formed in 1968 with the union of the Lancastrian Brigade, Yorkshire Brigade and North Irish Brigade...
and existed outside the divisions of infantry. In 1993, the two regular battalions were amalgamated as 1 R IRISH. In 2001, the number of Home Service battalions reduced to three:
- 2nd Battalion — amalgamation of 7th and 9th Battalions
- 3rd Battalion — amalgamation of 3rd and 6th Battalions
- 4th Battalion — amalgamation of 4th and 5th Battalions
Current organisation
In 2005, the government announced the end of Operation BANNER, and with it the disbandment of the Home Service battalions. These were declared non-operational in October 2006, and disbanded in July 2007. At the same time, the Royal Irish RangersRoyal Irish Rangers
The Royal Irish Rangers was a regular infantry regiment of the British Army.-Creation:...
, then serving as the TA battalion, was renamed as 2nd Battalion, Royal Irish Regiment. Today, the operational command of the Royal Irish Regiment encompasses:
- 1st Battalion — general service
- 2nd Battalion - Territorial Army
- B (North Irish HorseNorth Irish HorseThe North Irish Horse is a yeomanry unit of the British Territorial Army raised in the northern counties of Ireland in the aftermath of the Second Boer War...
) Squadron, Queen's Own YeomanryQueen's Own YeomanryThe Queen's Own Yeomanry is an armoured regiment of the British Territorial Army. The Queen's Own Yeomanry is the only Yeomanry regiment that serves in the formation reconnaissance role, equipped with the CVR family of armoured reconnaissance vehicles, including Scimitar and Spartan.On...
- Territorial Army (a Royal Armoured CorpsRoyal Armoured CorpsThe Royal Armoured Corps is currently a collection of ten regular regiments, mostly converted from old horse cavalry regiments, and four Yeomanry regiments of the Territorial Army...
squadron under the operational command of the 2nd Battalion)
- B (North Irish Horse
Regimental Headquarters was, until Summer 2008, at St Patrick's Barracks, Ballymena
Ballymena
Ballymena is a large town in County Antrim, Northern Ireland and the seat of Ballymena Borough Council. Ballymena had a population of 28,717 people in the 2001 Census....
, and is now at Palace Barracks, Holywood
Palace Barracks, Holywood
Palace Barracks, Holywood is a British military barracks in Holywood, County Down, Northern Ireland.It has been the Regimental Headquarters of the Royal Irish Regiment since 2008....
, Belfast
Belfast
Belfast is the capital of and largest city in Northern Ireland. By population, it is the 14th biggest city in the United Kingdom and second biggest on the island of Ireland . It is the seat of the devolved government and legislative Northern Ireland Assembly...
.
Restructuring
In 2004, a major restructuring of the infantry was announced. It recommended, inter alia, that all the remaining single battalion infantry regiments would be amalgamated. Under normal circumstances, this would have put the Royal Irish Regiment at risk but because of its unique status providing the home defence for Northern IrelandNorthern Ireland
Northern Ireland is one of the four countries of the United Kingdom. Situated in the north-east of the island of Ireland, it shares a border with the Republic of Ireland to the south and west...
, and as the only remaining Irish
Ireland
Ireland is an island to the northwest of continental Europe. It is the third-largest island in Europe and the twentieth-largest island on Earth...
line infantry
Line infantry
Line infantry is a type of infantry which composed the basis of European land armies from the middle of the 17th century to the middle of the 19th century....
regiment, it was decided to leave the Royal Irish Regiment as it was. This allowed a 'line infantry footprint' to remain in Northern Ireland
Northern Ireland
Northern Ireland is one of the four countries of the United Kingdom. Situated in the north-east of the island of Ireland, it shares a border with the Republic of Ireland to the south and west...
.
In Northern Ireland
Northern Ireland
Northern Ireland is one of the four countries of the United Kingdom. Situated in the north-east of the island of Ireland, it shares a border with the Republic of Ireland to the south and west...
the Regiment recruits from all sections of the community and both sides of the sectarian divide. In common with other line infantry regiments it has recruited many non-UK personnel, particularly from across the border in the Republic of Ireland
Republic of Ireland
Ireland , described as the Republic of Ireland , is a sovereign state in Europe occupying approximately five-sixths of the island of the same name. Its capital is Dublin. Ireland, which had a population of 4.58 million in 2011, is a constitutional republic governed as a parliamentary democracy,...
, which permits its citizens to enlist in the British forces, but forbids active recruiting.
The regiment also recruits from overseas countries such as South Africa
South Africa
The Republic of South Africa is a country in southern Africa. Located at the southern tip of Africa, it is divided into nine provinces, with of coastline on the Atlantic and Indian oceans...
, Zimbabwe
Zimbabwe
Zimbabwe is a landlocked country located in the southern part of the African continent, between the Zambezi and Limpopo rivers. It is bordered by South Africa to the south, Botswana to the southwest, Zambia and a tip of Namibia to the northwest and Mozambique to the east. Zimbabwe has three...
, Fiji
Fiji
Fiji , officially the Republic of Fiji , is an island nation in Melanesia in the South Pacific Ocean about northeast of New Zealand's North Island...
and from around the Caribbean
Caribbean
The Caribbean is a crescent-shaped group of islands more than 2,000 miles long separating the Gulf of Mexico and the Caribbean Sea, to the west and south, from the Atlantic Ocean, to the east and north...
.
1st Battalion
The 1st Battalion, as part of the restructuring of the infantry, has assumed a fixed role as a light role battalion, rotating with two other line infantry/rifles battalions in the air assaultAir assault
Air assault is the movement of ground-based military forces by vertical take-off and landing aircraft—such as the helicopter—to seize and hold key terrain which has not been fully secured, and to directly engage enemy forces...
role as part of 16 Air Assault Brigade. As part of this, the battalion moved from Fort George
Fort George, Highland
Fort George , is a large 18th century fortress near Ardersier, to the north-east of Inverness in the Highland council area of Scotland. It was built to pacify the Scottish Highlands in the aftermath of the Jacobite rising of 1745, replacing an earlier Fort George built with the same aim after the...
, Inverness
Inverness
Inverness is a city in the Scottish Highlands. It is the administrative centre for the Highland council area, and is regarded as the capital of the Highlands of Scotland...
to Tern Hill in 2007. In September 2008 the battalion completed a tour in the Operational Mentoring and Liaison role in Afghanistan
Afghanistan
Afghanistan , officially the Islamic Republic of Afghanistan, is a landlocked country located in the centre of Asia, forming South Asia, Central Asia and the Middle East. With a population of about 29 million, it has an area of , making it the 42nd most populous and 41st largest nation in the world...
(Op HERRICK VIII) and returned to Shropshire, following which it became the first unit in the Army to receive three Conspicuous Gallantry Crosses (CGC) in a single operation. The Battalion has since deployed again to Afghanistan with 16 Air Assault in HERRICK XIII.
Northern Ireland Resident Battalions (Home Service)
The Provisional Irish Republican ArmyProvisional Irish Republican Army
The Provisional Irish Republican Army is an Irish republican paramilitary organisation whose aim was to remove Northern Ireland from the United Kingdom and bring about a socialist republic within a united Ireland by force of arms and political persuasion...
(IRA) announced an end to its armed campaign in the summer of 2005. In response the United Kingdom government announced military cuts which included the Royal Irish Regiment. Having played a significant role in creating the environment for normalisation the Home Service Battalions of the Regiment were told that they would be disbanded. In March 2006, a redundancy package was announced and they ceased to be operational in October that year. On 1 August 2007 Operation BANNER, the military support to the civilian police (the Police Service of Northern Ireland
Police Service of Northern Ireland
The Police Service of Northern Ireland is the police force that serves Northern Ireland. It is the successor to the Royal Ulster Constabulary which, in turn, was the successor to the Royal Irish Constabulary in Northern Ireland....
, PSNI) in Northern Ireland ended, and the three HS battalions were disbanded.
Adam Ingram
Adam Ingram (Labour politician)
Adam Paterson Ingram is a British Labour Party politician, who was the Member of Parliament for East Kilbride, Strathaven and Lesmahagow from 1987 to 2010.-Early life:...
, Armed Forces Minister said:
Regimental Colonel
Colonel (UK)
Colonel is a rank of the British forces, ranking below Brigadier, and above Lieutenant Colonel. British Colonels are not usually field commanders; typically they serve as staff officers between field commands at battalion and brigade level. The insignia is two diamond shaped pips below a crown...
Mark Campbell said 'The end of Operation BANNER
Operation Banner
Operation Banner was the operational name for the British Armed Forces' operation in Northern Ireland from August 1969 to July 2007. It was initially deployed at the request of the Unionist government of Northern Ireland to support the Royal Ulster Constabulary . After the 1998 Belfast Agreement,...
(the military operation in support of the Police Service of Northern Ireland) reflects the success of the home service whose men and women have played a significant role in bringing Northern Ireland to the far more peaceful circumstances it enjoys today.'
Conspicuous Gallantry Cross
The Conspicuous Gallantry Cross is a second level military decoration of the United Kingdom armed forces. Created in 1993 and first awarded in 1995, it was instituted after a review of the British honours system to remove distinctions of rank in the awarding of gallantry decorations...
(CGC) by HM The Queen
Elizabeth II of the United Kingdom
Elizabeth II is the constitutional monarch of 16 sovereign states known as the Commonwealth realms: the United Kingdom, Canada, Australia, New Zealand, Jamaica, Barbados, the Bahamas, Grenada, Papua New Guinea, the Solomon Islands, Tuvalu, Saint Lucia, Saint Vincent and the Grenadines, Belize,...
in Belfast
Belfast
Belfast is the capital of and largest city in Northern Ireland. By population, it is the 14th biggest city in the United Kingdom and second biggest on the island of Ireland . It is the seat of the devolved government and legislative Northern Ireland Assembly...
, on 6 October 2006. It is the first time the gallantry decoration, second in precedence only to the Victoria Cross
Victoria Cross
The Victoria Cross is the highest military decoration awarded for valour "in the face of the enemy" to members of the armed forces of various Commonwealth countries, and previous British Empire territories....
, has been awarded to a military unit rather than to an individual member of the armed forces
Armed forces
The armed forces of a country are its government-sponsored defense, fighting forces, and organizations. They exist to further the foreign and domestic policies of their governing body, and to defend that body and the nation it represents from external aggressors. In some countries paramilitary...
.
The 1st Battalion, other than accepting transfers of willing Home Service soldiers into its Order of battle
Order of battle
In modern use, the order of battle is the identification, command structure, strength, and disposition of personnel, equipment, and units of an armed force participating in field operations. Various abbreviations are in use, including OOB, O/B, or OB, while ORBAT remains the most common in the...
, was unaffected by these disbandments. As part of the reduction of Army strength in Northern Ireland to a conventional garrison, the RHQ in Ballymena
Ballymena
Ballymena is a large town in County Antrim, Northern Ireland and the seat of Ballymena Borough Council. Ballymena had a population of 28,717 people in the 2001 Census....
was designated for closure. It closed in the Summer of 2008, with Royal Irish RHQ moving to Palace Barracks in Belfast. The Royal Irish band, the largest musical ensemble 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...
, has been transferred to the Territorial Army.
The 2nd Battalion (previously The Rangers)
Individual members of the Rangers served on operations in Op TELIC in IraqIraq
Iraq ; officially the Republic of Iraq is a country in Western Asia spanning most of the northwestern end of the Zagros mountain range, the eastern part of the Syrian Desert and the northern part of the Arabian Desert....
. They served with 1 R IRISH during the ground war in 2003 and, inter alia, 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...
(PWRR) in Al Amarrah and in other areas of Iraq with 1 R IRISH and The London Regiment. With 1 R IRISH now back as part of 16 Air Assault Brigade, the newly titled 2nd Battalion are now trained for a more operational role commitment, in support of their regular counterparts as Air Assault Infantry. A formed company (Imjin Company)of 2 R IRISH was part of the R IRISH Battlegroup (BG) in Helmand in HERRICK VIII while over 80 members of 2 R IRISH served with 1 R IRISH in HERRICK XIII in 2010-11
Recent deployments
The 1st Battalion is currently part of 16 Air Assault BrigadeBritish 16 Air Assault Brigade
16 Air Assault Brigade is a formation of the British Army based in Colchester in the county of Essex. It is the Army's rapid response airborne formation and is the only Operational Brigade in the British Army capable of delivering Air Manoeuvre, Air Assault and Airborne operations.It was formed as...
. This Brigade is one of two British light brigades, designed to be capable of rapidly deploying to trouble spots around the world.
In 2000 in Sierra Leone
Sierra Leone
Sierra Leone , officially the Republic of Sierra Leone, is a country in West Africa. It is bordered by Guinea to the north and east, Liberia to the southeast, and the Atlantic Ocean to the west and southwest. Sierra Leone covers a total area of and has an estimated population between 5.4 and 6.4...
, while deployed to train government troops, eleven Royal Irish soldiers and their local army liaison officer, were kidnapped by the West Side Boys
West Side Boys
The West Side Boys aka West Side Niggaz or West Side Junglers, were an armed group in Sierra Leone, sometimes described as a splinter faction of the Armed Forces Revolutionary Council....
insurgents. Five hostages were later released and the remaining six were freed by the Special Air Service
Special Air Service
Special Air Service or SAS is a corps of the British Army constituted on 31 May 1950. They are part of the United Kingdom Special Forces and have served as a model for the special forces of many other countries all over the world...
and The Parachute Regiment during Operation BARRAS
Operation Barras
Operation Barras was the name given to a hostage rescue operation by the British Special Air Service, Special Boat Service, and Parachute Regiment in Sierra Leone on 10 September 2000...
, with the West Side Boys suffering severe casualties in the action.
1 R IRISH deployed to Iraq
Iraq
Iraq ; officially the Republic of Iraq is a country in Western Asia spanning most of the northwestern end of the Zagros mountain range, the eastern part of the Syrian Desert and the northern part of the Arabian Desert....
at the beginning of Operation Telic
Operation Telic
Operation TELIC was the codename under which all British military operations in Iraq were conducted between the start of the Invasion of Iraq on 19 March 2003 and the withdrawal of the last remaining British forces on 22 May 2011...
in March 2003, where they carried out operations in the south of the country. Its now-retired Commanding Officer
Commanding officer
The commanding officer is the officer in command of a military unit. Typically, the commanding officer has ultimate authority over the unit, and is usually given wide latitude to run the unit as he sees fit, within the bounds of military law...
, Lt Col Tim Collins was honoured with an Order of the British Empire
Order of the British Empire
The Most Excellent Order of the British Empire is an order of chivalry established on 4 June 1917 by George V of the United Kingdom. The Order comprises five classes in civil and military divisions...
for distinguished service.
1 R IRISH returned from six months in Iraq on Op TELIC 6/7 where they served in the Shaibah Logistics Base near Basra. Although the majority of the Battalion was deployed around the MND(SE) area a single Company was deployed to Baghdad.
Three platoons of 1 R IRISH (Barrosa, Somme and Ranger Platoons) deployed to Afghanistan in 2006, as part of 16 Air Assault Brigade and supported 3rd Parachute Regiment, later forming E Coy 3 PARA. They were involved in some of the heaviest fighting during HERRICK VI. Lance Corporal Paul Muirhead, Lance Corporal Luke McCulloch and Ranger Anare Draiva lost their lives to enemy fire during HERRICK VI.
1 R IRISH and 2 R IRISH deployed to Afghanistan in 2008, as part of 16 Air Assault Brigade. 1 R IRISH provided Operational and Liaison Teams (OLMT) to assist in training the Afgahn National Army (ANA) and Afghan National Police (ANP), and 2 R IRISH were the first Territorial Army company strength grouping to provide OLMT training from NATO forces. They were also the first TA Company to fully man Forward Operating Bases (FOBs) within the green zone. One Company attached to 2 PARA, named Ranger Company, undertook offensive operations in the Sangin area of Helmand Province. 1 R IRISH lost Ranger Cupples to an improvised explosive device (IED)HERRICK VIII.
1 and 2 R IRISH again deployed with 16 Air Assault Brigade to Afghanistan on HERRICK XIII from September 2010. Based in the southern part of Helmand, they lost three soldiers during their operational tour.
Iraq
- Corporal Trevor Raywood Coult, Military CrossMilitary CrossThe Military Cross is the third-level military decoration awarded to officers and other ranks of the British Armed Forces; and formerly also to officers of other Commonwealth countries....
- Lieutenant Richard Gordon Deane, Military CrossMilitary CrossThe Military Cross is the third-level military decoration awarded to officers and other ranks of the British Armed Forces; and formerly also to officers of other Commonwealth countries....
. Deane was attached to 1 Princess of Wales's Royal RegimentPrincess 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...
and the Platoon Commander of Johnson BeharryJohnson BeharryLance Corporal Johnson Gideon Beharry VC of the 1st Battalion, Princess of Wales's Royal Regiment, is a British Army soldier who, on 18 March 2005, was awarded the Victoria Cross, the highest military decoration for valour in the British and Commonwealth armed forces, for twice saving members of...
, Victoria CrossVictoria CrossThe Victoria Cross is the highest military decoration awarded for valour "in the face of the enemy" to members of the armed forces of various Commonwealth countries, and previous British Empire territories....
.
Afghanistan
- Acting Sergeant Alwyn John Stevens, Conspicuous Gallantry CrossConspicuous Gallantry CrossThe Conspicuous Gallantry Cross is a second level military decoration of the United Kingdom armed forces. Created in 1993 and first awarded in 1995, it was instituted after a review of the British honours system to remove distinctions of rank in the awarding of gallantry decorations...
- Corporal Robert William Kerr McClurg, Conspicuous Gallantry CrossConspicuous Gallantry CrossThe Conspicuous Gallantry Cross is a second level military decoration of the United Kingdom armed forces. Created in 1993 and first awarded in 1995, it was instituted after a review of the British honours system to remove distinctions of rank in the awarding of gallantry decorations...
- Lance Corporal Jone Bruce Toge, Conspicuous Gallantry CrossConspicuous Gallantry CrossThe Conspicuous Gallantry Cross is a second level military decoration of the United Kingdom armed forces. Created in 1993 and first awarded in 1995, it was instituted after a review of the British honours system to remove distinctions of rank in the awarding of gallantry decorations...
- Captain Douglas Ricardo Beattie, Military CrossMilitary CrossThe Military Cross is the third-level military decoration awarded to officers and other ranks of the British Armed Forces; and formerly also to officers of other Commonwealth countries....
- Captain David Bradley Rainey, Military CrossMilitary CrossThe Military Cross is the third-level military decoration awarded to officers and other ranks of the British Armed Forces; and formerly also to officers of other Commonwealth countries....
- Sergeant Stephen McConnell, Military CrossMilitary CrossThe Military Cross is the third-level military decoration awarded to officers and other ranks of the British Armed Forces; and formerly also to officers of other Commonwealth countries....
- Ranger Alan William Owens, Military CrossMilitary CrossThe Military Cross is the third-level military decoration awarded to officers and other ranks of the British Armed Forces; and formerly also to officers of other Commonwealth countries....
*
Elizabeth Cross and Memorial Scrolls
Up to May 2010, 32 Elizabeth CrossElizabeth Cross
The Elizabeth Cross is a commemorative emblem given to the recognised next of kin of members of the British Armed Forces killed in action or as a result of a terrorist attack after the Second World War...
and Memorial Scrolls have been issued to the families of Royal Irish personnel.
Other information
In memory of a conflict, in 2006, involving the regiment in a battle in the town of Musa QalaMusa Qala
Musa Qala is a town and the district center of Musa Qala District in Helmand Province, Afghanistan, at and at 1043 m altitude in the valley of Musa Qala River in the central western part of the district. Its population has been reported in the British press to be both 2,000 and 20,000...
in Afghanistan
Afghanistan
Afghanistan , officially the Islamic Republic of Afghanistan, is a landlocked country located in the centre of Asia, forming South Asia, Central Asia and the Middle East. With a population of about 29 million, it has an area of , making it the 42nd most populous and 41st largest nation in the world...
, a new Regimental March, composed by Chris Attrill and commissioned by Larne Borough Council
Larne Borough Council
Larne Borough Council is a Local Council in County Antrim in Northern Ireland. Its headquarters is in the town of Larne and the population of the area is nearly 31,000...
, was gifted to the regiment on Saturday 1 November 2008 in Larne
Larne
Larne is a substantial seaport and industrial market town on the east coast of County Antrim, Northern Ireland with a population of 18,228 people in the 2001 Census. As of 2011, there are about 31,000 residents in the greater Larne area. It has been used as a seaport for over 1,000 years, and is...
, County Antrim
County Antrim
County Antrim is one of six counties that form Northern Ireland, situated in the north-east of the island of Ireland. Adjoined to the north-east shore of Lough Neagh, the county covers an area of 2,844 km², with a population of approximately 616,000...
during an event in which the regiment was also presented with the 'Freedom of the Borough'. This gives the regiment the right to march through the town with 'flags flying, bands playing and bayonets fixed'. The March was named, 'Musa Qala'.
Order of precedence
Lineage
|-style="text-align: center; background: #c4df9b;"| align="center" colspan="4"|Lineage
|-
| width="25%" rowspan="20" align="center" | Royal Irish Regiment (27th (Inniskilling) 83rd and 87th and Ulster Defence Regiment)
| width="25%" rowspan="6" align="center"| The Royal Irish Rangers (27th (Inniskilling) 83rd and 87th)
Royal Irish Rangers
The Royal Irish Rangers was a regular infantry regiment of the British Army.-Creation:...
| width="25%" rowspan="2" align="center"| The Royal Inniskilling Fusiliers
Royal Inniskilling Fusiliers
The Royal Inniskilling Fusiliers was a Irish infantry regiment of the British Army formed in 1881 by the amalgamation of the 27th Regiment of Foot and the 108th Regiment of Foot...
| width="25%" align="center"| The 27th (Inniskilling) Regiment of Foot
27th (Inniskilling) Regiment of Foot
The 27th Regiment of Foot was an Irish infantry regiment of the British Army, formed in 1689 and amalgamated into The Royal Inniskilling Fusiliers in 1881.- History :...
|-
| width="25%" align="center"| The 108th Regiment of Foot (Madras Infantry)
108th Regiment of Foot (Madras Infantry)
The 108th Regiment of Foot was an infantry regiment of the British Army from 1862 to 1881, when it was amalgamated into The Royal Inniskilling Fusiliers....
|-
| width="25%" rowspan="2" align="center"| The Royal Ulster Rifles
Royal Ulster Rifles
The Royal Ulster Rifles was a British Army infantry regiment. It saw service in the Second Boer War, Great War, the Second World War and the Korean War, before being amalgamated into the Royal Irish Rangers in 1968.-History:...
| width="25%" align="center"| 83rd (County of Dublin) Regiment of Foot
83rd (County of Dublin) Regiment of Foot
The 83rd Regiment of Foot was a British Army line infantry regiment. During the Childers Reforms it was united with the 86th Regiment of Foot to form the Royal Ulster Rifles.-Service history:...
|-
| width="25%" align="center"| The 86th (Royal County Down) Regiment of Foot
86th (Royal County Down) Regiment of Foot
The 86th Regiment of Foot was an infantry regiment of the British Army, formed in 1793 and amalgamated into The Royal Irish Rifles following the Childers Reforms in 1881....
|-
| width="25%" rowspan="2" align="center"| The Royal Irish Fusiliers (Princess Victoria's)
Royal Irish Fusiliers
The Royal Irish Fusiliers was an Irish infantry regiment of the British Army, formed by the amalgamation of the 87th Regiment of Foot and the 89th Regiment of Foot in 1881. The regiment's first title in 1881 was Princess Victoria's , changed in 1920 to The Royal Irish Fusiliers...
| width="25%" align="center"| The 87th (Royal Irish Fusiliers) Regiment of Foot
87th (Royal Irish Fusiliers) Regiment of Foot
The 87th Regiment of Foot was an infantry regiment of the British Army, formed in 1793 and amalgamated into the Princess Victoria's in 1881....
|-
| width="25%" align="center"| The 89th (The Princess Victoria's) Regiment of Foot
|-
| width="25%" colspan="3" align="center" | The Ulster Defence Regiment
Ulster Defence Regiment
The Ulster Defence Regiment was an infantry regiment of the British Army which became operational in 1970, formed on similar lines to other British reserve forces but with the operational role of defence of life or property in Northern Ireland against armed attack or sabotage...
Alliances
- 101st Airborne Division101st Airborne Division
The 101st Airborne Division—the "Screaming Eagles"—is a U.S. Army modular light infantry division trained for air assault operations. During World War II, it was renowned for its role in Operation Overlord, the D-Day landings on 6 June 1944, in Normandy, France, Operation Market Garden, the...
- The Princess Louise Fusiliers
The Princess Louise Fusiliers
The Princess Louise Fusiliers is a Primary Reserve infantry regiment of the Canadian Forces.-History:Based in Halifax, Nova Scotia, this infantry regiment traces its local roots as a Halifax unit of Militia back to June 18, 1798 when Sir Edward Cornwalis formed a local Militia under his own command...
- 2nd Battalion, The Irish Regiment of Canada
The Irish Regiment of Canada
2nd Battalion, The Irish Regiment of Canada is a Primary Reserve infantry regiment of the Canadian Forces based in Sudbury, Ontario. The 1st Battalion was reduced to nil strength and placed on the Supplemental Order of Battle on 31 December 1964....
- Adelaide University Regiment - The Canterbury, and Nelson-Marlborough and West Coast Regiment - The South African Irish Regiment
South African Irish Regiment
The South African Irish 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.-Origins:...
- The Royal Gibraltar Regiment - 1st Battalion, The Punjab Regiment
Punjab Regiment (Pakistan)
The Punjab Regiment is an infantry regiment of the Pakistan Army. The modern regiment was formed in 1956 from an amalgamation of the 1st Punjab Regiment, 14th Punjab Regiment, 15th Punjab Regiment and 16th Punjab Regiment...
- 9th 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...
- HMS Bulwark
HMS Bulwark (L15)
HMS Bulwark is an , the UK's newest class of amphibious assault warship and built in Barrow-in-Furness, Cumbria. For numerous reasons, delays caused the delivery date to be put back, with the ship entering service in December 2004. Together with Albion, Ocean, and other amphibious ships, she...