The Royal Irish Rangers, 1968-1992

Jul 1, 2018

The Rangers were formed out of three historic regiments which were based in Northern Ireland, Royal Inniskilling Fusiliers, Royal Ulster Rifles and Royal Irish Fusiliers.

: Royal Inniskilling Fusiliers

: Royal Ulster Rifles

: Royal Irish Fusiliers

“Vesting Day” was 1^st July 1968. It was called this, not amalgamation, to emphasise that the traditions of the old regiments would be vested in the Royal Irish Rangers.

Royal Irish Rangers

The three battalions, 1^st Royal Inniskilling Fusiliers in Worcester, 1^st Royal Ulster Rifles in Gibraltar, and 1^st Royal Irish Fusiliers in Catterick, would be vested into two battalions of the new regiment. The Royal Irish Fusiliers Battalion was officially disbanded on 3^rd December.

On Vesting Day, emotional ceremonies were held as the three historic regiments passed into history. The Inniskillings’ ceremony was held in Worcester at midnight on 30^th/1^st July. The other two battalions held daylight ceremonies in Gibraltar and Catterick. There was also a parade in Ballymena to mark the new regimental headquarters

No officer, Warrant officer, Non-Commissioned officer, Fusilier or Rifleman was posted back to his original regiment, and therefore no battalion of the new regiment could claim exclusive representation of its previous parent.

Dress

This was to be distinctive and striking, as well as maintaining certain aspects and characteristics of the former regiments.

A green caubeen was adopted as headgear, with the green hackle of the Royal Irish Fusiliers. The castle collar badges of the Royal Inniskilling Fusiliers were worn as were the black buttons of the Royal Ulster Rifles.

: Caubeen and Drum

: Rangers Officer’s Cross Belt

A brown cross-belt for officers was a compromise between the brown Sam Browne belts of the two Fusilier regiments and the black cross-belt of the Rifles with the Royal Irish Fusiliers’ Barrosa Eagle on the pouch. All ranks would wear piper green trousers.

: Regimental Dress (1)

: Regimental Dress (2)

: Regimental Dress (3)

Two volunteer battalions of part time soldiers supported the work of the regular battalions, the 4^th (Volunteer) Battalion, North Irish Militia and 5^th Battalion. A large number of detachments and contingents of The Army Cadet Force and The Combined Cadet Force were affiliated to the Regiment.

The Rangers served as front line infantry throughout their short life. In 1992, the Regiment was amalgamated with the Ulster Defence Regiment to form a new regiment, The Royal Irish Regiment.

: Officer and Piper

: Regimental Mascot, Brian Boru V (1992)

: The Colours of the Royal Irish Rangers

Ranger Officer

Overseas deployments.

GERMANY

Throughout the existence of the regiment, its major overseas commitment was to the British Army of the Rhine (BAOR), part of NATO’s commitment to the defence of Europe during the Cold War. When in West Berlin, they were part of the allied army of occupation.

1^st Battalion	2^nd Battalion
1970-74 Hemer	1974-79 Hemer
1979-81 Berlin	1981-85 Berlin
1985-89 Ostnabruck	1988 Lemgo

: Germany 1972 – 1st Bn band at Trooping the Colour

: Germany 1977 – 2nd Bn Queen’s Silver Jubilee

: Germany 1977 – 2nd Bn Berlin Tattoo Parade

: Germany 1979 – 1st Bn Berlin

: Germany 1980 – 1st Bn Berlin

: Germany 1981 – 1st Bn Brandenburg Gate, Berlin

: Germany 1981 – B company (1st Bn) Brandenburg Gate, Berlin

: Germany 1983 – 2nd Bn Queen’s Birthday Parade – Berlin

: Germany 1989 – 1st Bn anti nuclear training – Lubeck

Soldier’s pass from Berlin to West Germany

Cyprus

In Cyprus the battalions served under the United Nations, which was stationed in Cyprus after the violent partition of the island between the Greeks and the Turks. Both battalions served there, usually for a tour of six months.

1^st Battalion	2^nd Battalion
1971-72	1973
1977	1975
	1985

: Cyprus 1971 – 1st Bn UN duties, with the CO UNFICYP

: Cyprus 1972 – 1st Bn, St Patrick’s Day

: Cyprus 1975 – 2nd Bn Beating Retreat

: Cyprus 1977 – 1st-Bn, UN duties

: Cyprus 1977 – 1st Bn UN medal parade

: Cyprus 1985 – 2nd Bn on patrol, UN buffer zone

Belize

Belize (formally British Honduras) is situated on the eastern coast of central America. Its neighbour, Guatemala claimed the territory, and when it became independent in 1981, refused to recognise the independence. British troops were stationed there to deter any possible incursions or aggression.

1^st Battalion	2^nd Battalion
1981-82	1979-80

: Belize 1979 -2nd Bn

: Belize 1980 – 2nd Bn

: Belize 1982 – 1st Bn, St Patrick’s Day

Falklands

After the defeat of the Argentine invasion of the Falklands in 1982, British forces garrisoned the islands in sufficient strength to deter any repeat invasion.

1^st Battalion	2^nd Battalion
1983	1987

: Falklands 1983 – 1st Bn, Garrison duty on South Georgia

: Falklands 1983 – A Ranger meets the locals in South Georgia

: Falklands 1987 – 2nd Bn CO interviewed by the press

Falklands 1983 – 1st Bn about to go on patrol

Libya and the Gulf, Bahrain, Kuwait

These posting were part of British efforts to protect their oil interests. The Libyan posting in 1969 was at the time of the military coup which established Colonel Gadhafi in power.

1^st Battalion	2^nd Battalion
1991 Band to Kuwait as medical assistants	1969 Libya, 1970-71 Bahrain

: Libya 1969 – 2nd Bn

: Bahrain 1970 – 2nd Bn

: Ethiopia 1971 – 2nd Bn

Gibraltar

A significant naval base at the entrance to the Mediterranean, with a military garrison

	2^nd Battalion
	1968-69

: Gibraltar 1968 – 2nd Bn

: Gibraltar 1969 – 2nd Bn departure

Northern Ireland. Operation Banner: 1969-2007, the army served in support of the civil powers in the campaign against the Provisional IRA.

1^st Battalion

2^nd Battalion

1988, Fermanagh and Tyrone, Op Banner

1990, Fermanagh and Tyrone, Op Banner

Ranger Cyril Smith killed on active service in Newry

: Northern Ireland – Ranger Cyril Smyth KIA, Newry, October 1990

: Northern Ireland – Funeral of Ranger Cyril Smyth at Carrickfergus

: Northern Ireland – Visit of the Prime Minister, Mrs Margaret Thatcher to a checkpoint

In addition to these postings, the two battalions went on overseas exercises to many countries: Denmark, USA, Canada, Jamaica, Italy, Kenya, Gibraltar Libya and France. They also fulfilled public duties in London, at the Royal Tournament, the Edinburgh Festival, fire-fighting duties in Manchester, guard duty at RAF Greenham Common.

Training