Description
Physical description
A cross pattee in the centre of which the monogram AEA (Alfred Ernest Albert), interlaced and reversed, a Ducal coronet above. The cross is surmounted by a second Ducal coronet and below the cross a universal scroll inscribed "THE WILTSHIRE REGIMENT". A pair of lugs on the reverse.
History note
The predecessor Regiment was raised in 1756 as 2nd Battalion 4th (King's Own) Foot but was re-designated in 1758 as a separate unit, 62nd Regiment of Foot. In 1782 it acquired its county affiliation when re-named the 62nd (The Wiltshire) Regiment of Foot. In the Cardwell/Childers reforms of 1881 the Regiment merged with 99th (Duke of Edinburgh's) Regiment of Foot to become The Duke of Edinburgh's (Wiltshire Regiment). The helmet plate badge adopted at that time incorporated the 62nd's Cross Pattee and the monogram AEA (Alfred Ernest Albert – Duke of Edinburgh and second son of Queen Victoria) with a ducal coronet above.
In around 1898 the forage cap badge adopted the central cross pattee of the helmet plate, with the additions of a further ducal coronet surmounting the top arm and a universal scroll below all bearing THE WILTSHIRE REGIMENT. In 1921 the name of the Regiment was changed to the Wiltshire Regiment (Duke of Edinburgh's).
The badge remained unchanged until 1954 when Prince Philip became the Regiment's Colonel-in-Chief, at which time the monogram was replaced with a 'P' and a reversed 'P' and the Royal Ducal pattern of coronet was adopted.
In 1958 The Regiment merged with the Royal Berkshire Regiment to form the Duke of Edinburgh's Regiment, Berkshire and Wiltshire, in the Wessex Brigade, adopting the Wessex Brigade badge. In 1968 the Wessex Brigade was broken up and the Regiment re-emerged as the Duke of Edinburgh's Royal Regiment (Berkshire and Wiltshire). In 1994 there was a further amalgamation, this time with the Gloucestershire Regiment, to form the Royal Gloucestershire, Berkshire and Wiltshire Regiment. In 2005 this Regiment was designated as Light Infantry.
In 2007 the Regiment amalgamated again, this time with the Devonshire and Dorset Light Infantry, which had also been designated Light Infantry in 2005. The amalgamated unit joind the newly-formed The Rifles as its 1st Battalion.