Warminster


	DERR

1st Bn Duke of Edinburgh's Royal Regiment

(Berkshire and Wiltshire)

Warminster

The 25th August 1976 saw the Battalion in Location at Warminster ready to take up the Challenge of being the 'INFANTRY DEMONSTRATION BATTALION', this also meant a reorganization of the Battalion with 'A' and 'B' Companies being Rifle orientated, 'C' Company being Mechanized incorporating APC, Signals, Reece and M.T. Platoons, Support Company in Netheravon of Mortar and Anti Tank Platoons, and a demonstration Platoon at NCO tactics wing Brecon. and of course the normal' BHQ HQ/ Administration in Warminster. The Battalions role of giving direct support to the school of Infantry course cycle was initially both demanding and interesting. During this period soldiers visited HONG KONG and the USA on training exercises, AUSTRALIA on exercise Long Look, Italy on Exercise 'Ponte Vecchio' and of course West GERMANY, some of the luckier ones also exercised in CYPRUS and also carried out adventure training there. All was not Military work however as December 1977 saw Operation BURBERRY (Firefighting) take effect with 'A' and 'B' Companies deployed to Glasgow and being visited by HRH The Prince Phillip, a most unusual but none the less demanding period breaking up the routine much to the enjoyment of all.

The Battalion also saw into service the Milan Anti-Tank Missile which came into service to replace the Wombat Anti-tank gun. Having been warned off for a posting to Osnabruck West Germany as a Mechanized Battalion in 1978, the Battalion concentrated on Conversion to its new role.

MILAN replaces WOMBAT

MIssile Leger ANtichar -

Literally light anti-tank missile, is a Franco-German second generation weapons system

Milan Manpacked by 1 DERR

Milan being Manpacked (Demo 1st Bn DERR)

Demo DERR Milan Team

Milan operator tracking target before loading (Demo 1st Bn DERR)

WARMINSTER TIMELINE
EVENT	DATE/TIME
Take over as Demonstration Bn from 1st Bn Royal Irish Rangers	25th August 1976
A Coy on Exercise 'Soft Pedal'	End of October 1976
1 Plt to Cyprus for Exercise 'Prime Change'	28th Oct - 22nd Nov 1976
3 Teams to Cyprus for 'Cyprus Walkabout'	7th October 1976
Visit to H.M.S. Vernon	27th January 1977
Kneller hall inspection of Band	March 1977
Firepower Demonstration	1st April 1977
C.O.s Test Exercise	April 1977
Band & Drums at Badminton Horse Trials	22nd - 24th April 1977
Band & Drums perform at Warminster (Queens Silver Jubilee)	28th April 1977
20 Soldiers to Italy for Exercise 'Ponte Vecchio'	2nd May 1977
Band & Drums at Salisbury (Silver Jubilee Appeal)	5th May 1977
Band & Drums at Longleat House to promote L.P. record	8th May 1977
Tug of War team win SOWDIST League	9th May 1977
Bn visited by Italian Mechanised Coy	13th May 1977
Coy from Royal Australian Regt visits Bn for Familiarization training	18th May 1977
SOWDIST Rifle meeting, Bn came second (9 Trophies)	May 1977
Band & Drums on Horse guard Parade for Prince of Wales massed bands	7th - 9th June 1977
Assault Pioneers build Westbury down bonfire for Jubilee beacon	8th June 1977
Pte WALLACE killed in Traffic accident, Warminster	9th June 1977
Old Comrades visit to Bn	16th June 1977
Bn Block leave for 3 weeks	12th August 1977
Bn hosts Regt Association A.G.M.	4th September 1977
Freedom of Wallingford	7th September 1977
Operation friendship	September 1977
Regimental Cocktail Party Sandhurst	9th September 1977
Cyprus Walkabout team come 2nd placed Overseas team	October 1977
N.C.O.s Cadre to Cyprus	October (4 Weeks)
Pte HAVARD killed in Traffic accident, at Heytesbury	November 1977
Fireman's strike duties Edinburgh 'Operation Burberry'	December 1977
Exercise ' Iron Duke'	2nd - 3rd February 1978
Exercise 'Phantom Bugle'	3rd - 5th May 1978
A Coy with 3 R.T.R. on Exercise 'Mayflower'	20th - 21st May 1978
Bn K.A.P.E. Tour	15th April - 11th June 1978
Bn won UKLF inter unit knock out rifle match at Bisley	30th March 1978
Bn won UKLF inter unit small bore target rifle meeting at Bordon	30th May 1978
Band & Drums beat retreat Warminster	30th June 1978
Bn hands over to newly formed Infantry Demonstration Bn.	2nd August 1978

Acknowledgments

The web team would like to thank Jim Waterfall for his assistance with the above time line