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Queen awards Conspicuous Gallantry Cross to the Royal Irish Regiment
The Conspicuous Gallantry Cross has been awarded by The Queen to The Royal Irish Regiment in recognition of 36 years continuous operational service and sacrifice in Northern Ireland by The Ulster Defence Regiment and the Home Service battalions of The Royal Irish Regiment.
Second only to the Victoria Cross, the Conspicuous Gallantry Cross (CGC) is a rare award for military gallantry and is held in the highest esteem by the Armed Forces. It is the first time it has been awarded to a military unit rather than an individual serviceman.
Receiving the CGC from The Queen on behalf of The Royal Irish Regiment at a parade and final review of the Home Service battalions in Belfast today was Corporal Claire Withers, 30, whose father - Corporal Trelford Withers - was the last serving Royal Irish soldier to be killed by terrorist action.
Soldiers of the three Home Service battalions of The Royal Irish Regiment paraded for the final time before HM The Queen at the commemorative event at the Balmoral Showground, Belfast marking the end of operational duties in Northern Ireland and the conclusion of 36 years' loyal service. The Queen was accompanied by HRH The Duke of York in his role as Colonel in Chief of The Royal Irish Regiment.
Among the 9,000 regimental spectators witnessing today's parade at the Balmoral Showground in Belfast were soldiers past and present of The Ulster Defence Regiment (UDR) and the Home Service, widows and bereaved of many of the 274 serving and ex-serving personnel lost to terrorist action and veterans wounded while serving in Northern Ireland.
The three Home Service battalions became non-operational on 1 September 2006, and are now drawing-down prior to formal disbandment on 31 July 2007. The announcement as to the disbandment of the Home Service battalions of The Royal Irish Regiment was made to the House of Commons by the Secretary of State for Defence on 1 August 2005.
Source - MoD
The Conspicuous Gallantry Cross has been awarded by The Queen to The Royal Irish Regiment in recognition of 36 years continuous operational service and sacrifice in Northern Ireland by The Ulster Defence Regiment and the Home Service battalions of The Royal Irish Regiment.
Second only to the Victoria Cross, the Conspicuous Gallantry Cross (CGC) is a rare award for military gallantry and is held in the highest esteem by the Armed Forces. It is the first time it has been awarded to a military unit rather than an individual serviceman.
Receiving the CGC from The Queen on behalf of The Royal Irish Regiment at a parade and final review of the Home Service battalions in Belfast today was Corporal Claire Withers, 30, whose father - Corporal Trelford Withers - was the last serving Royal Irish soldier to be killed by terrorist action.
Soldiers of the three Home Service battalions of The Royal Irish Regiment paraded for the final time before HM The Queen at the commemorative event at the Balmoral Showground, Belfast marking the end of operational duties in Northern Ireland and the conclusion of 36 years' loyal service. The Queen was accompanied by HRH The Duke of York in his role as Colonel in Chief of The Royal Irish Regiment.
Among the 9,000 regimental spectators witnessing today's parade at the Balmoral Showground in Belfast were soldiers past and present of The Ulster Defence Regiment (UDR) and the Home Service, widows and bereaved of many of the 274 serving and ex-serving personnel lost to terrorist action and veterans wounded while serving in Northern Ireland.
The three Home Service battalions became non-operational on 1 September 2006, and are now drawing-down prior to formal disbandment on 31 July 2007. The announcement as to the disbandment of the Home Service battalions of The Royal Irish Regiment was made to the House of Commons by the Secretary of State for Defence on 1 August 2005.
Source - MoD