The Royal Irish Rangers (27th (Inniskilling), 83rd and 87th) was a regular

infantry Infantry is a military specialization which engages in ground combat on foot. Infantry generally consists of light infantry, mountain infantry, motorized infantry & mechanized infantry, airborne infantry, air assault infantry, and mar ...

regiment A regiment is a military unit. Its role and size varies markedly, depending on the country, service and/or a specialisation. In Medieval Europe, the term "regiment" denoted any large body of front-line soldiers, recruited or conscript ...

of the

British Army The British Army is the principal land warfare force of the United Kingdom, a part of the British Armed Forces along with the Royal Navy and the Royal Air Force. , the British Army comprises 79,380 regular full-time personnel, 4,090 Gurkha ...

with a relatively short existence, formed in 1968 and later merged with the Ulster Defence Regiment in 1992 to form the Royal Irish Regiment.

History

Creation

The Royal Irish Rangers came into being on 1 July 1968 through the amalgamation of the three regiments of the

North Irish Brigade The North Irish Brigade was a Brigade of the British Army which existed between 1948 and 1968; it consisted of the three regiments from Northern Ireland (each regiment was reduced to a single battalion on 14 July 1948). After the Second World War ...

: the

Royal Inniskilling Fusiliers The Royal Inniskilling Fusiliers was an Irish line infantry regiment of the British Army in existence from 1881 until 1968. The regiment was formed in 1881 by the amalgamation of the 27th (Inniskilling) Regiment of Foot and the 108th Regiment o ...

, the

Royal Ulster Rifles The Royal Irish Rifles (became the Royal Ulster Rifles from 1 January 1921) was an infantry rifle regiment of the British Army, first created in 1881 by the amalgamation of the 83rd (County of Dublin) Regiment of Foot and the 86th (Royal County ...

and the

Royal Irish Fusiliers The Royal Irish Fusiliers (Princess Victoria's) was an Irish line infantry regiment of the British Army, formed by the amalgamation of the 87th (Prince of Wales's Irish) Regiment of Foot and the 89th (Princess Victoria's) Regiment of Foot in ...

. The date was initially known as "Vesting Day" (and then "Rangers Day"), emphasising that the traditions of the old regiments were "vested" in the new large regiment. Soon after creation in December 1968, and as part of a general reduction in the Army, the 3rd Battalion (former Royal Irish Fusiliers) was disbanded. The three regiments had old and differing traditions (Rifle and Fusilier) and to avoid favouring one above another, the unique designation "Rangers" was adopted. The title had not existed in the British Army since 1922. With the creation of the "Divisions of Infantry", the Royal Irish Rangers became part of the

King's Division The King's Division was a British Army command, training and administrative apparatus designated for infantry regiments in the North of England. History The King's Division was formed in 1968 with the union of the Lancastrian Brigade, Yorkshi ...

, along with regiments from the north of England.

Deployments

The 1st Battalion moved to Barrosa Barracks in Hemer,

Germany Germany,, officially the Federal Republic of Germany, is a country in Central Europe. It is the second most populous country in Europe after Russia, and the most populous member state of the European Union. Germany is situated betwee ...

in September 1970 from where units were deployed to

Cyprus Cyprus ; tr, Kıbrıs (), officially the Republic of Cyprus,, , lit: Republic of Cyprus is an island country located south of the Anatolian Peninsula in the eastern Mediterranean Sea. Its continental position is disputed; while it is ...

on peace-keeping duties in November 1971. The battalion returned home in July 1974 where it was stationed in

Battlesbury Barracks Battlesbury Barracks is a British Army installation in Warminster, Wiltshire, England. It is the permanent base of the Royal Dragoon Guards, serving as armoured cavalry. History The barracks is on the eastern outskirts of the town, near the ancie ...

Warminster Warminster () is an ancient market town with a nearby garrison, and civil parish in south west Wiltshire, England, on the western edge of Salisbury Plain. The parish had a population of about 17,000 in 2011. The 11th-century Minster Church o ...

it became the infantry demonstration Battalion. Two years later it moved to RAF Little Rissington in the

Cotswolds The Cotswolds (, ) is a region in central-southwest England, along a range of rolling hills that rise from the meadows of the upper Thames to an escarpment above the Severn Valley and Evesham Vale. The area is defined by the bedrock of J ...

, before being sent to

Berlin Berlin ( , ) is the capital and largest city of Germany by both area and population. Its 3.7 million inhabitants make it the European Union's most populous city, according to population within city limits. One of Germany's sixteen constitu ...

in May 1979. After returning home in April 1981 the battalion moved to Chester bfor 2 yrs before moving to Belfast Barracks in

Osnabrück Osnabrück (; wep, Ossenbrügge; archaic ''Osnaburg'') is a city in the German state of Lower Saxony. It is situated on the river Hase in a valley penned between the Wiehen Hills and the northern tip of the Teutoburg Forest. With a population ...

in January 1985. The battalion undertook a deployment to

Northern Ireland Northern Ireland ( ga, Tuaisceart Éireann ; sco, label=Ulster Scots dialect, Ulster-Scots, Norlin Airlann) is a part of the United Kingdom, situated in the north-east of the island of Ireland, that is #Descriptions, variously described as ...

during

the Troubles The Troubles ( ga, Na Trioblóidí) were an ethno-nationalist conflict in Northern Ireland that lasted about 30 years from the late 1960s to 1998. Also known internationally as the Northern Ireland conflict, it is sometimes described as an "i ...

in September 1988. The 2nd Battalion, which had been based in

Gibraltar ) , anthem = " God Save the King" , song = "Gibraltar Anthem" , image_map = Gibraltar location in Europe.svg , map_alt = Location of Gibraltar in Europe , map_caption = United Kingdom shown in pale green , mapsize = , image_map2 = Gibr ...

on formation, returned home in October 1969. It moved to Barrosa Barracks in Hemer in July 1974 from where it deployed to Cyprus in January 1975. After returning home in March 1979, it moved to Wavell Barracks in

in October 1981 and back to England in March 1983. It deployed to Cyprus in May 1985 and to the

Falkland Islands The Falkland Islands (; es, Islas Malvinas, link=no ) is an archipelago in the South Atlantic Ocean on the Patagonian Shelf. The principal islands are about east of South America's southern Patagonian coast and about from Cape Dubouze ...

in March 1987.

Options for change

Under the

Options for Change Options for Change was a restructuring of the British Armed Forces in summer 1990 after the end of the Cold War. Until this point, UK military strategy had been almost entirely focused on defending Western Europe against the Soviet Armed Forces, ...

reorganisation, the Royal Irish Rangers were amalgamated with the Ulster Defence Regiment to form the new Royal Irish Regiment (27th (Inniskilling) 83rd and 87th and Ulster Defence Regiment) in 1992.

Uniform

Accommodating the traditions of the three regiments required compromise: * The caubeen was adopted as the headdress for the new Regiment as all the former regiments had worn it * The green hackle was formerly worn by the

* The Castle collar badges had been worn by the Royal Inniskilling Fusiliers * The black buttons had been worn by the Royal Ulster Rifles * The brown cross belt was a compromise between the brown

Sam Browne belt The Sam Browne is a leather belt with a supporting strap that passes over the right shoulder, worn by military and police officers. It is named after Sir Samuel J. Browne (1824–1901), the British Indian Army general who invented it. Origi ...

s worn by the Fusiliers and the black cross belt worn in the Rifles In addition all ranks of the new regiment were to wear 'piper green' trousers.

Territorial Army

The Territorial battalions formed the 4th Battalion Royal Irish Rangers (North Irish Militia) which also included the sole London Irish Rifles company and the 5th Battalion Royal Irish Rangers. The two TA battalions trained as units until 1993 when following the

White Paper, they were merged to form the 4/5th Battalion Royal Irish Rangers (Volunteers).

Roll of honour

Post 1968

*21 May 1972. Ranger William J Best – 1 R IRISH. A 19-year-old on leave from

, abducted from his mother's home in

Derry Derry, officially Londonderry (), is the second-largest city in Northern Ireland and the fifth-largest city on the island of Ireland. The name ''Derry'' is an anglicisation of the Old Irish name (modern Irish: ) meaning 'oak grove'. The ...

and killed by the OIRA. *19 July 1972. Staff Sergeant

Talaiasi Labalaba Talaiasi Labalaba BEM (13 July 1942 – 19 July 1972) was a British-Fijian sergeant in the SAS who was involved in the Battle of Mirbat on 19 July 1972. Labalaba initially served in the British Army in the Royal Ulster Rifles. Battle of Mirbat ...

BEM, MID – 2 R IRISH (attached

22 SAS The Special Air Service (SAS) is a special forces unit of the British Army. It was founded as a regiment in 1941 by David Stirling and in 1950, it was reconstituted as a corps. The unit specialises in a number of roles including counter-terr ...

). During

Battle of Mirbat The Battle of Mirbat (9 July, 1972) was an attack by Communist guerrillas targeting an Omani government position during the Dhofar Rebellion in the town of Mirbat, Oman. During the Dhofar Rebellion, Britain assisted the Omani government by sen ...

in Oman. *23 March 1974. Major D P Farrell MBE – 1 R IRISH (Retired). Shot dead by the OIRA when he was walking his dog near his home in Mountfield, near Omagh,

County Tyrone County Tyrone (; ) is one of the six counties of Northern Ireland, one of the nine counties of Ulster and one of the thirty-two traditional counties of Ireland. It is no longer used as an administrative division for local government but retai ...

. *12 April 1974. Captain S Garthwaite MID - attached

Oman Oman ( ; ar, عُمَان ' ), officially the Sultanate of Oman ( ar, سلْطنةُ عُمان ), is an Arabian country located in southwestern Asia. It is situated on the southeastern coast of the Arabian Peninsula, and spans the mouth of ...

. *6 December 1977. Ranger Charles George McLaughlin and Ranger Hugh Thompson - 1 R IRISH. Died on Fire Fighting duties in Manchester during the firemen's strike. *28 December 1980. Warrant Officer Hugh McGinn – 5 (V) R IRISH. Shot by the

Irish National Liberation Army The Irish National Liberation Army (INLA, ga, Arm Saoirse Náisiúnta na hÉireann) is an Irish republican socialist paramilitary group formed on 10 December 1974, during the 30-year period of conflict known as " the Troubles". The group se ...

at the door of his home in

Armagh Armagh ( ; ga, Ard Mhacha, , "Macha's height") is the county town of County Armagh and a city in Northern Ireland, as well as a civil parish. It is the ecclesiastical capital of Ireland – the seat of the Archbishops of Armagh, the ...

. *13 April 1983. Sergeant Trevor A Elliot - 5(V) R IRISH. Shot by

Provisional Irish Republican Army The Irish Republican Army (IRA; ), also known as the Provisional Irish Republican Army, and informally as the Provos, was an Irish republican paramilitary organisation that sought to end British rule in Northern Ireland, facilitate Irish reu ...

(PIRA) in Keady. *9 May 1984. Corporal Trevor May - 4(V) R IRISH. Killed in

Newry Newry (; ) is a City status in Ireland, city in Northern Ireland, divided by the Newry River, Clanrye river in counties County Armagh, Armagh and County Down, Down, from Belfast and from Dublin. It had a population of 26,967 in 2011. Newry ...

when an

Improvised explosive device An improvised explosive device (IED) is a bomb constructed and deployed in ways other than in conventional military action. It may be constructed of conventional military explosives, such as an artillery shell, attached to a detonating mecha ...

placed under a car exploded. *9 October 1989. Lance Corporal Tommy Gibson – 4(V) R IRISH. Killed by PIRA in Kilrea. *24 October 1990. Ranger Cyril J Smith QGM - 2 R IRISH. Killed when attempting to release a man tied to a proxy bomb - his car - driven into a

Border checkpoint A border checkpoint is a location on an international border where travelers or goods are inspected and allowed (or denied) passage through. Authorization often is required to enter a country through its borders. Access-controlled borders ofte ...

at Killeen near

. The man's family were held hostage in their home. *17 January 1992. Ranger Robert Dunseath – 4 R IRISH. Killed in a

land mine A land mine is an explosive device concealed under or on the ground and designed to destroy or disable enemy targets, ranging from combatants to vehicles and tanks, as they pass over or near it. Such a device is typically detonated automati ...

attack at Teebane Crossroads, near

Cookstown Cookstown ( ga, An Chorr Chríochach, IPA: �anˠˈxoːɾˠɾˠˈçɾʲiːxəx is a small town in County Tyrone, Northern Ireland. It is the fourth largest town in the county and had a population of 11,599 in the 2011 census. It, along with Magh ...

, while on a civilian bus carrying workers from Lisanelly army barracks at Omagh.

Music of the regiment

The Regimental Quick March is Killaloe. It was written around 1887 by an Irish composer, Robert Martin, for the London Musical "Miss Esmeralda". The lyrics relate the story of a French teacher attempting to make himself understood to a difficult Killaloe class. Originally in 2/4 time, it was made well known in military circles by a cousin of the composer - Lt. Charles Martin of the 88th Connaught Rangers (The Devil's Own). He composed new lyrics, in 6/8 time, celebrating his Regiment's fame. No mention is made of the tune in the Regimental history, but there is an explanation that may account for the shout or yell in the military version of Killaloe. Historically, in the lst Battalion (Connaught Rangers), formerly the 88th, a favourite march tune was "Brian Boru" played when marching through a town - often after a hot and heavy march. On such occasions, and at a time given by the sergeant major, the band would pause and all ranks would give a "Connaught yell". The march became popular among the other Irish regiments and various other sets of lyrics were devised. On parade, soldiers of the Royal Irish Rangers gave a spine-tingling "Ranger yell"; this continues with the Royal Irish Regiment. The first known recording of Killaloe was made by

Richard Dimbleby Frederick Richard Dimbleby (25 May 1913 – 22 December 1965) was an English journalist and broadcaster, who became the BBC's first war correspondent, and then its leading TV news commentator. As host of the long-running current affairs ...

when serving as a BBC war correspondent in Northern France shortly before

Dunkirk Dunkirk (french: Dunkerque ; vls, label=French Flemish, Duunkerke; nl, Duinkerke(n) ; , ;) is a commune in the department of Nord in northern France.

. The "Famous Irish Regiment" Dimbleby reports playing as they march past is not named, but would have been either the Royal Irish Fusiliers or the Royal Inniskilling Fusiliers. Again in 1944, the BBC recorded the 1st Battalion, Royal Inniskilling Fusiliers Pipes & Drums playing Killaloe, by then adopted unofficially as the march of the

38th (Irish) Brigade The 38th (Irish) Brigade, is a brigade formation of the British Army that served in the Second World War. It was composed of North Irish line infantry regiments and served with distinction in the Tunisian and Italian Campaigns. Following the e ...

, during the approach to

Monte Cassino Monte Cassino (today usually spelled Montecassino) is a rocky hill about southeast of Rome, in the Latin Valley, Italy, west of Cassino and at an elevation of . Site of the Roman town of Casinum, it is widely known for its abbey, the first ho ...

. Killaloe was adopted by the Royal Irish Rangers on its formation and again later by the Royal Irish Regiment on its amalgamation in 1992.

Lyrics

The soldiers often put their own words to the tune which would be sung, '' sotto voce'', as they marched:

Lineage

, - style="text-align: center; background: #c4df9b;" , style="text-align:center;" colspan="4", Lineage , - style="text-align:center;" , rowspan="6" style="width:25%; ", The Royal Irish Rangers (27th (Inniskilling) 83rd and 87th) , rowspan="2" style="width:25%; ", The

, style="width:25%; ", The 27th (Inniskilling) Regiment of Foot , - , style="width:25%; text-align:center;", The 108th Regiment of Foot (Madras Infantry) , - style="text-align:center;" , rowspan="2" style="width:25%; ", The

, style="width:25%; ", The

83rd (County of Dublin) Regiment of Foot The 83rd (County of Dublin) Regiment of Foot was a British Army line infantry regiment, which was formed in Ireland in 1793 for service in the French Revolutionary Wars. The regiment served in the West Indies, South Africa and the Peninsular War, ...

, - , style="width:25%; text-align:center;", The 86th (Royal County Down) Regiment of Foot , - , rowspan="2" style="width:25%; text-align:center;", The Royal Irish Fusiliers (Princess Victoria's) , style="width:25%; text-align:center;", The 87th (Royal Irish Fusiliers) Regiment of Foot , - , style="width:25%; text-align:center;", The

89th (The Princess Victoria's) Regiment of Foot The 89th (Princess Victoria's) Regiment of Foot was a regiment of the British Army, raised on 3 December 1793. Under the Childers Reforms the regiment amalgamated with the 87th (Royal Irish Fusiliers) Regiment of Foot to form the Princess Victo ...

Regimental Colonels

Colonels of the Regiment were: *1968–1972: Lt-Gen. Sir Ian Cecil Harris, KBE, CB, DSO ''(ex

)'' *1972–1977: Maj-Gen. James Herbert Samuel Majury, CB, MBE *1977–1979: Maj-Gen. David N.C. (O'Morchoe), The O'Morchoe, CB, MBE *1979–1985: Maj-Gen. Humphrey Edgar Nicholson Bredin, DSO, MC *1985–1990: Brig. Mervyn Noel Samuel McCord, CBE, MC, AMBIM *1990–1992: Gen. Sir Roger Neil Wheeler, GCB, CBE, ADC ''*1992 Regiment amalgamated with Ulster Defence Regiment to form the Royal Irish Regiment''

References

External links

The Official Royal Irish Rangers Association website
{{Authority control Infantry regiments of the British Army Irish regiments of the British Army Military history of Northern Ireland Defunct Irish regiments of the British Army Royal Irish Regiment (1992) Military units and formations established in 1968 Military units and formations disestablished in 1992 1968 establishments in the United Kingdom 1992 disestablishments in the United Kingdom Irish regiments