The Rifles - Organisation

Organisation

The regiment has 5 regular and 2 Territorial Army battalions, each configured for a specific infantry role:

• 1st Battalion, an amalgamation of the 1st Battalion, Devonshire and Dorset Light Infantry and the 1st Battalion, Royal Gloucestershire, Berkshire and Wiltshire Light Infantry. Configured in the light role the Battalion is attached to 3 Commando Brigade as a fourth manoeuvre unit alongside three Commandos of Royal Marines. Personnel are based at Beachley Barracks, Chepstow.
• 2nd Battalion, a redesignation of the 1st Battalion, Royal Green Jackets and configured in the light role as part of 19 Light Brigade. Personnel are based at Abercorn Barracks, Ballykinler.
• 3rd Battalion, a redesignation of the 2nd Battalion, The Light Infantry and configured in the light role as part of 52nd Infantry Brigade. Personnel are based at Redford Barracks, Edinburgh.
• 4th Battalion, a redesignation of the 2nd Battalion, Royal Green Jackets and configured in the mechanised role as part of 1 Mechanised Brigade. Personnel are based at Kiwi Barracks, Bulford.
• 5th Battalion - redesignation of the 1st Battalion, The Light Infantry and configured in the armoured role as part of 20th Armoured Brigade. Personnel are based at Alanbrooke Barracks, Paderborn, Germany.
• 6th (V) Battalion - redesignation of the Rifle Volunteers with sub-units at Gloucester, Taunton, Dorchester, Truro and Exeter.

• 7th (V) Battalion - redesignation of the Royal Rifle Volunteers, minus the Princess of Wales's Royal Regiment company, plus the Royal Green Jacket companies of the London Regiment (the descendants of the 4th (V) Battalion the Royal Green Jackets). The Battalion has sub-units at Abingdon, Reading (Brock Barracks), Milton Keynes, Mayfair, West Ham, High Wycombe, Swindon, Windsor and Aylesbury.

In addition to the seven battalions above, a further two companies are also cap badged as The Rifles but are attached to other TA infantry Battalions:

• D (RIFLES) Company, 5th (V) Battalion Royal Regiment of Fusiliers (includes Y (RIFLES) Platoon), a redesignation of C (Light Infantry) Company, Tyne-Tees Regiment and Minden (Light Infantry) Company, East and West Riding Regiment. Designated to reflect the historic relationship with Durham, and Yorkshire, the Company has a presence at Bishop Auckland, Consett, Sunderland, Washington, Doncaster and Pontefract.
• E (RIFLES) Company, 4th (V) Battalion, Mercian Regiment, a redesignation of E (Light Infantry) Company, West Midlands Regiment, based at Shrewsbury.

Approximately one third of all cadets now wear The Rifles cap badge. There is only one single Combined Cadet Force unit that still carries the RGJ cap badge and that is the London Oratory School CCF, London, England.

HRH The Duke of Edinburgh (ex-Colonel-in-Chief, RGBWLI) is the Colonel-in-Chief of the Regiment with each battalion has its own Royal Colonel: