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In 1805, Bonaparte has crossed the River Danube and defeated General Mack's Austrian Army before Ulm. The British Prime Minister Pitt responded by mounting the diversionary Weser Expedition under Lieutenant General Sir George Don whose task was to assist the Allies by occupying Hanover and then marching on Holland.
The first indication of rationalisation of The Ulster Defence Regiment occurred when the 1st and the 9th Battalion The Ulster Defence Regiment merged to form the 1st/9th (County Antrim) Battalion The Ulster Defence Regiment. The in-place location chosen for the Battalion Headquarters was the former 9 UDR Battalion Headquarters in the town of Antrim in County Antrim. Ballymena had been the location of 1 UDR's headquarters and, as both battalions had been located in County Antrim, it was appropriate that the new battalion title carried the county name.
The Ulster Defence Regiment forms a new battalion titled the 10th (City of Belfast) Battalion (10 UDR) with its Battalion Headquarters located in Belfast.
The Territorial Army (TA), throughout the United Kingdom, was reconstituted in 1947 and, for the first time, there was a full scale All Arms TA organisation in Northern Ireland. The War Office gave authority for the formation of 107 (Ulster) Independent Infantry Brigade (TA) with effect from 1 January 1947. Also at this time, TA battalions of the three Regular infantry regiments of Northern Ireland were being formed.
A major reorganisation of the Territorial Army (TA) took place with the appointment of a Commander Headquarters Northern Ireland Territorial Army on 5 February 1988, followed by the forming of 107 (Ulster) Brigade on 2 November 1988. Both TA battalions of The Royal Irish Rangers came under command and were:
- 4th (Volunteer) Battalion The Royal Irish Rangers (North Irish Militia)
- 5th (Volunteer) Battalion The Royal Irish Rangers.
The Brigade Commanders were:
Brigadier C Wilkinson CBE
Brigadier C J McC Harrisson OBE
Brigadier A P M J Naughten (late R IRISH)
The Brigade was one of three infantry brigades in the 36th (Ulster) Division and was comprised of the four Belfast battalions of the Royal Irish Rifles, the 8th, 9th, 10th and 15th. The Brigade was commanded by Brigadier William M Withycombe, a veteran of the Boer War.
At last last light on 30 June, the final preparations could be made and 107 Brigade marched along country tracks, their way lit by red and green lanterns, into slit trenches in Aveluy Wood. This would be their assembly position for the attack.
With its Headquarters at Hamel, Brigadier General C R Griffith's 108 Brigade, the left brigade of the 36th (Ulster) Division, was to attack astride the River Ancre into the 36th (Ulster) Division's left section and right centre section.
North of the Ancre, the 9th Battalion The Royal Irish Fusiliers (9th Faughs) and the 12th Battalion The Royal Irish Rifles (12 RIR) were to advance to their objective in the left section - Beaucourt railway station and the trenches immediately beyond it.
The task for 109 Brigade in 36 (Ulster) Divisions 'right section' was to attack first the ‘A’ and ‘B’ lines and then advance to a line drawn from C 8 through B 16 to the Grandcourt-Thiepval Road at C 9; there it was to halt and consolidate.
The 10th (Irish) Division had assembled at Salonika on 18 August 1917, ready to embark for Egypt. By 16 October, the Irish Division had concentrated near Rafa in northern Sinai to prepare for the forthcoming campaign in Palestine.
Since December 1917 the 2nd and 5/6th Faughs had been engaged in road building in Palestine. Having completed the road from the coast to the Jerusalem - Nablus road, the 2nd and 5/6th Faughs went on outpost duty north of Jerusalem.
Meanwhile, the British Army under General Allenby was preparing for another offensive, the aim of which was to advance astride the main road nearer Nablus. Both the 2nd and 5/6th Battalion took part in the 10th (Irish) Division's attack on 9 March 1918 and were side-by-side as they assaulted a series of ridges and wadis.
