Royal Guernsey Light Infantry


The Royal Guernsey Light Infantry was an infantry regiment of the British Army that was formed from the Royal Guernsey Militia in 1916 to serve in World War I. They fought as part of the British 29th Division. Of the 2,280 men, most of whom came from Guernsey, who fought on the Western Front with the RGLI, 327 were killed and 667 were wounded.
Many Guernsey men had already volunteered for regiments in the British Army before the RGLI was formed. The RGLI was created because there was no Guernsey-named regiment to underline the island's devotion to the Crown.
The regimental motto, Diex Aïx, derives from the battle cry used by the Duke of Normandy 1,000 years earlier.
The regiment was disbanded in 1919 but the regimental tradition lives on in the Guernsey Army Cadet Force Light Infantry, who, although they do not wear the RGLI cap badge, still keep alive the history of the Regiment within the detachment.

History

1916

17 December

1917

1 June
July
September
26 September
27 September
October
9–14 October
October–November
20 November – 3 December

1918

18–26 January
8–29 March
3–7 April
, May 1917
10–14 April
27 April
27 November

1919

5 April
21–22 May

Honours and awards

Orders and medals

Order of St. Michael and St. George

Royal Victorian Order

Military Cross

Distinguished Conduct Medal


Military Medal
Médaille militaire
Mentioned in Despatches

Battle Honours

In February 1925, in accordance with General Order No 5034 The London Gazette published a complete list of Battle Honours awarded for the Great War.
In General Orders, 1928, "Honours awarded to Militia Corps for services previous to the Great War shall pass to the reconstituted Militia Regiment and shall be emblazoned on all Regimental Standards, Guidons or Colours"
Following the disbandment of the Royal Guernsey Light Infantry in 1919, the 1st Battalion Royal Guernsey Militia were granted the following Battle Honours:
The Colours of the RGLI are hung in the Town Church, Guernsey

Poetry

Commemoration

The Royal Guernsey Light Infantry Charitable Trust was formed in 2016 to commemorate the regiment. Its joint patrons are Lt Governor Vice Admiral Sir Ian Corder and the Bailiff of Guernsey, Sir Richard Collas. The Trust intends to place memorials at Les Rues Vertes, France and St Peter Port, Guernsey on the centenary of key RGLI events in 2017.

The Channel Islands and the Great War Study Group

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