[3] As part of the 1957 Defence Review, it was announced that there would be a reduction in the number of infantry battalions in the British Army.

[2][6] In November 1958 the 1st Battalion moved to Cyprus, where they carried out anti-insurgency activities against the paramilitary EOKA organisation.

[7][8] From 1961 to 1963 the battalion was based in Plymouth, taking part in exercises in the Salisbury Plain Training Area and in recruitment activities following the ending of National Service.

In May 1962 the regiment was given the freedom of the City of Exeter, and were presented with a stand of colours by the Colonel-in-Chief, Princess Marina, Duchess of Kent.

Placed on twenty-four hours' travel notice, in May 1964 they moved to British Guiana where there was political and civil unrest.

[8] In February 1966 the battalion joined the British Army of the Rhine (BAOR) as part of 6th Infantry Brigade based in Münster.

[8][12] Following the outbreak of The Troubles in Northern Ireland, the Devon and Dorsets were moved to Belfast with less than twenty four hours' notice in June 1970.

From July to November 1981 they did another tour in County Armagh under Operation Banner, and in 1982 took part in training exercises in Kenya.

[15] In March 1983 the Devon & Dorsets became a resident battalion at Abercorn Barracks in Ballykinler in Northern Ireland as part of the 39th Infantry Brigade, remaining there until 1985.

[16] The Regimental Band were sent to the Persian Gulf between October 1990 and March 1991 as part of Operation Granby to serve in a field hospital.

Corporal Simon Harvey was awarded the Military Cross for twice extracting his Warrior tracked armoured vehicle from enemy fire on the Mount Igman route into Sarajevo.

[2][24] On becoming part of a rifle regiment, the Devon and Dorsets no longer carried their colours; these were laid up in Exeter Cathedral on 27 January 2007.