1981

1st Bn - Shackleton Bks, Ballykelly. Feb C Coy was deployed to South Armagh (Op Tonnage), task was to secure part of the road to Crossmaglen. August TAC HQ left Armagh and returned to Ballykelly. 12th Aug Bn Highland Games.

1982

1st Bn - Shackleton Bks, Ballykelly. 10 March battalion handed over Shackleton Bks, Ballykelly to 1 Cheshire and moved to Episkopi, Cyprus taking over Salamanca Bks from 3 Light Infantry. Mar/April C Coy were at Ay Nik doing guard coy for 9 Sigs Regt, the Assault Pioneer Pl. was at Troodos providing the guard for the RAF radar station. L/Cpl Gary Walls was killed in a car accident. May/June battalion Cadres period. Mid June Mortar Pln on a weeks live firing at Akamas. Late June Ex “Venus Rock” and island wide IS exercise. 27th July battalion swimming gala at Berengeria Pool, HQ Coy won. 10th Sept Lt Col H L Clark handed over as CO to Lt Col D P Thompson. Oct Cyprus Walkabout Competition, battalion team came 2nd Capt. Keate, L/Cpl Sinclair and Pte MacGuire. Pte Davie Russell Pipes and Drums was killed in a car accident. End of Oct Maj. Gen Palmer visited battalion.  Dec battalion Skill at Arms Meeting at Akroteri Ranges. 15th Dec Field Marshall Bramall, Chief of the Defence Staff visited the battalion.

1983

1st Bn - Salamanca Bks, Episkopi, Cyprus. Jan battalion JNCO’s Cadre. C Coy was renamed Support Company. 4th Jan Milski Team assembled at the Adventure Training Centre at Troodos. Feb WO1 (RSM) J H Auchterlonie handed over as RSM to WO1 (RSM) J V G  Bain. Command Company was formed. 22-23 Feb Support Coy exercise. 24-25 Feb D Coy exercise. 2 March Lt.Gen Sir Paul Travers Quartermaster General visited the battalion.  6-10th March battalion exercise, Ex Bores Head. 29 March Brigadier Philip Davies , Commander Land Forces Cyprus visited the battalion. 21 March -11 April Support Company at Ay Nik and Troodos.  22-23 April Akamas. 12-17 May Lt.Gen Boswell visited battalion. 7 June Maj.Gen Sir Desmond Langley, Commander British Forces in Cyprus visited battalion. 8 June battalion swimming gala at BG pool. Mid June to mid July battalion on a high state of alert because of a terrorist threat. (Op Sediment). 16 July Mr WJA Wilberforce, British High Commissioner visited battalion. 19 Aug Lt.Gen Sir James Glover, Vice Chief of the General Staff visited battalion. 7th Sept Lt.Gen Sir Edward Burgess, Commander UK Field Army visited battalion. Bandsman “Spud” Thomson was killed in a car accident. 30 Sept Curium Concert. Oct Cyprus walkabout competition, battalion won. 11 Oct Lt.Gen Sir George Cooper, Adjt General visited battalion. 14-16 Oct Mortar Shoot - Akamas. 17-21Oct battalion Rifle Meeting. 22 Oct ACM Sir David Evans, Vice Chief of Defence Staff visited battalion. 25 Oct Drumhead Service, followed by 2 day Highland Games. 2-11 Nov Ex “Wild Cat” battalion exercise, 1st phase 2-6 Nov Coy and Pln Trg, 2nd phase battalion exercise in all forms of war. 27th Dec It’s a Knockout. 29 Dec McEwan Cup. 30 Dec battalion Show.

1984

1st Bn - Salamanca Bks, Episkopi, Cyprus. 1st Jan SNCO’s versus Officers Hockey Match, battalion Square Episkopi. Early Feb battalion moved from Cyprus to Redford Bks, Edinburgh. 27 Feb battalion start back off leave at Redford Bks. 12-20 April battalion guarded Greenham Common. 3 May battalion Boxing Competition. 8-14 May Support Company at Barry Buddon. 11-13 May ASSAM. 26th May Regiment Reunion at Redford Bks. 4-8 June Mortar Pln at Cultybraggen. 2-7 July battalion on Holyroodhouse Guard. 6th July Queen visited battalion at Redford Bks, got her photo taken with the battalion in front of main building. 25 July -20 Oct battalion provided Royal Guard at Balmoral, OC Maj MR McVittie. 10 Aug-1 Sept Edinburgh Tattoo, Support Coy was Admin Coy. 18 Sept-12 Oct Mortar Cadre and Shoot at Otterburn. 19 Aug Balaklava Ball, Assembly Rooms, Edinburgh. 1-23rd Nov battalion was training at Stanford Training Area. 21 Dec-7 Jan Xmas leave.

1985

1st Bn - Redford Bks, Edinburgh. 7 Jan battalion back off leave. 14-18 Jan Barry Buddon. 1 Feb Regiment painting by Peter Archer of 2nd A and SH crossing Johore Causeway 1942 was unveiled at Redford Bks. 14 Feb battalion ARU inspection at Redford Bks. 21 Feb - 9 March battalion training at Lydd. 18 March Lt Col G A Neilson took over as CO from Lt.Col D P Thomson. 18 Mar-29 Apr battalion was Spearhead Bn. 20 March Ex “Fastball” spearhead practice call out. 9 Apr-3 May JNCO’s cadre. 26 April WO1 (RSM) A Logie took over as RSM from WO1 (RSM) J V G Bain who was commissioned. 25 May Regiment Reunion - Stirling Castle. Mortar Cadre. 5 Jun-5 July Ex “Pond Jump West”, battalion on exercise in Canada, 17 (Corunna) Battery RA were attached. July to 31Oct battalion provide Royal Guard at Balmoral, OC Maj Blackett and based on D Company. 2 Sept Cruachan II died. 3-15 Sept Ex “Brave Defender”. Sept-Dec Pipes and Drums toured America with the band of the Royal Marines Deal. 6-11Oct 19 Brig Mortar Concentration. 6 Dec McEwan Cup. 9 Dec battalion Boxing Competition against 1 Light Infantry. 20 Dec -6 Jan battalion on leave.

1986

1st Bn - Redford Bks, Edinburgh. Jan moved to Roman Barracks, Colchester took over from 1 Staffords. 9-14 Feb Commander’s Cadre, St Martin’s Plain Folkstone. 28 Feb-11 March battalion on Northern Ireland training at Lydd-Hythe. 22-31 March Block Leave. 2-7 April Northern Ireland training at Stanford. 12-29 June Northern Ireland (Op “Cara Cara” - protection of RUC stations). HQ was at Lisanelly Bks, Omagh, A Coy at Magharafelt and Ballykelly, B Coy at Saint Lucia Bks, Omagh, D Coy at St Angelo, north of Enniskillen, Sp Coy less half of Mortar Pln was at Clogher, half of Mortar Pln was at Fort George Londonderry. 5-28 July Bn Block Leave. 4 Aug-5 Sept Mortar Cadre. 11-23 Oct Pre Falklands leave. 24 Oct advance party moves to Falkland Islands, take over from 1 Kings. November Main body arrive in the Falklands, HQ, HQ Coy and A Coy at Stanley (Boxer bridge), D Coy at Mount Pleasant and B Coy at Fox Bay. 29 Dec A Coy Group left Stanley on LSL Sir Lancelot for South Georgia (Ex “Ice Pick”).

1987

1st Bn - Falkland Islands and South Georgia. 1 Jan A Company Group arrive and land at South Georgia. 5 Jan A Company Group leave South Georgia. 7 Jan A Company Group arrived back at Stanley to be met by the military band. 29 Jan 240 stranded passengers from the cruise liner SS Rotterdam were accommodated on Coastal 3 overnight due to bad weather. Early March moved back to Roman Barracks, Colchester, handed over to 2 Royal Irish Rangers. Mar-April Bn on block leave.  April Pipes and Drums and Military Band tour Australia. 8 May Officers Mess dined out Donald Ross, infected chicken meant that 14 officers went down with salmonella. 13-17 May A Coy ran EDSAM. 30 May Regimental Reunion at Colchester. 7-19 June Bn Ex at Otterburn and Catterick. 28 June-3 Aug Bn on Spearhead. 1-8 July Northern Ireland training at Lydd. Aug Bn on Block leave. 28 Aug-18 Sept battalion on Brigade Ex (Ex “Panthers Cub”) on Salisbury Plain and Sennybridge. 24 Sept Lt.Col M R McVittie took over as CO from Lt.Col G A Neilson. Oct Ex Keystone - Bn provided umpires and GD for a TA exercise in Germany. November Bn Ex at Stanford. Nov WO1(RSM) I E Hunter took over as RSM from WO1 (RSM) A Logie.

1988

1st Bn - Roman Barracks, Colchester. Jan battalion Cadres and individual training. B Coy on 2 weeks adventure training at Aviemore. 15 Feb -24 March A Coy on Ex “Rocky Lance” in Belize. 23 Feb battalion Public Duties detachment moved to D lines in Pirbright. 29 Feb 1st Guard. March battalion on Public Duties in London. April battalion ran 17th cadet leadership course at Stanford. April Easter leave. April B Coy on Ex “Eagle Tormentor” on Salisbury Plain with Royal Scots Dragoon Guards.  11-15 May A Coy ran EDSAM. 21 May Regimental Reunion at Roman Bks, Colchester. 4-17 June Ex “Simex 88” on Salisbury Plain. 29 June-8 Aug Ex “Pond Jump West”, battalion at Wainwright, Alberta. Sept WO1 (RSM) J B McGuire took over as RSM from WO1 (RSM) I E Hunter. 1-8 Oct Ex “Nightjar”, Brigade Platoon Competition. 9-18 Oct Ex “Panther’s Teeth”, 19 Inf Brig Ex in defence, attack and NBC on Salisbury Plain. November WO1 John McGuire took over as RSM battalion from WO1 Ian Hunter. 3-10 November Ex “Phantom Bugle”.

1989

1st Bn - Roman Barracks, Colchester. February battalion moved to Elizabeth Bks, Minden took over from 3 Royal Anglian. March Mortar, Anti-Tank and Recce Cadres. 7-20 April Ex “Highland Charge”, Bn Ex at Soltau. Late April Mortar Pln to Munsterlager for Brigade Concentration with 27 Field Regiment RA? 2 May-16 June battalion JNCO.s cadre. Late June Bn Ex at Soltau. Brig Concentration at Soltau, inter-company competition 2 coys Argylls and 2 coys 2 Queens. July Mortar Pln to Munsterlager with 27 Field Regiment RA. July Bn Block leave (3 weeks)? July-Aug A Coy at Batus with Blues and Royals. Aug battalion at Sennelager, APWT and Field Firing. Sept Ex “Potent Gauntlet” 20 Armd Brig FTX (Bn provided umpires), D Coy were attached to 2 Queens who acted as enemy to 20 Brig. Ex “Key Flight”, 24 Airmobile Brig, validation exercise. 17 Sept –Dec Military Band Tour USA. Oct-November battalion Ex “Stirling Castle” and “Active Edge”, central testing, cadres, guards and duties, adventure training. 27-30 November battalion at BBGT at Sennelager. 11-13 Dec Gen Sir Patrick Palmer KBE (Col of the Regt) visited battalion. Dec Bn Show.

1990

1st Bn - Elizabeth Bks, Minden. 22 Jan -1 Feb Site Guard (A Coy battalion). 18-26 Feb battalion field firing at Grafenwohr. 12 Feb 4 Div Commander visited battalion. 8 March Admiral Wilson visited battalion. 26-29 March battalion at Sennelager. 19-24 April Ex “Highland Charge”, battalion Battlegroup FTX at Soltau. 25-29 April Ex “Rattling Halberd”, 11 Armd Brigade FTX at Soltau and Bergen-Hohne. April Lt.Col A W Blackett takes over as CO battalion from Lt.Col M R McVittie. 2 May battalion Active Edge call-out. 21 May battalion tested under the Nato Operational Readiness Test Program. 5-10 June B Coy provided Guards of Honour for 2 Normandy beach parades at the 50^th anniversary of the battle of St Valery en Caux. 13 Aug to 21 Sept battalion JNCO’s Cadre A Coy ran. 16 Aug Soltau Womble. 14 Sept battalion told to prepare to deploy to Belfast in mid-December. 1-3 Oct Commanders Cadre at Sennelager. 30 Oct Balaklava Day, 0800 - Drumhead Service, 0900 - Inter-Coy Sports, 1230 - All-ranks Buffet, 1400 - Fall-out. 4-23rd November battalion Northern Ireland training at Sennelager. 5-9 November WO1 (RSM) J B McGuire handed over as RSM to WO1(RSM) C M McFarlane. 10 Dec Q Advance Party moved to Northern Ireland, took over from 1 Gordons. 12 Dec Advance Party to Northern Ireland. 16 Dec Main Body to Northern Ireland. Battalion wins Combat 90.