The Royal Irish Rangers

The Royal Irish Rangers became the last Irish Infantry Regiment in the British Army when they were formed on the 1st July 1968, the Regiment was an amalgamation of the last 3 Irish infantry Regiments:

• The 27th of Foot – The Royal Inniskilling Fusiliers (1689- 1968)
• The 83rd of Foot – The Royal Ulster Rifles (formerly The Royal Irish Rifles). (RIR 1881-1922: RUR 1922-1968)
• The 87th of Foot – The Royal Irish Fusiliers (1881- 1968)

This amalgamation was the first change to the Irish Orbat since the partition of Ireland in 1922 which brought to an end almost 300 years of unbroken service to the Crown by countless Irishmen and the loss of some famous Irish Infantry Regiments including those who were formed as part of the Childers reform of 1881 which amalgamated many of the regiments of the colonial army into a multi Battalion system, a system still in use to this day.
The following Irish Infantry were disbanded:

• Royal Irish Regiment           (1684–1922)
• Connaught Rangers.           (1793- 1922)
• Leinster Regiment               (1881- 1922)
• Royal Munster Fusiliers      (1881- 1922)
• Royal Dublin Fusiliers         (1881- 1922

On the 12 June, the five Regimental Colours were laid up in a ceremony at St George’s Hall, Windsor Castle in the presence of HM King George V.
The South Irish Horse had sent a Regimental engraving because the regiment chose to have its standard remain in St. Patrick’s Cathedral, Dublin.
The order to finally disband these fine Regiments was issued on 31st July 1922.
The date chosen for the amalgamation was significant as it was the Anniversary of the First Day of the Battle of the Somme in 1916, a day written large in the annals of the British Army and in Particular, the 3 Divisions raised in Ireland, the 10th and 16th Irish Divisions and the 36th Ulster Division, it has often been reported as the blackest day for the British Army and indeed the casualty figures had reached around 60,000, it was also the day that Kitchener’s Army was put to the test, despite the carnage, that Army was not found wanting and there were many heroic actions, not only on the 1st July but throughout the Somme campaign which lasted up to November 1916.
This blog will continue with each Regiment profile and history and is put together to remember and honour those brave Irishmen who entered into service of the Crown
Faugh-A-Ballagh