The Light Infantry

The Light Infantry
The Light Infantry
	Cap badge of the Light Infantry
Active	10 July 1968–1 February 2007
Allegiance	United Kingdom
Branch	British Army
Type	Light Infantry
Role	Armoured Infantry(one battalion); Light Role(one battalion)
Size	Eight Battalions at Max
Part of	Light Division
Garrison/HQ	1st Battalion - Paderborn, Germany; 2nd Battalion - Edinburgh
Motto(s)	Aucto Splendore Resurgo, Cede Nullis, Faithful
March	Quick -Light Infantry; Double Past -Keel Row
Anniversaries	Salamanca(22 July)
Commanders
Last Colonel-in-Chief	HRH Princess Alexandra
Colonel of; the Regiment	Brigadier TJ Gregson MBE
Insignia
Tactical Recognition Flash

TheLight Infantrywas aninfantry regimentof theBritish Army,part of theLight Division.The regiment was one of four 'large' regiments formed after the1966 Defence White Paperthrough the amalgamation of units of theLight Infantry Brigade.Originally consisting of four battalions, it was later reduced to three battalions, and finally amalgamated intoThe Rifleswith just two battalions which became the 5th and 3rd Battalions respectively.

History

The regiment was formed on 10 July 1968 as alarge regimentby the amalgamation of the four remaining light infantry regiments of theLight Infantry Brigade:^[1]

On 31 March 1969 the 4th Battalion The Light Infantry (formerly The Durham Light Infantry) was disbanded leaving three regular battalions.^[1]

The regiment was active all throughThe TroublesinNorthern Irelandwith eight soldiers from the regiment killed in theBallygawley bus bombing.^[2]

The remaining battalions remained in service until 1993 when they merged to form two battalions renamed 1st and 2nd Battalions.^[1]

Territorial Army

TheLight Infantry Volunteerswas formed in theTerritorial Armyon 1 April 1967 from the territorial battalions of the four predecessor regiments. On 1 August 1972 it was redesignated the5th Battalion, The Light Infantry.It lost its Cornish company and its lastDurhamcompany in 1981, and in 1987 it lost itsYorkshirecompanies. On 1 July 1999 it amalgamated to form two companies of the newWest Midlands Regiment.^[3]The West Midlands Regiment was amalgamated to form the 4th Battalion The Mercian Regiment in 2007. E (LI) Company, 4th Battalion, The Mercian Regiment, was transferred to the newly raised 8th Battalion, The Rifles, in November 2017.^[4]
The6th Battalionwas formed inSomersetandCornwallon 1 April 1971. On 1 July 1999 it amalgamated to form two companies of the newRifle Volunteers.^[5]
The7th Battalionwas formed in Durham and Yorkshire on 1 April 1975. It began recruiting from Durham only in 1981. On 1 July 1999 it amalgamated to form one company of the newTyne-Tees Regiment.^[6]
The8th Battalionwas formed in Yorkshire on 1 January 1987. On 3 August 1996 it was converted to areconnaissanceunit as the King's Own Yorkshire Yeomanry. On 1 July 1999 it amalgamated to form one company of the newEast and West Riding Regiment.^[7]

Amalgamation

In December 2004, it was announced that, as part of the planned Army restructuring published inDelivering Security in a Changing World,the Light Infantry would gain a new battalion through amalgamating with theDevonshire and Dorset Regimentand theGloucestershireelements of theRoyal Gloucestershire, Berkshire and Wiltshire Regiment.^[8]However, on 24 November 2005 it was further announced by the Ministry of Defence that, after discussions between the Light Infantry, the Devonshire and Dorset Regiment, the Royal Gloucestershire, Berkshire and Wiltshire Regiment and theRoyal Green Jackets,the four regiments would amalgamate to form a single, large regiment to be namedThe Rifles.The new regiment was formed on 1 February 2007 with 1st Battalion, The Light Infantry becoming 5th Battalion, The Rifles and 2nd Battalion, The Light Infantry becoming 3rd Battalion, The Rifles.^[9]