TheRoyal Green Jackets(RGJ) was aninfantryregimentof theBritish Army,one of two"large regiments"within theLight Division(the other beingThe Light Infantry).
| Royal Green Jackets | |
|---|---|
 Royal Green Jackets cap badge | |
| Active | 1 January 1966 – 1 February 2007 |
| Allegiance |  United Kingdom |
| Branch |  British Army |
| Type | Rifles |
| Role | Light Infantry |
| Size | 5 battalions |
| Part of | Light Division |
| Garrison/HQ | 1st Battalion – Weeton 2nd Battalion – Bulford |
| Nickname(s) | "The Black Mafia" |
| Motto(s) | Celer et Audax(Latin: Swift and Bold) |
| March | Quick –Huntsman's Chorus/Italian Song Double Pass –The Road to the Isles |
| Anniversaries | Waterloo(18 June) |
| Commanders | |
| Last Colonel-in-Chief | Queen Elizabeth II |
| Last Colonel Commandant | Lieutenant GeneralNick Parker |
History
editThe Royal Green Jackets was formed on 1 January 1966 by the amalgamation of the three separate regiments of theGreen Jackets Brigade:[1]
- 1st Green Jackets (43rd and 52nd)
- 2nd Green Jackets, theKing's Royal Rifle Corps
- 3rd Green Jackets, theRifle Brigade (Prince Consort's Own).
There were also twoTerritorial Armybattalions made up as follows:[2]
- 4th (V) Battalion, Royal Green Jackets – formed from the remnants of the Rangers (KRRC), London Rifle Brigade, Tower Hamlets Rifles,Queen's Westminsters,Queen Victoria's Rifles,Queen's Royal Rifles andCivil Service Rifles.
- 5th (V) Battalion, Royal Green Jackets – formed from the 4th Battalion, Oxfordshire and Buckinghamshire Light Infantry (TA) and the Buckinghamshire Battalion,Oxfordshire and Buckinghamshire Light Infantry.
During the 1970s, 1980s and onwards up until the end of “The Troubles”, the battalions were deployed to various parts of Northern Ireland (Operation Banner). The 1st, 2nd and 3rd battalions were also based inWest Germany,Osnabrück(1 RGJ),Minden(2 RGJ) andCelle(3 RGJ).[1]
The regiment's greatest loss of life at one time came on 20 July 1982, when seven RGJbandsmenwere killed by aProvisional Irish Republican Armybomb while giving a public concert in Regent's Park. Thebomb exploded underneath the bandstandas the bandsmen played music fromOliver!to 120 spectators.[3]
In 1992, 1 RGJ was disbanded and 2 RGJ and 3 RGJ renumbered 1 RGJ and 2 RGJ respectively.[1][4]
After the 1992 reorganisation, the unit was mostly based overseas inDhekelia(Cyprus) andPaderborn(Germany), as well as inNorthern Ireland.It also saw action inBosniaandKosovoduring theYugoslav Wars.Both battalions returned to the United Kingdom by 2002 and in 2003 the 1st Battalion served onOperation Telic 2inIraq.[1]
On 24 November 2005, theMinistry of Defenceannounced that the regiment would be amalgamated withThe Light Infantry,theDevonshire and Dorset Light Infantryand theRoyal Gloucestershire, Berkshire and Wiltshire Light Infantryto form a singlelarge regimentto be calledThe Rifles.The reorganisation into The Rifles took effect on 1 February 2007 with the 1st Battalion Royal Green Jackets becoming the 2nd Battalion, The Rifles and the 2nd Battalion Royal Green Jackets becoming 4th Battalion, The Rifles.[1]The 1st Battalion The Royal Green Jackets' final operational tour was inBasra,inIraq,on Operation Telic in 2006-07.[5]
Regimental museum
editTheRoyal Green Jackets (Rifles) Museumis based atPeninsula BarracksinWinchester.[6]
Traditions
editTheir motto wasCeler et Audax(Latin:"Swift and Bold" ). As they were used as shock troops and marksmen, they had to get to the front line of battle as fast as was possible; as a result the RGJ marched at 140 paces per minute (at a 30 "pace) whereas other regiments march at just 120.[7]
The regiment was classed as a 'rifle' regiment, having its lineage in the regiments of foot that were equipped with the firstBaker rifles.Traditionally, rifle regiments worerifle greentunics, an early form ofcamouflage,instead of the red jackets worn by line infantry, hence the regimental name.[7]
The cap badge was aMaltese Cross,which was drawn from the badges of theKing's Royal Rifle CorpsandThe Rifle Brigade,with a combination of some of their battle honours on its arms.[7]
Battle honours
edit
The battle honours are:[8]
- Louisburg,Quebec 1759,Martinique 1762,Havannah, North America 1763–64, Mysore, Hindoostan,Martinique 1794,Copenhagen, Montevideo, RoLica, Vimiero, Corunna,Martinique 1809,Talavera, Busaco, Barrosa, Fuentes d'Onor, Albuhera, Ciudad Rodrigo, Badajoz, Salamanca, Vitoria, Pyrenees, Nivelle, Nive, Orthez, Toulouse, Peninsula,Waterloo,South Africa 1846–47,Mooltan, Goojerat, Punjab,South Africa 1851–53,Alma, lnkerman, Sevastopol, Delhi 1857, Lucknow, Taku Forts,Pekin 1860,New Zealand,Ashantee 1873–74,Au Masjid,South Africa 1879,Ahmad Khel,Kandahar 1880,Afghanistan 1878–80,Tel-el-Kebir, Egypt 1882–84,Burma 1885–87,Chitral, Khartoum,Defence of Ladysmith,Relief of Kimberley,Paardeberg,Relief of Ladysmith,South Africa 1899–1902.
- The Great War: Mons, Le Cateau,Retreat from Mons,Marne 1914,Aisne 1914,18,Armentières 1914,Ypres 1914,15, 17, 18, Langemarck 1914, 17, Gheluvelt, Nonne Boschen,Givenchy 1914,Neuve Chapelle,Gravenstafel, St. Julien, Frezenberg, Heliewaarde, Aubers,Festubert 1915,Hooge 1915,Loos, Mount Sorrel,Somme 1916,18,Albert 1916,18, Bazentin,Delville Wood,Pozières, Guillemont, Flers-Courcelette, Morval, Le Transloy,Ancre Heights,Ancre 1916,18, Bapaume 1917, 18,Arras 1917,18,Vimy 1917,Scarpe 1917,18, Arleux,Messines 1917,18, Pilckem,Menin Road,Polygon Wood,Broodseinde, Poelcappelle,Passchendaele,Cambrai 1917,18, St. Quentin, Rosières, Avre, Villers-Bretonneux,Lys,Hazebrouck,Bailleul, Kemmel, Bethune, Drocourt Quéant, Hindenburg Line, Havrincourt, Epehy, Canal du Nord, St. Quentin Canal, Beaurevoir, Kortrijk, Selle, Valenciennes, Sambre,France and Flanders 1914–18,Piave, Vittorio Veneto,Italy 1917–18,Doiran 1917,18,Macedonia 1915–18,Kut al Amara 1915,Ctesiphon, Defence of Kut al Amara,Tigris 1916,Khan Baghdadi,Mesopotamia 1914–18.
- Archangel 1919
- The Second World War: Defence of Escaut,Siege of Calais,Cassel, Ypres-Comines Canal,Normandy Landing,Pegasus Bridge,Villers-Bocage,Odon,Caen, Esquay, Bourguebus Ridge, Mont Pincon, Le Perier Ridge, Falaise, Antwerp, Hechtel, Nederrijn, Lower Maas, Roer, Ourthe, Rhineland, Reichswald, Kleve, Goch, Hochwald, Rhine, Ibbenbueren, Dreirwalde, Leese, Aller,North-West Europe 1940,44–45, Egyptian Frontier 1940, Sidi Barrani, Beda Fomm, Mersa el Brega, Agedabia, Derna Aerodrome,Tobruk 1941,Sidi Rezegh 1941,Chor es Sufan, Saunnu,Gazala,Bir Hacheim, Knightsbridge,Defence of Alamein Line,Ruweisat, Fuka Airfield, Alam el Halfa,El Alamein,Capture of Haifaya Pass, Nofilia, Tebaga Gap, Enfidaville, Medjez el Bab,Kasserine,Thala, Fondouk, Fondouk Pass, El Kourzia, Djebel Kournine, Agroub el Megas, Tunis, Hamman Lif,North Africa 1940-43,Sangro, Salerno, Santa Lucia, Salerno Hills, Cardito, Teano, Monte Camino, Garigliano Crossing, Damiano,Anzio,CassinoII, Liri Valley, Melfa Crossing, Monte Rotondo, Capture of Perugia,Monte Malbe,Arezzo, Advance to Florence,Gothic Line,Coriano, Gemmano Ridge, Lamone Crossing, Orsara, Tossignano, Argenta Gap, Fossa Cembalina,Italy 1943-45,Veve,Greece 1941,44,45,Crete,Middle East 1941, Arakan Beaches,Tamandu,Burma 1943-44.
Alliances
edit
Australia-Melbourne University Regiment- Australia-Sydney University Regiment
Canada-The British Columbia Regiment (Duke of Connaught's Own)- Canada-Princess Patricia's Canadian Light Infantry
- Canada-The Queen's Own Rifles of Canada(1966–2007)
- Canada-The Brockville Rifles
- Canada-The Royal Winnipeg Rifles
- Canada-The Royal Regina Rifles
New Zealand-1st Battalion, The Royal New Zealand Infantry Regiment- New Zealand-The Hauraki Regiment
Pakistan-Guides Infantry
South Africa-The Durban Light Infantry- South Africa-The Kaffrarian Rifles
Sri Lanka-Sri Lanka Sinha Regiment
Ghana-1st Battalion, The Ghana Regiment
Royal Navy-HMSSomerset(F82)
See also
edit- Bermuda Volunteer Rifle Corps
- Pegasus Bridge
- 7 RGJ Bandsmen killed by IRA in 1982 Regent's Park Bombing
- Royal Green Jackets (Rifles) Museum
References
edit- ^abcde"Royal Green Jackets".British Army units 1945 on.Retrieved24 May2014.
- ^"Royal Green Jackets (TA)".British Army units 1945 on.Retrieved24 May2014.
- ^"1982: IRA bombs cause carnage in London".BBC News.20 July 1982.Retrieved24 May2014.
- ^"Hansard: Restructuring of the Army - Statement by Secretary of State for Defence on 23 July 1991".Parliamentary Debates (Hansard).23 July 1991.Retrieved26 November2016.
- ^Draper, p. 17
- ^"Royal Green Jackets (Rifles) Museum".Visit Winchester.Retrieved7 June2018.
- ^abc"The Royal Green Jackets Legacy".Retrieved24 May2014.
- ^"Battle honours".Royal Green Jackets Association. Archived fromthe originalon 24 June 2013.Retrieved24 May2014.
Sources
edit- Draper, Robin Anthony (2015).Redcoats to Riflemen: A short History of the Oxfordshire and Buckinghamshire County Regiment.Royal Green Jackets Museum Trust.ISBN978-0954937034.
Further reading
edit- Allen, Charles (1990).The Savage Wars of Peace: Soldiers Voices', 1945-1989.Michael Joseph.ISBN978-0718128821.
- Pringle, Andrew (2007).Swift and Bold - A Portrait of The Royal Green Jackets 1966-2007.Third Millennium.ISBN978-1903942697.
- Swinson, Arthur (1972).A Register of the Regiments and Corps of the British Army.Arms and Armour Press.ISBN978-0855910006.
- Wallace, Lt. General Sir Christopher (2005).The King's Royal Rifle Corps: The 60th Rifles. A Brief History: 1755 to 1965. From Royal Americans to Royal Green Jackets.Royal Green Jackets Museum.ISBN0-9549370-0-7.
- Wallace, Lt. General Sir Christopher; Cassidy, Major Ron (2006).Focus on Courage. The 59 Victoria Crosses of the Royal Green Jackets.Royal Green Jackets Museum.ISBN0-9549370-1-5.
- Wilkinson-Latham, Christopher (1975).The Royal Green Jackets.Osprey Publishing.ISBN978-0850452495.