Creation The Royal Irish Rangers came into being on 1 July 1968 through the amalgamation of the three regiments of the
North Irish Brigade: the
Royal Inniskilling Fusiliers, the
Royal Ulster Rifles and the
Royal Irish Fusiliers. The date was initially known as "Vesting Day" (and then "Rangers Day"), emphasising that the traditions of the old regiments were "vested" in the new large regiment. The three regiments had old and differing traditions (Rifle and Fusilier) and to avoid favouring one above another, the unique designation "Rangers" was adopted. The title had not existed in the British Army
since 1922.
Deployments The 1st Battalion moved to Barrosa Barracks in
Hemer,
Germany in September 1970 from where units were deployed to
Cyprus on peacekeeping duties in November 1971. The battalion returned home in July 1974 where it was stationed in
Battlesbury Barracks in
Warminster it became the infantry demonstration Battalion. Two years later it moved to
RAF Little Rissington in the
Cotswolds, before being sent to
Berlin in May 1979. After returning home in April 1981 the battalion moved to Chester bfor 2 yrs before moving to Belfast Barracks in
Osnabrück in January 1985. The battalion undertook a deployment to
Northern Ireland during
the Troubles in September 1988. The 2nd Battalion, which had been based in
Gibraltar on formation, returned home in October 1969. It moved to Barrosa Barracks in Hemer in July 1974 from where it deployed to Cyprus in January 1975. After returning home in March 1979, it moved to Wavell Barracks in
Berlin in October 1981 and back to England in March 1983. It deployed to Cyprus in May 1985 and to the
Falkland Islands in March 1987.
Options for change Under the
Options for Change reorganisation, the Royal Irish Rangers were amalgamated with the
Ulster Defence Regiment to form the new
Royal Irish Regiment (27th (Inniskilling) 83rd and 87th and Ulster Defence Regiment) in 1992. ==Uniform==