Northdale Rifles

Infobox Military Unit
unit_name=The Northdale Rifles


caption=Cap Badge of the Northdale Rifles
dates=1959-
country=United Kingdom
branch=Army
type=Line Infantry
command_structure= King's Division
role= Light Role
size=One battalion
current_commander=
garrison=
ceremonial_chief=
ceremonial_chief_label=Colonel in Chief
colonel_of_the_regiment=
nickname=
march=
colors=
identification_symbol=
identification_symbol_label=Tactical Recognition Flash
identification_symbol_2=
identification_symbol_2_label=Arm Badge
motto=
mascot=
battles=
notable_commanders=
anniversaries= The Northdale Rifles is the name given to a fictional infantry regiment of the British Army that was featured in the 2007 television film "The Mark of Cain".

Film

"The Mark of Cain" depicts the deployment of the 1st Battalion, Northdale Rifles to Basra in southern Iraq in 2003. The period depicted in the film suggests that it is set after the end of combat operations, which would indicate that the Northdale Rifles was deployed as part of Operation Telic II, the first roulement of British land forces. According to the Operation Telic order of battle, this would make the Northdale Rifles an infantry battalion attached to 3rd (UK) Mechanised Division, although in photographs of the cast they are not wearing the shoulder flash associated with 3 Division or any of its attached brigades.

The film concentrates on two young soldiers within one company of the battalion. Following the death of their company commander during a patrol (who has previously delivered a speech to his men ordering them to treat the local population with respect, a reference to the "Mark of Cain" speech delivered by Lt Colonel Tim Collins, commander of the 1st Battalion, Royal Irish Regiment on the eve of the war in Iraq) in an attack by insurgents, the men arrest several civilians and, despite being told to hand them over to the Royal Military Police, proceed to torture and sexually abuse the prisoners, in the course of which photographs are taken. Upon the battalion's return from Iraq, the photographs subsequently come to light in public, and the soldiers involved are court martialed.

Regiment

Role

On its deployment to Iraq, the regiment is depicted patrolling on foot and in SNATCH Land Rovers. This suggests that at the time of their deployment, they are performing in the light infantry role.

Type

Although the regiment is titled as a regiment of rifles, none of its members wear the rifle green beret associated with light infantry and rifle regiments,, while the regiment's cap badge does not contain the traditional bugle horn. Private soldiers in the regiment have the title of "Private" rather than "Rifleman" (see The Rifles). The scenes showing members in No.2 pattern dress feature none of the accutrements usually associated with rifles (black buttons and rank insignia, cross belt, green forage cap). Nor do its personnel parade at the standard light infantry drill pace of 140 paces per minute. The suggestion here is that the Northdale Rifles is an ordinary line infantry regiment that, at some point during its history, has been awarded the title "Rifles" as an honorific.

Recruiting Area

There is no obvious indication what part of the country the Northdale Rifles recruits from - there is no real place called Northdale in the UK, which leads to the possibility that Northdale is an equally fictional location for the fictional regiment. However, their cap badge depicts the Red Rose of Lancashire, suggesting that the regiment is a Lancashire/North-West regiment, and as such is part of the King's Division.

Amalgamation

The Northdale Rifles is portrayed as a single battalion regiment, which the majority of the infantry was at the time "The Mark of Cain" is set. However, this period of time saw the beginning of a major reorganisation in the structure of the infantry, with most single battalion regiments being amalgamated together into large multi-battalion regiments, with the criteria for amalgamation usually being a common geographical area. It is likely then that, at the time of the Northdale Rifles' tour in Iraq, and the subsequent controversy, plans would have be drawn up to see the regiment merge with another north-west regiment.

ee also

*Royal Wessex Rangers
*King's Own Fusiliers