Description
Physical description
A bi-metal headdress badge in two parts, the first a Royal Ducal coronet in white metal, the second a gilding metal fused (flaming) grenade on which a white metal Angel harp surmounted by Prince of Wales's plumes, coronet and motto scroll. The remnants of a pair of lugs are on the reverse of both parts.
History note
Badge of pattern worn from around 1921 to 1958.
The predecessor Regiment was formed in 1793 by Colonel John Doyle as the 87th (Prince of Wales's Irish) Regiment of Foot. Having served as Marines in 1810 in the following year the Regiment was re-designated the 87th (The Prince of Wales's Own Irish) Regiment of Foot. They were again re-designated in 1827, now as "Fusiliers", initially keeping their Prince of Wales association but in November becoming the 87th (Royal Irish Fusiliers) Regiment of Foot. It was at this time the Regiment adopted the flaming grenade badge common to all fusilier regiments.
In the 1881 Cardwell/Childers reforms the Regiment was amalgamated with the 89th of Foot (Princess Victoria's), also raised in 1793, to form the Princess Victoria's (The Royal Irish Fusiliers.
The badge adopted at this time derived primarily from the senior, 87th, being a flaming grenade bearing the depiction of a French Eagle. This device originated from an action of the 87th's 2nd Battalion (raised 1804, disbanded 1817) in the Peninsula campaign when, at the Battle of Barossa on 5 March 1811, the Battalion became the first ever to capture a French Imperial Eagle in battle. It is also said that here the Battalion used the battle cry of "Faugh A Ballagh" (Clear the Way), subsequently adopted as the Regimental motto. The 89th brought with it the association with Princess Victoria, and subsequently an associated Royal Ducal coronet. (The 89th had previously worn a Ducal coronet, but not of the Royal variety.)
In 1921 the Regiment's name was modified to become The Royal Irish Fusiliers (Princess Victoria's). The references are unclear but it is possible that at about this time a new badge was adopted, comprising a Royal Ducal coronet above a flaming grenade on which was embossed the Prince of Wales's feathers above an Irish Harp. The grenade and coronet were separate pieces, but were often fixed together under local arrangements. The grenade and embellishments derived from the 87th, the coronet, deriving from the Princess Victoria, from the 89th.
In 1958 the Regiment became part of the North Irish Brigade, and were expected to wear the Brigade badge. In July 1968 the three constituent Regiments merged to form the three component battalions of the newly created "Royal Irish Rangers (27th (Inniskilling), 83rd & 87th)". The third Battalion was short-lived and was disbanded in December of that year. In 1992 The Royal Irish Regiment was formed from the Rangers, initially of two battalions, reduced to one the following year.
(Note that an earlier Royal Irish Regiment had been disbanded with the creation of the Irish Free State in 1922.)