Royal Ulster Rifles

Infobox Military Unit
unit_name=Royal Ulster Rifles (formerly Royal Irish Rifles)


caption= Regimental Crest
dates= 1793 - 1968
country=United Kingdom
branch=Army
type=Line Infantry
role= now defunct
size= 1 Regular battalion at disbandment (16 during Great War)
current_commander=
garrison=RHQ - Ballymena
ceremonial_chief=
ceremonial_chief_label= Colonel of the Regiment
colonel_of_the_regiment=
nickname= The Rifles
abbreviation= RUR (RIR)
motto= Quis Separabit (Who shall separate us) (Latin)
colours=
identification_symbol_2= [http://www.regiments.org/tradition/tartans/saffron.htm Saffron (pipes)]
identification_symbol_2_label=Tartan
identification_symbol=
identification_symbol_label=
march= Quick - " The Ulster Rifles march "Off.' said the Stranger" "
Slow -
mascot= Irish Wolfhound
battles= Badajoz, Jhansi, Somme, Korea
notable_commanders=
anniversaries=Barrossa Day, 5th March; Somme Day, 1st July

The Royal Ulster Rifles (formerly Royal Irish Rifles) was an Irish infantry regiment of the British Army. It saw service in the The Great War and the Second World War, before being amalgamated into the Royal Irish Rangers in 1968.

History

The regiment's history dates backs to the reign of King George III. In 1793 the British army expanded to meet the commitments of the war with the French First Republic. As part of that expansion it raised two new Regiments of Foot, the 83rd and the 86th. At the same time the counties Antrim, Down and Louth Regiments of Militia were raised.

In 1881, under the Cardwell Reforms, the 83rd and 86th were amalgamated into a single regiment, named the Royal Irish Rifles. It was one of eight Irish regiments raised and garrisoned in Ireland and was the county regiment of Antrim, Down and Louth, with its garrison depot located at Belfast. Militarily, the whole of Ireland was administered as a separate command within the United Kingdom with Command Headquarters at Parkgate (Phoenix Park) Dublin, directly under the War Office in London [ H.E.D. Harris " The Irish Regiments in the First World War" (1968) pp. 2-3] .

World War I

The Royal Irish Rifles was connected with the British 36th (Ulster) Division and 16th (Irish) Division during The Great War. The unionist militias, the Ulster Volunteer Force and Young Citizens Volunteers had amalgamated with the 36th whilst the nationalist National Volunteers had joined the 16th after the outbreak of the Great War.

In 1921, following the proclamation of the Irish Free State, the Royal Irish Rifles was renamed the Royal Ulster Rifles, with the regimental district of Louth ceded to the newly independent state [cite web
last =
first =
authorlink =
coauthors =
title = Regiments.org
work =
publisher =
date =
url =http://www.regiments.org/regiments/uk/inf/083RIrRf.htm
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doi =
accessdaymonth=20 Aug | accessyear=2007] .

Victoria Cross

Recipients of the Victoria Cross:
*Rifleman William Frederick McFadzean. 1st Bn Royal Irish Rifles. 1916. Thiepval.
*Rifleman Robert Quigg. 12th Bn Royal Irish Rifles. 1916. Hamel, Somme.
*Second Lieutenant Edmund De Wind. 15th Bn Royal Irish Rifles. 1918. Grugies, France.

Amalgamation

In 1947, it was grouped with the "Royal Inniskilling Fusiliers" and "Royal Irish Fusiliers" into the North Irish Brigade. A year later, the regiment formed a pipe band, wearing saffron kilts and carrying the Great Irish Warpipes.

In 1968, under reforms of the army, the Royal Ulster Rifles was amalgamated with the Royal Inniskilling Fusiliers and the Royal Irish Fusiliers to form The Royal Irish Rangers (27th (Inniskilling), 83rd and 87th).

See also

*Young Citizen Volunteers
*List of British Army regiments (1881)

Great War Memorials

* Ulster Tower Memorial Thiepval, France.
* Irish National War Memorial Gardens, Dublin.
* Island of Ireland Peace Park Messines, Belgium.
* Menin Gate Memorial Ypres, Belgium.

Reading reference

* James W. Taylor "The 1st Royal Irish Rifles in the Great War" Four Courts Press (2002) ISBN 1-85182-702-1
* James W. Taylor "The 2nd Royal Irish Rifles in the Great War" Four Courts Press (2005) ISBN 1-85182-952-0

External links

* [http://www.royalirishrangers.co.uk/ Official RIR site]
* [http://www.1914-1918.net/ririfles.htm RIR 1914-1918]
* [http://www.geocities.com/Athens/Acropolis/2354/ History of the RIR]

References