Oxfordshire Brochure Final(5) - Flipbook - Page 6
OXFORDSHIRE'S PART
IN RIFLES HISTORY
Most infantry regiments carry
their battle honours on Colours
(ceremonial flags). RIFLES Battalions
do not have Colours, but all Riflemen
carry 34 representative battle
honours (of 913 awarded) on their
belt badge. Some honours were for
Peninsula War (1808-14) - Both 1 & 2/52nd were deployed to Spain and Portugal
during the Peninsula War. The Regiment saw extensive action throughout the conflict,
notably at Corunna, Badajoz and Salamanca. They would later take part in the
advance over the Pyrenees into France.
Vittorio Veneto (1918) - 1/4th and 1/1st/BUCKS/OXF & BUCKS fought at the Battle
of Vittorio Veneto in October-November, which helped to knock the AustroHungarian Empire out of the First World War. Both Battalions ended the War
advancing into Austria-Hungary.
great battles of national significance,
like Waterloo, the Somme, El
Alamein and Normandy. Others
are unique to The Rifles, such as
Marabout and Pegasus Bridge. One
scroll on the belt badge is left blank
for a battle honour yet to be won.
South Africa (1899-1902) - 1/OXF LI arrived in South Africa to take part in
the Second Boer War in early 1900. While the bulk of the Battalion spent the
latter part of the War tasked with guarding lines of communication, a mounted
company was engaged in chasing down Boer commandos.
Ypres (1914 '17) - 2/OXF and BUCKS LI entered the line during the First
Battle of Ypres on the 20th October 1914. 1/4th, 2/4th 1/1st & 2/1st/Bucks, and
5 & 6/OXF & BUCKS LI saw action during the Second Battle of Ypres.
Delhi (1857) - The 52nd took part in the Siege of Delhi. They stormed
the Kashmir Gate on the 14th September, which was followed by
five days of brutal street fighting. Two Victoria Crosses were won by
soldiers of the 52nd.
Somme (1916 '18) - 2nd, 1/4th, 1/1st & 2/1st Bucks, and 5, 6 & 7/OXF &
BUCKS LI took part in the Somme Offensive. 2nd, 2/1st Bucks, 2/4th &
5/OXF & BUCKS LI fought in the Second Battle of the Somme, helping
to successfully hold back the German Spring Offensive.
Waterloo (1815) - In the final French attack of the battle,
by Napoleon’s Imperial Guard, the 1/52nd were ordered
forward by Colonel John Colborne. Wheeling around, it
delivered devastating volleys into the flank of the tightly
packed column of guardsmen. This was followed up with a
bayonet charge and the 52nd leading the advance in driving
the enemy from the field.
Italy (1943-45) - 7/OXF & BUCKS LI took part in the amphibious
landings at Salerno. They then went on to fight their way up the
length of Italy, seeing bloody fighting at the Garigliano Crossing,
Anzio and Gemmano Ridge
Pegasus Bridge (1944) - The first action of the Battle of
Normandy was, Operation Deadstick, which saw 2/OXF &
BUCKS LI attacking bridges over the River Orne and the Caen
Canal. Landing by glider, they were able to capture the bridges,
swiftly overwhelming the German defences. By taking and
holding the bridges, they had secured the line of advance for
the British troops landing on Sword beach and prevented any
German counter attacks
Nonne Bosschen (1914) - At Nonne Bosschen Wood, the
Prussian Guard, among the most elite units in the entire
German Army, were halted and pushed back by a charge from
the 2/OXF & BUCKS LI thus closing an extremely dangerous
gap in the British line.
Anzio (1944) - 7/OXF & BUCKS LI landed in the Anzio beachhead
and took part in the defence, driving back repeated German
assaults. As the fighting dragged on for months, the Battalion’s
losses mounted until at last, when victory was achieved, only 60 men
remained of an initial strength of 1,000.
Normandy (1944) - 1st/Bucks and 1 & 2/OXF & BUCKS LI saw action
throughout the Battle of Normandy. While 2/OXF & BUCKS LI were fighting at
Pegasus Bridge, 1st/Bucks were landing on Sword Beach. 1//OXF & BUCKS LI
landed in Normandy in late June and were soon fighting in the Battle of Caen.
Abridged timeline of historical names and amalgamations Oxfordshire regiments from 1755 to the formation in 2007
1755
1782
1881
1908
1958
1966
2007
52nd Regiment of
Foot (52nd)
52nd (Oxfordshire)
Regiment of Foot (52nd)
The Oxfordshire Light
Infantry (OXF LI)
The Oxfordshire & Buckinghamshire
Light Infantry (OXF & BUCKS LI)
1st Green Jackets
(43rd and 52nd)
The Royal Green
Jackets (RGJ)
The Rifles
(RIFLES)
