18th July 1968
K.O.Y.L.I. Merged Into New Regiment

The 213-year-old history of The King’s Own Yorkshire Light Infantry came to an end last Wednesday when the regiment merged into one of the Army’s newly-born regiments, ‘The Light Infantry’. Also merged in the new regiment are The Somerset and Cornwall Light Infantry. The King’s Shropshire Light Infantry and The Durham Light Infantry.

The 1st Battalion K.O.Y.L.I. becomes the 2nd Battalion of the new regiment and to mark the event it held a pageant last Wednesday in Berlin where the Battalion is now serving. On the same day, the Regimental Headquarters at Pontefract changed its name to the Light infantry Office [Yorkshire] But no change in name has been made to the 4th [Territorial] Battalion, K.O.Y.L.I. with companies at Pontefract and Dewsbury. In the new Light Infantry the four regiments will pool their funds, silver and property and as many traditions and customs as possible.

‘The Keel Row’, the march used traditionally by the K.O.Y.L.I. and the D.L.I., has been adopted as the new regiment’s Double March Past. The privilege of not drinking the Loyal Toast in the officer’s mess, conferred on the K.S.L.I. and the D.L.I., will also be adopted. Small changes of dress will be introduced to achieve standardisation of the new regiment.

The Light Infantry, together with the Royal Green Jackets, now come under the Light Division formed at the beginning of the month with HQ at Winchester.

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