The 15th Infantry Regiment (RI15) ''(Regimento de Infantaria nº 15)'' is a unit of the Base Structure of the Army, stationed in
Tomar, currently with the operating charge of organizing, training and maintaining the 1st Parachute Battalion (1BIPara)
Rapid Reaction Brigade.
The RI15 is one of the oldest military units from Portugal and is the most decorated of the
Portuguese Army
The Portuguese Army ( pt, Exército Português) is the land component of the Armed Forces of Portugal and is also its largest branch. It is charged with the defence of Portugal, in co-operation with other branches of the Armed Forces. With its ...
.
History
The RI15 was created in 1762 under the name 2nd Infantry Regiment of Olivença, from the split into two units, from the Regiment of Olivença, created in 1641 as Terço of Olivença. In 1806, 2nd Infantry Regiment of Olivença was renamed to 15th Infantry Regiment. Since its inception, the regiment participated gloriously in all the campaigns of the
Portuguese Army
The Portuguese Army ( pt, Exército Português) is the land component of the Armed Forces of Portugal and is also its largest branch. It is charged with the defence of Portugal, in co-operation with other branches of the Armed Forces. With its ...
. After being installed in several locations, in 1901 the unit moved headquarter to Tomar which still remains today.
Chronology
:1641 - Creation of the Terço of Olivença / Regiment of Olivença.
:1762 - Creation of the 2nd Infantry Regiment of Olivença from the split of the Terço of Olivença / Regiment of Olivença.
:1806 - The 2nd Infantry Regiment of Olivença as the 15th Infantry Regiment.
:1807 - The Napoleonic troops occupy Portugal. Part of the
Portuguese Army
The Portuguese Army ( pt, Exército Português) is the land component of the Armed Forces of Portugal and is also its largest branch. It is charged with the defence of Portugal, in co-operation with other branches of the Armed Forces. With its ...
is incorporated in the
Portuguese Legion to be sent to France, and one of its battalions formed by troops from RI15. The legionary battalion participated in
the Russian campaign
''The Russian Campaign'' is a strategic board wargame published by Jedko Games in 1974 that simulates combat on the Eastern Front during World War II. Avalon Hill later bought the game and produced several editions.
The unit scale is German ...
, fighting at
Wagram
Deutsch-Wagram (literally "German Wagram", ), often shortened to Wagram, is a village in the Gänserndorf District, in the states of Austria, state of Lower Austria, Austria. It is in the Morava (river), Marchfeld Basin, close to the Vienna city ...
,
Smolensk, Moscow and
Borodino.
:1808–1814 - The regiment is reorganized in Vila Viçosa participating in the
Peninsular War
The Peninsular War (1807–1814) was the military conflict fought in the Iberian Peninsula by Spain, Portugal, and the United Kingdom against the invading and occupying forces of the First French Empire during the Napoleonic Wars. In Spain ...
campaigns integrated into the
Anglo-Portuguese Army
The Anglo-Portuguese Army was the combined United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland, British and Portugal, Portuguese army that participated in the Peninsular War, under the command of Arthur Wellesley, 1st Duke of Wellington, Arthur Wellesl ...
commanded by
Marshal Beresford first and later by
Marshal Wellington. Under command of Colonel Baker, the regiment distinguishes itself in the battles of
Badajoz
Badajoz (; formerly written ''Badajos'' in English) is the capital of the Province of Badajoz in the autonomous community of Extremadura, Spain. It is situated close to the Portuguese border, on the left bank of the river Guadiana. The population ...
,
Victoria and
San Sebastian.
:1817 - The RI15 deploys one of its battalions to Brazil where it takes part in the liberal movement of the Rio de Janeiro.
:1824–1833 - The RI15 takes part in the
civil war
A civil war or intrastate war is a war between organized groups within the same state (or country).
The aim of one side may be to take control of the country or a region, to achieve independence for a region, or to change government policies ...
between liberals and absolutists, on the side of the liberal cause.
:1834–1901 - The regiment suffered several reorganizations and transfers of their barracks being located successively in Estremoz, Lagos and Faro to settle in Tomar, where he still remains today;
:1917–1918 - During the
World War I
World War I (28 July 1914 11 November 1918), often abbreviated as WWI, was one of the deadliest global conflicts in history. Belligerents included much of Europe, the Russian Empire, the United States, and the Ottoman Empire, with fightin ...
, a battalion of the RI15 is integrated in the
Portuguese Expeditionary Force
The Portuguese Expeditionary Corps (CEP, Portuguese: ''Corpo Expedicionário Português'') was the main military force from Portugal that fought in the Western Front, during World War I. Portuguese neutrality ended in 1916 after the Portuguese ...
sent to France, where it fights on the
western front Western Front or West Front may refer to:
Military frontiers
*Western Front (World War I), a military frontier to the west of Germany
*Western Front (World War II), a military frontier to the west of Germany
*Western Front (Russian Empire), a majo ...
. The battalion distinguished themselves at the
Battle of La Lys
The Battle of the Lys, also known as the Fourth Battle of Ypres, was fought from 7 to 29 April 1918 and was part of the German spring offensive in Flanders during the First World War. It was originally planned by General Erich Ludendorff as O ...
, receiving the honour to form to the right of all other units in military formation.
:1926–1939 - The RI15 moved headquarters again to Lagos, returning to Tomar in 1939.
:1941–1944 - During the
World War II
World War II or the Second World War, often abbreviated as WWII or WW2, was a world war that lasted from 1939 to 1945. It involved the vast majority of the world's countries—including all of the great powers—forming two opposin ...
the RI15 deploys an expeditionary battalion to
Portuguese Cape Verde;
:1961–1975 - The RI15 becomes one of the largest units mobilizing troops fighting in the
Portuguese Colonial War
The Portuguese Colonial War ( pt, Guerra Colonial Portuguesa), also known in Portugal as the Overseas War () or in the former colonies as the War of Liberation (), and also known as the Angolan, Guinea-Bissau and Mozambican War of Independence, ...
. Their expeditionary battalions and companies suffer a total of 637 killed in action.
:1977 - The RI15 becomes responsible for the organization and training of the 1st Motorized Infantry Battalion of the 1st Independent Mixed Brigade;
:1977–1993 - The RI15 renamed as Infantry Regiment of Tomar (RIT), returning to the previous name in 1993.
:1998 - The RI15 shall depend on the Airborne Troops Command, with operational responsibility to organize, train and retain the 1st Airborne Infantry Battalion (1st Airborne Battalion);
:2000 - The RI15 becomes responsible for the Battalion of Support Services of the Independent Airborne Brigade;
:2001 - The 1st Airborne Battalion was renamed as 1st Parachute Infantry Battalion (1ºBIPara).
:2006 - The RI15 becomes a unit of the Base Structure of the Army dependent of the
Rapid Reaction Brigade, maintaining the same operating responsibilities.
Equipment
Infantry equipment
Pistol
*
Glock 17 Gen 5
Assault rifle
*
FN SCAR L
FN may refer to:
Arts, entertainment, and media
* Faking News, Indian news satire website
* ''Financial News'', UK financial newspaper and news website
* ''Finding Nemo'', a 2003 computer-animated adventure comedy film by Disney and Pixar
* ''F ...
*
FN SCAR H
The FN SCAR (Special Operations Forces Combat Assault Rifle) is a family of Gas-operated reloading#Short stroke, gas-operated short-stroke gas piston automatic rifles developed by Belgian manufacturer FN Herstal (FN) in 2004. It is constructed w ...
Machine gun
*
FN Minimi Mk3
*
FN MAG
The FN MAG is a Belgian 7.62 mm general-purpose machine gun, designed in the early 1950s at Fabrique Nationale (FN) by Ernest Vervier. It has been used by more than 80 countries and it has been made under licence in several countries, inc ...
(limited use)
*
Browning M2HB
Mortar
*
Anti-tank weapon
*
Carl Gustav recoilless rifle
*
MILAN
Milan ( , , Lombard: ; it, Milano ) is a city in northern Italy, capital of Lombardy, and the second-most populous city proper in Italy after Rome. The city proper has a population of about 1.4 million, while its metropolitan city h ...
Tactical vehicles
*
URO VAMTAC ST5
*
Mitsubishi L200
The is a group of autonomous Japanese multinational corporation, multinational companies in a variety of industries.
Founded by Yatarō Iwasaki in 1870, the Mitsubishi Group historically descended from the Mitsubishi zaibatsu, a unified company ...
4x4
*
Land Rover Defender'90 TDI 4x4
Transport vehicles
*
Iveco 40.10 WM
*
Iveco 90.17 WM
*
DAF YA 4440 D
*
Unimog 1750L
Transport aircraft
*
Lockheed C-130 Hercules (
Portuguese Air Force
, colours =
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, march =
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, anniversaries = 1 July
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)
*
EADS CASA C-295
The CASA C-295 (now Airbus C295) is a medium tactical transport aircraft that was designed and initially manufactured by the Spanish aerospace company CASA.
Work on what would become the C-295 was started during the 1990s as a derivative of t ...
(
Portuguese Air Force
, colours =
, colours_label =
, march =
, mascot =
, anniversaries = 1 July
, equipment =
, equipment_label ...
)
Awards and decorations
* Commandery of the Military
Order of the Tower and Sword of Valor, Loyalty and Merit, - 1919
* Medal of Military Valour Gold, - 1919
* Croce di Guerra al Merit, - 1921
* Croix de Guerre avec Palme 1914–1918, - 1958
* Fourragère de la Médaille militaire, - 1958
* Order of Military Merit, - 1966
* Medal for Distinguished Service Gold, - 1985
* Gold Medal for Distinguished Service to Palma, - 1987
* Honorary Member of the Military
Order of Aviz
The Military Order of Saint Benedict of Aviz ( pt, Ordem Militar de São Bento de Avis, ), previously to 1910 ''Royal Military Order of Saint Benedict of Aviz'' ( pt, Real Ordem Militar de São Bento de Avis), previously to 1789 ''Knights'' (of ...
, - 2002
* Gold Medal of the City of Tomar, - 2002
* Honorary Member of the Military
Order of Christ, - 2006
Sources
*
{{coord missing, Portugal
Army regiments of Portugal
1762 establishments in Portugal
Military units and formations established in 1762
Military of Portugal
Military installations in Portugal