28TH (COUNTY OF LONDON) BATTALION THE LONDON REGIMENT (ARTISTS RIFLES)
1908
28th (County of London) Battalion, The London Regiment (Artists Rifles)
Boer War
The Great War
Three Battalions formed
1914
1st / 28th Battalion 2nd / 28th Battalion
1915
3rd / 28th Battalion formed 1st January
2nd and 3rd Battalions amalgamated as 2nd / 28th Battalion, June
1916
15th (Artists Rifles) Officer Cadet Battalion formed at Gidea Park, Essex
( 2nd / 28th Battalion continues to exist separately, remaining in UK)
Location of operations (all 1st / 28th Battalion)
1914
GHQ Troops, France – Bailleul, St Omer, Montreuil and Hesdin
1917
Joined 190th Infantry Brigade, 63rd (Royal Naval) Division
Oppy Wood/Gavrelle
Passchendaele
Welsh Ridge (Marcoing)
1918
Havrincourt Wood
Ypres
Aveluy-Wood
Bouzincourt
Achiet-le-Petit
Thilloy
Moeuvres
Niergnies
Sars-la-Bruyere
Harmignies
Battle Honours awarded to 28th (County of London) Battalion, The London Regiment
(Artists Rifles):
1920
Reformed as:
28th (County of London) Battalion, The London Regiment (Artists Rifles)
1922
Re-designated as:
28th London Regiment (Artists Rifles)
1929
Re-designated as a Territorial Battalion of The Rifle Brigade (Prince Consort's Own)
without change of title
1937
Re-designated as:
The Artist Rifles, The Rifle Brigade (Prince Consort's Own)
The Artist Rifles, The Rifle Brigade (Prince Consort's Own)
1939
Re-designated as:
163rd Officer Cadet Training Unit
1941
167th and 168th Officer Cadet Training Units merged to join 163rd with no change of title
1947
Reformed as:
The Artists Rifles
1947
Change of arm and re-designated as:
21st (Artists Rifles), Special Air Service Regiment (Territorial Army)
1950
Re-designated as:
21st Special Air Service Regiment (The Artists Rifles) (Territorial Army)
1967
Re-designated as:
21st Special Air Service Regiment (Artists) (Volunteers)
2004
Re-designated as:
21st Special Air Service Regiment (Artists) (Reserve)
Note:
During WW2 an attempt was made to introduce the Regiment's name (Artists Rifles) as a
sub-title for 56th Division's Reconnaissance Regiment, which served also in 78th Division in
North Africa and Italy. Neither unit adopted this affiliation.