| Light Infantry Volunteers 5th Battalion, The Light Infantry | |
|---|---|
| Active | 1967–1999 |
| Country |  United Kingdom |
| Branch |  British Army |
| Type | Infantry |
| Role | Line Infantry |
| Size | Regiment |
| Garrison/HQ | Shrewsbury |
TheLight Infantry Volunteers was a short livedTerritorial Army infantry regiment of theBritish Army, that existed from 1967 to 1972, composed of companies from the Light Infantry regiments. In 1972, it was re-designated as5th Battalion, The Light Infantry, serving as such until amalgamation in 1999.
Upon the creation of theTAVR, and the reduction of territorial units, the regiment was formed through the amalgamation of theLight Infantry Brigade Territorial battalions, namely: 4th Battalion,King's Shropshire Light Infantry;Duke of Cornwall's Light Infantry (TA); 4th Battalion,King's Own Yorkshire Light Infantry; 1st Battalion,Herefordshire Light Infantry; and 6th/8th Battalion,Durham Light Infantry.[1][2] Upon formation, the regiment's structure was as follows:[1][3]
In 1969, a fifth rifle company (E Company (Durham)) was raised atSpennymoor andBishop Auckland, from a cadre of 6th/8th Battalion, Durham Light Infantry.[4] In 1975, however, this was transferred to 7th Battalion, Light Infantry, as D Company; and a new E Company was formed atWellington andWhitchurch, from C Company,Light Infantry and Mercian Volunteers.[5]
1972, saw the regiment cease to exist, and be re-designated as the5th Battalion, The Light Infantry with the same structure it held previously.[1][3]
In 1981, A and D Companies were swapped with D Company, 6th Battalion and the C Company, 7th Battalion respectively. And in 1987, upon the raising of the 8th Battalion, A and B Companies both transferred to the new battalion as B Company and A Company respectively; however they were replaced not long after- A Company, being newly raised at Shrewsbury; and B Company, from the re designation of E Company. After all these changed, and a title change to5th (Shropshire and Herefordshire) Battalion, The Light Infantry, in 1988, the battalion now possessed the following structure:[3][6]
In line with the reduction of the armed forces after the end of theCold War, the battalion was reduced to a three rifle company establishment, with A and D Companies being disbanded, with A Company being replaced byB Company,4th (V) Battalion, Worcestershire and Sherwood Foresters Regiment, retaining its regimental identity.[3][7]
The Battalion was amalgamated with 5th Battalion,Royal Regiment of Fusiliers; and 3rd Battalion,Staffordshire Regiment, in 1999, to form theWest Midlands Regiment. A Company became B Company of the new regiment, HQ and C Company amalgamated to form E Company, and B Company disbanded.[3]