Regiment Infanterie Johan Willem Friso


The Regiment Infantry Prins Johan Willem Friso is a line infantry regiment of the Royal Netherlands Army. Named after Johan Willem Friso of Orange-Nassau, it is the oldest and most senior regiment in the current order of battle. The regiment currently serves in the mechanized infantry role as 44 Armoured Infantry Battalion as part of 43 Gemechaniseerde (Mechanized) Brigade.

Naming

The regiment was formed during the 1950s, in a major reorganisation of the Royal Netherlands Army after the end of World War II.
Before 1950 the army consisted of numbered regiment; in 1950 these regiments were changed into named regiments.
The Regiment Infantry Johan Willem Friso was created on 1 juli 1950 as a continuation of the former 1st Regiment Infantry and 9th Regiment Infantry. Both 1 RI and 9 RI had always been stationed in the North of the Netherlands: 1 RI in Assen and 9 RI in Leeuwarden. Therefore, it was decided to name the new regiment after the former Stadhouder of Friesland, Groningen and Drenthe: Johan Willem Friso, Prince of Orange.
In November 2020, the title of "Prince" was added to the name of the regiment, thereby becoming the Regiment Infanterie Prins Johan Willem Friso.

Battle honours displayed on the colours

Each member of the 44th armoured infantry battalion carries a blue lanyard on their uniform in commemoration of their involvement in the UNIFIL peacekeeping operation in Lebanon from 1979 to 1985.