London Rifle Brigade
The London Rifle Brigade was a volunteer unit of the British Army.
It was first raised in the City of London on 14 December 1859 as 1st London (City of London Volunteer Rifle Brigade) Rifle Volunteer Corps, a rifle volunteer unit made up of five companies.[1] On 1 July 1881 it was made part of the King's Royal Rifle Corps as its 9th Volunteer Battalion. Ten years later, in December 1891, it was renamed the 1st London Volunteer Rifle Corps (City of London Volunteer Rifle Brigade). One of its early officers was Sir Charles Hunter. In 1893 its headquarters was moved to Bunhill Row in London. When the volunteer and militia units were re-organised as the Territorial Force in 1908 the unit was again renamed, becoming the 5th (City of London) Battalion of the new London Regiment.
On the outbreak of World War One in August 1914 it formed a part of the 2nd London Brigade within the 1st London Division. It was mobilised and sent to Bisley. It was moved to Crowborough in September 1914 and landed in France on 5 November, at Le Havre, upon which it left 1st London Division. On 19 May 1915 it was transferred to GHQ Troops to form a composite unit with the 1/12th and 1/13th Battalions of the London Regiment, though this only lasted until the following 11 August, when the three battalions regained their original identities. On 25 October 1915 the battalion was transferred to 8th Infantry Brigade in 3rd Division.[2]
One of the unit's lieutenant-colonels during the conflict was Charles Burnell. On 10 February 1916 it moved again, into 169th Brigade, part of 56th (London) Division. It was transferred to the corps of the Rifle Brigade on 7 July the same year, though it still also remained a battalion of the London Regiment. It was renamed again as 5th City of The London Regiment (London Rifle Brigade) in 1922, then as London Rifle Brigade, The Rifle Brigade (Prince Consort's Own) in 1937. Engine 6166 of the LMS Royal Scot Class was named after the unit in October 1930.
'1st Battalion' was added to the unit's name on 31 March 1939 when a duplicate 2nd Battalion was formed. On 15 January 1941 it was renamed 7th Battalion, The Rifle Brigade (Prince Consort's Own) (London Rifle Brigade). Two of the unit's World War Two officers were Donough O'Brien and Dickie Burnell. On 1 April 1947 it absorbed the duplicate 8th Battalion, The Rifle Brigade (London Rifle Brigade) and was renamed the London Rifle Brigade, The Rifle Brigade (Prince Consort's Own). On 1 May 1960 it amalgamated with The Rangers, with the new unit going under the name London Rifle Brigade/Rangers, whose successor unit is G (Royal Green Jackets) Company of the current London Regiment.
