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| 1st Battalion, The Royal Anglian Regiment | |
|---|---|
| Unit name | 1st Battalion, The Royal Anglian Regiment |
| Dates | 16 July 1964 – present |
| Country | United Kingdom |
| Branch | British Army |
| Type | Infantry |
| Role | Mechanised Infantry |
| Size | Battalion |
| Command structure | Queen's Division |
| Garrison | Bury St Edmunds |
| Nickname | "1 Royal Anglian" |
| Motto | "Stabilis" |
| Colours | "Black, buff and green" |
| March | "A Hunting We Will Go" |
| Notable commanders | Sir John Stanier, Noel Irwin, Sir Michael Rose |
1st Battalion, The Royal Anglian Regiment is an infantry battalion of the British Army formed in 1964 by amalgamation of county regiments from the East Anglia region. The battalion serves as a mechanised infantry unit within the Queen's Division and has been garrisoned at Bury St Edmunds and other depots while deploying repeatedly to theatres including Northern Ireland, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Iraq and Afghanistan. It traces lineage to historic units such as the Royal Norfolk Regiment, the Suffolk Regiment, the Cambridgeshire Regiment and the Leicestershire Regiment.
The battalion was created on 1 September 1964 during a reorganisation that produced the Royal Anglian Regiment from legacy county regiments including the Royal Lincolnshire Regiment, Hertfordshire Regiment, Bedfordshire and Hertfordshire Regiment and the Royal Leicestershire Regiment. Throughout the Cold War the unit formed part of United Kingdom garrison forces in West Germany, served on internal security duties in Northern Ireland during the Troubles, and undertook exercises with British Army of the Rhine, NATO partners and formations such as the 1st (UK) Armoured Division. Post-Cold War restructuring, including the Options for Change and later Future Army Structure reforms, affected basing and role, leading to mechanisation and re-equipment with armoured personnel carriers and infantry fighting vehicles. The battalion's operational tempo increased with deployments to the Balkans during the Bosnian War and Kosovo War, to Iraq for Operation Telic, and to Afghanistan for Operation Herrick.
Organisationally the battalion forms part of the 1st (United Kingdom) Division and is one of several battalions in the Royal Anglian Regiment. Its internal structure follows standard infantry battalion organisation with a Headquarters Company, multiple rifle companies denoted by traditional titles, a Support Company incorporating heavy weapons such as machine guns and mortars, and specialist platoons for reconnaissance and anti-tank tasks. The role is mechanised infantry, integrating with armoured units such as the Household Cavalry and regiments of the Royal Armoured Corps to conduct combined-arms manoeuvre. Command relationships commonly link the battalion to brigade-level formations including 12th Mechanized Brigade and multinational brigades under NATO command.
Operational history encompasses counterinsurgency, peacekeeping and high-intensity combat. In Northern Ireland the battalion served in urban security operations in Belfast, Derry, and county deployments across County Armagh during the 1970s, 1980s and 1990s. During the Bosnian conflict the unit undertook UNPROFOR and later IFOR/SFOR peace support duties across Sarajevo and the Srebrenica area. In 2003 elements deployed to Iraq for Operation Telic including battle groups operating around Basra and along lines of communication. Subsequent tours to Afghanistan saw company- and battle-group-level deployments in Helmand Province under ISAF command and joint operations with United States Marine Corps and Royal Marines units. The battalion has also contributed to stability operations, exercises with French Army, German Army, Polish Land Forces and training missions in Kenya and Balkans Partnership exercises.
Battle honours carried by the battalion derive from predecessor regiments and include historic engagements such as the Battle of Waterloo, the Somme, Ypres, the North-West Europe Campaign, and more recent honours from Iraq and Afghanistan. The battalion has suffered casualties in multiple theatres; during the Troubles several soldiers were killed in contact and by improvised devices in County Tyrone and County Armagh, while operations in Iraq and Afghanistan incurred combat and accidental losses. Members have been awarded decorations including the Military Cross, the Mentioned in Despatches, and campaign medals such as the Operational Service Medal and the Iraq Medal.
Regimental insignia combine symbols from East Anglian heritage including the Swaffham motifs, county beasts, and the regimental badge worn with tactical recognition flashes. Colours and dress incorporate elements from antecedent units like the Royal Norfolk Regiment and Bedfordshire Regiment, while cap badge variations and stable belts reflect county lineage. Traditions include annual commemorations at regimental museums such as the Royal Anglian Regiment Museum, remembrance parades at Bury St Edmunds Abbey, and alliances with Commonwealth formations including regiments from Australia, Canada, and New Zealand. Ceremonial events often feature marches like "A Hunting We Will Go" and affiliations with civic figures in East Anglia counties.
Training packages emphasise combined-arms tactics, urban operations, and counterinsurgency doctrine aligned with British Army training centres such as the Infantry Battle School in Warminster and the Jungle Warfare Training School for tropical preparation. Pre-deployment preparation often takes place at the Battlegroup Live ranges and at international facilities including Salisbury Plain Training Area, BATUS in Canada, and NATO training centres. Equipment historically has included the FV432 armoured personnel carrier, the Warrior IFV, the Lightweight multirole missile systems, general purpose machine guns such as the L7 GPMG, and small arms like the L85A2/A3 family. Support elements utilise vehicles from the Royal Logistic Corps and engineering support from the Royal Engineers.
Notable commanders and officers associated through command, staff appointments or lineage include senior figures such as Sir John Stanier, Sir Michael Rose, and brigade commanders who later reached general officer rank in the British Army. Distinguished soldiers and decorated personnel have received honours for gallantry and leadership during operations in Northern Ireland, Iraq and Afghanistan, and alumni have moved into public roles in Parliament, civic service in Norfolk and historical authorship on regimental matters.
Category:Battalions of the Royal Anglian Regiment Category:Infantry battalions of the British Army