1.
United Kingdom
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The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland, commonly known as the United Kingdom or Britain, is a sovereign country in western Europe. Lying off the north-western coast of the European mainland, the United Kingdom includes the island of Great Britain, Northern Ireland is the only part of the United Kingdom that shares a land border with another sovereign state—the Republic of Ireland. The Irish Sea lies between Great Britain and Ireland, with an area of 242,500 square kilometres, the United Kingdom is the 78th-largest sovereign state in the world and the 11th-largest in Europe. It is also the 21st-most populous country, with an estimated 65.1 million inhabitants, together, this makes it the fourth-most densely populated country in the European Union. The United Kingdom is a monarchy with a parliamentary system of governance. The monarch is Queen Elizabeth II, who has reigned since 6 February 1952, other major urban areas in the United Kingdom include the regions of Birmingham, Leeds, Glasgow, Liverpool and Manchester. The United Kingdom consists of four countries—England, Scotland, Wales, the last three have devolved administrations, each with varying powers, based in their capitals, Edinburgh, Cardiff and Belfast, respectively. The relationships among the countries of the UK have changed over time, Wales was annexed by the Kingdom of England under the Laws in Wales Acts 1535 and 1542. A treaty between England and Scotland resulted in 1707 in a unified Kingdom of Great Britain, which merged in 1801 with the Kingdom of Ireland to form the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland. Five-sixths of Ireland seceded from the UK in 1922, leaving the present formulation of the United Kingdom of Great Britain, there are fourteen British Overseas Territories. These are the remnants of the British Empire which, at its height in the 1920s, British influence can be observed in the language, culture and legal systems of many of its former colonies. The United Kingdom is a country and has the worlds fifth-largest economy by nominal GDP. The UK is considered to have an economy and is categorised as very high in the Human Development Index. It was the worlds first industrialised country and the worlds foremost power during the 19th, the UK remains a great power with considerable economic, cultural, military, scientific and political influence internationally. It is a nuclear weapons state and its military expenditure ranks fourth or fifth in the world. The UK has been a permanent member of the United Nations Security Council since its first session in 1946 and it has been a leading member state of the EU and its predecessor, the European Economic Community, since 1973. However, on 23 June 2016, a referendum on the UKs membership of the EU resulted in a decision to leave. The Acts of Union 1800 united the Kingdom of Great Britain, Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland have devolved self-government
2.
British Army
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The British Army is the principal land warfare force of the United Kingdom. As of 2017 the British Army comprises just over 80,000 trained Regular, or full-time, personnel and just over 26,500 trained Reserve, or part-time personnel. Therefore, the UK Parliament approves the continued existence of the Army by passing an Armed Forces Act at least once every five years, day to day the Army comes under administration of the Ministry of Defence and is commanded by the Chief of the General Staff. Repeatedly emerging victorious from these decisive wars allowed Britain to influence world events with its policies and establish itself as one of the leading military. In 1660 the English, Scottish and Irish monarchies were restored under Charles II, Charles favoured the foundation of a new army under royal control and began work towards its establishment by August 1660. The Royal Scots Army and the Irish Army were financed by the Parliament of Scotland, the order of seniority of the most senior line regiments in the British Army is based on the order of seniority in the English army. At that time there was only one English regiment of dragoons, after William and Marys accession to the throne, England involved itself in the War of the Grand Alliance, primarily to prevent a French invasion restoring Marys father, James II. Spain, in the two centuries, had been the dominant global power, and the chief threat to Englands early transatlantic ambitions. The territorial ambitions of the French, however, led to the War of the Spanish Succession and the Napoleonic Wars. From the time of the end of the Seven Years War in 1763, Great Britain was the naval power. As had its predecessor, the English Army, the British Army fought the Kingdoms of Spain, France, and the Netherlands for supremacy in North America and the West Indies. With native and provincial assistance, the Army conquered New France in the North American theatre of the Seven Years War, the British Army suffered defeat in the American War of Independence, losing the Thirteen Colonies but holding on to Canada. The British Army was heavily involved in the Napoleonic Wars and served in campaigns across Europe. The war between the British and the First French Empire of Napoleon Bonaparte stretched around the world and at its peak, in 1813, the regular army contained over 250,000 men. A Coalition of Anglo-Dutch and Prussian Armies under the Duke of Wellington, the English had been involved, both politically and militarily, in Ireland since being given the Lordship of Ireland by the Pope in 1171. The campaign of the English republican Protector, Oliver Cromwell, involved uncompromising treatment of the Irish towns that had supported the Royalists during the English Civil War, the English Army stayed in Ireland primarily to suppress numerous Irish revolts and campaigns for independence. Having learnt from their experience in America, the British government sought a political solution, the British Army found itself fighting Irish rebels, both Protestant and Catholic, primarily in Ulster and Leinster in the 1798 rebellion. The Haldane Reforms of 1907 formally created the Territorial Force as the Armys volunteer reserve component by merging and reorganising the Volunteer Force, Militia, Great Britains dominance of the world had been challenged by numerous other powers, in the 20th century, most notably Germany
3.
Cameronians (Scottish Rifles)
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The Cameronians was a rifle regiment of the British Army, the only regiment of rifles amongst the Scottish regiments of infantry. It was formed in 1881 under the Childers Reforms by the amalgamation of the 26th Cameronian Regiment and it can trace its roots to that of the Cameronians, later the 26th of Foot, who were raised in 1689. The 1881 amalgamation coincided with the Cameronians selection to become the new Scottish Rifles, the Cameronians was formed in 1881 under the Childers Reforms by the amalgamation of the 26th Cameronian Regiment and the 90th Perthshire Light Infantry. After the amalgamation, the 1st Battalion preferred to be known as The Cameronians while the 2nd preferred to be known as The Scottish Rifles, the 2nd Battalion saw action at the Battle of Spion Kop in January 1900 during the Second Boer War. Two Militia battalions were formed from the former 2nd Royal Lanark Militia, the 3rd battalion was embodied in May 1900 for service during the Second Boer War. More than 600 men embarked for South Africa in April 1901, the 4th battalion had been embodied already in December 1899, also for service in the same war, and 600 officers and men embarked for South Africa in late February 1900. The 1st Battalion landed at Le Havre as part of the 19th Brigade, the battalion famously refused to play football or otherwise fraternise with the enemy on Christmas Day 1914. The 2nd Battalion landed in France as part of the 23rd Brigade in the 8th Division in November 1914 for service on the Western Front. The 1/5th Battalion landed at Le Havre as part of the 19th Brigade in the 6th Division in November 1915 for service on the Western Front. The 1/6th Battalion landed at Le Havre as part of the 23rd Brigade in the 8th Division in March 1915 for service on the Western Front. The 9th Battalion landed at Boulogne-sur-Mer as part of the 27th Brigade in the 9th Division in May 1915 for service on the Western Front, the 10th Battalion landed at Boulogne-sur-Mer as part of the 46th Brigade in the 15th Division in July 1915 for service on the Western Front. The 11th Battalion landed at Boulogne-sur-Mer as part of the 77th Brigade in the 26th Division in September 1915 for service on the Western Front, in 1948, along with every other infantry regiment of the British Army, the Cameronians was reduced to a single regular battalion. The 1st Battalion which had been decimated in the Burma campaign was placed in suspended animation. It was deployed to Malaya in 1950 during the Malayan Emergency, under the reforms of the army in the 1967 Defence White Paper, which saw several regiments amalgamated, the Cameronians chose to disband rather than amalgamate with another in the Lowland Brigade. The 1st Battalion, The Cameronians was disbanded on 14 May 1968 at Douglas Castle, near Douglas, South Lanarkshire in the presence of the Duke of Hamilton, the Earl of Angus. Its recruiting area in Lanarkshire and Dumfries and Galloway taken over by the Kings Own Scottish Borderers, soldiers wore a rifle green doublet with Douglas tartan trews as part of their full dress and No.1 dress uniforms. George Henry Mackinnon, CB 1881–1882, Gen. William Hassall Eden 1882–1889, Gen. John Alfred Street 1899–1910, sir James Clerk Rattray, KCB 1910–1918, Maj-Gen. Joseph Henry Laye, CVO, CB 1918–1927, Maj-Gen, sir Philip Rynd Robertson, KCB, CMG 1927–1946, Maj-Gen
4.
Queen's Own Cameron Highlanders
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The Queens Own Cameron Highlanders or 79th Regiment of Foot was a line infantry regiment of the British Army, raised in 1793. It amalgamated with the Seaforth Highlanders to form the Queens Own Highlanders in 1961, the regiment was raised as the 79th Regiment of Foot on 17 August 1793 at Fort William from among the members of the Clan Cameron by Sir Alan Cameron of Erracht. On its return to England the 79th Foot was listed for disbandment, in the end the regiment was reprieved, being instead posted to the West Indies in 1795, after a two-year tour the 79th returned to England again. The regiment was again in action against the French at the Battle of Alkmaar in October 1799 during the Helder Campaign, in 1800 the 79th was part of a force that took part in a failed assault on the Spanish coast at Ferrol. The 79th Foot landed in Egypt as part of a force to prevent French control of the land route to India. After victories at Battle of Mandora and Battle of Alexandria later that month, along with other regiments that took part in the Egyptian campaign the 79th Foot were henceforth permitted to bear a sphinx superscribed EGYPT on its colours and badges. The 79th spent the two years in Minorca and a second battalion was formed in 1804. Originally on the Irish establishment, the regiment became part of the British Army in 1804 and was renamed the 79th Regiment of Foot, the 1st Battalion took part in the Battle of Copenhagen in August 1807 during the Napoleonic Wars. In July 1808 the 79th Foot was deployed to Portugal for service in the Peninsular War, the regiment took part in the Battle of Corunna in January 1809 and were evacuated by to England. The regiment returned to Portugal in January 1810 and saw action at the Battle of Bussaco in September 1810, the Battle of Fuentes de Oñoro in May 1811 and the Siege of Badajoz in March 1812. It went to take part in the Battle of Salamanca in July 1812, the occupation of Madrid in August 1812, following the abdication of Napoleon in April 1814, the regiment moved to Cork, Ireland. However, with the return of Napoleon from exile, the 79th Foot travelled to Belgium in May 1815, the regiment took part in the final battles of the Napoleonic Wars at Quatre Bras and Waterloo in June 1815. The regiment sailed from Portsmouth to Scutari as part of the Highland Brigade for service in the Crimean War in June 1854 and it fought at the Battle of Alma in September 1854, the Battle of Balaclava in October 1854 and the Battle of Sevastopol in Winter 1854. After briefly returning to the UK, the regiment sailed to India to take part in the suppression of the Indian Rebellion, the regiment took part in the Capture of Lucknow in March 1858 and the Battle of Bareilly in May 1858. Queen Victoria presented the regiment with new colours at Parkhurst, Isle of Wight on 17 April 1873, consequently, they became the 79th Regiment, The Queens Own Cameron Highlanders. On 1 July 1881 the 79th Foot was redesignated as 1st Battalion, Queens Own Cameron Highlanders, the Camerons were the only infantry regiment to have a single regular battalion. The 1881 reforms also combined the militia and rifle volunteers of the county with the 79th Foot, becoming the 2nd Battalion, in 1897 a 2nd regular battalion was raised, and the Militia battalion was renumbered to 3rd. In 1886, the new depot for the regiment, Cameron Barracks, was completed in Inverness by the Royal Engineers
5.
Gordon Highlanders
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The regiment was formed on 1 July 1881 instigated under the Childers Reforms. The new two-battalion regiment was formed out of the 75th Regiment of Foot - which became the 1st Battalion of the new regiment - and the 92nd Regiment of Foot, Piper George Findlater, despite being wounded in both legs, continued to play the bagpipes during the assault. Another of the heroes involved the charge of the Gordon Highlanders at Dargai Heights, was Piper John Kidd, Piper Kidd was with Piper Findlater when, half-way up the heights, both pipers were shot down. Unmindful of his injuries, Piper Kidd sat up and continued to play The Cock o the North as the troops advanced up the heights, the 2nd Battalion fought at the Battle of Elandslaagte in October 1899 and the Siege of Ladysmith in November 1899 during the Second Boer War. The 2nd Battalion landed at Zeebrugge as part of the 20th Brigade in the 7th Division in October 1914 for service on the Western Front and then moved to Italy in November 1917. The 1/4th Battalion landed at Le Havre as part of the 8th Brigade in the 3rd Division in February 1915 for service on the Western Front. The 1/5th Battalion landed at Boulogne-sur-Mer as part of the 153rd Brigade in the 51st Division in May 1915 for service on the Western Front, the 1/6th Battalion landed at Le Havre as part of the 20th Brigade in the 7th Division for service on the Western Front. The 1/7th Battalion landed at Boulogne-sur-Mer as part of the 153rd Brigade in the 51st Division in May 1915 for service on the Western Front, the 8th Battalion landed at Boulogne-sur-Mer as part of the 26th Brigade in the 9th Division in May 1915 for service on the Western Front. The 9th Battalion and the 10th Battalion landed at Boulogne-sur-Mer as part of the 44th Brigade in the 15th Division in July 1915 for service on the Western Front, the folk singer and Scottish Traveller Jimmy MacBeath served with the regiment during the war. On 7 March 1940 the 1st Battalion exchanged with the Territorial 6th Battalion and transferred to the 153rd Infantry Brigade, the men of this battalion suffered more casualties as Prisoners of War in Japanese captivity than they did during the fighting on Singapore Island and Malaya. The 2nd Battalion was reformed in May 1942 from personnel of the 11th Battalion and fought with the 15th Division and they formed part of 227th Brigade - the Junior brigade in the division. They were involved in the fighting around Cheux and Tourville-sur-Odon in Normandy. The 6th Battalion, a Territorial Army battalion, was transferred from the 153rd Brigade in the 51st Division before it joined the 2nd Infantry Brigade of the 1st Infantry Division and it took part in the Dunkirk evacuation. The 7th Battalion amalgamated with the 5th Battalion, becoming the 5th/7th Battalion, Gordon Highlanders, the 8th Battalion was also converted to artillery, becoming the 100th Anti-Tank Regiment, Royal Artillery. This battalion served with the 2nd Infantry Division in the Burma Campaign, the 9th Battalion were initially posted to the Shetland islands. Later they were amalgamated with the 5th Battalion and sent to India for training, converted to an armoured regiment in 1942 as the 116th Regiment Royal Armoured Corps, they continued to wear the Gordons cap badge on the black beret of the RAC. After the war the Gordons saw active service in the Malayan Emergency, Cyprus, the Regiment was amalgamated with The Queens Own Highlanders on September 17,1994 to form the Highlanders. In 1997, the Gordon Highlanders Museum opened, in the regimental headquarters in Aberdeen
6.
6th Armoured Division (United Kingdom)
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The 6th Armoured Division was an armoured division of the British Army, created in September 1940 during World War II. The unit was supplied with Matilda and Valentine tanks, which were replaced by Crusader tanks. It participated in the Operation Torch assault landings in Algeria and Morocco in November 1942, after Tunisia, it participated in the Italian Campaign as part of the British Eighth Army and ended the war in Austria, again under the command of V Corps. The division initially had the 20th and 26th Armoured Brigades under command, in late April 1942, the 20th Armoured Brigade was transferred from the division and replaced by the 38th Infantry Brigade and the 6th Support Group was disbanded in June. The 6th Armoured Division, now commanded by Major General Charles Keightley, taking over from Major General Charles Gairdner, Operation Torch was the joint Anglo-American invasion of French North Africa during the Second World War in the North African Campaign, starting on 8 November 1942. On 22 November, the North African Agreement finally placed Vichy French North Africa on the side of the Allied powers, by this time the Axis powers had been able to build up their forces, which resulted in them outnumbering the Allies. The Allies had only two groups and some additional armour and artillery for an attack on Tunisia. Nevertheless, they believed if they moved quickly, before the newly arrived Axis forces were fully organised, the plan called for the Allies to advance along the two roads and take Bizerte and Tunis. Once Bizerte was taken Torch would come to an end, attacking in the north towards Bizerte would be the British 36th Infantry Brigade, supported by Hart Force, a small armoured group from the British 6th Armoured Division. S. Light tank battalion plus motorised infantry, paratroops, artillery, anti-tank and anti-aircraft guns, both infantry brigades were from the British 78th Battleaxe Infantry Division, whose commander, Major-General Vyvyan Evelegh, was in command of the offensive. By the end of 1942, a stalemate had set in as both sides built up their forces and they overran them and surrounded two U. S. units near them. Several counter-attacks were organized, including a number by the U. S, 1st Armored Division, but these were beaten off with ease. After three days, the Allied forces had forced to pull back and were withdrawn into the interior. The Germans and Italians started forward once again the week to take Sbeitla. They were held up for two days, but eventually the defence started to collapse on the night of 16 February 1943 and it was during this time that the 38th Brigade left the division, to be replaced by the 1st Guards Brigade from the British 78th Division. Their offensive stopped, even as the U. S. II Corps, under Major General Lloyd Fredendall, eventually Rommel decided his next course of action was to simply take the American supplies on the Algerian side of the western arm of the mountains. Although doing little for his own situation, it would upset any possible American actions from that direction. On 19 February 1943, Rommel launched what would become the Battle of Kasserine Pass, after two days of advances through the American defences, the Afrika Korps and the Italians had suffered few casualties, while the American forces lost 16,000 men and two-thirds of their tanks
7.
Supreme Headquarters Allied Powers Europe
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Supreme Headquarters Allied Powers Europe is the headquarters of the North Atlantic Treaty Organizations Allied Command Operations. Since 1967 it has been located at Casteau, north of the Belgian city of Mons, from 1951 to 2003, SHAPE was the headquarters of Allied Command Europe, ACE. Since 2003 it has been the headquarters of Allied Command Operations, SHAPE retained its traditional name with reference to Europe for legal reasons although the geographical scope of its activities was extended in 2003. At that time, NATOs command in Lisbon, historically part of the Atlantic command, was reassigned to ACO, an integrated military structure for NATO was first established after the Korean War raised questions over the strength of Europes defences against a Soviet attack. The first choice for commander in Europe was American General of the Army Dwight D, on December 19,1950, the North Atlantic Council announced the appointment of General Eisenhower as the first SACEUR. British Field Marshal Sir Bernard L, montgomery moved over from the predecessor Western Union Defence Organization to become the first Deputy SACEUR, who would serve until 1958. In establishing the command, the first NATO planners drew extensively on WUDO plans, General Eisenhower arrived in Paris on January 1,1951, and quickly set to work with a small group of planners to devise a structure for the new European command. The Planning Group worked in the Hotel Astoria in central Paris while construction of a permanent facility began at Rocquencourt, just west of the city, devising command arrangements in the Central Region, which contained the bulk of NATO’s forces, proved to be much more complicated. Drawing upon his World War II experience, General Eisenhower decided to retain overall control himself, instead there would be three separate C-in-Cs. In December 1950 it was announced that the forces initially to come under General Eisenhowers command were to be the U. S, on April 2,1951, General Eisenhower signed the activation order for Allied Command Europe and its headquarters at SHAPE. Headquarters, Allied Forces Central Europe was activated in Fontainebleau, France in 1953, on the same day, ACEs subordinate headquarters in Northern and Central Europe were activated, with the Southern Region following in June. By 1954 ACEs forces consisted of Allied Forces Northern Europe, at Oslo, Allied Forces Central Europe, Allied Forces Southern Europe, hodes, United States Army Allied Forces Southern Europe – Admiral R. P. M. Two 1952 central region exercises involved air-ground combined forces, equinox was a major air-ground exercise involving French-American tactical air units and a French airborne infantry unit under the command of Général dArmée Alphonse Juin, French Army. They maneuvered east of the Rhine River in the British Zone under the command of Lt. General Sir Richard Nelson Gale. Finally, Rosebud involved ground maneuvers by the U. S, seventh Army in the American Zone of Occupation of Allied-occupied Germany. The initial plans saw the defence of Western Europe from a Soviet invasion resting heavily on nuclear weapons, the conventional forces would attempt to hold this line while the allied strategic air forces defeated the Soviets and their allies by destroying their economy and infrastructure. What this strategy meant for the battle in the central region was described for publicity purposes in January 1954 by then-Supreme Allied Commander Europe General Alfred Gruenther as. An air-ground shield which, although still not strong enough, would force an enemy to concentrate prior to attack, in doing so, the concentrating force would be extremely vulnerable to losses from atomic weapon attacks
8.
Jewish insurgency in Mandatory Palestine
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Though World War II brought relative calm, the tensions again escalated into an armed struggle towards the end of the war, when it became clear that the Axis Powers were close to defeat. The conflict lasted until the termination of the British Mandate for Palestine, the armed conflict escalated during the final phase of the World War II, when the Irgun declared a revolt in February 1944, ending the hiatus in operations it had begun in 1940. Starting from the assassination of Lord Moyne in 1944, the Haganah actively opposed the Irgun and Lehi, however, in autumn 1945, after the end of the war the Haganah began a period of co-operation with the two other underground organizations, forming the Jewish Resistance Movement. The Haganah refrained from direct confrontation with British forces, and concentrated its efforts on attacking British immigration control, while Irgun and Lehi attacked military and police targets. After the UN partition plan resolution was passed on 29 November 1947, within Britain there were deep divisions over Palestine policy. Dozens of British soldiers, Jewish militants and civilians died during the campaigns of insurgency, the conflict led to heightened antisemitism in the UK and, in August 1947, after the hanging of two abducted British sergeants, to widespread anti-Jewish rioting across the UK. The conflict caused tensions in Britains relationship with the United States, after the Nuremberg Laws of 1935 many German Jews sought refuge abroad, and by the end of 1939 some 80,000 had been given refuge in Great Britain itself. In 1936–37, soon after the start of the Arab uprising in Palestine, the Peel Commission proposed a partition of Palestine that involved the compulsory resettlement of some Arab and Jewish inhabitants. The twentieth Zionist Congress resolved in August 1937 that, the partition plan proposed by the Peel Commission is not to be accepted, but it wished. To carry on negotiations in order to clarify the exact substance of the British governments proposal for the foundation of a Jewish state in Palestine, a further attempt was made in the Woodhead Commission, also known as the Palestine Partition Commission, whose report was published in late 1938. A government statement followed on 11 November 1938, the brief St. James Conference followed in early 1939. Britain also attended the international Évian Conference in 1938 on the issue of providing for refugees from Germany, Palestine was not discussed as a refuge because it might worsen the ongoing Arab revolt, Zionists naturally hoped that Palestine would be the principal destination for all such refugees. In the 1930s, British authorities set a quota for immigration certificates, shortly before the outbreak of World War II, the British introduced the White Paper of 1939. The White Paper rejected the concept of partition of Palestine into Jewish and Arab states, afterwards, further Jewish immigration would depend on consent of the Arab majority. Sales of Arab land to Jews were to be restricted, in reaction to British restrictions, illegal immigration to Palestine began. Initially, Jews entered Palestine by land, mainly by slipping across the northern border, in the early 1930s, when crossing the northern border became more difficult, other routes were found. Thousands of Jews came to Palestine on student or tourist visas, Jewish women often entered into fictitious marriages with residents of Palestine to be granted entry for family reunification purposes. Two more ships carrying illegal immigrants arrived in 1937, and several more arrived in 1938 and 1939 and these voyages were mainly organized by the Revisionist Zionist Organization and the Irgun
9.
Order of the Bath
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The Most Honourable Order of the Bath is a British order of chivalry founded by George I on 18 May 1725. The name derives from the medieval ceremony for appointing a knight. The knights so created were known as Knights of the Bath, George I erected the Knights of the Bath into a regular Military Order. Prior to 1815, the order had only a class, Knight Companion. Recipients of the Order are now usually senior officers or senior civil servants. Commonwealth citizens who are not subjects of the Queen and foreign nationals may be made Honorary Members, in the Middle Ages, knighthood was often conferred with elaborate ceremonies. These usually involved the taking a bath during which he was instructed in the duties of knighthood by more senior knights. He was then put to bed to dry, clothed in a special robe, he was led with music to the chapel where he spent the night in a vigil. At dawn he made confession and attended Mass, then retired to his bed to sleep until it was fully daylight, in the early medieval period the difference seems to have been that the full ceremonies were used for men from more prominent families. Knights Bachelor continued to be created with the form of ceremony. The last occasion on which Knights of the Bath were created was the coronation of Charles II in 1661. From at least 1625, and possibly from the reign of James I, Knights of the Bath were using the motto Tria iuncta in uno, and wearing as a badge three crowns within a plain gold oval. These were both adopted by the Order of the Bath, a similar design of badge is still worn by members of the Civil Division. Their symbolism however is not entirely clear, the three joined in one may be a reference to the kingdoms of England, Scotland and either France or Ireland, which were held by English and, later, British monarchs. This would correspond to the three crowns in the badge, another explanation of the motto is that it refers to the Holy Trinity. The prime mover in the establishment of the Order of the Bath was John Anstis, Garter King of Arms, the Court remained the centre of the political world. The King was limited in that he had to choose Ministers who could command a majority in Parliament, the leader of an administration still had to command the Kings personal confidence and approval. A strong following in Parliament depended on being able to supply places, pensions, the attraction of the new Order for Walpole was that it would provide a source of such favours to strengthen his political position
10.
Order of the British Empire
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There is also the related British Empire Medal, whose recipients are affiliated with, but not members of, the order. Recommendations for appointments to the Order of the British Empire were at first made on the nomination of the United Kingdom, the self-governing Dominions of the Empire, nominations continue today from Commonwealth countries that participate in recommending British honours. Most members are citizens of the United Kingdom or the Commonwealth realms that use the Imperial system of honours and awards. Honorary knighthoods are appointed to citizens of nations where the Queen is not head of state, occasionally, honorary appointees are, incorrectly, referred to as Sir or Dame – Bill Gates or Bob Geldof, for example. In particular, King George V wished to create an Order to honour many thousands of those who had served in a variety of non-combatant roles during the First World War, when first established, the Order had only one division. However, in 1918, soon after its foundation, it was divided into Military. The Orders motto is For God and the Empire, at the foundation of the Order, the Medal of the Order of the British Empire was instituted, to serve as a lower award granting recipients affiliation but not membership. In 1922, this was renamed the British Empire Medal, in addition, the BEM is awarded by the Cook Islands and by some other Commonwealth nations. The British monarch is Sovereign of the Order, and appoints all members of the Order. The next most senior member is the Grand Master, of whom there have been three, Prince Edward, the Prince of Wales, Queen Mary, and the current Grand Master, the Duke of Edinburgh. The Order is limited to 300 Knights and Dames Grand Cross,845 Knights and Dames Commander, and 8,960 Commanders. There are no limits applied to the number of members of the fourth and fifth classes. Foreign recipients, as members, do not contribute to the numbers restricted to the Order as full members do. Though men can be knighted separately from an order of chivalry, women cannot, and so the rank of Knight/Dame Commander of the Order is the lowest rank of damehood, and second-lowest of knighthood. Because of this, Dame Commander is awarded in circumstances in which a man would be created a Knight Bachelor, for example, by convention, female judges of the High Court of Justice are created Dames Commander after appointment, while male judges become Knights Bachelor. The Order has six officials, the Prelate, the Dean, the Secretary, the Registrar, the King of Arms, the Bishop of London, a senior bishop in the Church of England, serves as the Orders Prelate. The Dean of St Pauls is ex officio the Dean of the Order, the Orders King of Arms is not a member of the College of Arms, as are many other heraldic officers. From time to time, individuals are appointed to a higher grade within the Order, thereby ceasing usage of the junior post-nominal letters
United Kingdom
British Army