History of British Light Infantry - The Fate of The Light Infantry Regiments

The Fate of The Light Infantry Regiments

Between 2004 and 2007, a number of amalgamations took place in the British Army, following an earlier series that dated back to 1958. The aim of this most recent round was to produce a more flexible fighting force to combat the threats of today, much removed from those of the Cold War; which ended in the early 1990s. Most of the regiments in existence prior to 1958 have now been disbanded (such as the Cameronians) or have been restructured into numbered battalions of larger regiments. This process has affected all of the historic light infantry regiments (see below). The reorganised infantry branch incorporates different battalions with the specialised roles of infantry; light, Air assault (or Airborne), armoured, mechanised and commando support, within a reduced number of large regiments such as the Rifles.

• British Light Infantry Regiments (prior to the amalgamations between 1958 and 2006)
  • Duke of Cornwall's Light Infantry
  • Durham Light Infantry
  • Highland Light Infantry
  • King's Own Yorkshire Light Infantry
  • King's Shropshire Light Infantry
  • Oxfordshire and Buckinghamshire Light Infantry
  • Somerset Light Infantry
  • Devonshire and Dorset Light Infantry

• British Rifle Regiments
  • King's Royal Rifle Corps
  • The Rifle Brigade
  • The Cameronians (Scottish Rifles)
  • Royal Irish Rifles/Royal Ulster Rifles
  • Royal Green Jackets
  • The Light Infantry
  • The Rifles (only regiment of those listed above now having a separate existence)