Royal Anglian Regiment

The Royal Anglian Regiment (RAR) is an infantry regiment of the British Army.

The regiment was formed in 1964 as one of the new large infantry regiments, through the amalgamaton of the regiments of the East Anglian Brigade:

• 1st Battalion – 1st Bn, 1st East Anglian Regiment
• 2nd Battalion – 1st Bn, 2nd East Anglian Regiment
• 3rd Battalion – 1st Bn, 3rd East Anglian Regiment
• 4th Battalion – 1st Bn, The Royal Leicestershire Regiment

Initially formed of four battalions, the regiment was reduced to three battalions in 1975, and then to two battalions in 1992. As one of the existing large regiments, the Royal Anglian Regiment is unaffected by the restructuring of the infantry that was announced in 2004. Thet Territorial battalion of the regiment, the East of England Regiment. is expected to be re-desginated as the 3rd Battalion due to the reforms.

The 1st Battalion (as of 2005) is part of 12th Mechanised Brigade, based in Aldershot. As mechanised infantry the battalion primarily operates the Warrior.

The 2nd Battalion (as of 2005) is part of the 160th Brigade, based in Chepstow. The battalion operates in the light infantry role, primarily operating the Land Rover.

History

All battalions of the regiment have udnertook tours-of-duty throughout "The Troubles". The most costly times for the regiment in NI was during the 1970s and 1980s when they lost 18 soldiers, the last in 1989. The regiment continues to deploy to NI though the violence there has, for the most part, subsided. The RAR, like the rest of the Army, usually supports the NI police while on operations.

Throughout the 1960s, the regiment was deployed to Aden, seeing tough service against guerrilas, Malta and the Persian Gulf. The regiment has also served in Cyprus on a number of tours, the last by 2nd RAR in 1998.

During the crisis in the Balkans, 2nd RA deployed to Bosnia in April 1994 as part of the UN peacekeeping force UNPROFOR. The battalion left later that year, having suffered a single loss due to a landmine. Shortly after British forces intervened in Sierra Leone during its civil war, the 2nd Battalion briefly joined the IMATT force in Sierra Leone in June 2000, designed to train the Sierra Leone forces.

The 1st RAR deployed to Afghanistan in March 2002, based in the capital Kabul as part of ISAF. The battalion often patrolled in the more dangerous parts of the city with the intention of maintaining order in a city under constant fear of attack by Al Qaida and the Taliban. The ISAF force was commanded by Major-General John McColl who had served with 1st RAR and 2nd RAR, commanding the latter between 1992-1994. The battalion left in June, having suffered one loss due to an accident. The following February, "A" company of the 2nd RAR was posted to Kabul in June 2003, replaced by "C" Company in June.

Alliances

Present

• The Lincoln and Welland Regiment
• The Essex and Kent Scottish
• The Lake Superior Scottish Regiment
• The Sherbrooke Hussars
• The Royal Tasmania Regiment
• The Auckland (Countess of Ranfurly's Own) and Northland Regiment
• 5th Battalion, The Frontier Force Regiment
• 1st Battalion, The Royal Malay Regiment
• The Barbados Regiment
• Regiment de la ray First City Regiment
• The Bermuda Regiment
• The Royal Gibraltar Regiment
• The Belize Defence Force

Former

• 3rd Battalion (Countess of Ranfurly's Own) and Northland), Royal New Zealand Infantry Regiment