Royal Welsh

For the agricultural show, see Royal Welsh Show.
The Royal Welsh

Cap badge of the Royal Welsh
Active 1 March 2006–
Allegiance  United Kingdom
Branch  British Army
Type Line Infantry
Role 1st Battalion – Armoured Infantry
3rd Battalion – Army Reserve
Size Two battalions
Part of Prince of Wales' Division
Garrison/HQ RHQ – Cardiff
1st Battalion – Tidworth
3rd Battalion – Cardiff
Motto(s) "Ich Dien" (German)
"I Serve"
March Quick – Men of Harlech
Slow – Forth to the Battle
Mascot(s) Persian Goat (Shenkin III)
Anniversaries St David's Day – 1 March
Commanders
Colonel in Chief Elizabeth II
Colonel of
the Regiment		 Major General Roderick John Murray Porter MBE
Insignia
Tactical Recognition Flash
Hackle White (ORs only)
From Royal Welch Fusiliers
Abbreviation R WELSH

The Royal Welsh (R WELSH) (Welsh: Y Cymry Brenhinol) is one of the new large infantry regiments of the British Army. After the restructuring and reorganisation of the army in 2006, the Royal Welsh is one of three regiments to trace its lineage and draw its recruits primarily from Wales.

History

The regiment's formation was announced on 16 December 2004 by Geoff Hoon and General Sir Mike Jackson as part of the restructuring of the infantry and it was actually formed on St David's Day, 1 March 2006. The Royal Welsh initially consisted of two Regular Army battalion, plus an Army Reserve battalion. The former regiments formed part of the battalion title (in brackets):[1]

The 1st battalion deployed to Afghanistan in October 2007, October 2009[2] and April 2012.[3]

In July 2007 the 2nd battalion deployed to Iraq[4] and between 2009 and 2011 the battalion deployed companies to Afghanistan.[5]

The 2nd battalion merged with 1st battalion to form a single battalion, the 1st Battalion, The Royal Welsh on 2 April 2014.[6]

Structure

The 1st Battalion, The Royal Welsh is a Regular Army armoured infantry battalion based at Tidworth Camp. It comes under 12th Armoured Infantry Brigade.[7][8]

The 3rd Battalion, The Royal Welsh is an Army Reserve light infantry battalion based at Maindy Barracks in Cardiff, with company locations in Swansea, Pontypridd, Aberystwyth and Colwyn Bay. Paired with 1st Battalion Welsh Guards, it comes under 11th Infantry Brigade and Headquarters South East.[9]

Traditions

The regiment's cap badge is a representation of the Prince of Wales's feathers (formerly the cap badge of the Royal Regiment of Wales), while the hackle of the Royal Welch Fusiliers is worn by all NCOs and Other Ranks. HM The Queen is the new regiment's Colonel-in-Chief.[10]

The regiment includes a goat, presented by the monarch; this is not a mascot but a ranking soldier. Lance Corporal William Windsor retired on 20 May 2009; a replacement, Fusilier William Windsor, was appointed on 15 June 2009.[11][12]

Regimental Band and Corps of Drums of The Royal Welsh

The Regimental Band of The Royal Welsh is an all-brass band within the British Army. Formed of 30 soldiers who are all members of the Army Reserve, it can provide a marching band, a concert band or a fanfare team.[13]

In October 2009, due to £54m of Ministry of Defence budget cuts affecting front line services including the war in Afghanistan, all bookings from end of October 2009 until April 2010 were cancelled. This covered the Autumn Rugby Union Internationals and Remembrance Day. Band members agreed to honour all charity appearances during this period, but without pay.[14]

Alliances

Soldiers from the Mobility Reconnaissance Force of 1 Royal Welsh take up a defensive position north of Patrol Base Wahid, Nad-E' Ali, Helmand during a patrol.

Order of precedence

Preceded by
Mercian Regiment		 Infantry Order of Precedence Succeeded by
The Royal Irish Regiment

Lineage

1880[15] 1881 Childers Reforms[15] 1921 Name changes 1957 Defence White Paper 1966 Defence White Paper 1990 Options for Change 2003 Delivering Security in a Changing World
23rd (Royal Welsh Fusiliers) Regiment of Foot The Royal Welsh Fusiliers The Royal Welch Fusiliers The Royal Welsh
24th (2nd Warwickshire) Regiment of Foot The South Wales Borderers Royal Regiment of Wales (24th/41st Foot)
41st (The Welsh) Regiment of Foot The Welsh Regiment The Welch Regiment
69th (South Lincolnshire) Regiment of Foot

References

  1. ↑ "In detail: army restructuring plans". BBC. 16 December 2004. Retrieved 24 May 2014.
  2. ↑ "11 Light Brigade to replace 19 Light Brigade in Afghanistan". Ministry of Defence. 15 July 2009. Archived from the original on 16 July 2009. Retrieved 30 April 2016.
  3. ↑ "RC – Southwest - Task Force Helmand". International Security Assistance Force(ISAF). 19 April 2012. Archived from the original on 30 December 2012. Retrieved 17 September 2012.
  4. ↑ "The Royal Welsh return from Iraq". Wales on line. 11 December 2007. Retrieved 30 April 2016.
  5. ↑ "2nd Battalion The Royal Welsh: Soldiers in Cardigan march". BBC. 28 September 2012. Retrieved 30 April 2016.
  6. ↑ "In pictures: Parade commemorates historic merger of Royal Welsh Regiment's 1st and 2nd Battalions". Wales on line. 4 April 2014. Retrieved 30 April 2016.
  7. ↑ "Army basing announcement" (PDF). Retrieved 26 April 2014.
  8. ↑ "Transforming the British Army: An Update" (PDF). Ministry of Defence. p. 7. Retrieved 30 April 2016.
  9. ↑ "3 Royal Welsh". Ministry of Defence. Retrieved 8 January 2015.
  10. ↑ "Cardiff set for royal visit from The Queen as she presents the Royal Welsh Regiment with its new colours". Wales on line. 17 April 2015. Retrieved 30 April 2016.
  11. ↑ "Retiring army goat's new zoo home". BBC News. 20 May 2009. Retrieved 22 May 2010.
  12. ↑ "Soldiers choose regimental goat". BBC News. 15 June 2009. Retrieved 10 June 2010.
  13. ↑ "Regimental Band and Corps of Drums". Ministry of Defence. Retrieved 30 April 2016.
  14. ↑ "Army cutbacks hit regimental band". BBC Wales. 16 October 2009. Retrieved 8 November 2009.
  15. 1 2 The London Gazette, Page 3300-3301 (1 July 1881). "Childers Reform" (24992). Government of the United Kingdom. Retrieved 27 October 2016.
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