Artists Rifles

The Artists Rifles
Cap badge of The Artists Rifles
Active1859–1945
1947–present
Country United Kingdom
BranchArmy Reserve
TypeSpecial forces
RoleSpecial operations
Part ofUnited Kingdom Special Forces
Garrison/HQRegent's Park Barracks, London, United Kingdom
Engagements
Decorations8 VCs, 56 DSOs, 893 MCs, 26 DFCs, 15 AFCs, 6 DCMs, 15 MMs, 14 MSMs, 564 MIDs (First World War)
Commanders
Notable
commanders
Henry Wyndham Phillips and Frederic Leighton
Memorial to the 2003 men lost in the Artists Rifles, Royal Academy, London

The 21 Special Air Service Regiment (Artists) (Reserve), historically known as The Artists Rifles[nb 1] is a regiment of the Army Reserve. Its name is abbreviated to 21 SAS(R).

Raised in London in 1859 as a volunteer light infantry unit, the regiment saw active service during the Second Boer War and the First World War, earning a number of battle honours. During the Second World War, it was used as an officer training unit. The regiment was disbanded in 1945, but in 1947 it was re-established to resurrect the Special Air Service Regiment.[2] Together with 23 Special Air Service Regiment (Reserve) (23 SAS(R)), it forms the Special Air Service (Reserve) (SAS(R)) part of the United Kingdom Special Forces (UKSF) directorate.[3]

  1. ^ "Regiment page". Artists Rifles Association. 2016. Archived from the original on 5 April 2023.
  2. ^ Gregory, p. 297
  3. ^ "21 & 23 Special Air Service (SAS)". British Army. Retrieved 26 August 2020.


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