4th (Volunteer) Battalion, The Royal Green Jackets

The 4th (Volunteer) Battalion, The Royal Green Jackets was a territorial infantry battalion of the Royal Green Jackets that served one of five TA NATO support battalions with a role of supporting the armoured divisions based in West Germany.

Cold War
The battalion was first formed in 1967 following the 1966 Defence White Paper many new "large" regiments were formed. Following this white paper, the Territorial and Volunteer Reserve was formed as part of the reduction of the former Territorial Army. Within this new force, the group was divided into the following groups;


 * TAVR I: Special Units, known as the "Ever Readies", special TA units
 * TAVR II: TAVR units with a NATO role, known collegially as the "Volunteers", units given the sub-title of (V) or (TA).
 * TAVR III: TAVR units with a home defence role, most only cadre units, collegially known as the "Territorials", units given the sub-title of (T)
 * TAVR IV: Bands, UOTC, and other "non-regular" units

One of the new regiments which was formed was the Royal Green Jackets, which was formed from the amalgamation of the 1st Green Jackets (43rd and 52nd), 2nd Green Jackets (The King's Royal Rifle Corps), and the 3rd Green Jackets (The Rifle Brigade). As a result, the brigade formed a new reserve battalion known as the 4th (Volunteer) Battalion, The Royal Green Jackets. After formation, the battalion had the following structure and predecessors:


 * Battalion Headquarters and Headquarters Company; Davies Street, London (from The Queen's Royal Rifles)
 * A (Oxfordshire and Buckinghamshire) Company, Oxford (from The Oxfordshire and Buckinghamshire Light Infantry)
 * B (The Queen's Royal Rifles) Company, Fulham, London (from The Queen's Royal Rifles)
 * C (The London Rifle Brigade Rangers) Company, Finsbury, London (from 3rd Green Jackets (The Rifle Brigade) (The London Rifle Brigade/Rangers)

Following formation, the battalion was assigned to London District as a home defence unit, with no NATO role given. On 15 December 1969 the battalion was expanded following the disbandment of many cadre units formed in 1966, thus formed D Company in Aylesbury from The Buckinghamshire Regiment, Royal Artillery. In 1975, the 1975 Mason Review was announced, and the rest of the cadre regiments were disbanded and absorbed into regiments and battalions which were already existed. As a result, the battalion absorbed B (The Greater London Regiment, Royal Artillery) Battery from the 6th (Volunteer) Battalion, The Queen's Regiment.

In 1981, "The Way Forward, 1981 Defence White Paper" was announced which re-formed the TA, and army overall to be more NATO focused and have a more TA support focused move. Following this reform, the battalion was given a NATO role to reinforce the 12th Armoured Brigade if mobilised as a rear support infantry battalion. As a result of this, the battalion was expanded and subsequently re-organised as follows;


 * Battalion Headquarters and Headquarters Company, London
 * A (Oxfordshire and Buckinghamshire) Company, Oxford transferred as HQ Company within the new 5th (Volunteer) Battalion, The Royal Green Jackets
 * B Company, Fulham, London
 * C Company, Finsbury, London
 * D Company, Aylesbury transferred as D Company within the new 5th (Volunteer) Battalion, The Royal Green Jackets
 * F Company, London (newly raised)
 * G Company, West Ham, London (newly raised)

In 1988 the entire TA was expanded forming new "Home Service Force Companies", thus H (Home Servicee Force) Company was formed in Davies Street, London and subsequently assigned to HQ, Home Service Forces, London District. In 1990 the Soviet Union was falling apart, and by 1992 the Options for Change reform was announced which significantly reduced the size of the army. As a result, G company was redesignated as A Company, and F Company was redesignated as Support Company, with H (Home Service Force) Company being disbanded.

Modern-Day
Finally, in 1999 following the 1998 Strategic Defence Review the TA was significantly reduced and as a result the battalion was disbanded with the following occurring to the companies;


 * HQ, B, and Support Companies amalgamated into F (Royal Green Jackets) Company in The London Regiment
 * A Company - redesignated as G (Royal Green Jackets) Company in The London Regiment

In 2006, all regiments of The Light Division were amalgamated into the new Rifles regiment, and as a result F and G companies were transferred to The Royal Rifle Volunteers under their same titles, yet removing their sub-titles. Finally in February 2007 the battalion was re-designated as the 7th Battalion, The Rifles (V). In 2015 F and G companies were amalgamated into the larger G Company based in Newham were they reside today.