Large Regiment - Options For Change

Options For Change

Under the Options for Change defence cuts announced in 1990, the number of infantry battalions was to be reduced. While most of the reductions were effected by the merger of pairs of single-battalion regiments, two existing large regiments were further enlarged and the infantry regiments of the Brigade of Gurkhas became a large regiment:

• On 1 July 1992 the Royal Irish Rangers amalgamated with the part-time Ulster Defence Regiment to form The Royal Irish Regiment (27th (Inniskilling) 83rd and 87th and Ulster Defence Regiment), with two regular battalions.
• On 9 September 1992, the Queen's Regiment merged with the Royal Hampshire Regiment. The resulting Princess of Wales's Royal Regiment (Queen's and Royal Hampshires) had two regular battalions.
• On 1 July 1994, the Royal Gurkha Rifles was formed from the 2nd King Edward VII's Own Gurkha Rifles (The Sirmoor Rifles), 6th Queen Elizabeth's Own Gurkha Rifles, 7th Duke of Edinburgh's Own Gurkha Rifles and the 10th Princess Mary's Own Gurkha Rifles, with three regular battalions.

Over the next few years, the junior battalions of most large regiments were disbanded, leaving them with two regular battalions.