British Army Battle Honours awarded for Operation Telic

[big bad john]

Army Battle Honours awarded for Operation Telic
Published Friday 11th November 2005


The Colour of the Irish Guards with the Theatre Honour 'Iraq 2003', awarded to those who participated in Operation TELIC during the period 19 March to 30 April 2003, announced on 9 June 2005 [Picture: Sergeant Mike Harvey, Media Ops, HQ London District]Her Majesty The Queen has approved a Battle Honour and Theatre Honour to be awarded to units in the British Army for their contribution to operations in Iraq during 2003.

Commenting on the Honours, Armed Forces Minister, Adam Ingram, said:

"These Honours represent an historic and traditional means of recognising the immense efforts British soldiers have made in bringing democracy to Iraq.  Our soldiers and their families can be very proud of the role they have performed and the sacrifices they have made to guarantee a brighter future for the people of Iraq."   

In June 2005 Her Majesty The Queen approved the award of a Theatre Honour 'IRAQ 2003' and the Battle Honour 'AL BASRAH' for units of the British Army. Subsequently, individual Regiments and Corps applied to the Army Honours and Distinctions Committee for the award of these Honours.  Following receipt of the Committee's recommendations, the Executive Committee of the Army Board has obtained The Queen's permission to award the following honours:

Regiments and Corps to be awarded the Theatre Honour 'IRAQ 2003' are:
 
The Life Guards, The Blues and Royals (Royal Horse Guards and 1st Dragoons), 1st The Queen's Dragoon Guards, The Royal Yeomanry, The Royal Scots Dragoon Guards (Carabiniers and Greys), The Queen's Royal Lancers, Royal Tank Regiment, Irish Guards (already awarded), The Royal Regiment of Fusiliers, The Light Infantry, The Royal Irish Regiment (27th (Inniskilling), 83rd, 87th and The Ulster Defence Regiment), The Duke of Wellington's Regiment (West Riding), The Black Watch (Royal Highland Regiment), The Parachute Regiment, Army Air Corps

The following Regiments and Corps are to be awarded the Battle Honour 'AL BASRAH':

The Life Guards, The Blues and Royals (Royal Horse Guards and 1st Dragoons), 1st The Queen's Dragoon Guards, The Royal Scots Dragoon Guards (Carabiniers and Greys), The Queen's Royal Lancers, Royal Tank Regiment, Irish Guards (already awarded), The Royal Regiment of Fusiliers, The Light Infantry, The Black Watch (Royal Highland Regiment), The Parachute Regiment, Army Air Corps

HM The Queen gave early approval, in June 2005, for the Irish Guards to be awarded the Theatre Honour 'IRAQ 2003' and the Battle Honour 'AL BASRAH'.  This early award allowed the Irish Guards to Troop their colour, with their new Theatre Honour emblazoned upon it, at The Queen's Birthday Parade.


The Colour of the Irish Guards with the Theatre Honour 'Iraq 2003', awarded to those who participated in Operation TELIC during the period 19 March to 30 April 2003, announced on 9 June 2005 [Picture: Sergeant Mike Harvey, Media Ops, HQ London District]

 

[Michael Dorosh]

Black Watch?  Don't they mean 1st Battalion, Royal Regiment of Scotland?  :

 

[big bad john]

Tsk!  Tsk!  I Know,  I Know!!!! ??? ??? ???  What's a man to do??? :'( :'(

 

[baboon6]

Actually the Black Watch will be 2nd Battalion. The Royal Scots will be 1st Battalion.

 

[TheNomad]

The award of a battle honour to The Royal Yeomany is the first to be awarded to the Territorial Army since 1945.

As for the comments about The Black Watch and The Royal Regiment of Scotland, the new regiment has not yet been formed, so it is indeed a Black Watch award.

 

[vangemeren]

Do the British limit the number of honours on their colours like Canada does?

 

[Michael Dorosh]

The award of a battle honour to The Royal Yeomany is the first to be awarded to the Territorial Army since 1945.

As for the comments about The Black Watch and The Royal Regiment of Scotland, the new regiment has not yet been formed, so it is indeed a Black Watch award.

Even if the regiment had been formed, it would still be a Black Watch award since that was who actually fought in the campaign...

 

[TheNomad]

Regarding the limiting of the number of battle honours carried on the Colours by the British Army:  Yes the British Army does limit the number of honours borne on the Colours, probably for the same reason that the Canadian Army (or whatever it is called these days), i.e. there is only so much space.

Remember some British regiments have a couple of hundred honours.  The huge numbers of honours resulting from the Great War and Second World War caused limitations to be placed on the numbers.  I will look up the exact numbers allowed later and let you know.

 

[Michael Dorosh]

Regarding the limiting of the number of battle honours carried on the Colours by the British Army:   Yes the British Army does limit the number of honours borne on the Colours, probably for the same reason that the Canadian Army (or whatever it is called these days), i.e. there is only so much space.

Remember some British regiments have a couple of hundred honours.   The huge numbers of honours resulting from the Great War and Second World War caused limitations to be placed on the numbers.   I will look up the exact numbers allowed later and let you know.

Another consideration would be the amalgamation of regiments causing a huge tally of honours.  Having multiple battalions in different theatres in both wars certainly helped the counts; amalgamating two (or more) regiments that had battalions fighting in multiple theatres added to this.  And of course it goes without saying that the British honours go back much further in time than Canadian ones.