The King's Royal Rifle Corps began its existence not on the rolling fields of England, but in the dense, unforgiving forests of British North America during the winter of 1755. While the rest of the British Army relied on rigid European tactics that had led to disaster at the hands of the French and their indigenous allies, a unique force was being born from a desperate need for survival. Parliament granted approval for this new regiment just before Christmas 1755, establishing a traditional birthday that would be celebrated for centuries to come, yet administrative delays meant the special act of parliament creating four battalions of one thousand men each did not pass until the 4th of March 1756. This delay was critical, as the regiment was designed to be something entirely different from the standard line infantry. It was the first time foreign officers were commissioned as British Army officers, a radical move that allowed Swiss and German forest fighting experts to lead men who understood the terrain better than any regular soldier. The Earl of Loudoun, commander-in-chief of the Forces in North America, was appointed colonel-in-chief, but the true architect of this force was Jacques Prevost, a Swiss soldier and adventurer who recognized that the red-coated regulars were ill-equipped for the wilderness. Prevost's vision combined the characteristics of a colonial corps with those of a foreign legion, recruiting Swiss and German experts, American colonists, and volunteers from other regiments to form a unit that could fight in the woods. The regiment consisted of 101 officers, 240 non-commissioned officers, and 4,160 enlisted men, all raised on Governors Island, New York. Among the distinguished foreign officers was Henry Bouquet, a Swiss citizen whose forward-looking ideas on tactics, training, and man-management would eventually become standard in the British Army. Bouquet introduced the rifle and practical clothing suited to bush-fighting, replacing the heavy red coats and cocked hats with hatchets and cut-down coats for ease of movement. This innovation proved vital during the campaigns at Louisbourg in June 1758, the Cape Sable Campaign in September 1758, and the decisive Quebec campaign in September 1759. At Quebec, General James Wolfe is said to have granted the 60th the motto Swift and Bold, a testament to their effectiveness in the field. The regiment's success continued through the Montreal Campaign from July to September 1760, which finally wrested Canada from France. To reward and maintain their service and loyalty, Parliament passed the American Protestant Soldier Naturalization Act 1762, offering British naturalization to those officers, engineers, and soldiers who had served for two years. The regiment's unique identity was further cemented during Pontiac's War in 1763, where the frontier war threatened British control of North America. The new regiment lost several outlying garrisons, including Fort Michilimackinac, but a detachment under Bouquet's leadership achieved victory at Bushy Run in August 1763, proving their worth in a very different kind of warfare.
The transition from a colonial defense force to a global military power was neither smooth nor immediate, yet it defined the regiment's adaptability over two centuries. In 1775, two additional battalions were raised in England, principally of men recruited from England and Hanover, to serve in the American War of Independence. After assembly on the Isle of Wight, both battalions were sent to Florida in 1776, where they joined detachments from the 1st and 2nd Battalions. These units were deployed to Georgia and engaged in skirmishes at Sudbury in January 1779, the Battle of Brier Creek in March 1779, and the Siege of Savannah in October 1779, where elements from the 4th Battalion captured the color of the 2nd South Carolina Regiment. The 3rd battalion later took part in the British defense of the Gulf Coast, fighting at the Battle at The Village and the Siege of Pensacola, before the 3rd and 4th battalions were disbanded in June 1783. The Napoleonic Wars brought a new chapter, with the first four battalions serving as regular line battalions until 1797, when a 5th battalion was raised on Barbados. This battalion was equipped entirely with rifles, and the troops were so effective that Sir Arthur Wellesley recommended their use to divisional commanders, describing them as the most useful, active, and brave troops in the field. A 7th battalion was raised specifically for service in the American War of 1812, further expanding the regiment's reach. After the Napoleonic Wars, the regiment received a new title, first changing to The Duke of York's Own Rifle Corps in 1815, and then to the King's Royal Rifle Corps in 1830. In 1858, the Rifle Depot at Winchester was made their headquarters, marking a shift toward a more centralized identity. The regiment served in the Anglo-Egyptian War in 1882, and during the rest of the 1800s, it was active in China, Canada, Afghanistan, India, Burma, and South Africa. The regiment was deployed during the Second Boer War from the outset, playing a key role in the first battle at Talana Hill. Two officers from the regiment were awarded the Victoria Cross: Lieutenant Frederick Roberts and Lieutenant Llewelyn Alberic Emilius Price-Davies. Private Frederick Corbett also received the Victoria Cross for his action at Kafr Dowar, Egypt, on the 5th of August 1882, though his VC was later rescinded when he was convicted of embezzlement, theft, and being absent without leave. Following the end of the war in South Africa, the 1st battalion was transferred to Malta, where it arrived in October 1902. In 1908, the Volunteers and Militia were reorganized nationally, with the former becoming the Territorial Force and the latter the Special Reserve. The regiment now had two Reserve battalions, the 5th Battalion (Special Reserve) and the 6th Battalion (Special Reserve), setting the stage for the massive mobilization that would follow in the coming decades.
The Great War's Silent Heroes
The First World War saw the King's Royal Rifle Corps expand into a formidable force, with multiple battalions landing on the Western Front to face the horrors of trench warfare. The 1st Battalion landed at Rouen as part of the 6th Brigade in the 2nd Division in August 1914, seeing action at the Battle of Mons in August 1914, the First Battle of the Marne and the First Battle of the Aisne in September 1914, and the First Battle of Ypres in October 1914. It fought at the Battle of Festubert in May 1915, the Battle of Loos in September 1915, and the Battle of the Somme in Autumn 1916, before taking part in the advance to the Hindenburg Line, the Battle of Arras in November 1917, the Battle of Cambrai in November 1917, the Second Battle of the Somme in Autumn 1918, and the Battle of the Selle in October 1918. The 2nd Battalion landed at Le Havre as part of the 2nd Brigade in the 1st Division in August 1914, seeing action at the Battle of Aubers Ridge in May 1915. The 3rd Battalion landed at Le Havre as part of the 80th Brigade in the 27th Division in December 1914, seeing action at the Second Battle of Ypres in April 1915. The 4th Battalion landed at Le Havre as part of the 80th Brigade in the 27th Division in December 1914, seeing action at the Second Battle of Ypres in April 1915, but moved to Salonika in November 1915 before returning to France in June 1918. The New armies saw the 7th (Service) Battalion land at Boulogne-sur-Mer as part of the 41st Brigade in the 14th (Light) Division in August 1914, seeing action in the Second Battle of Ypres in May 1915, the Battle of Delville Wood in July 1916, and the Battle of Flers, Courcelette in September 1916, as well as the advance to the Hindenburg Line, the Battle of Arras in April 1917, the Battle of Langemark in August 1917, the First Battle of Passchendaele in October 1917, and the Second Battle of Passchendaele in November 1917, before taking part in the Battle of St Quentin in March 1918 and the Battle of the Avre in April 1918. The 8th (Service) Battalion landed at Boulogne-sur-Mer as part of the 41st Brigade in the 14th (Light) Division in May 1915, seeing action in most of the same battles as the 7th Battalion. The 9th (Service) Battalion landed at Boulogne-sur-Mer as part of the 42nd Brigade in the 14th (Light) Division in May 1915, seeing action in most of the same battles as the 7th and 8th battalions. The 10th (Service) Battalion and 11th (Service) Battalion landed at Boulogne-sur-Mer as part of the 59th Brigade in the 20th (Light) Division in July 1915, seeing action at the Battle of Mont Sorrel in June 1916, the Battle of Delville Wood in July 1916, and the Battle of Guillemont in September 1916, as well as the Battle of Flers, Courcelette in September 1916, the Battle of Morval in September 1916, and the Battle of Le Transloy in October 1916, before taking part in the advance to the Hindenburg Line, the Battle of Langemarck in August 1917, the Battle of the Menin Road Ridge in September 1917, the Battle of Polygon Wood in September 1917, and the Battle of Cambrai in November 1917. The 12th (Service) Battalion landed at Boulogne-sur-Mer as part of the 60th Brigade in the 20th (Light) Division in July 1915, seeing action in most of the same battles as the 10th and 11th Battalions. The 13th (Service) Battalion landed at Boulogne-sur-Mer as part of the 111th Brigade in the 37th Division in July 1915, seeing action at the Battle of Morval in September 1916, the advance to the Hindenburg Line, and the Battle of Arras in April 1917, as well as the Battle of Passchendaele in Autumn 1917, the Battle of Cambrai in November 1917, and the Hundred Days Offensive in Autumn 1918, before taking part in the Battles of the Hindenburg Line and the Final Advance in Picardy. The 16th (Service) Battalion (Church Lads' Brigade) landed at Le Havre as part of the 100th Brigade in the 33rd Division in November 1915, the 17th (Service) Battalion (British Empire League) landed at Le Havre as part of the 117th Brigade in the 39th Division in March 1916, the 18th (Service) Battalion (Arts & Crafts) landed at Le Havre as part of the 122nd Brigade in the 41st Division on the 3rd of May 1916, and the 20th (Service) Battalion (British Empire League Pioneers) landed at Le Havre as pioneer battalion for the 3rd Division in March 1916. The 21st (Service) Battalion (Yeoman Rifles) landed in France as part of the 124th Brigade in the 41st Division in May 1916, but moved to Italy in November 1917 before returning to France in March 1918. Seven members of the regiment received the Victoria Cross, a testament to their bravery in the face of overwhelming odds. After 1918, the unit returned to garrison duties in India, Palestine, and Ireland. In 1922, the regiment was reduced from four to two battalions, with the third and fourth being disbanded. In 1926, the Regiment was reorganized as one of the first mechanized infantry regiments, signaling a shift toward modern warfare.
The Second World War's Crucible
The end of the Second World War marked the beginning of a new chapter for the King's Royal Rifle Corps, one that would see the regiment's identity merged into a larger force. In 1958, for administrative purposes, the KRRC was brigaded with the Oxfordshire and Buckinghamshire Light Infantry and the Rifle Brigade to form the Green Jackets Brigade. In 1958, the regiment was re-titled the 2nd Green Jackets, the King's Royal Rifle Corps, while the two other regiments of the Green Jackets Brigade were re-titled the 1st Green Jackets (43rd and 52nd) and 3rd Green Jackets, the Rifle Brigade (Prince Consort's Own) respectively. In 1966, the three regiments were amalgamated to form the three battalions of the Royal Green Jackets. The KRRC became the 2nd Battalion, Royal Green Jackets. On the disbandment of the 1st Battalion, Royal Green Jackets in 1992, the RGJ's KRRC battalion was redesignated as the 1st Battalion, Royal Green Jackets, eventually becoming 2nd Battalion, The Rifles in 2007. The regimental collection is held by the Royal Green Jackets (Rifles) Museum, which is based at Peninsula Barracks in Winchester. The territorial battalions included the Queen Victoria's Rifles, The Rangers, and The Queen's Westminsters, which were formally made part of the KRRC during the Second World War. The 1st Cadet Battalion, The King's Royal Rifle Corps, owes its foundation to the Reverend Freeman Wills, who was commissioned into the Volunteer Army in the rank of captain on the 26th of July 1890. He was also Vicar of St Agatha's just behind Sun Street, Finsbury Square. On receiving his commission, he decided to form a cadet company within the 1st Cadet Battalion, the Royal West Surrey Regiment. The company quickly expanded to become the 2nd Cadet Battalion, the Royal West Surrey Regiment, at which point he moved the battalion headquarters to No. 2 Finsbury Square (and in 1904 to 24 Sun Street, which he had specially built for the purpose). In 1894, he applied to Prince George, Duke of Cambridge, Colonel-in-Chief, to affiliate to the regiment, with the title of 1st Cadet Battalion, the King's Royal Rifle Corps. Consent was granted on the 8th of November 1894, and the battalion has remained a part of the regiment ever since. In the days of their foundation, cadet battalions were privately organized and funded. On becoming a part of the King's Royal Rifle Corps, subscriptions began to flow in, and after the commanding officer had spent nearly £1,000, the battalion was placed on a financial basis that many volunteer corps would have envied. There were to be many ups and downs in later years, especially when recognition of the Cadet Force was withdrawn between the two world wars, but fortunately, the enthusiasm and commitment of those involved consistently triumphed over the parsimony of governments. In 1900, when volunteers were urgently needed for the Second Boer War, the commanding officer, Colonel Freeman Croft-Wills, persuaded the War Office to accept a company of the older cadets, principally N.C.O.s (non-commissioned officers), the company being enrolled in the City Imperial Volunteers. Around 100 cadets thus served in South Africa with this unit, whilst other cadets and ex-cadets served in the Royal Army Medical Corps, and other units. Four were killed in action, one serving
The Amalgamation and Legacy
with the 1st Battalion King's Royal Rifle Corps at the Battle of Dundee, and the others with units of the C.I.V.s. Their comrades erected brass plaques in their memory in the Drill Hall at Sun Street. These are now displayed in the Cadet Company Office here at Davies Street. In recognition of this service, King Edward VII granted the battalion the honor of wearing on its accoutrements the battle honor South Africa 1900, 1902 (Army Order 151 of 1905). The announcement of this privilege was made to the battalion by King George V, then Prince of Wales, when, accompanied by Queen Mary, he distributed the prizes at the Guildhall in the City of London. The 1st Cadet Battalion King's Royal Rifle Corps are the only cadet unit in the United Kingdom to have been granted such an honor and are permitted to wear the miniature 60th cap badge with the single battle honor, and call their cadets riflemen. The 2nd Cadet Battalion, the King's Royal Rifle Corps was formed in 1942 when a Home Guard instruction was issued ordering each Home Guard battalion to raise a cadet unit. Lieutenant-Colonel R.L. Clark of Queen Victoria's Rifles was given the task, and on the 15th of May 1942, the Queen Victoria's Rifles Cadet Corps was born. Over the next three years, the unit expanded to five companies, which in April 1945 led to it being re-titled the 2nd Cadet Battalion, The King's Royal Rifle Corps. In 1951, the 1st and 2nd Cadet Battalion were amalgamated. This resulted in the disposal of the headquarters of the 1st Cadet Battalion at Sun Street. In 1954, the battalion office of the new 1st Cadet Battalion was established at 56 Davies Street, where it remains to this day. Today, the KRRC 1st Cadet Battalion still exists, with the following units making up the battalion: A Company, 231 KRRC (Paddington) Rifles ACF, B Company, 232 KRRC (Westminster) Rifles ACF, C Company, 233 KRRC (Camden) Rifles ACF, and D Company, 234 KRRC (Putney) Rifles ACF. All these ACF units are currently in the Middlesex and Northwest London Sector Army Cadet Force. Alliances include The Queen's Own Rifles of Canada (1956, 1966), The Victoria Rifles of Canada (Until 1965), The Royal Rifles of Canada (Until 1965), The Dufferin Rifles of Canada (Until 1936), The Dufferin and Haldimand Rifles of Canada (1936-1946), 56th Field Regiment (Dufferin and Haldimand Rifles), RCA (1946-1966), The Halifax Rifles (Until 1965), The King's Own Rifles of Canada (Until 1946), The Saskatchewan Dragoons (1946-1966), and The Regina Rifle Regiment (Until 1966), and The Sydney University Regiment.