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Aerial shot of 1 R IRISH in a jackal.
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1 R IRISH

1st Battalion, The Royal Irish Regiment

Faugh A Ballagh · Clear the Way

Light mechanised infantry. Mounted manoeuvre, dismounted clearance, and the battalion's own character.

Current standing

Posted strength

15

Established billets

27

Open billets

12

Listed in full below.

The role

What this sub-unit is for

1 R IRISH provides the brigade's protected mobility. B Company fields 4 Platoon in Foxhound and Jackal, which means the battalion can cover ground 2 PARA cannot walk, hold a cordon at distance, and put a heavy weapon where it is needed inside minutes rather than an airframe cycle.

The work splits cleanly in two. Mounted, you are a crew: driver, commander, top cover, and a gunner on the ring mount, working a route with an eye on the ground either side of it. Dismounted, you are a rifle section like any other, with the vehicles as your fire support and your casualty evacuation.

It is the battalion for people who like the tactical problem as much as the fight — route selection, vulnerable points, when to dismount and when to push through. The green hackle is worn with some seriousness here, and the battalion keeps its own traditions inside the brigade.

Kit and platforms

Vehicles
FoxhoundJackal 2Land Rover WMIK
Weapons
L85A3L7A2 GPMGL111A1 HMGL134A1 GMG
Comms
Vehicle intercomAN/PRC-343 — sectionAN/PRC-117F — packet net

On the night

What you actually do

Move to the line of departure

Packet formation, spacing, and a commander in each vehicle watching their arcs. Vulnerable points get dismounted clearance before the packet commits to them.

Cordon or flank

Typically holding the outer cordon while 2 PARA works the objective, or putting a mounted flank onto an enemy position that has fixed the paras.

Dismounted clearance

Off the vehicles and through a compound or treeline as a rifle section, with the ring-mount guns covering the approach you just left.

Casualty evacuation

The vehicles are the fastest way off an objective. 1 R IRISH routinely lifts 2 PARA casualties back to the aid post or a helicopter landing site.

In the field

View media →

1 R IRISH, on operations

Training pathway

Training programme →

Courses, in the order you take them

Every course below is run in-house on a training night and produces a qualification record on your file. Nothing here costs you anything but the evening.

01

Combat Infantryman's Course

Everyone. Same standard as 2 PARA.

02

Sustained Fire Machine Gun Cadre

The gun in the sustained fire role, on a ring mount or a tripod.

03

Infantry Basic Radio User

Vehicle nets and the packet net.

04

Section Commander's Battle Course

Command of a mounted or dismounted section.

05

Patrols Cadre

Route selection, vulnerable points, mounted patrol planning.

Open billets

Where we are short

These are unfilled positions on the live order of battle. Name one on your application and it will be considered when you are posted.

1 R IRISH crest 4 PL 1 SECT

4 Platoon, 1 Section

Rifleman

A vacant posting on the live order of battle.

1 R IRISH crest 4 PL 1 SECT

4 Platoon, 1 Section

Rifleman

A vacant posting on the live order of battle.

1 R IRISH crest 4 PL 1 SECT

4 Platoon, 1 Section

Rifleman

A vacant posting on the live order of battle.

Structure

1 R IRISH in full

Join 1 R IRISH

Ask for this sub-unit on your application

Riflemen and vehicle crews. If you have a preference for driving or gunning, say so on the application — 4 Platoon slots crews deliberately rather than by whoever clicks first.

Apply to join See the full ORBAT

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