Royal Irish Rangers

The Royal Irish Rangers (27th (Inniskilling), 83rd and 87th) was a regular infantry regiment of the British Army with a relatively short existence, formed in 1968 and later merged with the Ulster Defence Regiment in 1992 to form the Royal Irish Regiment.

Royal Irish Rangers (27th (Inniskilling) 83rd & 87th)
Active1 July 1968 – 1992
Country United Kingdom
Branch British Army
TypeLine infantry
SizeOn disbandment, 2 Regular battalions & 1 TA Battalion
Garrison/HQSt Patrick's Barracks, Ballymena
Nickname(s)"Rangers"
Motto(s)Faugh A Ballagh (Irish) (Clear the Way)
ColoursGreen
From Royal Irish Fusiliers
MarchQuick: Killaloe
Slow: Eileen Alannagh
Mascot(s)Irish Wolfhound Brian Boru
AnniversariesBarrosa Day, 5 March; Somme Day, Waterloo Day, Rangers Day 1 July
EngagementsBarrosa
Waterloo
Somme
Commanders
Colonel in ChiefFirst: Field Marshal Prince Henry, Duke of Gloucester, Earl of Ulster
Last: The Duchess of Gloucester (1989 - until amalgamation)
Honorary ColonelFirst - Lieutenant General Sir Ian Harris.
Last - Lt. Col. The 3rd Viscount Brookeborough
Notable
commanders		General Sir Roger Wheeler, GCB, CBE. Former CGS
Brigadier MCV McCord MC
The O'Morochoe
Insignia
AbbreviationR.IRISH

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 Royal Inniskilling Fusiliers, the Royal Ulster Rifles and the Royal Irish Fusiliers.[1] 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.[1] 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.[2] 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.[1] With the creation of the "Divisions of Infantry", the Royal Irish Rangers became part of the King's Division, along with regiments from the north of England.[3]

Deployments

The 1st Battalion moved to Barrosa Barracks in Hemer, Germany in September 1970 from where units were deployed to Cyprus on peace-keeping duties in November 1971.[4] The battalion returned home in July 1974 before being sent to Berlin in May 1979.[4] After returning home in April 1981 the battalion moved to Belfast Barracks in Osnabrück in January 1985.[4] The battalion undertook a deployment to Northern Ireland during the Troubles in September 1988.[4]

The 2nd Battalion, which had been based in Gibraltar on formation, returned home in October 1969.[4] It moved to Barrosa Barracks in Hemer in July 1974 from where it deployed to Cyprus in January 1975.[4] After returning home in March 1979, it moved to Berlin in October 1981 and back to England in March 1983.[4] It deployed to Cyprus in May 1985 and to the Falkland Islands in March 1987.[4]

Options for change

Under the Options for Change 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.[2]

Uniform
Ranger uniforms

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[1]
  • The green hackle was formerly worn by the Royal Irish Fusiliers[1]
  • The Castle collar badges had been worn by the Royal Inniskilling Fusiliers[1]
  • The black buttons had been worn by the Royal Ulster Rifles[1]
  • The brown cross belt was a compromise between the brown Sam Browne belts worn by the Fusiliers and the black cross belt worn in the Rifles[1]

In addition all ranks of the new regiment were to wear 'piper green' trousers.[1]

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 Options for Change White Paper, they were merged to form the 4/5th Battalion Royal Irish Rangers (Volunteers). In 1998, the Government conducted a Strategic Defence Review which concluded that the Territorial Army needed to be restructured to meet the new defence posture. As part of that plan, the 4/5th Battalion reduced to a small battalion headquarters plus administrative element, two rifle companies, the North Irish Horse squadron, a machine gun platoon and an assault pioneer platoon. The new structure which was effective from 1 July 1999 is now called The Royal Irish Rangers.[5]

Roll of honour

Post 1968
  • 21 May 1972. Ranger William J Best – 1 R IRISH. A 19-year-old on leave from Germany, abducted from his mother's home in Derry and killed by the OIRA.[6]
  • 19 July 1972. Staff Sergeant Talaiasi Labalaba BEM, MID – 2 R IRISH (attached 22 SAS). During Battle of Mirbat in Oman.[7][6]
  • 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.[6]
  • 12 April 1974. Captain S Garthwaite MID - attached 22 SAS. Oman.[6]
  • 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.[6]
  • 28 December 1980. Warrant Officer Hugh McGinn – 5 (V) R IRISH. Shot by the Irish National Liberation Army at the door of his home in Armagh.[6]
  • Sergeant Trevor A Elliot - 5(V) R IRISH. Shot by Provisional Irish Republican Army (PIRA) in Keady[6]
  • 9 May 1984. Corporal Trevor May - 4(V) R IRISH. Killed in Newry when an Improvised explosive device placed under a car exploded.[6]
  • 9 October 1989. Lance Corporal Tommy Gibson – 4(V) R IRISH. Killed by PIRA in Kilrea.[6]
  • 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 at Killeen near Newry. The man's family were held hostage in their home.[6]
  • 17 January 1992. Ranger Robert Dunseath – 4 R IRISH. Killed in a land mine attack at Teebane Crossroads, near Cookstown, County Tyrone, while on a civilian bus carrying workers from Lisanelly army barracks at Omagh.[6]

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".[8] 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.[8]

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.[8]

The first known recording of Killaloe was made by Richard Dimbleby when serving as a BBC war correspondent in Northern France shortly before Dunkirk. 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.[8]

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, during the approach to Monte Cassino. Killaloe was adopted by The Royal Irish Rangers on its formation and again later by the Royal Irish Regiment on its amalgamation in 1992.[8]

The soldiers had their own words to the tune which would be sung, sotto voce, as they marched:[9]

We're the Irish Rangers,

The boys who fear no danger,
We're the boys from paddy's land
YO!

Shut up you buggers and fight

Lineage
Lineage
The Royal Irish Rangers (27th (Inniskilling) 83rd and 87th) The Royal Inniskilling Fusiliers The 27th (Inniskilling) Regiment of Foot
The 108th Regiment of Foot (Madras Infantry)
The Royal Ulster Rifles The 83rd (County of Dublin) Regiment of Foot
The 86th (Royal County Down) Regiment of Foot
The Royal Irish Fusiliers (Princess Victoria's) The 87th (Royal Irish Fusiliers) Regiment of Foot
The 89th (The Princess Victoria's) Regiment of Foot

Regimental Colonels

Colonels of the Regiment were:[2]

*1992 Regiment amalgamated with Ulster Defence Regiment to form the Royal Irish Regiment

References
  1. "History". The Royal Irish Rangers. Retrieved 10 July 2016.
  2. "Royal Irish Rangers". Regiments.org. Archived from the original on 23 January 2008. Retrieved 10 July 2016.CS1 maint: bot: original URL status unknown (link)
  3. "The King's Division". Regiments.org. Archived from the original on 14 December 2007. Retrieved 10 July 2016.CS1 maint: bot: original URL status unknown (link)
  4. "Royal Irish Rangers". British Army units 1945 on. Retrieved 10 July 2016.
  5. "Palace Barracks Memorial Garden". Retrieved 10 July 2016.
  6. "Roll of Honour". Royal Irish Rangers. Retrieved 13 August 2020.
  7. "Personal Details: Labalaba, Talaiasi". Armed Forces Memorial roll of honour. GOV.UK. Retrieved 23 May 2015.
  8. "Killaloe - Origins of our Regimental Quick March". Royal Irish. Retrieved 10 July 2016.
  9. "Killaloe". The Churchill & Hamilton Flute Bands. Retrieved 10 July 2016.
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