The Rifles is an infantryregiment of the British Army. Formed in 2007, it consists of five Regular and two (three from 2017) Reserve battalions, plus a number of companies in other Army Reserve battalions. Each battalion of The Rifles was formerly an individual battalion of one of the two large regiments of the Light Division (with the exception of the 1st Battalion, which is an amalgamation of two individual regiments). Since formation the regiment has been involved in combat operations, first in the later stages of the Iraq War and in the War in Afghanistan.
The Rifles was created as a result of the Future Army Structure. Under the original announcement, the Light Division would have remained essentially unchanged, with the exception of the Light Infantry gaining a new battalion through the amalgamation of two other regiments, and both gaining a reserve battalion from within the Territorial Army (TA) as it was then called. However, on 24 November 2005, the Ministry of Defence announced 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:
The Rifles was formed to serve as the county regiment of the following counties:
The 2nd Battalion, the 3rd Battalion and the 4th Battalion were all deployed in Basra in Iraq during some of the worst fighting of the Iraq War including the withdrawal from Basra Palace in September 2007.
The 1st Battalion undertook a tour in Afghanistan between October 2008 and April 2009 mentoring the Afghan National Army in Helmand Province. The 5th Battalion was one of the last British Army units to leave Iraq in May 2009. The 4th Battalion provided reinforcement cover for the elections in Afghanistan and to take part in Operation Panther's Claw in Summer 2009. At the same time the 2nd Battalion was deployed to Sangin and was relieved in due course by the 3rd Battalion. The 2nd and 5th battalions of the Rifles returned for a six-month tour of duty in Afghanistan serving in the Nahri Saraj District in October 2011.
Organisation
The regiment has five regular and two reserve battalions, each configured for a specific infantry role:
1st Battalion, an amalgamation of the 1st Battalion, Devonshire and Dorset Light Infantry and the 1st Battalion, Royal Gloucestershire, Berkshire and Wiltshire Light Infantry. Initially configured in the light role as part of 3 Commando Brigade, it moved to 160th Infantry Brigade and Headquarters Wales under Army 2020. Personnel were based at Beachley Barracks, Chepstow.
2nd Battalion, a redesignation of the 1st Battalion, Royal Green Jackets. Initially configured in the light role as part of 19 Light Brigade, it moved to 38th (Irish) Brigade under Army 2020. Personnel are based at Thiepval Barracks, Lisburn.
4th Battalion, a redesignation of the 2nd Battalion, Royal Green Jackets. Initially configured in the mechanised role as part of 1 Mechanised Brigade, it remains with that brigade which is now designated 1st Armoured Infantry Brigade. Personnel are based at New Normandy Barracks in Aldershot Garrison. The battalion will convert to a Specialised Infantry battalion, to provide an increased contribution to countering terrorism and building stability overseas.
5th Battalion - redesignation of the 1st Battalion, The Light Infantry. configured in the armoured role as part of 20th Armoured Brigade, it will remain as a Warrior battalion under Army 2020. Personnel are based at Bulford Camp.
6th Battalion - redesignation of the Rifle Volunteers. It comes under 160th Infantry Brigade and Headquarters Wales and is paired with 1 RIFLES. Personnel are based at Wyvern Barracks in Exeter with sub-units at Gloucester, Taunton, Dorchester, Shrewsbury, Hereford and Truro.
7th Battalion - redesignation of the Royal Rifle Volunteers, minus the Princess of Wales's Royal Regimentcompany, plus the Royal Green Jacket companies of the London Regiment (the descendants of the 4th (V) Battalion the Royal Green Jackets). It comes under 38th (Irish) Brigade and is paired with 2 RIFLES. Personnel are based at Brock Barracks in Reading with sub-units at Abingdon, Mayfair, West Ham, High Wycombe, Swindon, Windsor and Aylesbury.
8th Battalion - on 15 December 2016 the Defence Secretary announced that a new reserve battalion of the Rifles would be formed.
D (RIFLES) Company, 5th Battalion Royal Regiment of Fusiliers (includes Y (RIFLES) Platoon), a redesignation of C (Light Infantry) Company, Tyne-Tees Regiment and Minden (Light Infantry) Company, East and West Riding Regiment. Designated to reflect the historic relationship with Durham and Yorkshire, the Company has a presence at Bishop Auckland, Consett, Sunderland, Washington, Doncaster and Pontefract.
HRH The Duke of Edinburgh (ex-Colonel-in-Chief, RGBWLI) is the Colonel-in-Chief of the Regiment, whilst each battalion has its own Royal Colonel:
The Band and Bugles
The regular element of 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:
In addition, the two Army Reserve 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)
Golden threads
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 - the French Croix de Guerre ribbon awarded to the Devonshire Regiment in World War I, and subsequently worn by the Devonshire and Dorset Light Infantry, and also awarded to the King's Shropshire Light Infantry in 1918, is worn on both sleeves of No. 1 and No. 2 dress.
Back Badge - the badge worn on the back of headdress reads Egypt. This was awarded as an honour to the 28th Foot and subsequently worn by the Royal Gloucestershire, Berkshire and Wiltshire Light Infantry. It is worn on the forage cap and side hat; and on the shako 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.
Black Buttons - the traditional black buttons of a rifle regiment are worn on all forms of dress with the exception of combat dress.
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:
