DEVONSHIRE AND DORSET REGIMENT

'The Devonshire and Dorset Light Infantry' (usually known as the 'Devon and Dorset Regiment' or just the 'Devon and Dorsets') was an infantry regiment of the British Army. It was formed in 1958 by the amalgamation of two county regiments:

★ The Devonshire Regiment

★ The Dorset Regiment
Between 2000 and 2002, the 1st Battalion, Devonshire and Dorset Regiment served as a public duties battalion in London, which included providing the Queen's Guard at Buckingham Palace.
In the 2004 re-organisation of the infantry, it was announced that the Devonshire and Dorset Regiment would cease to exist; it would be amalgamated with the Royal Gloucestershire, Berkshire and Wiltshire Regiment to form a new battalion of The Light Infantry. As part of the preparation for this, the regiment moved from the Prince of Wales' Division to the Light Division, and was renamed the 'Devonshire and Dorset Light Infantry', on 22 July 2005.
On 24 November 2005, the MOD announced further changes to the amalgamations. The regiment would still merge with the Royal Gloucestershire, Berkshire and Wiltshire Regiment resulting in a single battalion; however they were now to join a new large regiment created by the amalgamation of The Light Infantry and the Royal Green Jackets. This new regiment was to be called The Rifles and was to be formed in February 2007. The battalion that resulted from the merger of the Devonshire and Dorset Regiment and the Royal Gloucestershire, Berkshire and Wiltshire Regiment was designated '1st Battalion, The Rifles'. On becoming part of a rifle regiment, the D and D no longer carried their colours; these were laid up in Exeter Cathedral on 27 January 2007.

Contents

Alliances

External links

Alliances

★ - Les Fusiliers de Sherbrooke

★ - The Royal New South Wales Regiment

★ - 6th Battalion, Royal Malay Regiment

★ - 5 South African Infantry Battalion (Bond of Friendship)

★ - HMS ''Exeter''



★ - 2e Régiment Étranger d'Infanterie (Bond of Friendship)

External links

★ MOD Press Release Nov 2005

★ BBC News story on the reorganization plans