Royal Yorkshire Regiment
The Yorkshire Regiment (14th/15th, 19th and 33rd/76th Foot) is one of the new large infantry regiments of the British Army. The regiment's formation was announced on 16 December 2004 by Geoff Hoon and General Sir Mike Jackson as part of the restructuring of the infantry - it will be formed of three regular battalions, plus a TA battalion, and will be created through the merger of three single battalion regiments:
- 1st Battalion, The Yorkshire Regiment "(Prince of Wales Own)" (ex 1st Battalion, Prince of Wales's Own Regiment of Yorkshire)
- 2nd Battalion, The Yorkshire Regiment "(Green Howards)" (ex 1st Battalion, Green Howards)
- 3rd Battalion, The Yorkshire Regiment "(Duke Of Wellington's)" (ex 1st Battalion, Duke of Wellington's Regiment)
The 4th Battalion, will be the Territorial Army (TA) battalion, created from a company each of the Prince of Wales's Own (currently in The East and West Riding Regiment), the Green Howards (currently in the Tyne Tees Regiment) and two companies of the Duke of Wellington's Regiment (currently in The East and West Riding Regiment). The Battalion Headquarters and Headquarters company will be located at Worsley Barracks, York.
The regiment's official formation / Rebadging day will be the 6th June, 2006. The TA battalion will re-badge in TA Centres on the same day but will come together, with the affiliated Army Cadet Force/Combined Cadet Force detachments (approx 50), in a joint ceremony on 10th June 2006 in York.
HRH Prince Andrew, The Duke of York has been appointed to be the new regiment's Colonel-in-Chief, by HM The Queen.
The new regiment will see the 1st Battalion serving as Air Assault Troops, based at Somme Barracks in Catterick Garrison, the 2nd Battalion as Light Infantry, based in Beachley Barracks in Chepstow and the 3rd Battalion as armoured infantry based at Battlesbury Barracks in Warminster. The 3rd Battalion will retain the set of honorary colours presented to the 76th Foot, for service in India; however, these will only be on parade when the 3rd Battalion is in attendance. This is currently the only British Regiment to carry four colours.