Winchester County Brochure Final(5) - Flipbook - Page 6
WINCHESTER'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
Inkerman (1854) - 1/RB saw heavy fighting at the Battle of Inkerman. Lieutenant
Henry Clifford was later awarded a VC for his actions.
Lucknow (1857) - 2/3/RB took part in the Relief of Lucknow. Three men from the
Regiment were awarded VCs.
Delhi (1857) - At the Siege of Delhi, 1/KRRC stormed the Kashmir Gate. Seven
VCs were awarded to Rifleman for their actions.
Pekin (1860) - During the Second Anglo-Chinese War, 2/KRRC fought at the
battles of the Taku Forts, Chang-kia-wan and Palikao.
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.
Afghanistan (1878-79) - 1/2/KRRC and 4/RB took part in the Second AngloAfghan War. 2/KRRC fought at Ahmed Khel and Kandahar, and 4/RB at Ali Masjid.
Ypres (1914,’15,’17, ‘18) - 1/2/KRRC fought in the First Battel of Ypres. 3/4/
KRRC and 1/4/RB took part in the Second Battle of Ypres. 9 battalions of the
KRRC and 13 battalions of the RB were engaged in the Third Battle of Ypres.
16/KRRC fought in the Fifth Battle of Ypres.
Quebec (1759) - The 60th fought in the Battle of the Plains of
Abraham. General Wolfe declared that they were ‘Celer et Audax’
– Swift and Bold. This became the motto of the KRRC and is the
motto of The Rifles today.
Nonne Bosschen (1914) - 1/2/KRRC took part in the defence of
Nonne Bosschen, which saw 4,000 exhausted British troops
defeat 10,000 fresh German troops.
Martinique (1762, 1809) - The 60th successfully captured the
island of Martinique in 1762. During the Napoleonic Wars, they
again took Martinique.
Somme (1916, ’18) - 14 battalions of the KRRC and 8 battalions
of the RB took part in the Somme Offensive. 10 battalions of the
KRRC and 4 battalions of the RB fought in the Second Battle of
the Somme.
Copenhagen (1801, 1807) - The Rifle Corps fought in the naval
Battle of Copenhagen, acting as marines. 1/2/95th Rifles fought
in the Second Battle of Copenhagen, this time on land.
Calais (1940) - 2/7/KRRC and 1/RB defended Calais during
the Battle of France in 1940. Vastly outnumbered and under
equipped, the British held out for four days.
Peninsula (1808-14) - The 60 Foot and 95 Rifles fought
throughout the Peninsular War, with each regiment gaining
th
th
El Alamein (1942) - 1/2/11/KRRC and 2/9/RB fought at the Battle
of El Alamein, the turning point of the War in North Africa.
Waterloo (1815) - A1/2/3/95th fought throughout the Battle of
Waterloo. 2/95th attacked the flank of the Imperial Guard, breaking
them.
Italy (1943–45) - 1/11/12/KRRC and 7/10/RB took part in the invasion
of Italy, seeing action throughout the campaign.
South Africa (1846-47, 1851-53, 1879, 1899-1902) - 1 1/RB fought in the
Seventh Xhosa War, and 2/KKRC and 1/RB in the Eighth Xhosa War. 1/2/3/
KRRC were engaged in the Zulu War. 1/2/3/4/KRRC and 1/2/RB fought in the
Second Boer War.
Normandy (1944) - 2/11/12/KRRC and 1/8/RB fought in Normandy. The KRRC
fought at Caen and the Falaise Pocket. The RB took part in Operation
Goodwood.
Abridged timeline of historical names and amalgamations of Winchester regiments from 1756 to the formation of The Rifles in 2007.
1756
62nd (Royal American)
Regiment
1800
The Experimental Corps of
Riflemen & The Rifle Corps
1757
1824
1830
1958
60th (Royal American)
Regiment
Duke of York’s
Own Rifle Corps
The King’s Royal
Rifle Corps (KRRC)
2 Green Jackets, the King's
Royal Rifle Corps
nd
1802
1816
1862
1881
1958
95th Regiment of
Foot (95th)
The Rifle
Brigade (RB)
The Prince Consort's
Own Rifle Brigade
Rifle Brigade (Prince
Consort's Own)
3rd Green Jackets
1966
The Royal Green
Jackets (RGJ)
2007
The Rifles
(RIFLES)
