King's Royal Rifle Corps
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The King's Royal Rifle Corps was a British Army formation.
The King's Royal Rifle Corps was founded in 1755 as the 62nd Royal American Regiment renumbered the 60th Regiment by 1758. The recruits were mostly German immigrants to North America equipped with short-barreled, large-bore Jaeger rifles. They fought their first major battles in Canada at Louisbourg in 1758 and Quebec in 1759 against the French. They fought during the American War of Independence, withdrawing to Canada following the surrender.
During the Napoleonic Wars the unit played a part in the Peninsular War. It was configured as a "large regiment". The first 4 regular battalions were raised for service in the malaria-ridden Sugar Islands and were equipped with muskets. The fifth battalion was raised for service on the Continent and was equipped with Baker rifles.
The unit's name was not changed until after the Napoleonic Wars; first to The Duke of York's Own Rifle Corps and then in 1830 to the King's Royal Rifle Corps. In 1858 the Rifle Depot at Winchester was made their headquarters. During the rest of the 1800s the unit was active in China, Canada (Wolseley Expedition), Afghanistan, India, Burma and South Africa.
In World War I the unit was expanded to twenty-two battalions and saw much action on the Western Front. Over 12,000 soldiers of the regiment were killed while eight members won the Victoria Cross and over 2,000 further decorations were awarded. After 1918 the unit returned to garrison duties in India, Palestine and Ireland. In 1926 the regiment was reorganised as one of the first mechanized infantry regiments.
In World War II after initial deployment to France as part of the BEF, the unit lost 50% of its effectives during the disaster at Dunkirk. Redeployed to northern Africa the unit saw more success, continuing with actions in Italy, Austria, Germany and in the Battle of Greece (when its 9th Battalion, The Rangers, served with 1st Armoured Brigade Group). Post war the unit was deployed in Germany.
On 7 November 1958 the Regiment was re-titled as the 2nd Green Jackets, The King's Royal Rifle Corps, and the two other regiments of the Green Jackets Brigade -- which had existed since 1948 -- also had their titles changed. In 1966 the three regiments of the brigade were amalgamated to form the three battalion Royal Green Jackets Regiment.
