He wrote to Winters in the early 1990s: My son Robert, born in England during the war, is now an infantry major with the Royal Green Jackets Regiment. The reorganisation into The Rifles took effect on 1 February 2007 with the 1st Battalion Royal Green Jackets becoming the 2nd Battalion, The Rifles and the 2nd Battalion Royal Green Jackets becoming 4th Battalion, The Rifles. news. Join Facebook to connect with Robert Speirs and others you may know. All three battalions of The Royal Green Jackets had multiple postings in West Germany and Northern Ireland between 1966 and 1992. Close order drill was taught by two regular army officers. Our condolences to the Royal Family at this sad time. That is much. In spite of the difficult situation, Speirs managed. This rifle regiment was formed in 1800 and was one of the first to undergo light infantry training. We play a variety of different games with a diverse community. Come-du-Mont, to hold position while regimental headquarters coordinated a rolling barrage shelling fifteen targets in the vicinity of St. Marie-du-Mont. Facebook gives people the power to. McCausland - 01962. Find company research, competitor information, contact details & financial data for ADIDAS FRANCE of STRASBOURG, GRAND EST. Astoundingly, after Speirs got his message through to another company on the other side, he sprinted back. After his return to the States, Speirs and his English wife were divorced under US law.48, Ronald second marriage to a war widow whose first husband was killed in 1944 took place on 8th May, 1950, at Maxwell Air Force Base, Alabama.49 It is unknown when this marriage was dissolved, but records show a third marriage on 12th July, 1958 in Berlin, Germany.50 This union is known to have lasted until divorce in 1966.51. They were married in 1908 5and lived in Dalmuir, just outside Glasgow. They were dressed in green and armed with the Baker rifle. "My son Robert, born in England during the war, is now an infantry major with the Royal Green Jackets Regiment. Speirs made the military his career. robert speirs royal green jacketsoffice furniture liquidators chicago. He retired as a Lieutenant colonel. Therefore the RGJ marches at 140 paces per minute whereas other regiments march at just 120. 288-9: "On the morning following the storming of Badajoz: Of the doomed, who still survived, was poor Donald McPherson, a gigantic Highlander of about six feet and a half, as good a soul as ever lived; in peace a lamb - in war a lion. The 2nd and 3rd Battalions redesignated as 1st and 2nd Battalions. The Oxfordshire and Buckinghamshire Light Infantry (43rd & 52nd),The Kings Royal Rifle Corps (60th)andThe Rifle Brigade (95th)were amalgamated in 1966 to form The Royal Green Jackets. In the weeks preceding this holiday, we have published a series of short profiles written by Marcus Brotherton about the men from WWIIs Easy Company. Donald feared for nothing either in this world or the next; he had been true to man and true to his God, and he looked his last hour in the face like a soldier and a Christian! Under the 1982 Defence White Paper, a small reduction was made . His final assignment in the Army was as a plans officer in The Pentagon. [3]:176 The selection of Speirs was incidental; Winters later stated that Speirs was simply the first officer he saw when he turned around. By creating an account you agree to us emailing you with newsletters and discounts, which you can switch off in your account at any time. Donald had but an old mare and a portmanteau, with its contents, worth about 15, to leave behind him. The Royal Green Jackets Association Photographic Site Deeply saddened by the passing of Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II - 8th September 2022. They became the 1st, 2nd and 3rd Battalions of a new regiment, The Royal Green Jackets. George Robert Humphrey WO 2 Served from 1964 - 1987 Served in Royal Green Jackets Tony Price L/CPL Served from 1981 - 1989 Served in Royal Green Jackets Keith Taylor Served from 1962 - 1974 Served in Royal Green Jackets Patrick Walker CORPORAL Served from 1961 - 1966 Served in Royal Green Jackets Peter Deane Hearing that their support was urgently needed in Spain, they set out on a forced march of 250 miles to join Wellington's army at Talavera. Includes Address (3) Phone (9) Email (22) See Results. [citation needed]. He located an enemy machine gun nest, an enemy headquarters and other enemy activity near the town of Wageningen. In spite of his wound he brought back vital information and later received the Silver Star for his actions. [3]:272, Winters assessed Speirs as being one of the finest combat officers in the battalion. On 1 January 1966, in a period of much change in the structure of the Infantry and impending strength reductions, these Regiments chose to forego their independent titles and form a large regiment of three battalions The Royal Green Jackets. 1st Battalion The Light Infantry into 5th Battalion The Rifles. Many years later, Ronald Speirs would write, my father was a Scotish Engineer who emigrated to the U.S. because of the lack of employment in the UK during the depression.8. The three regiments that merged to form The Royal Green Jackets were: These regiments had a history of cooperation and comradeship dating back to the actions of the Light Division during the Peninsular War and had come together in 1958 to form The Green Jacket Brigade; the exploits and history of these Regiments are set out in the Royal Green Jackets (Rifles) Museum. The RGJ's lowest rank (after 'recruit') is Rifleman (Rfn), rather than Private (Pte), as in other regiments. Register of Officers effects: Died of Wounds, 7 May 1812, at Elvas. Documentary about 1st Battalion Royal Green Jackets. please send them to me at Seamus.lyons@rgjassociation.info. It is unclear if Speirs had a life partner between his divorce in 1966 and final marriage which took place in 1987 when he was 67 years old. It was here that PFC Art DiMarzio, who is also referenced in the book "Beyond Band of Brothers", was eyewitness to an event. (Note: all scanned photo's should have a minimum resolution of 300 dpi. [1], The regiment's greatest loss of life came on 20 July 1982 when seven RGJ bandsmen were killed by a Provisional Irish Republican Army bomb which exploded during a public concert featuring the music from Oliver! Cold war Rifleman in NBC protective gear. aka Black Mafia.Recorded before my time with the Regiment but got to meet & Work with some. They then joined their colleagues of the Light Brigade for Moore`s advance into Spain and provided the rearguard when the larger French army forced Moore to retreat to Corunna. The woman returned to her first husband. Eyewitness DiMarzio says that Captain Gross went to the scene of the shooting and after receiving all the information, deemed it justifiable self-defense. Discover more about The Royal Green Jackets by visiting The Royal Green Jackets (Rifles) Museum in Winchester. [6], Speirs returned to the United States and decided to remain in the Army, serving in the Korean War. Speirs volunteered for the paratroopers after the United States entered World War II. Shortly afterwards the Light Brigade was re-formed and Wellesley ordered the 60th in the 3rd Division to provide a company to cover each of the other brigades of his force. In 1992, 1st Battalion was disbanded. [3]:187 Winters stated that Speirs was alleged on one occasion to have killed six German prisoners of war with a Thompson submachine gun and that the battalion leadership must have been aware of the allegations, but chose to ignore the charges because of the pressing need to retain qualified combat leaders. RGJ. On 1 FEBRUARY 2007 the following Battalions were redesignated The Rifles: We specialize in: We are not pirates or slavers we will actively cooperate with law enforcement first and foremost. [3]:185[2]:209 Speirs successfully took over the assault and led Easy Company to victory. In 1807 the 95th, now two battalions strong, served under Sir Arthur Wellesly, the future Duke of Wellington. They began in the eighteenth century to improve tactics and training, mobility and marksmanship, equipment, personnel-management and individual initiative. When the Armistice, which ended WW1, was signed on the 11th November, 1918, Britains great ship-building industry began to wind down. He took a double inventory of the latter, sending one to the regiment by post, and giving the other in charge of his servant - and paying the said worthy his wages up to the probable day of his death; he gave him a conditional order on the paymaster for whatever more might be his due should he survive beyond his time - and if ever man did, he certainly quitted this world with a clear conscience. A recruit at the Royal Green Jackets depot, Winchester, 1971. Based in Germany from 1997 to 2002, the new 2nd Battalion was sent on further postings to Northern Ireland (1995-96 and 2003-04), Bosnia (1998 and 2001) and Kosovo (1999). * Ronald Speirs wrote a letter to Stephen Ambrose which he dated 29/01/1981. The name Ron Speirs will always be associated with deeds done during WWII, he said. He was the last commander of the legendary Easy Co, 506th PIR, 101st Airborne (the Band of Brothers), and led the company longer than well-known Lt. Dick Winters. Prior to the Normandy invasion, Speirs met an English widow. He stated that a replacement sergeant disobeyed a direct order while in a combat situation, thereby risking the lives of the other soldiers in the company. Please use a different web browser. [2]:287 Speirs denied this claim. The National Army Museum works with a network of Regimental and Corps Museums across the UK to help preserve and share the history and traditions of the Army and its soldiers. The Royal Green Jackets was formed on 1 January 1966 by the amalgamation of the three separate regiments of the Green Jackets Brigade:[1], There were also two Territorial Army battalions made up as follows:[2], During the 1970s, 1980s and onwards up until the end of The Troubles, the battalions were deployed to various parts of Northern Ireland (Operation Banner). Marcus Brothertons most recent book is A COMPANY OF HEROES, where he interviewed relatives of deceased E Co veterans. In a military career spanning 22 years, Speirs has Two battalions of the 95th fought at the Siege of Badajoz (1812). Want to start taking action on the content you read on AoM? Once again, he tried to protect her reputation. Hello we are the Royal Green Jackets. La Laiterie's concert list along with photos, videos, and setlists of their past concerts & performances. There he served as a platoon leader within Dog Company, 2nd Battalion of the 506th Parachute Infantry Regiment, which later became part of the 101st Airborne Division, at Camp Toccoa, Georgia and was then shipped to England in late 1943. Poor Donald! [2]:208 To countermand this order, Speirs himself ran through the town and German lines (as this platoon had no radio), linked up with the Item Company soldiers and relayed the order. As a result, Robert saw many men leave to pursue opportunities abroad in America. [citation needed]. They were married in 1908 5 and lived in Dalmuir, just outside Glasgow. It also saw action in Bosnia and Kosovo during the Yugoslav Wars. He was initially assigned as a platoon leader in B Company of the 1st Battalion of the 506th Parachute Infantry Regiment. Art DiMarzio says he then saw Speirs shoot the sergeant in self-defense. Speirs served in the Korean War, as a major commanding a rifle company and as a staff officer. The Royal Green Jackets were light infantry, trained to move fast. This letter indicates to me how much he cared for each of his men individually. The Generals last words were: 'we shall learn better how to do it next time. Although Speirs had enough points to go home after the end of the European Campaign, he chose to remain with Easy Company. [1], On 24 November 2005, the Ministry of Defence announced that the regiment would be amalgamated with The Light Infantry, the Devonshire and Dorset Light Infantry and the Royal Gloucestershire, Berkshire and Wiltshire Light Infantry to form a single large regiment to be called The Rifles. When Sir John Moore succeeded to the command and advanced into Spain, two battalions of each regiment were in his army and, with the 95th, played a distinguished part in forming the rearguard when the army was forced to retreat in mid-winter to Corunna. This infantry regiment was formed in 1958. Thoroughly enjoyed it. As skirmishers and sharpshooters, they did not need to identify their fellows on the battlefield. Speirs demanded all comments about my English wife be eliminated44 and states this is all I care about.45 Again he mentions, she was not, as you stated a widow at our marriage.46 Speirs writes, she was a wonderful person.47, The passenger manifest of the Queen Mary shows Speirs leaving England in January of 1946 as a Company Commander with 82nd Airborne Division. All four future Green Jacket regiments fought at Vimeiro,the victory which forced the French to evacuate Portugal.
