End of August 1978 saw the Battalion firmly ensconced once again on German soil in the pleasant Stadt of Osnabruck.
The exercise season soon started and September 78 saw the Battalion deployed and working up in its new fully Mechanized role as part of 2 Armoured Division.
During the Battalion tour exercises were the theme of the day with the highlight being Exercise Crusader the largest since World War two.
The Battalion also visited and trained in Canada at Company and Battalion group level as part of the Exercise Medicine Man series at Batus Suffield this being live firing exercises with supporting arms in direct support.
Visitors abounded, the highlight being two visits by HRH The Prince Phillip one in November 1978 and the other in November 1982.
1979 saw the Battalion back in Northern Ireland for a Roulement tour of duty in Londonderry.
Throughout the Osnabruck tour the Battalion took a keen interest in all sporting activities, excelling at Boxing, Judo, Small bore shooting and latterly football. Another serious recreational Sport/Military activity is Exercise Snow Queen which is the B.A.O.R winter Ski-training exercise, this enabled a large number of the Battalion to learn to ski. This may have contributed to our Ski team which enjoyed success in the Army Championships.
Having been told our next move would bee to Canterbury in 1982/83 in an Air portable role the ground work for yet another move was put into operation.
THE OSNABRUCK TIMELINE | |
| EVENT | TIME/DATE |
| Bn forms Mercer Barracks, Osnabruck | August/September 1978 |
| Band & Drums beat retreat Mercer Bks | 8th September 1978 |
| Maiwand Day Celebrations | 9th September 1978 |
| Bn on Exercise 'Simple Duke' at Soltau | 18th - 28th Sept 1978 |
| Bn umpires Exercise 'Keystone' | 5th - 13th October 1978 |
| Visit by Colonel in Chief | 24th October 1978 |
| Bn to Sennelager in Coys for Skill at arms | 5th - 17th November 1978 |
| Bn party represents UK at Frances Remembrance parade ,Compiegne | November 1978 |
| Bn to Sennelager (Ten days) | 20th November 1978 |
| D Coy to Munster North site | 13th Dec 1978 for 1 week |
| Ferozeshah Parade | 21st December 1978 |
| C.O.s Recce Londonderry | January 1979 |
| Main Recce to Northern Ireland | April 1979 |
| Visit from HMS Vernon | June 1979 |
| Bn assumes responsibility of West of the Foyle, Londonderry | 10.00am, 9th July 1979 |
| First patrol under fire | 2.00am 9th July 1979 |
| Sustained Rioting | 9th - 11th August 1979 |
| Bn hands over to 3rd Bn Royal Regt of Fusiliers | 8th November 1979 |
| Bn on block leave | November 1979 |
| Bn to Canada for Exercise 'Medicine Man' | 20th May 1980 |
| Garrison Open day | 28th June 1980 |
| Visit to HMS Vernon | 3rd July 1980 |
| Maiwand, visit of Colonel in Chief and Old Comrades | 17th - 20th July 1980 |
| Exercise 'Spearpoint' | September 1980 |
| Bn to Canada for 2nd Visit | April 1981 |
| B Coy to US Army training centre at Hohenfels | May/June 1981 |
| A Coy to Berlin | June 1981 |
| Corps of Drums to Berlin tattoo | 18th Sept -5th Oct 1981 |
| Bands Quinquennial Kneller hall inspection | 14th May 1982 |
| Exercise 'Quarter final' | October 1982 |
| Colonel in Chief's visit to Bn | 28th -29th November 1982 |
| Ferozeshah Parade | 18th December 1982 |
| Hand over to 1st Bn Green Howards | January 1983 |
The Regiment lost the following Farmer's Boys whilst in Osnabruck
| Lance Corporal | MARGINSON D C | 17 January 1982 | BAOR |
| Private | WELLFAIR | 02 July 1982 | UK |
| Private | DE-BURGH S A | 07 August 1982 | BAOR |
| Sergeant | JONES B A | 10 August 1982 | UK |