Light infantry

For the former British infantry regiment, seeThe Light Infantry.

Portuguese Armylight infantryman (caçador) of thePeninsular War.

Light infantryrefers to certain types of lightly equippedinfantrythroughout history. They have a more mobile or fluid function than other types of infantry, such asheavy infantryorline infantry.Historically, light infantry often fought asscouts,raiders,andskirmishers.These are loose formations that fight ahead of the main army to harass, delay, disrupt supply lines, engage the enemy's own skirmishing forces, and generally "soften up" an enemy before the main battle. Light infantrymen were also often responsible forscreeningthe main body of a military formation.

Post-World War II,the term "light infantry" evolved to include rapid-deployment units (includingcommandoandairborneunits) that emphasized speed and mobility over armor and firepower. Some units or battalions that historically held a skirmishing role have kept their designation "light infantry" for the sake of tradition.

History

Ancient history

Agrianianpeltast,c. 4th century BC

The concept of a skirmishing screen is a very old one and was already well-established inAncient GreeceandRomantimes in the form, for example, of the Greekpeltastandpsiloi,and the Romanvelites.As with the so-called "light infantry" of later periods, the term more adequately describes the role of such infantry rather than the actual weight of their equipment. Peltast equipment, for example, grew steadily heavier at the same time ashopliteequipment grew lighter. It was the fact that peltasts fought in open order as skirmishers that made them light infantry and that hoplites fought in the battle line in aphalanx formationthat made them heavy infantry.

Modern history

Early regular armies of the modern era frequently relied onirregularsto perform the duties of light infantry skirmishers. In particular, the French Army employed detachments of German and Balkan mercenaries to serve as patrols in the rough country until a permanent corps of MountainFusiliers(Fusiliers des Montagnes) was raised in the 1740s.In the 17th century,dragoonswere sometimes employed as the skirmishers of their day, asmounted infantrymenwho rode into battle but dismounted to fight, giving them a mobility lacking to regular foot soldiers.

In the 18th and 19th centuries mostinfantryregiments orbattalionshad alight companyas an integral part of its composition. Its members were often smaller, moreagilemen with high shooting ability and capability of using initiative. They did not usually fight in disciplined ranks as did the ordinary infantry but often in widely dispersed groups, necessitating an understanding of skirmish warfare. They were expected to avoidmeleeengagements unless necessary and would fight ahead of the mainline to harass the enemy before falling back to the main position.

During the period 1777–1781, theContinental Armyof the United States adopted the British Army practice of seasonally drafting light infantry regiments as temporary units during active field operations, by combining existing light infantry companies detached from their parent regiments.

French light infantry in the woods during theNapoleonic era,byVictor Huen.

Light infantry sometimes carried lighter muskets than ordinary infantrymen while others carried rifles and worerifle greenuniforms. These became designated asrifle regimentsin Britain andJägerandSchützen(sharpshooter) regiments in German-speaking Europe. In France, during theNapoleonic Wars,light infantry were calledvoltigeursandchasseursand the sharpshooterstirailleurs.The Austrian army hadGrenzerregiments from the middle of the 18th century, who originally served as irregular militia skirmishers recruited from frontier areas. They were gradually absorbed into the line infantry becoming a hybrid type that proved successful against the French, to the extent that Napoleon recruited several units of Austrian army Grenzer to his own army after victory over Austria in 1809 compelled the Austrians to cede territories from which they were traditionally recruited. In Portugal, 1797, companies ofCaçadores(Hunters) were created in the Portuguese Army, and in 1808 led to the formation of independent "Caçador" battalions that became known for their ability to perform precision shooting at long distances.

Light infantry officers sometimes carriedmusketsorrifles,rather thanpistols,and theirswordswere light curvedsabres;as opposed to the heavy, straighter swords of other infantry officers. Orders were sent bybugleorwhistleinstead ofdrums(since the sound of a bugle carries further and it is difficult to move fast when carrying a drum). Some armies, including theBritishandFrench,recruited whole regiments (or converted existing ones) of light infantry. These were consideredelite units,since they required specialised training with emphasis onself-discipline,manoeuvre and initiative to carry out the roles of light infantry as well as those of ordinary infantry.

By the late 19th century, the concept of fighting in formation was on the wane due to advancements in weaponry and the distinctions between light and heavy infantry began to disappear. Essentially, all infantry became light infantry in operational practice. Some regiments retained the name and customs, but there was in effect little difference between them and other infantry regiments.

The pioneer company of the27th Jäger Battalionreturning from a parade inLiepāja(Libau) in 1917.

On the eve of World War I, the British Army included seven light infantry regiments. These differed from other infantry only in maintaining such traditional distinctions as badges that included a bugle-horn, dark green home service helmets forfull dress,and a fast-stepping parade ground march.

Contemporary

Georgian23rd Light Infantry Battalion (joined by a few US Marines) on joint military exercise, 2005

Today the term "light" denotes, in the United Statestable of organization and equipment,units lacking heavy weapons and armor or with a reduced vehicle footprint. Light infantry units lack the greater firepower, operational mobility and protection of mechanized or armored units, but possess greater tactical mobility and the ability to execute missions in severely restrictive terrain and in areas where weather makes vehicular mobility difficult.

Light infantry forces typically rely on their ability to operate under restrictive conditions, surprise, violence of action, training, stealth, field craft, and fitness levels of the individual soldiers to compensate for their reduced lethality. Despite the usage of the term "light", forces in a light unit will normally carry heavier individual loads vis-à-vis other forces; they must carry everything they require to fight, survive and win due to lack of vehicles. Although units like the101st Airborne (Air Assault)and the82nd Airborne Divisionare categorized as Air Assault Infantry and Airborne Infantry respectively, they fall under the overall concept of light infantry. They are typically infantry intended for difficult terrain such as mountains or arctic conditions (US Marines) (Royal Marines,United States Army10th Mountain Division,United States Army86th Infantry Brigade Combat Team (Mountain),Italian ArmyAlpini,French Army27ème bataillon de chasseurs alpins) or jungle (1st Scout Ranger Regiment,Brazilian ArmyJungle Infantry Brigades).

In the 1980s, the United States Army increased light forces to address contingencies and increased threats requiring a more deployable force able to operate in restrictive environments for limited periods. At its height, this included the6th Infantry Division(light),7th Infantry Division(light),10th Mountain Division(light infantry),25th Infantry Division,and the75th Ranger Regiment.Operation Just Causeis often cited as proof of concept. Almost 30,000 U.S. Forces, mostly light, deployed toPanamawithin a 48-hour period to execute combat operations. On 30 September 1985, the 29th Infantry Division (Maryland and Virginia Army National Guard) was reactivated at Fort Belvoir, Virginia as the only light Infantry Division in the US Army's reserve components.

During theFalklands Warin 1982, both Argentina and the United Kingdom made heavy use of light infantry and its doctrines during the campaign, most notably the Argentine5th Naval Infantry Battalion (Argentina)and25th Infantry Regiment (Argentina)and the BritishParachute RegimentandRoyal Marinesof3 Commando Brigade.Due to the rocky and mountainous terrain of theFalkland Islands,operations on the ground were only made possible with the use of light infantry because the use of mechanized infantry or armour was severely limited by of the terrain, leading to the "Yomp"across the Falklands, in which Royal Marines and Paras yomped (and tabbed) with their equipment across the islands, covering 56 miles (90 km) in three days carrying 80-pound (36 kg) loads after disembarking from ships atSan CarlosonEast Falkland,on 21 May 1982.

During the 1990s, the concept of purely light forces in the US military came under scrutiny due to their decreased lethality and survivability. This scrutiny has resulted in theStryker Brigade Combat Team,a greater focus on task organized units (such asMarine Expeditionary Units) and a reduction of purely light forces.

Despite their reduction, light forces have proven successful inAfghanistan(Operation Enduring Freedom), underlining the continued need for light infantry.

National examples

Argentina

• Mountain Huntsmen,in Spanish:Cazadores de Montaña
• Jungle Huntsmen,in Spanish:Cazadores de Monte

Austria

Main article:Grenz infantry

Belgium

• 12th-13th Battalion of the Line
• 1st Regiment Jagers te Paard, mechanized reconnaissance battalion
• 2nd/4th Regiment Mounted Rifles,mechanized reconnaissance battalion with electronic warfare unit
• Regiment Carabiniers Prins Boudewijn – Grenadiers

Brazil

There are three light infantry brigades, (4ª Brigada de Infantaria Leve de Montanha, 11ª Brigada de Infantaria Leve and 12ª Brigada de Infantaria Leve Aeromóvel), and an airborne infantry brigade (Brigada de Infantaria Paraquedista). The 12º Light Infantry Brigade and the Airborne Infantry Brigade both belong to the Força de Ação Rápida Estratégica (Quick Strategic Action Force), which is composed of units capable of rapidly engaging in combat anywhere in Brazil.

Canada

Each of the three regular army regiments (Princess Patricia's Canadian Light Infantry,Royal Canadian RegimentandRoyal 22^eRégiment) maintains their third battalion as light infantry capable in airborne, mountain, and amphibious operations, with varying degrees of capability. All reserve infantry units are classed as light infantry, all with varying degrees of capability.

Denmark

• Schleswig Regiment of Foot

Finland

• Finnish Jäger troops,volunteers from Finland in Germany trained as Jägers
• Guard Jaeger Regiment,a Finnish Army unit
• Jaeger Brigade,a unit of the Finnish Army
• Para Jägers,Special Operations Airborne Infantry in the Finnish Army
• Utti Jaeger Regiment,the Finnish Army training and development centre for special forces and helicopter operations
• Sissi troopscan also be considered light infantry

Finnish infantry units are also known as Jäger (Finnish pl.Jääkärit,Swedish pl.Jägarna), a legacy of a Finnish volunteer Jäger battalion formed in Germany duringWorld War Ito fight for the liberation of Finland from Russia.

France

Ancien régime

TheChasseurdesignation was given to certain regiments of French light infantry (Chasseurs à pied) orlight cavalry(Chasseurs à cheval).

TheChasseurs à pied(light infantry) were originally recruited from hunters orwoodsmen.TheChasseurs à Pied,as themarksmenof the French army, were considered an elite.The first unit raised wasJean Chrétien Fischer's Free Hunter Company in 1743. Early units were often a mix of cavalry and infantry. In 1776, allChasseursunits were re-organized into six battalions, each linked to a cavalry regiment (Chasseurs à cheval). In 1788, the link between infantry battalions and cavalry regiments was broken.

Revolution and Napoleon

Chasseursfrom a light infantry regiment of Napoléon'sGrande Armée

In 1793, theAncien Régime's Chasseur battalions were merged with volunteer battalions in new units called Light Infantryhalf-brigades(demi-brigades d’infanterie légère).In 1803, the half-brigades were renamed regiments.These units had three battalions of three regularChasseurscompanies, one eliteCarabinierscompany and one reconnaissancevoltigeurscompany.

In Napoléon'sImperial Guard,many units used names linked to light infantry:

• Chasseurs à pied:three regiments (1809–1815; 1815–1815; 1815–1815). The regiments were the elite of the light infantry regiments.
• Fusilier-Chasseurs:a single regiment, originally the first Guard Fusilier Regiment (1809–1815)
• Voltigeur:16 regiments, originally two regiments ofTirailleurs-chasseurand two regiments ofConscrits-chasseurs(1810–1815), then twelve new regiments (1811–1815). These regiments were expected to become Chasseurs à pieds.
• Flanqueurs-Chasseurs:two regiments, from drafted Forest Service members (1811–1815; 1813–1815)

InBourbon royalist

• Chasseurs Britanniques:battalion-sized corps of royalist volunteers.

19th century

Chasseurs à pied bugler, full dress, 1885.

The Napoleonic light infantry regiments existed until 1854, but there were very few differences between them and theline infantryregiments, so the 25 remaining light infantry regiments were transformed to line infantry in 1854.

• Chasseurs à pied:TheDuke of Orléans,heir to the throne, created in 1838 a new light infantry unit, theTirailleursbattalion. It soon became, under the nameChasseur à Pied,the main light infantry unit in the French Army. The number of battalions grew up steadily through the century. The current Chasseurs battalions drew their lineage form this unit.
• Chasseurs alpins:Some of Chasseurs à pied battalions were converted to specialized mountain units asBataillons deChasseurs Alpinsin 1888, as an answer to the Italian Alpine (Alpini) regiments stationed along the Alpine frontier.
• Chasseurs Forestiers:TheChasseurs forestiers(Forest Huntsmen) were militarized units of the Forest Service. They were organized in companies. They existed between 1875 and 1924.
• Infanterie Légère d'Afrique(African Light Infantry) were penal battalions forming part of the French forces serving in North Africa. These units were recruited mainly from convicted military criminals from all branches of the French Army, who had finished their sentences in military prisons but still had time to serve before their engagement periods were finished.
• Zouaves:TheZouavesbattalions and regiments were colonial troops, formed originally by Algerians, then by European settlers and colonists. The first Zouave battalion was created in 1831 and changed its recruiting to Europeans in 1841. During theFranco-Austrian Warof 1859, effective use was made of Zouaves andChasseurs à pied(see above) in evolving light infantry tactics that went further than merely screening the main battle line. At theBattle of Solferinothese newly organized skirmishers operated as independent groups that were able to disrupt their Austrian opponents by sudden flank assaults.
• Tirailleurs:Tirailleurs(Skirmishers) were light infantry who formed a shallow line ahead of the line of battle during the Revolutionary/Napoleonic Wars and subsequently. The name was also used for the locally recruited colonial troops in the French Empire between 1841 and 1962.

20th century

• Chasseurs à pied:TheChasseurs à piedsevolved during the mid 20th century into mechanized infantry units (Chasseurs mécanisés) or armored division infantry (Chasseurs portés). After World War Two, all Chasseur units were organized on the mechanized infantry model.
• Chasseurs alpins:TheChasseurs alpins,mountain warfare units of the French Army created in 1888.
• Chasseurs pyrénéensandChasseurs pyrénéenswere the short-lived (1939–1940) mountain warfare units formed in thePyrénées.
• Chasseurs-Parachutistes:TheChasseurs-parachutisteswere airborne infantry units formed in 1943 from Air Force infantry compagnies transferred to the Army.
• ZouavesandTirailleurs:After the independence of the countries that made up the French Colonial Empire, theZouavesand theTirailleursunits, save for one, were disbanded.

Modern French Army Light Infantry

• 7th Chasseurs Alpins Battalion
• 13th Chasseurs Alpins Battalion
• 16th Chasseur Battalion
• 27e bataillon de chasseurs alpins
• 1st Tirailleur Regiment
• 1st Parachute Chasseur Regiment

Although the traditions of these different branches of the French Army are very different, there is still a tendency to confuse one with the other. For example, when World War I veteranLéon Weildied, the AFP press agency stated that he was a member of the 5th "Regiment de Chasseurs Alpins". It was in fact the 5th Bataillon.

Germany

Main articles:Jäger (infantry)andSchützen (military)

Hungary

Main article:Pandur

India

The Indian Army of 1914 included ten regiments with "Light Infantry" in their titles. These were the:

• 2nd Queen Victoria's Own Rajput Light Infantry
• 5th Light Infantry
• 6th Jat Light Infantry
• 63rd Palamcottah Light Infantry
• 83rd Wallajahabad Light Infantry
• 91st Punjabis (Light Infantry)
• 103rd Mahratta Light Infantry
• 105th Mahratta Light Infantry
• 110th Mahratta Light Infantry
• 127th Baluch Light Infantry

Most of these regiments lost their separate identity as a result of extensive amalgamations in 1922. The modern Indian Army retains theMaratha Light Infantryand theSikh Light Infantry.

Of the 28 infantry regiments of the modern Indian Army, the following ten are designated as "Rifles". They are distinguished by their black rank badges, black buttons on their service and ceremonial uniforms and a beret in a darker shade of green than other regiments. Two paramilitary forces—theAssam Riflesand theEastern Frontier Rifles—also follow the traditions of a rifle regiment.

• Rajputana Rifles
• Garhwal Rifles
• 1st Gorkha Rifles (The Malaun Regiment)
• 3 Gorkha Rifles
• 4 Gorkha Rifles
• 5 Gorkha Rifles (Frontier Force)
• 8 Gorkha Rifles
• 9 Gorkha Rifles
• 11 Gorkha Rifles
• Jammu and Kashmir Rifles
• Jammu and Kashmir Light Infantry
• Maratha Light Infantry
• Sikh Light Infantry

Ireland

Main articles:Kern (soldier)andFianna

The Irish famously employed "Cethernacht" or Kern as light infantry. These usually made up the bulk of Gaelic and even later Anglo Norman Irish armies during the Middle Ages to renaissance era's. Traditionally armed with javelins and swords while wearing no armour, in later periods they were equipped with caliver muskets while still using little to no armour. They were notably effective while employed in tandem with heavily armed "Galloglaich" or anglicised Gallowglass. They could provide effective support to heavily armed troops as well as endlessly harassing enemies in difficult terrain. Today, all infantry battalions of the Irish Army are light infantry soldiers.

Italy

Most of the states of the Italian peninsula had their own units of skirmishers beforeItalian unification.One of the few that survived it were theSardinianBersaglieri,who were formed in 1836. They became some of the most iconic soldiers inItalian Armyand were its "quick reaction force". TheAlpiniare the Italian Army's elite mountain troops, founded in 1875. Although they may not seem a true "light infantry" unit, (they were assigned their own artillery, carried double load of everything, and had a slower marching pace of 45 steps per minute), the Alpini were trained as jagers and skirmishers, introducing the use of skis and climbing training for all of their recruits. Those two corps still exist today, but in recent years the Bersaglieri have become amechanised infantryunit, working closely with armoured units, and up until the mid-1990s had their own tank and artillery units. Other units that can be classified as light infantry are:

• TheFolgoreParachute Brigade, created in 1963, is the only airborne unit in the Italian Army. Apart from one light cavalry regiment, it comprises three airborne infantry and two special force regiments.
• TheFriuli Air Assault Brigadewas originally an Italian Army mechanised brigade. In 2000 it converted to a fully airmobile role and is part of the "Friuli" Division. It is composed of three light aviation regiments and one infantry regiment—66th Reggimento Fanteria Aeromobile "Trieste" —the only regiment in the Italian Army to be fully airmobile.
• TheSan Marco Marine Brigadeof theItalian Navycomprises three regiments. The First is an amphibious assault unit, the Second carries out force protection, boarding and search and seizure procedures on ships and the Third is a training unit. Given that it has almost only light vehicles (the heaviest being the amphibious Arisgator and AAV7 landing vehicles) and is tasked to operate in harsh terrain (shore lines, lagoons, deserts, mountains, jungles), it is one of the purest "light infantry" units in the Italian Armed Forces.
• The 13th and 7th regiments of theCarabinieriwere created during WW2 as highly mobile infantry. They are still deployed to war zones as light infantry andmilitary law enforcementunits. The Carabinieri also have some domestic law enforcement units trained as light or airmobile infantry. TheSquadrone Eliportato "Cacciatori di Calabria(nicknamed theFalchi d'Aspromonte,meaning "Hawks of the Aspromonte" ) is tasked with opposing the "Camorra"criminal organisation, who are numerous and typically armed with military-grade weapons acquired on the black market, and operate deep within the mountainous region of the Aspromonte. TheSquadrone Eliportato Cacciatori di Sardegnawas created by the Carabinieri to reduce the spree of banditry (mainly kidnapping) that afflicted the innermost areas of Sardinia.

Myanmar

As of current, it's reported that Myanmar Army has total of 10 units designated as a "Light Infantry Division" and 20 units designated as "Military Operation Command". Two units are mostly similar in term of organisational structure. One of the main differences is that LIDs are mostly numbered in double digits like 11, 22, 33, 44 whereas MOCs are numbered sequelly. Both commands 10battalions.While not that obvious, one of the main difference in term of organisational structure is that LIDs' 10 battalions are all Light Infantry whereas for MOC, it's 7 Infantry Battalions (Motorised) and 3 Infantry Battalions (Mechanised). Both have an intermediate layer between the Battalions and Division HQ calledTactical Operation Command.A TOC is a unit that commands up to 3 battalions. Essentially, LIDs are made up of 3 TOC and 1 battalion under HQ as reserve whereas MOCs are made up of 2 TOC (Motorised) and 1 TOC (Mechanised) with an IB (Motorised) under HQ as reserve. As for the command structure, LIDs are directly answerable to the Commander in Chief of Army whereas MOCs are subordinate to their respective Regional Military Command. As for unit patches, LIDs have their own division patches where MOCs do not have distinctive patches and wear RMC's patch instead.LIDs in Burmese are called ခြေမြန်တပ်မဌာနချုပ် (တမခ) whereas MOCs are called စစ်ဆင်ရေးကွပ်ကဲမှုဌာနချုပ် (စကခ). Both Light Infantry Divisions and MOCs are have an officer rankedBrigadier Generalas their General Officer Commanding,Colonelas Second in Command andLieutenant Colonelas Division Chief of Staff (informally Division G/A/Q).

Units designated as "Light Infantry Divisions"are

• No. (11) Light Infantry Division
• No. (22) Light Infantry Division
• No. (33) Light Infantry Division
• No. (44) Light Infantry Division
• No. (55) Light Infantry Division
• No. (66) Light Infantry Division
• No. (77) Light Infantry Division
• No. (88) Light Infantry Division
• No. (99) Light Infantry Division
• No. (101) Light Infantry Division

Military Operation Commands:

Units designated as "Military Operation Commands"are

• No. (1) Military Operation Command
• No. (2) Military Operation Command
• No. (3) Military Operation Command
• No. (4) Military Operation Command
• No. (5) Military Operation Command
• No. (6) Military Operation Command
• No. (7) Military Operation Command
• No. (8) Military Operation Command
• No. (9) Military Operation Command
• No. (10) Military Operation Command

Since No. (11) Light Infantry Division has already been reformed, No. (11) Military Operation Command was not formed

• No. (12) Military Operation Command
• No. (13) Military Operation Command
• No. (14) Military Operation Command
• No. (15) Military Operation Command
• No. (16) Military Operation Command
• No. (17) Military Operation Command
• No. (18) Military Operation Command
• No. (19) Military Operation Command
• No. (20) Military Operation Command
• No. (21) Military Operation Command

Netherlands

Reproduction of the uniform of a private in the Korps Pandoeren (1793–1806).

• Garderegiment Grenadiers en Jagers,guards regiment, an amalgamation of the Garderegiment Grenadiers and the Garderegiment Jagers. Consists of one air mobile infantry battalion
• Regiment Limburgse Jagers,line infantry (former 2nd Infantry Regiment). Consists of one armoured infantry battalion
• Korps Pandoeren,was aKhoekhoenmilitia united that served the Dutch East India Company during theFrench Revolutionary Wars.

Norway

• Hærens Jegerkommando,the armed forces competence center for ranger, airborne and counter-terrorist duty in the Norwegian Army
• Jegerkompaniet,the Norwegian Army's northernmost unit
• Marinejegerkommandoen,a maritime special forces unit
• Kystjegerkommandoen,coastal units
• Grensejeger,border rangers at the border between Russia and Norway

Poland

• Wojska Obrony Terytorialnej,Territorial Defence Force 17 light infantry brigades

Portugal

Main article:Caçadores

Portuguesecaçadores especiaisin the jungle of Angola, during a counter insurgency operation in the early 1960s

Portuguese light infantry soldiers were known ascaçadores(literally "huntsmen" ). Initially organized as a light company in each of the line infantry regiments, thecaçadoreswere later organized as independent battalions. They constituted the elite light infantry of thePortuguese Armyduring thePeninsular War,being considered by theDuke of Wellingtonas the "fighting cocksof his army ". They wore distinctive brown uniforms as an early form ofcamouflage.

Thecaçadoresunits were disbanded by the Army reorganization of 1911, but were recreated in 1926 as high readiness units, responsible for defending the border and other strategic points of the Country until the line units could be mobilized. In the 1950s, the designationcaçadoresstarted to be also given to the expeditionary provisional light infantry battalions and independent companies responsible for reinforcing theoverseas territoriesgarrisons. These units constituted the bulk of the Portuguese forces engaged in the several theatres of thePortuguese Overseas War,from 1961 to 1975.Colonial troopswith this title also existed, being recruited among both Portuguese European settlers and from indigenous populations. In the 1950s, thePortuguese Air Forceformed a unit ofparatrooperscalledcaçadores paraquedistas( "parachutist hunters" ). Additional battalions ofcaçadores paraquedistaswere later created inAngola,MozambiqueandPortuguese Guinea.At the beginning of the 1960s, Portuguese Army raisedspecial forcescompanies of that were namedcaçadores especiais(special huntsmen). Thecaçadores especiaiswore a brown beret in the colour of the uniforms of thecaçadoresof the Peninsular War. These units were later abolished and the brown beret started to be used by most of the units of the Portuguese Army.

In 1975, the designation "caçadores"was discontinued in thePortuguese Armed Forces.All former units ofcaçadoreswere redesigned as "infantry". Currently, every infantry soldier of the Portuguese Army is known asatirador.Today, the Portuguese Army uses the designation "light infantry" as a generic collective classification of the Paratroopers, Commandos and Special Operations troops, while the remaining infantry is classified as "motorized/mechanized infantry".

Rhodesia

TheRhodesian Light Infantrywas a regular regiment of the Rhodesian Army, unique in having the traditions of light infantry while serving as a modernCommandoregiment.

Romania

• Vânători de Munte,or "Mountain Huntsmen" are the elite mountain units of the Romanian Army since their establishment in 1916
• Vânători,or "Huntsmen", were the elite Romanian light infantry units until their disbanding in 1947

Russia

TheImperial Russian Army,which was heavily influenced by the Prussian and Austrian military systems, included fifty Jäger oryegerskii[егерский] regiments in its organisation by 1812, including theEgersky Guards Regiment.They were mostly united with line infantry regiments in 1833, when almost all Russian infantry began to receive the same training; including skirmishing. At the same timestrelkovyi[стрелковый] battalions were introduced. These undertook light infantry functions when the skirmishing skills of line infantry were insufficient.

Spain

Historically the Spanish infantry included several battalions of light infantry that were designated asCazadores.These units were incorporated into the ordinary infantry following army reorganization in the early 1930s. Until 2006 the modern Spanish Army maintained a Brigada de Cazadores de Montaña "Aragón I" (Mountain Huntsmen Brigade "Aragón I" )

Sweden

• Jägare, elite units in theSwedish Armed Forces
• Fallskärmsjägarna,the Parachute Rangers
• Swedish Parachute Ranger School
• Ö-Nerike skvadron,Intelligence squadron
• Vadsbo skvadron,Airborne squadron
• Army Ranger Battalion,Arctic warfare rifles
• Kustjägarna,Coastal Rangers
• Livbataljon,Life Guards Battalion

Somalia

• Danab,which translates to "Lightning" are the elite commandos units of theSomali Armed Forces.

United Kingdom

Main articles:History of British light infantryandInfantry of the British Army

A historical reenactment with the British95th Rifles regiment.

TheBritish Armyfirst experimented with light infantry in theFrench and Indian War,to counter the tactics used by the French-alliedNative Americans.Along with secondment of regular infantry, several specialised units were raised (includingRogers' Rangersand the80th Regiment of Light-Armed Foot), though most if not all had been disbanded by the middle of the 1760s. From 1770, all regular battalions were required to designate one of their ten companies a "Light Company", though their training in skirmishing was poor and inconsistent.

Dedicated rifle and light infantry regiments began to be formed or converted in theNapoleonic Wars,to counter the FrenchChasseurs.A new battalion of the60th Royal Americans(later theKing's Royal Rifle Corps) was raised in 1797, and an "Experimental Corps of Riflemen" (later the 95th Rifles and then theRifle Brigade) in 1800. Both were equipped with green jackets andBaker rifles.Some extant regiments began to be designated "Light Infantry" at this point, receiving skirmishing training but generally still equipped with red coats and muskets. In thePeninsular War,a Light Brigade and later aLight Divisionwere formed, at some points incorporating PortugueseCaçadores.By theCrimean War,rifles had become universal and tactics had substantially changed. This meant that the distinctions between light and line infantry were effectively limited to details such as name, a rapid march of 140 steps per minute, buglers instead of drummers and fifers, a parade drill which involved carrying rifles parallel to the ground ( "at the trail" ) and dark greencloth helmetsinstead of dark blue. Light infantry badges always incorporated bugle horns as a central feature.

In theSecond World War,the use of light infantry was revived in what became theBritish Commandosand theParachute Regiment.Because of the nature of their role and deployment, they were more lightly equipped than most infantry battalions. The Parachute Regiment has survived to this day, while theRoyal Marine Commandosare directly descended from those units formed in the Second World War.

Most of the old light infantry and rifle regiments were administratively grouped in a new Light Division in 1968. The British Army ordered regimental amalgamations in1957,1966,1990and2003.The Rifles(the largest infantry regiment in the British Army) was formed in 2007 from the amalgamation of the regiments of the Light Division. The Rifles maintain the traditional quick parade march of all British light infantry, theRifle Brigade's "rifle green"No 1 dresswith blackened buttons and black leather belts, and many other traditions and "golden threads" of its parent regiments. The only rifle regiment not to become part of the Rifles was theRoyal Gurkha Rifles.Following a series of amalgamations and one disbandment, none of the historic Light Infantry regiments now survive as separate entities within the modern British Army.

Today, "Light role infantry" is a designation that can be applied to an infantry battalion of any regiment. Light role infantry are not (by default) equipped with armoured vehicles (unlikeArmoured InfantryorMechanised Infantry).

United States

Colonial and Revolutionary War

In 1780, GeneralGeorge Washingtonpublished anorder of battlewhich included a corps of light infantry, under the command ofGeneral Lafayette.The light infantry participated in several major battles of thesouthern statesin 1781, including theBattle of Yorktown.The entireContinental Armywas dismissed after the war, with all regiments disbanded in 1784.

19th Century

In 1808, theUnited States Armycreated its firstRegiment of Riflemen.During theWar of 1812three more Rifle Regiments were raised but disbanded after the war. The Rifle Regiment was disbanded in 1821.

In theMexican–American WarColonelJefferson Daviscreated and led theMississippi Rifles.

Riflemen were listed as separate to infantry up to theAmerican Civil War.

During the Civil War, Sharpshooter regiments were raised in the North with several companies being raised by individual states for their own regiments.

20th Century

In the early years of World War 2 the US military saw the need for light forces. They designated the 82nd Division as the82nd Airborne Divisionand reactivated the 101st division as the101st Airborne Divisionin 1942.In 1943, the United States formed the 10th Light Division (Alpine), re-designated as the10th Mountain Divisionin 1944.In 1983, GeneralJohn A. Wickham Jr.,Chief of Staff of the United States Army,announced the creation of five light infantry divisions to increase the U.S. Army's ability to deploy quickly.These included the7th Infantry Division,25th Infantry Division,6th Infantry Division,10th Mountain Division, as well as the29th Infantry Divisionof theArmy National Guard.

Modern US Military Light Infantry

• 82nd Airborne Division
• 101st Airborne Division
• 10th Mountain Division
• 25th Infantry Division
• 11th Airborne Division

In 2022 The US Army reactivated the 11th Airborne Division by reflagging two infantry brigades from the 25th Infantry division. Its mission is to conduct infantry operations in the Arctic.

See also

• Heavy cavalry
• Heavy infantry
• Light cavalry
• Line infantry
• Roman infantry tactics, strategy and battle formations

Similar types of unit

• Long-range reconnaissance patrol
• Marksman
• Rifleman
• Sharpshooter
• Skirmisher

Further reading

• The Partisan in War,a treatise on light infantry tactics written by Colonel Andreas Emmerich in 1789.
• Beattie, Daniel J. (1986). "The Adaptation of the British Army to Wilderness Warfare, 1755–1763", Adapting to Conditions: War and Society in the Eighteenth Century, ed. Maarten Ultee (University of Alabama Press), 56–83.
• Chet, Guy. "The Literary and Military Career of Benjamin Church: Change or Continuity in Early American Warfare", Historical Journal of Massachusetts 35:2 (Summer 2007): 105–112
• Chet, Guy (2003). Conquering the American Wilderness: The Triumph of European Warfare in the Colonial Northeast. University of Massachusetts Press.
• Pargellis, Stanley McCrory. "Braddock's Defeat", American Historical Review 41 (1936): 253–269.
• Pargellis, Stanley McCrory (1933). Lord Loudoun in North America. Yale University Press.

External links

• Skirmishers and light infantry during the Napoleonic Wars
• A Historical Perspective on Light Infantry