Royal Gloucestershire, Berkshire and Wiltshire Regiment

The Royal Gloucestershire, Berkshire and Wiltshire Regiment is an infantry regiment of the British Army.

Related Topics:
Infantry - Regiment - British Army

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It was formed in 1994 by the amalgamation of two English Regiments.

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• The Gloucestershire Regiment
• The Duke of Edinburgh's Royal Regiment (Berkshire and Wiltshire)

The regiment is unique in the British Army in that it is permitted to wear the United States Distinguished Unit Citation, which it inherited from the 1st Battalion, Gloucestershire Regiment which was awarded for their defence of Gloster Hill during the Battle of the Imjin River in April 1951 during the Korean War.

Related Topics:
British Army - Distinguished Unit Citation - Gloster Hill - Battle of the Imjin River - 1951 - Korean War

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It is also unique in being the only regiment in the British Army permitted to wear a cap badge on both the front and the rear of their hats. The back badge was awarded to the 28th Regiment of Foot for their actions at the Battle of Alexandria in 1801 when the regiment fought on whilst completely surrounded by the enemy. During the Battle of the Imjin River, during the Korean War, the 1st Battalion, Gloucestershire Regiment (the Glorious Glosters), and their mortar battery ? numbering perhaps 750 men in total ? again fought on when surrounded on Gloster Hill by at least one Chinese division of 10,000 men.

Related Topics:
Cap badge - 28th Regiment of Foot - Battle of Alexandria - 1801 - Battle of the Imjin River - Gloucestershire Regiment - Gloster Hill

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Between 2002 and 2005, the 1st Battalion, Royal Gloucestershire, Berkshire and Wiltshire Regiment served as a public duties battalion in London, where its duties included providing the Queen's Guard. It was while the RGBW was on guard at Buckingham Palace that the Fathers 4 Justice protest took place.

Related Topics:
2002 - 2005 - Public duties - Queen's Guard - Buckingham Palace - Fathers 4 Justice protest

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On 16th December 2004, it was announced that the Royal Gloucestershire, Berkshire and Wiltshire Regiment will be disbanded - the Gloucestershire element will, along with the Devonshire and Dorset Regiment be merged with the Light Infantry, while the Berkshire and Wiltshire elements will be merged with the Princess of Wales's Royal Regiment.

Related Topics:
2004 - Devonshire and Dorset Regiment - Light Infantry - Princess of Wales's Royal Regiment

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In March 2005, it was further announced that the de-amalgamation of the regiment would now not take place; instead it would merge completely with the Devonshire and Dorset Regiment as 1st Battalion, Light Infantry. In preparation for this, the regiment will be moved from the Prince of Wales' Division to the Light Division and renamed the Royal Gloucestershire, Berkshire and Wiltshire Light Infantry in July 2005.

Related Topics:
2005 - Prince of Wales' Division - Light Division

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