The Durham Light Infantry Regiment
The Durham Light Infantry (DLI) was formed in 1881 when three units of soldiers recruited from County Durham combined: the 68th and 106th Regiments of Foot, and the Durham Militia.
The newly-formed DLI would go on to serve in the Second Boer War, the First World War, Afghanistan, the Second World War and the Korean War.
History
- In the First World War (1914-18) the DLI had 42 battalions with 22 on active service overseas. Fighting in every major battle of the war, some 13,000 DLI soldiers died, with thousands more wounded, gassed or taken prisoner. They won 59 battle honours and six Victoria Crosses, awarded for "... most conspicuous bravery, or some daring or pre-eminent act of valour or self-sacrifice, or extreme devotion to duty in the presence of the enemy."
- During the Second World War (1939-45), nine battalions of the DLI fought with distinction. Casualties during the Second World War were far lower than in the First World War, but in several fierce battles the DLI suffered heavy losses. In May 1940, Richard Annand, 2nd Battalion DLI, became the very first soldier of the Second World War to gain the Victoria Cross, while in June 1942 Adam Wakenshaw of the 9th Battalion DLI was awarded a posthumous Victoria Cross.
- After 1945 the DLI was reduced in size until only the 1st Battalion remained. Then in 1968 it was decided that the DLI would combine with three other county regiments to form a new Light Infantry regiment. On December 12th 1968 the colours (flags) of the 1st Battalion were paraded for the last time and placed in the Cathedral, with the last Colonel-in-Chief, Princess Alexandria, in attendance.
- In 2007, The Light Infantry joined with The Royal Green Jackets, The Devonshire and Dorset Light Infantry, and the Royal Gloucester, Berkshore and Wiltshire Light Infantry to form the Rifles Regiment. Today, the Rifles is the largest Infantry regiment in the British Army.