On this day 29th June
1809 - 52nd - arrived off Lisbon and proceeded in boats up the Tagus to Vallada.
1900 – 1st Bn Oxf LI Mounted Infantry – engaged at Elandsfontein, 1 officer and 3 men wounded. (Boer War).
1919 –1st Bn, OXF & BUCKS LI – NORTH RUSSIA.
2130 - Lt. Browne & 1 Section R.E. & 30 Other Ranks 1st Oxf & Bucks Lt. Infty. for police duty left for BERESNIK by barge, floating down river, reached UST VAGA at 0100 hrs.
Orders issued for move of H.Q. & 3 platoons D Coy. from UST VAGA to MAL BERNSNIK in relief of C Coy.
1944 - 2nd (Airborne) Bn, Oxf & Bucks LI – BREVILLE.
The Commando raid took place in the area of LONGUEMARE from 0300 hrs to 0400 hrs and was very successful.
The Regiments mortars put up a concentration as part of the initial preparation.
The day passed very quietly, letter B Coy sent out patrols to the area of the previous nights Commando raid but found everything quiet and no enemy about.
1963 – 1st Green Jackets, 43rd and 52nd -Army Order 34/1963-Change to Rifle Regiment.
Her Majesty the Queen has been graciously pleased to approve that the 1st Green Jackets, 43rd and 52nd, shall henceforth be a Rifle Regiment.
ARMY ORDERS
Army Order 34/1963 - 29th June, 1963
1st Green Jackets, 43rd and 52nd - Change to Rifle Regiment
Her Majesty the Queen has been graciously pleased to approve that the 1st Green Jackets,43rd and 52nd, shall henceforth be a Rife Regiment.
MESSAGE FROM THE COLONEL COMMANDANT,
GENERAL SIR GERALD LATHBURY, G.C.B., D.S.O., M.B.E., A.D.C.
In 1803 the 43rd and 52nd together with the 95th Rifles (now the 3rd Green Jackets, The Rifle Brigade) formed the Light Brigade at Shorncliffe under Major-General Sir John Moore, K.B., who was Colonel of the 52nd.
In January of that year the 52nd became the 52nd Light Infantry and so the senior Light Infantry regiment in the service. In July a like distinction was conferred upon the 43rd, which thus became the second senior.
With this historical background the conversion of the Regiment to "Rifles" may cause some concern amongst its members, particularly those of the older generations, and I should like, therefore, briefly to explain the sequence of events that culminated in the Army Order printed
above.
In 1958 there was a reorganisation of Brigades within the Army, and the Regiment was selected to join our former comrades-in-arms, The Rifle Brigade and The Kings Royal Rifle Corps, to form the Green Jackets Brigade. The Regiment, therefore, left the Light Infantry Brigade and became a member of a "Rifles" Brigade adopting the title "1st Green Jackets, 43rd and 52nd." The other two Regiments became The 2nd Green Jackets, King's Royal Rifle Corps and The 3rd Green Jackets, The Rifle Brigade.
At this time we accepted the loss of our identity as Light lnfantry and since conformity of dress and drill within the modern brigade is an essential, the Regiment became, in the eyes of all except officialdom, a "Rifle" Regiment. This anomalous state of affairs led to very considerable administrative difficulties and, therefore, with the approval of the Regimental
Committee and the Colonels Commandant of the other two regiments, I made application to Her Majesty The Queen for her approval that the Regiment officially be converted to a Rifle regiment. This Her Majesty was graciously pleased to approve in June of this year.
I wish to stress that the traditions and customs of the Regiment so largely established during its 160 years as Light Infantry remain unchanged though I must tell you that, as a "Rifle" Regiment, we shall no longer carry Colours on parade. The present Colours will be laid up on a suitable occasion after the Regiment returns to this country from Malaya in late 1964 or early 1965. I should also like to take this opportunity to state that the Regiment remains the county regiment of Oxfordshire and Buckinghamshire and is justly proud of the connections built up over many years with its two counties.
1809 - 52nd - arrived off Lisbon and proceeded in boats up the Tagus to Vallada.
1900 – 1st Bn Oxf LI Mounted Infantry – engaged at Elandsfontein, 1 officer and 3 men wounded. (Boer War).
1919 –1st Bn, OXF & BUCKS LI – NORTH RUSSIA.
2130 - Lt. Browne & 1 Section R.E. & 30 Other Ranks 1st Oxf & Bucks Lt. Infty. for police duty left for BERESNIK by barge, floating down river, reached UST VAGA at 0100 hrs.
Orders issued for move of H.Q. & 3 platoons D Coy. from UST VAGA to MAL BERNSNIK in relief of C Coy.
1944 - 2nd (Airborne) Bn, Oxf & Bucks LI – BREVILLE.
The Commando raid took place in the area of LONGUEMARE from 0300 hrs to 0400 hrs and was very successful.
The Regiments mortars put up a concentration as part of the initial preparation.
The day passed very quietly, letter B Coy sent out patrols to the area of the previous nights Commando raid but found everything quiet and no enemy about.
1963 – 1st Green Jackets, 43rd and 52nd -Army Order 34/1963-Change to Rifle Regiment.
Her Majesty the Queen has been graciously pleased to approve that the 1st Green Jackets, 43rd and 52nd, shall henceforth be a Rifle Regiment.
ARMY ORDERS
Army Order 34/1963 - 29th June, 1963
1st Green Jackets, 43rd and 52nd - Change to Rifle Regiment
Her Majesty the Queen has been graciously pleased to approve that the 1st Green Jackets,43rd and 52nd, shall henceforth be a Rife Regiment.
MESSAGE FROM THE COLONEL COMMANDANT,
GENERAL SIR GERALD LATHBURY, G.C.B., D.S.O., M.B.E., A.D.C.
In 1803 the 43rd and 52nd together with the 95th Rifles (now the 3rd Green Jackets, The Rifle Brigade) formed the Light Brigade at Shorncliffe under Major-General Sir John Moore, K.B., who was Colonel of the 52nd.
In January of that year the 52nd became the 52nd Light Infantry and so the senior Light Infantry regiment in the service. In July a like distinction was conferred upon the 43rd, which thus became the second senior.
With this historical background the conversion of the Regiment to "Rifles" may cause some concern amongst its members, particularly those of the older generations, and I should like, therefore, briefly to explain the sequence of events that culminated in the Army Order printed
above.
In 1958 there was a reorganisation of Brigades within the Army, and the Regiment was selected to join our former comrades-in-arms, The Rifle Brigade and The Kings Royal Rifle Corps, to form the Green Jackets Brigade. The Regiment, therefore, left the Light Infantry Brigade and became a member of a "Rifles" Brigade adopting the title "1st Green Jackets, 43rd and 52nd." The other two Regiments became The 2nd Green Jackets, King's Royal Rifle Corps and The 3rd Green Jackets, The Rifle Brigade.
At this time we accepted the loss of our identity as Light lnfantry and since conformity of dress and drill within the modern brigade is an essential, the Regiment became, in the eyes of all except officialdom, a "Rifle" Regiment. This anomalous state of affairs led to very considerable administrative difficulties and, therefore, with the approval of the Regimental
Committee and the Colonels Commandant of the other two regiments, I made application to Her Majesty The Queen for her approval that the Regiment officially be converted to a Rifle regiment. This Her Majesty was graciously pleased to approve in June of this year.
I wish to stress that the traditions and customs of the Regiment so largely established during its 160 years as Light Infantry remain unchanged though I must tell you that, as a "Rifle" Regiment, we shall no longer carry Colours on parade. The present Colours will be laid up on a suitable occasion after the Regiment returns to this country from Malaya in late 1964 or early 1965. I should also like to take this opportunity to state that the Regiment remains the county regiment of Oxfordshire and Buckinghamshire and is justly proud of the connections built up over many years with its two counties.
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