Description
Physical description
Brass badge in the form of a fused (or 'flaming') grenade. On the ball of the grenade is the Castle of Enniskillen with St George's flag flying to the left from the central turret. Below is a scroll inscribed 'INNISKILLING'.
History note
Cap badge of the pattern worn 1881 to 1926 and 1934 to 1958. This is the pre-1926 version with the flag flying to the left. This a single metal variation worn during the First World War.
The predecessor Regiment was raised 1689 at Enniskillen, County Fermanagh, by Colonel Zachariah Tiffin. It was a local Militia unit raised for the defence of the town against the besieging forces of James II, still resisting the accession of William III. The Regiment performed well in the early period of the "Williamite War" and by 1690 they had become a regular infantry regiment on the British Army establishment.
In 1747 they were ranked as 27th of Foot and in 1751 were officially designated 27th (Inniskilling) Regiment of Foot. In the Cardwell reforms of 1881 the Regiment merged with the 108th Foot (Madras Infantry) to become the Royal Inniskilling Fusiliers. At this time they adopted the flaming grenade common to all Fusilier Regiments, with a representation of Enniskillen castle on the ball, the same design carrying forward to the badge adopted with the advent of the forage cap. For a brief period, from 1926 to 1934, the flaming grenade was dropped, the badge at that time featuring just the castle with St George's flag flying to the right, the INNISKILLING scroll above. The previous grenade pattern badge was re-adopted after 1934, the flag still flying to the right, and remained in use until 1958.
The Regiment at some time wore a grey hackle behind the badge when worn on the bonnet, commemorating their defence of Enniskillen in 1689. In World War Two the Regiment wore a badge backing of a red triangle in commemoration of 1st Battalion's service in World War One at Cape Helles, Gallipoli, with 29th Division, whose sign it was.
In 1958 the Regiment became part of the North Irish Brigade, with the regular battalions supposed to wear the Brigade badge. In 1968 the Brigade became the Royal Irish Rangers, the Brigade Regiments becoming Battalions of this new Regiment. The Inniskillings became 1st Battalion Royal Irish Rangers (27th (Inniskilling), 83rd & 87th), wearing the Royal Irish Rangers cap badge but with a grey hackle.
In 1992 the Royal Irish Regiment was formed from the two remaining battalions of the Rangers, and at the same time the Ulster Defence Regiment was absorbed into the new Regiment. The following year the Royal Irish Regiment was reduced to a single regular battalion, the Ranger TA Battalion becoming the 2nd (TA) Battalion the Royal Irish Regiment.
(Note that an earlier Royal Irish Regiment had been disbanded in 1922 with the creation of the Irish Free State)
Inscription
Inniskilling