Royal Irish Rifles
| Royal Irish Rifles Royal Ulster Rifles |
|
|---|---|
Regimental Crest
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| Active | 1793–1968 |
| Country |
 United Kingdom
|
| Branch |
 British Army
|
| Type | Rifles |
| Role | Light infantry |
| Size | 1-2 Regular battalions 3 Militia and Special Reserve battalions Up to 16 Hostilities-only battalions |
| Garrison/HQ | RHQ – Victoria Barracks, Belfast (1881-1937) St Patrick's Barracks, Ballymena (1937-1968) |
| Nickname(s) | The Stickies, The Rifles |
| Motto(s) | Quis Separabit (Who shall separate us [from the love of Christ]) (Latin) |
| Colours | None as a rifle regiment |
| March |
Quick: "The Ulster Rifles march 'Off, Off, Said the Stranger'" |
| Engagements | Badajoz, Jhansi, Somme, Normandy Landings, Rhine Crossing, Korea |
Quick: "The Ulster Rifles march 'Off, Off, Said the Stranger'"
The Royal Irish Rifles (became the Royal Ulster Rifles from 1 January 1921) was an infantry rifle regiment of the British Army, first created in 1881 by the amalgamation of the 83rd (County of Dublin) Regiment of Foot and the 86th (Royal County Down) Regiment of Foot. The regiment saw service in the Second Boer War, the First World War, the Second World War and the Korean War.
In 1968 the Royal Ulster Rifles was amalgamated with the other regiments of the North Irish Brigade, the Royal Irish Fusiliers (Princess Victoria's) and the Royal Inniskilling Fusiliers to create the Royal Irish Rangers.
The regiment's history dates backs to the reign of King George III. In 1793 the British Army expanded to meet the commitments of the war with the French First Republic. As part of that expansion it raised two new regiments of foot, the 83rd and the 86th. In 1881, under the Childers Reforms, the 83rd and 86th were amalgamated into a single regiment, named the Royal Irish Rifles, one of eight infantry regiments raised and garrisoned in Ireland. It was the county regiment of Antrim, Down, Belfast and Louth, with its depot located at Victoria Barracks, Belfast. Militarily, the whole of Ireland was administered as a single command within the United Kingdom with Command Headquarters at Parkgate (Phoenix Park) Dublin, directly under the War Office in London.
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