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10 May 2006 : Column 15WS
Written Ministerial Statements
Wednesday 10 May 2006
Defence
Regimental Headquarters Review
The Minister of State, Ministry of Defence (Mr. Adam Ingram): In my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Defence's written statement of 24 November, Official Report, column 130-133WS he informed the House of work which, as part of the future infantry structure (FIS), would examine the supporting infrastructure of infantry regimental headquarters (RHQs) to ensure that they can effectively support the infantry in the future. This work has now concluded and the new arrangements are set out in the tables below.
The assistant chief of the general staff has concluded a review of RHQs and I have endorsed the finding that a single RHQ will be established for each infantry regiment, supported as necessary by a network of outstations to maintain the traditional regimental footprint.
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This format closely mirrors that already adopted by a number of existing multi-battalion regiments, such as the Royal Regiment of Fusiliers and the Royal Anglian Regiment. In line with the overall reduction in regiments post-FIS implementation, in the region of 15 RHQs of antecedent regiments will reorganise to become outstations or home headquarters of the new regiments created in FIS. One antecedent RHQ and four outstations will close between now and 2011. One new RHQ, for the Royal Regiment of Scotland, will be created. The colonel commandants of regiments have endorsed the principles for restructuring, the details of which have been subject to wide-ranging consultation. The resultant organisation is considered to be the most efficient method of delivering the functions of our RHQs in order to support the future infantry structure. They will continue to give maximum support to our soldiers while making the most effective use of taxpayers' money.
The RHQs will also continue to fulfil their remit of supporting former members of the infantry, and it is also important not to lose sight of the role they play in preserving the illustrious history and traditions of their antecedent regiments. No regimental museums will close as a result of this review.
Subject to trade union consultation, the new RHQ structure will lead in time to a small reduction in the overall number of staff required and it is hoped that this can be achieved through natural wastage and relocation, although a very small number of redundancies may be necessary.
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summary of infantry rhqs(1)and associated outstations
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foot guards
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Regiment
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Location
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New Designation
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Remarks
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Grenadier Guards
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London(2)
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No change
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Coldstream Guards
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London
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No change
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Scots Guards
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London
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No change
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Scots Guards
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Edinburgh
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No change
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Outstation
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Irish Guards
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London
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No change
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Welsh Guards
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London
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No change
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Welsh Guards
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Cardiff
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No change
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Outstation
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the royal regiment of scotland
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Old RHQ
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Location
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New Designation
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Remarks
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Edinburgh
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Main RHQ
The Royal Regiment of Scotland Edinburgh Castle.
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Regiment newly formed under FIS
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The Royal Scots (The Royal Regiment)
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Edinburgh
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Home HQ
The Royal Scots (The Royal Regiment)
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The Royal Highland Fusiliers (Princess Margaret's Own Glasgow and Ayrshire Regiment)
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Glasgow
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Home HQ
The Royal Highland Fusiliers (Princess Margaret's Own Glasgow and Ayrshire Regiment)
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The King's Own Scottish Borderers
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Berwick Upon Tweed
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Home HQ
The King's Own Scottish Borderers
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The Black Watch (Royal Highland Regiment)
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Perth
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Home HQ
The Black Watch (Royal Highland Regiment)
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The Highlanders (Seaforth, Gordons and Camerons)
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Inverness
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Home HQ
The Highlanders (Seaforth, Gordons and Camerons)
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The Highlanders (Seaforth, Gordons and Camerons)
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Aberdeen
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Outstation closes in 2011
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Museum of the Gordon Highlanders remains
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The Argyll and Sutherland Highlanders (Princess Louise's)
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Stirling
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Home HQ
The Argyll and Sutherland Highlanders (Princess Louise's)
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queen’s division
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Old RHQ
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Location
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New Designation
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Remarks
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The Princess of Wales's Royal Regiment (Queen's and Royal Hampshires)
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Canterbury
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Main RHQ The Princess of Wales's Royal Regiment (Queen's and Royal Hampshires)
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The Royal Regiment of Fusiliers
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London (Tower of London)
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Main RHQ The Royal Regiment of Fusiliers
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The Royal Regiment of Fusiliers
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London
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Outstation in Tower of London
Merges into the Main RHQ
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The Royal Regiment of Fusiliers
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Newcastle
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The Royal Regiment of Fusiliers Newcastle Outstation.
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The Royal Regiment of Fusiliers
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Warwick
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The Royal Regiment of Fusiliers
Warwick Outstation.
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The Royal Regiment of Fusiliers
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Bury
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The Royal Regiment of Fusiliers
Bury Outstation.
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The Royal Anglian Regiment
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BurySt Edmunds
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No Change. Remains Main RHQ The Royal Anglian Regiment
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The Royal Anglian Regiment
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Norwich
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Outstation closes 2008
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The Royal Anglian Regiment
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Warley
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The Royal Anglian Regiment
Warley Outstation.
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The Royal Anglian Regiment
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Northampton
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The Royal Anglian Regiment Northampton Outstation.
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The Royal Anglian Regiment
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Lincoln
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Closed
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king’s division
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Old RHQ
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Location
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New Designation
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Remarks
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The King's Own Royal Border Regiment
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Carlisle
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The Duke of Lancaster's Regiment (King's, Lancashire and Border)
Carlisle Outstation
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The King's Regiment
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Liverpool
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The Duke of Lancaster's Regiment (King's, Lancashire and Border) Liverpool Outstation
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The King's Regiment
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Manchester
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The Duke of Lancaster's Regiment (King's, Lancashire and Border) Manchester Outstation
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The Queen's Lancashire Regiment
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Preston
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Main RHQ
The Duke of Lancaster's Regiment (King's, Lancashire and Border)
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The Prince of Wales's Own Regiment of Yorkshire
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York
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Main RHQ
The Yorkshire Regiment (14(th)/15(th),19(th )and 33(rd)/76(th) Foot)
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The Green Howards (Alexandra, Princess of Wales's Own Yorkshire Regiment)
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Richmond
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The Yorkshire Regiment (14(th)/15(th),19(th )and 33(rd)/76(th) Foot)
Richmond Outstation.
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The Duke Of Wellington's Regiment (West Riding)
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Halifax
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The Yorkshire Regiment (14(th)/15(th),19(th )and 33(rd)/76(th) Foot)
Halifax Outstation
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prince of wales's division
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Old RHQ
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Location
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New Designation
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Remarks
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The Cheshire Regiment
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Chester
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The Mercian Regiment
Chester Outstation
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The Worcestershire and Sherwood Foresters Regiment (26(th)/45(th) Foot)
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Worcester
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Closes in 2010
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The Worcestershire and Sherwood Foresters Regiment (26(th)/45(th) Foot)
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Nottingham
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The Mercian Regiment
Nottingham Outstation
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The Staffordshire Regiment (The Prince of Wales's)
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Lichfield
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Main RHQ
The Mercian Regiment
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The Royal Welch Fusiliers
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Wrexham
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The Royal Welsh Wrexham Outstation
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The Royal Regiment of Wales
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Cardiff
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Main RHQ
The Royal Welsh
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the rifles
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Old RHQ
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Location
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New Designation
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Remarks
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The Light Infantry
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Winchester
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Main RHQ The Rifles
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The new Regiment's RHQ forms in Winchester
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The Royal Green Jackets
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Winchester
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The Light Infantry
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Bodmin
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The Rifles
Bodmin Outstation.
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Subject to Lt Div Council endorsement
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The Light Infantry
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Taunton
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The Rifles
Taunton Outstation.
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Subject to Lt Div Council endorsement
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The Light Infantry
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Durham
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The Rifles
Durham Outstation
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Subject to Lt Div Council endorsement
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The Light Infantry
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Pontefract
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The Rifles
Pontefract Outstation
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Subject to Lt Div Council endorsement
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The Light Infantry
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Shrewsbury
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The Rifles
Shrewsbury Outstation
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Subject to Lt Div Council endorsement
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The Royal Green Jackets
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Oxford
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The Rifles
Oxford Outstation
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Subject to Lt Div Council endorsement
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Devonshire and Dorset Light Infantry
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Exeter
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The Rifles
Exeter Outstation
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Subject to Lt Div Council endorsement
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The Royal Gloucestershire, Berkshire and Wiltshire Light Infantry
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Gloucester
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The Rifles
Gloucester Outstation
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Subject to Lt Div Council endorsement
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The Royal Gloucestershire, Berkshire and Wiltshire Light Infantry
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Salisbury
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The Rifles
Salisbury Outstation
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Subject to Lt Div Council endorsement
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London
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The Rifles
London Outstation
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Subject to Lt Div Council endorsement
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the parachute regiment
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Old RHQ
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Location
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New Designation
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Remarks
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RHQ The Parachute Regiment
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Colchester
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No change
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The Parachute Regiment Museum
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Aldershot
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Close under Allenby-Connaught (Museum to move to Duxford)
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Move in 2008
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