County Brochure Merseyside-FINAL(3) - Flipbook - Page 10
LOCAL INTEREST
Our historic ties with Merseyside
have been inherited from our Forming
Regiment, The Royal Green Jackets (RGJ)
which, in turn, inherited them from its
own antecedent regiments, The King’s
Royal Rifle Corps (KRRC) and The Rifle
Brigade (RB).
In 1859 the 5th (Liverpool Volunteer Rifle
Brigade) Battalion of The Lancashire Rifle
Volunteer Corps was formed at Prince’s
Park Barracks, Toxteth. Under the
Childers Reforms of 1881, the battalion
became part of the King’s Regiment
(Liverpool) and fought with distinction in
the First World War. During the 1930s it
became a searchlight unit, first of The
Royal Engineers and then of The Royal
Artillery and later played an important
part in the defence of the country against
German air attack during the Second
World War.
Born in Burton on the Wirral Peninsula,
Major William “Billy” Congreve of the Rifle
Brigade was awarded the Military Cross,
the Distinguished Service Order, and
the Victoria Cross during the First World
War. The award of the Victoria Cross was
made posthumously, as Major Congreve
was killed by a sniper when rescuing
wounded soldiers under fire during the
Battle of the Somme. When he died,
he was just 25 years old and had been
married for six weeks.
In late May 1940, during the early
stages of the Second World War, The
1st Battalion RB and The 2nd Battalion
KRRC, both with many Merseyside men
in their ranks, fought fiercely to defend
Calais against an overwhelming German
attack. Although most were killed,
wounded, or captured, their heroism held
up the enemy long enough to allow the
evacuation of the British Expeditionary
Force from Dunkirk to take place.
Since its formation in 2007, all the regular
battalions of The Rifles have undertaken
operational service in Iraq, Afghanistan
and elsewhere. Amongst those who
gave their lives in Afghanistan is Lance
Corporal Peter Eustace from Toxteth.
Riflemen were among the 2,000 troops
deployed to Merseyside in November
2020 to assist with coronavirus mass
testing. Many were accommodated
in Pontins Holiday Camp in Southport
during their stay.
Although there are no reserve units
of The Rifles based in Merseyside at
present, the Bootle Central and the
Maghull detachments of the Merseyside
Army Cadet Force wear the Rifles cap
badge. With ties in the past, the present
and the future, The Rifles is proud to be a
Merseyside Infantry Regiment.
