Royal Guernsey Light Infantry

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Royal Guernsey Light Infantry
Badge of the RGLI
Active	1916-1919
Country	United Kingdom
Branch	Army
Type	Infantry
Size	1,300 soldiers
Part of	British 29th Division 1917-1918
Garrison/HQ	Fort George, Guernsey
Motto	Diex Aix (God Help Us)
Battles/wars	Battle of Passchendaele, Battle of Cambrai 1917; Battle of the Lys 1918

Royal Guernsey Light Infantry was a regiment in the British Army that was formed from the Royal Guernsey Militia in 1916 to serve in World War I. They fought as part of the British 29th Division.

They fought in the Battle of Cambrai, where their role was to defend the small town of Les Rues Vertes. They suffered heavy casualties, with nearly 40% of the regiment either killed or injured during the battle.

The regimental motto, Diex Aix, derives from the battle cry used by the Normans at the Battle of Hastings.

The Regiment is now lived on by the Guernsey Army Cadet Force (Det.) Light Infantry, who, although do not wear the RGLI Cap Badge, they still keep alive the history of the Regiment within the Detachment.

[edit] External links

• Guernsey Museum article on the RGLI
• RGLI page at Land Forces of Britain, the Empire and Commonwealth site
• BBC Guernsey feature on RGLI
• RGLI page at Long, Long Trail site
• Postcards featuring members of the RGLI
• A feature about the Guernsey Army Cadet Force's activities.
• The Guernsey ACF win the Kohima Cup

[edit] References

• Blicq, A Stanley, Norman Ten Hundred, Guernsey Press, 1920
• Parks, Major Edwin, Diex Aix: God Help Us - The Guernseymen who marched away 1914-1918, States of Guernsey, 1992