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Difference between the Irish Guards and the RIR?

  • 17-03-2011 2:39am
    #1
    Closed Accounts Posts: 478 ✭✭


    A poster in the RIR thread stated that the main difference between the two is that the RIR tends to be more northern in its composition whilst the Guards tends to be more southern. Is this true and are there any more substantive distinctions regarding their natures and roles in the BA?


Comments

  • Registered Users Posts: 2,518 ✭✭✭OS119


    A poster in the RIR thread stated that the main difference between the two is that the RIR tends to be more northern in its composition whilst the Guards tends to be more southern. Is this true and are there any more substantive distinctions regarding their natures and roles in the BA?


    1IG is, obviously, a light role Foot Guards Regiment with all the ceremonial duties and attitude that such a unit entails, 1RIR is a light role infantry Bn that acts as the round out Bn for 16AA Bde.

    1IG is 'posher', and, imv, more pre-independance in heritage and wider attitude, while 1RIR is both more 'contempory' and, bizaarely, harks back to its spiritual antecedants like the 88th - both have lots of people from north and south, lots of people from the UK with either Irish heritage, and lots of people with no Irish connections whatsoever.

    both are, in my experience of working with them, superb infantry Bn's - really solid and with excellent morale (a Bn can't be a good Bn without good morale, and it can't have good morale if it has problems).

    don't feel constrained to stichk to Irish regiments, and don't feel contrained to the Infantry - there's lots of opportunities out there that in the current (and future?) conflicts will mean you can get as much action as the Infantry.


  • Closed Accounts Posts: 162 ✭✭Utrinque Paratus


    OS119 wrote: »
    1IG is, obviously, a light role Foot Guards Regiment with all the ceremonial duties and attitude that such a unit entails, 1RIR is a light role infantry Bn that acts as the round out Bn for 16AA Bde.

    1IG is 'posher', and, imv, more pre-independance in heritage and wider attitude, while 1RIR is both more 'contempory' and, bizaarely, harks back to its spiritual antecedants like the 88th - both have lots of people from north and south, lots of people from the UK with either Irish heritage, and lots of people with no Irish connections whatsoever.

    both are, in my experience of working with them, superb infantry Bn's - really solid and with excellent morale (a Bn can't be a good Bn without good morale, and it can't have good morale if it has problems).

    don't feel constrained to stichk to Irish regiments, and don't feel contrained to the Infantry - there's lots of opportunities out there that in the current (and future?) conflicts will mean you can get as much action as the Infantry.


    1IG is now also deployed with 16AA Bde. Their previous role for a number of yrs was as mechanised infantry.


    Units and elements of 16 AIR ASSAULT BRIGADE:

    216 (Parachute) Headquarters and Signal Squadron
    1 Mechanized Brigade HQ and Signal Squadron (215)
    102 Logistic Brigade
    104 Logistic Support Brigade
    7th Parachute Regiment Royal Horse Artillery
    Household Cavalry Regiment
    5th, 16th,32nd,39th and 47th Regiment Royal Artillery
    23 Engineer Regiment (Air Assault)
    1st Battalion Irish Guards
    The Royal Highland Fusilier, 2nd Battalion The Royal Regiment of Scotland
    The Argyll and Sutherland Highlanders, 5th Battalion The Royal Regiment of Scotland
    1st Battalion, the Royal Irish Regiment
    2nd Battalion, the Parachute Regiment
    3rd Battalion, the Parachute Regiment
    Pathfinder Group
    1, 3, 4 and 9 Regiment Army Air Corps
    9 Regiment Royal Logistic Corps
    11 Explosive Ordnance Disposal Regiment, The Royal Logistic Corps
    13 Air Assault Support Regiment Royal Logistic Corps
    16 Medical Regiment, royal Army Medical Corps
    7 (Air Assault) Battalion Royal Electrical and Mechanical Engineers
    156 Provost Company, Royal Military Police
    158 Provost Company, Royal Military Police
    1st Miliatary Working Dog Regiment
    The Honourable Artillery Company

    Reservist Regiments:
    100-106 Regiment Royal Artillery
    101 Engineer Regiment (EOD)
    7th Battallion The Royal Regiment of Scotland
    2 Royal Irish
    4 PARA
    The London Regiment
    The Welsh Transport Regiment, RLC
    166 Supply Regiment, RLC
    168 Pioneer Regiment, RLC
    101 Force Support Battalion, REME
    103 Battalion, REME
    Military Provost Staff


  • Registered Users Posts: 34 groundshaker


    As of now the majority of southern irish applicants are joining the royal Irish, simply because it is a bigger regiment. I,m going the Micks soon myself, just fancied being based near london would be better than being stationed in Ternhill with the Royal Irish. There,s nearly three times as many places left to be filled in the Royal Irish as opposed to the Irish Guards, so there,s more competition for the Irish Guards places´, ie. you need a grade B at least from adsc to get a place. Anyway in response to your question both have plenty of soldiers from north and south. I know myself and plenty of other southern lads joing the micks if you,re interested


  • Closed Accounts Posts: 26,567 ✭✭✭✭Fratton Fred


    As of now the majority of southern irish applicants are joining the royal Irish, simply because it is a bigger regiment. I,m going the Micks soon myself, just fancied being based near london would be better than being stationed in Ternhill with the Royal Irish. There,s nearly three times as many places left to be filled in the Royal Irish as opposed to the Irish Guards, so there,s more competition for the Irish Guards places´, ie. you need a grade B at least from adsc to get a place. Anyway in response to your question both have plenty of soldiers from north and south. I know myself and plenty of other southern lads joing the micks if you,re interested

    Windsor looks a pretty good place to be based. I worked opposite the castle for four months last summer and the Irish Guards appeared to be quite popular with both locals and visitors alike. To my untrained eye it looked like a good mix of ceremonial and business soldiering.

    Plenty of young female tourists around as well.....


  • Closed Accounts Posts: 478 ✭✭CokaColumbo


    Thanks for the replies guys.


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  • Registered Users Posts: 34 groundshaker


    Ya windsor is definitely a nice spot to be based! Right beside heathrow too. The micks are moving to aldershot next year though and leaving the ceromonial duties aside for a few years. Think they're going out to afganistan in 2013 again aswell.


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