The Royal Rifle Volunteers
Encyclopedia
The Royal Rifle Volunteers is a former regiment
of the British Territorial Army. It was, for most of its existence, the TA infantry in the counties of Hampshire
, Berkshire
, Wiltshire
, Oxfordshire
, Buckinghamshire
and the Isle of Wight
.
The regiment was formed on 1 July 1999 by the amalgamation of elements of the 6th/7th (Volunteer) Battalion, The Princess of Wales's Royal Regiment, 2nd (Volunteer) Battalion, The Royal Gloucestershire, Berkshire and Wiltshire Regiment and the 5th (Volunteer) Battalion, The Royal Green Jackets due to the reforms of the Territorial Army implemented following the Strategic Defence Review
. It was the infantry component of 145 (Home Counties) Brigade
.
Its companies during its eight year existence were:
In 2002 the Royal Rifle Volunteers took part in a major NATO "Partnership for Peace
" exercise in the Ukraine
codenamed Exercise COSSACK EXPRESS. In 2003 the Royal Rifle Volunteers took part in a major NATO exercise in the Eastern European country of Lithuania
codenamed Exercise AMBER HOPE. A formed platoon was also deployed to Afghanistan as part of Op FINGAL. Some soldiers from E (RGJ) Coy also deployed to Bize, Albania
in support of the Royal Welsh Regiment
's "Partnership for Peace" exercise codenamed ALBANIAN EXPRESS. In 2005 a formed company (Roebuck company) from the RRV, along with a platoon attachment from the 3rd Battalion Princess of Wales's Royal Regiment was dispatched to Iraq
which was part of the Multi-National Division (South East) as part of Op TELIC.
On 24 November 2005, the MOD announced a reorganisation of the army, and it was planned that the RRV would become 4th Battalion, Royal Green Jackets. However, at a later date the Light Division decided to amalgamate the Light Infantry
and Royal Green Jackets
. The RRV became their 7th Battalion on formation of the new regiment, 1 February 2007.
The commanding officers were:
The regiment's three mobilisations were:
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 Territorial Army. It was, for most of its existence, the TA infantry in the counties of Hampshire
Hampshire
Hampshire is a county on the southern coast of England in the United Kingdom. The county town of Hampshire is Winchester, a historic cathedral city that was once the capital of England. Hampshire is notable for housing the original birthplaces of the Royal Navy, British Army, and Royal Air Force...
, Berkshire
Berkshire
Berkshire is a historic county in the South 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 1957, and...
, Wiltshire
Wiltshire
Wiltshire is a ceremonial county in South West England. It is landlocked and borders the counties of Dorset, Somerset, Hampshire, Gloucestershire, Oxfordshire and Berkshire. It contains the unitary authority of Swindon and covers...
, Oxfordshire
Oxfordshire
Oxfordshire is a county in the South East region of England, bordering on Warwickshire and Northamptonshire , Buckinghamshire , Berkshire , Wiltshire and Gloucestershire ....
, Buckinghamshire
Buckinghamshire
Buckinghamshire is a ceremonial and non-metropolitan home county in South East England. The county town is Aylesbury, the largest town in the ceremonial county is Milton Keynes and largest town in the non-metropolitan county is High Wycombe....
and the Isle of Wight
Isle of Wight
The Isle of Wight is a county and the largest island of England, located in the English Channel, on average about 2–4 miles off the south coast of the county of Hampshire, separated from the mainland by a strait called the Solent...
.
History
Strategic Defence Review
The Strategic Defence Review was a British policy document produced by the Labour Government that came to power in 1997. Then Secretary of State for Defence, George Robertson, set out the initial defence policy of the new government, with a series of key decisions designed to enhance the United...
. It was the infantry component of 145 (Home Counties) Brigade
British 145th Infantry Brigade
- History :First formed in 1908 as the 145th Infantry Brigade, the brigade, together with 143 Brigade and 144 Brigade eventually formed the 48th Division in Second Army during World War I. The brigade was in continuous service in France until the Armistice in 1918 when it was disbanded...
.
Its companies during its eight year existence were:
- HQ Company in Berkshire - 1999-2007
- A (Royal Green Jackets) Company in OxfordshireOxfordshireOxfordshire is a county in the South East region of England, bordering on Warwickshire and Northamptonshire , Buckinghamshire , Berkshire , Wiltshire and Gloucestershire ....
- 1999-2007 - B (Royal Gloucestershire, Berkshire and Wiltshire) Company in BerkshireBerkshireBerkshire is a historic county in the South 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 1957, and...
- 1999-2006 (amalgamated into HQ Company, keeping its rifle platoon in Swindon, WiltshireWiltshireWiltshire is a ceremonial county in South West England. It is landlocked and borders the counties of Dorset, Somerset, Hampshire, Gloucestershire, Oxfordshire and Berkshire. It contains the unitary authority of Swindon and covers...
) - C (Duke of Connaught's) Company in HampshireHampshireHampshire is a county on the southern coast of England in the United Kingdom. The county town of Hampshire is Winchester, a historic cathedral city that was once the capital of England. Hampshire is notable for housing the original birthplaces of the Royal Navy, British Army, and Royal Air Force...
- 1999-2005 (became D Company, 3rd Battalion, 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...
, minus its rifle platoon based on the Isle of Wight) - E (Royal Green Jackets) Company in Buckinghamshire - 1999-2007
- F (Royal Green Jackets) Company in London - 2006-2007
- G (Royal Green Jackets) Company in London - 2006-2007
In 2002 the Royal Rifle Volunteers took part in a major NATO "Partnership for Peace
Partnership for Peace
Partnership for Peace is a North Atlantic Treaty Organisation program aimed at creating trust between NATO and other states in Europe and the former Soviet Union; 22 States are members...
" exercise in the Ukraine
Ukraine
Ukraine is a country in Eastern Europe. It has an area of 603,628 km², making it the second largest contiguous country on the European continent, after Russia...
codenamed Exercise COSSACK EXPRESS. In 2003 the Royal Rifle Volunteers took part in a major NATO exercise in the Eastern European country of Lithuania
Lithuania
Lithuania , officially the Republic of Lithuania is a country in Northern Europe, the biggest of the three Baltic states. It is situated along the southeastern shore of the Baltic Sea, whereby to the west lie Sweden and Denmark...
codenamed Exercise AMBER HOPE. A formed platoon was also deployed to Afghanistan as part of Op FINGAL. Some soldiers from E (RGJ) Coy also deployed to Bize, Albania
Albania
Albania , officially known as the Republic of Albania , is a country in Southeastern Europe, in the Balkans region. It is bordered by Montenegro to the northwest, Kosovo to the northeast, the Republic of Macedonia to the east and Greece to the south and southeast. It has a coast on the Adriatic Sea...
in support of the Royal Welsh Regiment
Royal Welsh Regiment
The Royal Welsh Regiment was an infantry regiment of the Territorial Army in the United Kingdom. It was formed in 1999 as part of the restructuring of the TA by the amalgamation of the two Welsh TA battalions:*3rd Battalion, Royal Welch Fusiliers...
's "Partnership for Peace" exercise codenamed ALBANIAN EXPRESS. In 2005 a formed company (Roebuck company) from the RRV, along with a platoon attachment from the 3rd Battalion Princess of Wales's Royal Regiment was dispatched 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....
which was part of the Multi-National Division (South East) as part of Op TELIC.
On 24 November 2005, the MOD announced a reorganisation of the army, and it was planned that the RRV would become 4th Battalion, Royal Green Jackets. However, at a later date the Light Division decided to amalgamate 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 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:...
. The RRV became their 7th Battalion on formation of the new regiment, 1 February 2007.
The commanding officers were:
- Lt Col Mike Motum, RGBW - 1999-2001
- Lt Col "Roddy" Windsor, RGJ - 2001-2003
- Lt Col Mike Scott, PWRR - 2003-2006
- Lt Col Damian Griffin, TD, RRV - 2006-2007 (became CO 7th Bn, The Rifles)
The regiment's three mobilisations were:
- Platoon to Eden Company - Operation Telic 3
- Company (-) as Roebuck Company - Operation Telic 6
- Platoon (-) as Force Protection - Operation Herrick 5