2709564. CMTC for the infantry was held at Great Diamond Island in Portland, Maine.16, After finishing high school, Ronald went on to study at Bentley College, graduating with a certificate in accounting17 which enabled him to find employment as a junior accountant.18, Ronald Speirs first marriage took place on 20th May 1944 to an English girl he met whilst stationed in Aldbourne, Wilshire, England.19 Speirs recalled, before the invasion, I was sent down to Winchester to set up a camp for an infantry division coming up from Africa. Other ranks cap badge, The Royal Green Jackets, 1973. Speirs again warned the sergeant, who now levelled his rifle at Speirs. After transferring from the Light Infantry Brigade tothe Green Jackets Brigade in 1958, it merged with two other regiments to form The Royal Green Jackets in 1966. [1] He attended military training in high school, which led to a commission as a 2nd lieutenant in the infantry of the United States Army. Traditionally, rifle regiments wore rifle green tunics, an early form of camouflage, instead of the red jackets worn by line infantry. His insistence on absolute professionalism and mutual respect between officers and men was to create a formation whose contribution was crucial to Wellington's victories in the Peninsular War and whose traditions survive in The Royal Green Jackets today. Robert now began planning for the family to join him. In spite of his wound he brought back vital information and later received the Silver Star for his actions. The Following Officers & Soldiers died whilst serving with the Royal Green Jackets between 1966-2007 & includes all those who have died whilst serving regard. In 1797 a 5th Battalion of the 60th was raised under Baron Francis de Rottenburg, whose treatise on Riflemen and Light Infantry formed the basis of Sir John Moore's training. Throughout the rest of the Peninsula War the Light Brigade and later the Light Division was to contribute significantly to Wellington`s victories. He wrote to Winters in the early 1990s: My son Robert, born in England during the war, is now an infantry major with the Royal Green Jackets Regiment. The entire platoon also witnessed the event. 2023 All Rights Reserved. Rains | Explore Our Outerwear & Waterproof Clothing Unlock this free profile to update company info and see who's viewing your profile. The Royal Green Jackets joined the Devonshire and Dorset Light Infantry, The Light Infantry and The Royal Gloucestershire, Berkshire and Wiltshire Light Infantry in 2007 to form The Rifles - The British Army's Rifle Regiment. Thoroughly enjoyed it. Robert W Speirs Plumbing Co Contact Information Phone Number: (801) 776-3911 Edit Address: 2233 West 2175 South, ID Edit Do you work for this business? The short 41 year history of the Royal Green Jackets began and ended with battalions on operational duty, in 1966 in Borneo, in 2007 in Iraq. 1st Battalion Dorset and Devonshire Light Infantry, and 1st Battalion Royal Gloucestershire, Berkshire and Wiltshire Light Infantry into 1st Battalion The Rifles. In 1966, the three regiments of the Green Jackets Brigade - 1st Green Jackets (43rd and 52nd), 2nd Green Jackets, The King's Royal Rifle Corps and 3rd Green Jackets, The Rifle Brigade - were amalgamated. [memorial]: [insignia]/ swift and bold/ this memorial is dedicated to/ the officers and riflemen of/ the royal green jackets/ 1st january 1966-31st january 2007 [tablet]: this memorial was dedicated by/ the royal green jackets/ on the 11th may 2008/ and unveiled by field marshal/ the lord bramall of bushfield/ kg gcb obe mc the reputation. [6], Their motto was Celer et Audax (Latin: "Swift and Bold"). In 1992, 1st Battalion was disbanded. His three beautiful children are my pride and joy." Speirs made the military his career. to 120 people at the bandstand in Regents Park. The Art of Manliness participates in affiliate marketing programs, which means we get paid commissions on editorially chosen products purchased through our links. Ronald spent his child and early adulthood in Boston, though records show during the summer break, when Ronald was between 8th and 9th grades, he and his parents sailed back back to the UK on the MV Georgic, part of the Cunard White Star line, from Boston.12 The journey took them through New York and Galway in Ireland before docking in Liverpool on 25th June, 1934.13 They returned to Boston two months later.14, Ronald attended the Boston English High School, graduating in 1938.15 He later wrote, my first experience with the military was in high school. At the end of WWII he wrote one of his men, Forrest Guth, who had gone home early and was desperately missing the camaraderie of his outfit. Includes Address (3) Phone (9) Email (22) See Results. Donald had but an old mare and a portmanteau, with its contents, worth about 15, to leave behind him. "Massachusetts, Boston Passenger Lists, 18911943," database with images, FamilySearch (, European-African-Middle Eastern Campaign Medal, Republic of Korea Presidential Unit Citation, https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:23XG-W15, https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Ronald_Speirs&oldid=1151899605, United States Army personnel of World War II, United States Army personnel of the Korean War, Short description is different from Wikidata, Articles with unsourced statements from May 2022, Articles with unsourced statements from May 2017, Articles with unsourced statements from November 2012, Articles with unsourced statements from March 2017, Articles with unsourced statements from March 2016, Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike License 3.0, This page was last edited on 26 April 2023, at 22:59. He later became the American governor for Spandau Prison in Berlin. Royal Green Jackets on Patrol in Belfast | North(ern) Ireland | The Troubles | August 1971 - YouTube August 1971.Footage of a British Army patrol unit based in Belfast during the Troubles. Winters noted how the drunken sergeant twice ignored a command given by Speirs to halt an advance toward St. Come du Mont. He stated that a replacement sergeant disobeyed a direct order while in a combat situation, thereby risking the lives of the other soldiers in the company. [citation needed], In 1962, Speirs was a member of the US Mission to the Royal Lao Army,[2]:301 where he served as a training officer in Mobile Training Team (MTT) for Operation White Star which was then managed by the Military Assistance Advisory Group in Laos (MAAG Laos). [1][4], After the 1992 reorganisation, the unit was mostly based overseas in Dhekelia (Cyprus) and Paderborn (Germany), as well as in Northern Ireland. The Royal Green Jackets (RGJ) was an infantry regiment of the British Army, one of two "large regiments" within the Light Division (the other being The Light Infantry). Jim Lahey is a drunk, bald bastard number one: he can fuck off, and number two: he can fuck off. Notable Building Permits filed by Robert W Speirs Plumbing Co Sort by: Notable | Date | Job Value Plumbing While on reconnaissance in Holland, Speirs paddled across the Neder Rhine alone at night. It continued in British Army service until 2007, when it was amalgamated into The Rifles. been lauded as a hero, embroiled in controversy and celebrated The Art of Manliness would like to thank Mr. Brotherton for this great series and all veterans for their service to our country. Four companies of the 60th fought at the Battle of Albuera 1811. The regiment was classed as a 'rifle' regiment, having its lineage in the regiments of foot that were equipped with the first Baker rifles. 3 His engineering career began as a young man when he became an apprentice engineer fitter in the Glasgow area. Discover more about The Royal Green Jackets by visiting The Royal Green Jackets (Rifles) Museum in Winchester. In 2007, the regiment merged with The Devonshire and Dorset Light Infantry, The Royal Gloucestershire, Berkshire and Wiltshire Light Infantry and The Light Infantry to form The Rifles. June 30, 2022 . 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We specialize in: We are not pirates or slavers we will actively cooperate with law enforcement first and foremost. Under the 1982 Defence White Paper, a small reduction was made . Oxfordshire and Buckinghamshire Light Infantry, Royal Gloucestershire, Berkshire and Wiltshire Light Infantry, The British Columbia Regiment (Duke of Connaught's Own), Princess Patricia's Canadian Light Infantry, 1st Battalion, The Royal New Zealand Infantry Regiment, 7 RGJ Bandsmen killed by IRA in 1982 Regent's Park Bombing, "1982: IRA bombs cause carnage in London", "Hansard: Restructuring of the Army - Statement by Secretary of State for Defence on 23 July 1991", 51st (2nd Yorkshire West Riding) Regiment of Foot, 105th Regiment of Foot (Madras Light Infantry), 68th (Durham) Regiment of Foot (Light Infantry), 106th Regiment of Foot (Bombay Light Infantry), 28th (North Gloucestershire) Regiment of Foot, 61st (South Gloucestershire) Regiment of Foot, 49th (Princess Charlotte of Wales's) (Hertfordshire) Regiment of Foot, Royal Gloucestershire, Berkshire and Wiltshire Regiment, https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Royal_Green_Jackets&oldid=1142252901, Military units and formations disestablished in 2007, Military units and formations established in 1966, Short description is different from Wikidata, Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike License 3.0. This infantry regiment was formed in 1881. The results of his obsession to record and collect all aspects of regimental life on film has resulted in the amassing of more than twenty thousand pictures of Green Jackets in all situations covering a period of close to 150 years of regimental activities. And Jim Lahey can fuck off. [2]:208 To countermand this order, Speirs himself ran through the town and German lines (as this platoon had no radio), linked up with the Item Company soldiers and relayed the order. Speirs, then the commander of D Company, sprinted to Dike and blurted out, Im taking over. With Speirs now in charge, Easy Company surged into Foy and took the town. The Regiment - Royal Green Jackets In 1958, he became the American governor of the Spandau Prison in Berlin, where prominent Nazis such as Rudolf Hess were imprisoned. In 1807 the 95th, now two battalions strong, served under Sir Arthur Wellesly, the future Duke of Wellington. And Jim Lahey can fuck off. As skirmishers and sharpshooters, they did not need to identify their fellows on the battlefield. Winters concluded that in today's army, Speirs would have been court-martialed and charged with atrocities, but at the time officers like Speirs were too valuable because they were not afraid to engage the enemy. He was awarded the Silver Star for his actions during the war, in particular in October 1944 in the aftermath of Operation Market Garden, with the medal's citation reading: The President of the United States of America, authorized by Act of Congress July 9, 1918, takes pleasure in presenting the Silver Star to First Lieutenant (Infantry) Ronald C. Speirs (ASN: 0-439465), United States Army, for gallantry in action while serving with the 506th Parachute Infantry Regiment, 101st Airborne Division. Initially, Robert travelled to America alone. He was responsible for fitting out the large guns on the Royal Naval battleships which according to family legend, included HMS Hood.6. ______________________. This site uses cookies. In contrast to his nearly super-human deeds of toughness, Speirs had a softer side. Speirs told the man that he was too drunk to perform his duties and that he should remove himself to the rear. The British Army was expanded and reduced to suit the needs of the moment. Once again, Speirs gave him the order to hold his position. When the future Duke of Wellington landed in Portugal in 1808, the5/60th was the first unit ashore at Mondego Bay. Our condolences to the Royal Family at this sad time. Todays final installment covers the life of Ron Speirs. [8] For his service from 1961 to 1964 he was awarded the Legion of Merit, with the citation reading: The President of the United States of America, authorized by Act of Congress, 20 July 1942, takes pleasure in presenting the Legion of Merit to Lieutenant Colonel (Infantry) Ronald C. Speirs, United States Army, for exceptionally meritorious conduct in the performance of outstanding services to the Government of the United States from October 1961 to March 1964.[6]. The Royal Green Jackets were light infantry, trained to move fast. [6], Speirs returned to the United States and decided to remain in the Army, serving in the Korean War. The story of the Royal Green Jackets and their 41 year history is told in pictures, words and displays. Other deployments included Gibraltar for 2nd Battalion (1975), West Berlin for 3rd Battalion (1975-77) and Hong Kong for 1st Battalion (1978). [3]:262, In January 1945, when Easy Company's initial attack on the German-occupied town of Foy bogged down due to the commander 1st Lieutenant Norman Dike, battalion executive officer Captain Richard Winters ordered Speirs to relieve Dike of command. robert speirs royal green jacketsannalise mahanes height. The Men of Easy Company Series Part I: Warren Skip Muck Part II: Robert Rader Part III: Ron Speirs, __________________________________________________________________________________. The Men of Easy Company-Part III: Ron Speirs The RGJ's lowest rank (after 'recruit') is Rifleman (Rfn), rather than Private (Pte), as in other regiments. By this time, Robert was a journeyman engineer. Two years later, the regiment was brigaded together with The Light Infantry, another newly formed unit, under the administrative umbrella of the Light Division. robert speirs royal green jackets By . This website looks at the real man behind Above all, they were riflemen and took pride in their reputation of being thinking, and fighting soldiers.Please don't forget to like, comment, and subscribe. 1st Battalion The Light Infantry into 5th Battalion The Rifles. The RGJ began as a group of Mount and Blade players and expanded to play everything from League of legends to Arma. We can reunite you with your friends who served at Royal Green Jackets and we have a wealth of information on different units, bases and ships in the site. He took a double inventory of the latter, sending one to the regiment by post, and giving the other in charge of his servant - and paying the said worthy his wages up to the probable day of his death; he gave him a conditional order on the paymaster for whatever more might be his due should he survive beyond his time - and if ever man did, he certainly quitted this world with a clear conscience. Governor of Spandau Prison in Berlin, which housed key Nazi war criminals. As they were used as shock troops and marksmen, they had to get to the front line of battle as fast as was possible; as a result the RGJ marched at 140 paces per minute (at a 30" pace) whereas other regiments march at just 120. Bert Henshaw joined the Green Jackets in 1965 and throughout his 22 year career could almost always be seen with a camera in his hand. Register of Officers effects: Died of Wounds, 7 May 1812, at Elvas. In 1966, it merged with the two other regiments of the Green Jackets Brigade to form The Royal Green Jackets. In 1908 'Buckinghamshire' was added to the title. Close order drill was taught by two regular army officers. In 1966, the three regiments of the Green Jackets Brigade - 1st Green Jackets (43rd and 52nd), 2nd Green Jackets, The King's Royal Rifle Corps and 3rd Green Jackets, The Rifle Brigade - were amalgamated. Lieutenant Colonel Ronald Charles Speirs (20 April 1920 11 April 2007) was a United States Army officer who served in the 506th Parachute Infantry Regiment of the 101st Airborne Division during World War II. He shot one of his own sergeants between the eyes for getting drunk. This rifle regiment was formed in 1800 and was one of the first to undergo light infantry training. This letter indicates to me how much he cared for each of his men individually. This infantry regiment was formed in 1958. In 1755 another 54th Regiment was raised and based at Coventry. By the end of the 18th century European armies often included infantry specialised in the roles of skirmishing and reconnaissance. If they caught enemies, their unofficial orders were to take no prisoners. [2]:209 Having completed this, he then ran back through the German-occupied town. George Robert Humphrey WO 2 Served from 1964 - 1987 Served in Royal Green Jackets Tony Price L/CPL Served from 1981 - 1989 Served in Royal Green Jackets Keith Taylor Served from 1962 - 1974 Served in Royal Green Jackets Patrick Walker CORPORAL Served from 1961 - 1966 Served in Royal Green Jackets Peter Deane Don't miss Troyes' Gothic Cathedral, considered one of the most beautiful churches in all of Europe. [1], The regiment's greatest loss of life came on 20 July 1982 when seven RGJ bandsmen were killed by a Provisional Irish Republican Army bomb which exploded during a public concert featuring the music from Oliver! When Sir John Moore succeeded to the command and advanced into Spain, two battalions of each regiment were in his army and, with the 95th, played a distinguished part in forming the rearguard when the army was forced to retreat in mid-winter to Corunna. As a rifle company commander,[citation needed] he was part of his battalion's mission to secure the drop zone; forty to fifty enemies were killed and wounded by the battalion. The Royal Green Jackets (Regimental Quick March) - YouTube On 10 October 1944, in the vicinity of Rendijk, Holland, he was assigned the mission of leading a patrol to the bank of the Neder Rijn River to determine enemy activity across the river. On 20 May 1944, Speirs married Margaret Griffiths, whom he had met while stationed in Wiltshire, England. Please use a different web browser. The They became the 1st, 2nd and 3rd Battalions of a new regiment, The Royal Green Jackets. The 52nd joined them during the American War of Independence. [7], The cap badge was a Maltese Cross, which was drawn from the badges of the King's Royal Rifle Corps and The Rifle Brigade, with a combination of some of their battle honours on its arms.[7].