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.
Army Reserve (United Kingdom)
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The Army Reserve is the active-duty volunteer reserve force and integrated element of the British Army. Most Volunteer infantry units had unique identities, but lost these in the reorganisation, only one infantry unit, the London Regiment, has maintained a separate identity. Reservists in the past also served as constables or bailiffs, even holding positions of civic duty as overseer of their parish, the more modern Yeomen of the 18th century were cavalry-based units, which were often used to suppress riots. Several units that are now part of the Army Reserve bear the title militia, after the Second World War, for example, the Army Reserve - or Territorial Army as it was known then - was not demobilised until 1947. All Army Reserve personnel have their jobs protected to a limited extent by law should they be compulsorily mobilised. There is, however, no protection against discrimination in employment for membership of the Army Reserve in the normal course of events. As part of the process, remaining units of militia were converted to the Special Reserve. The TF was formed on 1 April 1908 and contained fourteen infantry divisions and it had an overall strength of approximately 269,000. The individual units that made up each division or brigade were administered by County Associations, the other members of the association consisted of military members, representative members and co-opted members. Associations took over any property vested in the volunteers or yeomanry under their administration, each regiment or battalion had a Regular Army officer attached as full-time adjutant. In August 1914, after the outbreak of the First World War, territorial units were given the option of serving in France and, by 25 August, in excess of seventy battalions had volunteered. This question over the availability of territorial divisions for service was one of Lord Kitcheners motivations for raising the New Army separately. The first fully Territorial division to join the fighting on the Western Front was the 46th Division in March 1915, with divisions later serving in Gallipoli and elsewhere. As the war progressed, and casualties mounted, the character of territorial units was diluted by the inclusion of conscript. Following the Armistice all units of the Territorial Force were gradually disbanded, New recruiting started in early 1920, and the Territorial Force was reconstituted on 7 February 1920. On 1 October 1920, the Territorial Force was renamed the Territorial Army, the 1st Line divisions were reconstituted in that year. However, the composition of the divisions was altered, with a reduction in the number of infantry battalions required, there was also a reduced need for cavalry, and of the 55 yeomanry regiments, only the 14 most senior retained their horses. The remaining yeomanry were converted to artillery or armoured car units or disbanded, the amalgamation of 40 pairs of infantry battalions was announced in October 1921
4.
Larkhill
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Larkhill is a garrison town in the civil parish of Durrington, Wiltshire, England. It lies about 1 3⁄4 miles west of the centre of Durrington village and 1 1⁄2 mi north of the monument of Stonehenge. It is about 10 mi north of Salisbury, the settlement has a long association with the British military and originally grew from military camps. It is now one of the garrisons on Salisbury Plain, along with Tidworth Camp, Bulford Camp. The Royal School of Artillery is located at Larkhill and the Royal Artillery moved its barracks there from Woolwich in 2008, before the military garrison was established the area was known as Lark Hill, part of Durrington Down, owing to it being the highest point in the parish. After the first military buildings were established, it came to be known as Larkhill Camp, much of Larkhill lies within the Stonehenge World Heritage Site, an area rich in Neolithic and Bronze Age monuments. Several long barrows and round barrow groups are located within the settlement, robin Hoods Ball, the Stonehenge Cursus and the Lesser Cursus lie close to the garrison. The first modern settlement came in 1899, when a camp was established for units training on an area of Salisbury Plain that became known as Larkhill range. Units were accommodated in large official campsite areas whilst training throughout the summer, as Larkhill range was designated for artillery practice, many of the units were artillery batteries. In 1914, the first permanent huts were built on the down, during the First World War,34 battalion-sized hutted garrisons were built for use by all types of military forces. A light military railway line was built from the established Amesbury–Bulford line, to troops to Larkhill. After the war, the became an artillery domain and in 1919 the Royal School of Artillery was established there. The light railway was lifted and Stonehenge Aerodrome was closed, however, several other new facilities were established in the interwar years, including a military hospital, married quarters at Strangways, a NAAFI service and military churches. The famed British Ordnance QF 25-pounder was developed by the school of artillery shortly before the outbreak of the Second World War, during the War, the garrison was extended again, although primarily for artillery units. The 21st Independent Parachute Company of the 1st Airborne Division was also formed there, after the Second World War, many of the hutted buildings were replaced with modern structures. The Royal School of Artillerys garrison was rebuilt and permanently established at the site, the Officers Mess is now a Grade II listed building. A new event was started in 1962 to showcase the militarys artillery technology – originally named Larkhill Day, a primary school opened at Larkhill in 1962. The garrison church, dedicated to St Alban the Martyr and St Barbara, was built in 1937, the architect, as for the Officers Mess, was William Ross, construction is in red brick, with a short southwest tower
5.
Catterick Garrison
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Catterick Garrison is a major garrison and town three miles south of Richmond in the Richmondshire district of North Yorkshire, England. On 12 August 1914, the order was issued for the construction of the camp, the original intention for Catterick was to be a temporary camp to accommodate two complete divisions with around 40,000 men in 2,000 huts. The base was originally named Richmond Camp until being changed to Catterick Camp in 1915, construction was undertaken by John Laing & Son and by the mid-1930s most of the camps facilities were complete. During the Second World War the camp was again used to house prisoners of war. The town is divided between two civil parishes, the southern part of the town, south of a small stream known as Leadmill Gill, is in the civil parish of Scotton. The northern part forms the part of the civil parish of Hipswell. Each parish has its own parish council, the town is also within the Richmond parliamentary constituency, which has been represented since 2015 by Conservative Rishi Sunak. Catterick Garrison is located on the A6136 road, connecting Richmond with the A1 road at Catterick Village,4.7 miles to the east. Regular bus services to Richmond and Darlington are operated by Arriva North East, duchess of Kent Hospital is the local military hospital and medical centre that was opened on 6 October 1976. It was a replacement to the old hospital that was in existence before the Second World War, foxglove Covert, a local nature reserve was the first of its kind in North Yorkshire and the first to be located on Ministry of Defence land in the UK. It covers 100 acres of moorland edge, and was opened in 1992, in 2013 a £25 million development scheme for a new town centre was unveiled, to be built on a former sports ground, owned by the MoD. The plan includes space for retail outlets, a cinema, a 60-bedroom hotel and several dining establishments and bars, Primary education is provided by Carnagill Community Primary School, built in 1966, Wavell School and Le Cateau Community Primary School. There are other schools, not within the garrison area itself such as Colburn Community Primary School. Pupils then receive education at Risedale Sports and Community College. Alternatively, children may attend school at Richmond School and Sixth Form College. Darlington College also has a campus at Catterick Garrison, the three garrison churches are dedicated to St. Joan of Arc, St Aidan, and the Garrison Memorial Church of St Martin and St Oswald. Catterick Garrison Cemetery, located on the side of St Johns Churchyard in Hipswell, was opened by the War Office in 1930 to serve the camp. Among its graves are 42 Commonwealth service personnel of the Second World War and they include, Under Army 2020, the list will be modified and the units based at Catterick will be, 4th Infantry Brigade and Headquarters North East The Light Dragoons – Light Cavalry
6.
Tidworth Camp
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Tidworth Camp is a military installation at Tidworth in Wiltshire. The Camp was established when the War Office acquired Tedworth House, southern Command was established at Tidworth Camp in 1905. Lucknow Barracks and Mooltan Barracks were completed in 1905, Tidworth Military Hospital was finished in 1907, aliwal Barracks, Assaye Barracks, Bhurtpore Barracks, Candahar Barracks, Delhi Barracks and Jellalabad Barracks were added later. A Royal Ordnance depot was established during the First World War, the names of the barracks evoke memories of battles in India and Afghanistan. In the Second World War, the Camp was home in 1944 to formations of the United States Army, first the 9th Armored Division, a branch from the Midland and South Western Junction Railway at Ludgershall was built in 1901 and opened to passengers in 1902. Goods tracks known as Tidworth Military Railway continued from Tidworth station into the military area, the branch returned to military control in 1955 and was closed in 1963. Tidworth Military Cemetery was set up to serve the barracks and it includes the war graves of 417 Commonwealth service personnel of the First World War and 106 of the Second World War. Southern Command left the Camp and moved to Erskine Barracks near Fugglestone St Peter in 1949, the Military Hospital closed in March 1977. The renovation of existing buildings and the construction of new buildings aims to improve the quality of life for living and working on Tidworth Camp. Extensive reconstruction at the Camp involving 160 new or refurbished buildings was carried out between 2006 and 2014
7.
Colchester Garrison
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Colchester Garrison is a major garrison located in Colchester in the county of Essex, Southern England. It has been an important military base since the Roman era, the first permanent military garrison in Colchester was established by Legio XX Valeria Victrix in 43AD following the Roman conquest of Britain. Colchester was an important garrison town during the Napoleonic Wars and throughout the Victorian era, during the First World War several battalions of Kitcheners Army were trained there. Now, 2nd Battalion and 3rd Battalion of The Parachute Regiment are based there, today there are new barracks, which, in replacing the Victorian buildings, have made available building land slightly nearer the town centre. Colchester Garrison played an eminent role during the Napoleonic Wars, the troops were originally billeted in local inns and houses. After petitioning from the council, new infantry barracks were built in 1794. By 1800 additional infantry, artillery, and cavalry barracks had been built in the bounded by Barrack Street to the north, Wimpole Road to the west. In 1805 the barracks were home to 7,000 officers, after the Napoleonic Wars the barracks were reduced. The sale of the barracks and the freehold site on which they stood started in 1817 and was completed in 1840. The Army retained 14 acres and a barracks for 851 officers. Much of the old barracks land was developed as the New Town area of Colchester during the Victorian era, Colchester Garrison experienced rapid expansion during the Crimean War. Between 1855 and 1856 wooden infantry barracks for 5,000 troops were erected on Ordnance Field, the government purchased 167-acre Middlewick Farm for use as a training area and a rifle range in 1857. Middlewick Ranges are still in use by the present garrison, in 185610,000 troops of the British German Legion were billeted in the infantry barracks and in tented encampments on Barrack Field. The British German Legion was raised in 1854 as a corps in British service. The Legion was raised for service in the Crimean War, under the provisions of the Enlistment of Foreigners Act 1854, the Legion did not see active service although a large number of legionaries went to the Crimea where they mostly died of fever without seeing the battlefields. The Legion was disbanded in Colchester in 1857, but the majority of the remaining personnel went to the Eastern Cape as part of the Kaffraria Settlement. Because preference was given to those who were married or had a fiancee, men without German wives or fiancees married, in great numbers, there are dozens of marriages recorded in the Colchester Churches, mainly St Botolphs, and the remainder were married at the Garrison Church. This establishment was found not to be registered for marriages
8.
Hohne
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Hohne is a municipality in the state of Lower Saxony in Germany, east of the county town of Celle. It includes the three parishes of Hohne, Helmerkamp and Spechtshorn. It should not be confused with the British Army camp of Hohne near Belsen about 30 km to the northwest, Hohne lies on the River Wiehe, a right-hand tributary of the Schwarzwasser, which itself flows into the River Aller near Schwachhausen. This monastery was founded before 1115 by Margravine Gertrud von Braunschweig of Meissen, the majority of inhabitants in Hohne are Lutheran Protestants and belong to the parish of the Church of the Ascension. Also in the parish of Hohne are the villages of Helmerkamp, Hahnenhorn, Spechtshorn, Pollhöfen and it was probably an earth mound on which a wooden tower formerly stood. To date only wooden remains have been found and these structures were built across Europe from western France to present-day eastern Poland in the 9th and 10th centuries, sometimes even as late as the early 13th century. One archaeologist has suggested that it could be part of a network extending outwards from Beedenbostel. More detailed research into the age of the stakes that have been found on the site has not yet been possible due to financial constraints. As a result it can only be surmised that the castle was built before AD995, the Mundburg itself was built by the old confluence of the rivers Aller and Oker near Wienhausen. Areas of cobbles and large fragments of old foundations can still be found 0.7 metres under the present-day surface of the land. As at Hesleburg castle near Heeßel, and the castles of Depenau and Dachtmissen on the Aue in Flotwedel, in the 20th century part of the building was moved to other locations in the estate. The 1913 neo-romanesque Church of the Ascension in Hohne inherited the altar, organ, pulpit and font of its predecessor church. Hohne is also home to the Hohne Ice House, which is run by one of the oldest ice house societies in Lower Saxony, there is a primary school and a public library. Since 1970 the German Red Cross has run Hohne kindergarten, educational trips are organised by the Hohne Countrywomans Society. The sports club, TuS Hohne/Spechtshorn, is involved in ball sports, track and field athletics. The Hohne/Spechtshorn Woodland Swimming Pool Society looks after the swimming pool. Youth swimming passes can be bought from the branch of the German Lifeguard Association. The Hohne Village History Society has been putting together the history since 2002 under the direction of Rainer Brammer
9.
Elizabeth II
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Elizabeth II has been Queen of the United Kingdom, Canada, Australia, and New Zealand since 6 February 1952. Elizabeth was born in London as the eldest child of the Duke and Duchess of York, later King George VI and Queen Elizabeth and her father acceded to the throne on the abdication of his brother Edward VIII in 1936, from which time she was the heir presumptive. She began to undertake duties during the Second World War. Elizabeths many historic visits and meetings include a visit to the Republic of Ireland. She has seen major changes, such as devolution in the United Kingdom, Canadian patriation. She has reigned through various wars and conflicts involving many of her realms and she is the worlds oldest reigning monarch as well as Britains longest-lived. In October 2016, she became the longest currently reigning monarch, in 2017 she became the first British monarch to commemorate a Sapphire Jubilee. Elizabeth has occasionally faced republican sentiments and press criticism of the family, however, support for the monarchy remains high. Elizabeth was born at 02,40 on 21 April 1926, during the reign of her paternal grandfather and her father, Prince Albert, Duke of York, was the second son of the King. Her mother, Elizabeth, Duchess of York, was the youngest daughter of Scottish aristocrat Claude Bowes-Lyon, 14th Earl of Strathmore and she was delivered by Caesarean section at her maternal grandfathers London house,17 Bruton Street, Mayfair. Elizabeths only sibling, Princess Margaret, was born in 1930, the two princesses were educated at home under the supervision of their mother and their governess, Marion Crawford, who was casually known as Crawfie. Lessons concentrated on history, language, literature and music, Crawford published a biography of Elizabeth and Margarets childhood years entitled The Little Princesses in 1950, much to the dismay of the royal family. The book describes Elizabeths love of horses and dogs, her orderliness, others echoed such observations, Winston Churchill described Elizabeth when she was two as a character. She has an air of authority and reflectiveness astonishing in an infant and her cousin Margaret Rhodes described her as a jolly little girl, but fundamentally sensible and well-behaved. During her grandfathers reign, Elizabeth was third in the line of succession to the throne, behind her uncle Edward, Prince of Wales, and her father, the Duke of York. Although her birth generated public interest, she was not expected to become queen, many people believed that he would marry and have children of his own. When her grandfather died in 1936 and her uncle succeeded as Edward VIII, she became second-in-line to the throne, later that year, Edward abdicated, after his proposed marriage to divorced socialite Wallis Simpson provoked a constitutional crisis. Consequently, Elizabeths father became king, and she became heir presumptive, if her parents had had a later son, she would have lost her position as first-in-line, as her brother would have been heir apparent and above her in the line of succession
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
11.
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
12.
Royal Armoured Corps
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The Royal Armoured Corps provides the armour capability of the British Army, with vehicles such as the Challenger 2 Tank and the Scimitar Reconnaissance Vehicle. It was created as an association of armoured regiments, both the Royal Tank Regiment and those converted from old horse cavalry regiments. Today it comprises fourteen regiments - ten Regular and four Yeomanry, the RAC was created on 4 April 1939, just before World War II started, by combining regiments from the cavalry of the line which had mechanised with the Royal Tank Corps. As the war went on and other cavalry and Territorial Army Yeomanry units became mechanised. A significant number of infantry battalions converted to the armoured role as RAC regiments. In addition, the RAC created its own training and support regiments, finally, in 1944, the RAC absorbed the regiments of the Reconnaissance Corps. The Royal Armoured Corps is divided into regiments which operate main battle tanks, those in vehicles. Of these, three regiments are designated Dragoon Guards, two as Hussars, one as Lancers and one as Dragoons, the remaining regiment is the Royal Tank Regiment. In the regular army, there are three armoured regiments, three armoured regiments and three light cavalry regiments. In the army reserve, there is one armoured regiment and three cavalry regiments. Through this, operational and training cycles are aligned, resources shared, in the Royal Armoured Corps this manifests with each yeomanry unit being paired with a regular unit of the same role. Thus, The 1st Queens Dragoon Guards is paired with Royal Yeomanry, the Scots Dragoon Guards are paired with the Scottish & North Irish Yeomanry. The Light Dragoons with the Queens Own Yeomanry, the Royal Wessex Yeomanry, uniquely as the lone armoured reserve regiment, is paired with the Kings Royal Hussars, the Queens Royal Hussars and the Royal Tank Regiment. Regiments of the Royal Armoured Corps are based in the UK and this was formed in 2014 by the amalgamation of the Heavy Cavalry and Cambrai Band, and the Light Cavalry Band. The Band of the Royal Armoured Corps is stationed at Catterick, additonally the Royal Yeomanry operates an Army Reserve Band, which, alongside the bands of the Household Division, and The Honourable Artilley Regimental Band, form the state bands. The reorganisation of the Army announced in 2004 led to significant changes to the Royal Armoured Corps, reorganisation that began in 2003 would see three armoured regiments removed from Germany to the UK, with one re-roled as an FR regiment. In addition, three Challenger 2 squadrons will be converted to Interim Medium Armour Squadrons, while each FR regiment will gain a Command and these proposals were intended to reduce the size of the army to around 82,000. Armoured regiments would consist of Type 56 regiments, each with three Sabre Squadrons and a command and recce squadron, jackal regiments will be part of the Adaptable Force, comprising three Sabre Squadrons
13.
Infantry of the British Army
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The Infantry of the British Army, part of the structure of the British Army, comprises 47 infantry battalions, from 19 regiments. Of these,33 battalions are part of the Regular army, the British Armys Infantry forms a highly flexible organisation, taking on a variety of roles, including armoured, mechanised, air assault and light. Traditionally, regiments that form the arms of the British Army recruit from specific areas of the country. Infantry regiments had been assigned specific areas from which they would recruit from by the mid eighteenth century and these were formalised under the Cardwell Reforms that began in the 1860s. Under this scheme, single battalion regiments were amalgamated into two battalion regiments, then assigned to a depot and associated recruiting area. The recruiting area would become part of the regiments title. It was this that gave rise to the concept of the county regiment, over time, regiments have been amalgamated further, which has led to recruiting areas of individual regiments increasing in size. Often, these amalgamations have been between regiments whose recruiting areas border each other, however, there have been occasions where regiments of a similar type, but from widely different areas, have been amalgamated. Two modern examples have been the Royal Regiment of Fusiliers and The Light Infantry, since September 2007, when the most recent reforms were completed, the infantry has consisted of 18 separate regiments. The five regiments of foot guards recruit from their home nations. Scotland, Ireland and Wales each have a regiment of line infantry from which they recruit, while England has seven line infantry. They initially enlisted for seven years with the colours and a five years with the reserve. They trained at their own regimental depot and this course, called the Combat Infantrymans Course, lasts 26 weeks as standard and teaches recruits both the basics of soldiering and the specifics of soldiering in the infantry. On completion of the CIC, the newly qualified infantry soldier will then be posted to his battalion, for some infantry units, the CIC is longer, due to specific additional requirements for individual regiments, The Foot Guards CIC has an additional two-week enhanced drill course. The Parachute Regiment CIC has an additional two-week Pre-Parachute Selection course, the Brigade of Gurkhas CIC combines the Common Military Syllabus with the CIC, together with courses on British culture and the English Language. The Gurkha CIC lasts 37 weeks, new officers conduct their Phase 1 training at the Royal Military Academy Sandhurst. Phase 2 training for officers, which is encompassed by the Platoon Commanders Battle Course, is run at the Infantry Battle School at Brecon in Wales and it is here that leadership and tactics are taught to new platoon commanders. New NCOs and Warrant Officers are also sent on courses at Brecon when they come up for promotion, Phase 3 training is also undertaken at the Support Weapons School at Warminster, where new officers, NCOs and soldiers are trained in the use of support weapons and in communications
14.
Guards Division
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The Guards Division is an administrative unit of the British Army responsible for the administration of the regiments of Foot Guards and the London Regiment. The Guards division was established by renaming the Brigade of Guards in 1968, the depot was established at Wellington Barracks in London. They represent the battalions at significant events, such as Trooping the Colour. As such, each company is an independent unit of their regiment, the colours and traditions of each battalion are kept and maintained by the incremental companies. The British Army, A Pocket Guide, 2012-2013, Brigade of Guards at regiments. org by T. F. Mills at the Wayback Machine
15.
King's Division
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The Kings Division is a British Army command, training and administrative apparatus designated for infantry regiments in the North of England. The Kings Division was formed in 1968 with the union of the Lancastrian Brigade, Yorkshire Brigade, the depot was established at Queen Elizabeth II Barracks in Strensall. The Band was formed through the amalgamation of two former bands, the Normandy Band and the Waterloo Band. A written statement says that The Mercian Regiment from the Prince of Wales’s Division will join with the King’s Division, the British Army, A Pocket Guide, 2012-2013. Kings Division The Band of The Kings Division The Band of The Yorkshire Regiment
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Queen's Division
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The Queens Division is a British Army command, training and administrative apparatus designated for the regiments from the east and south of England and the remaining regiment of Fusiliers. The Queens Division was formed in 1968 with the regimentation of the Home Counties Brigade, Fusilier Brigade and East Anglian Brigade, the depot was established at Bassingbourn Barracks in Cambridgeshire. The Queens Division also maintains a single Band of the Queens Division and this was formed in 2006 by the amalgamation of two former divisional bands, the Minden Band and the Normandy Band. The British Army, A Pocket Guide, 2012-2013
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Parachute Regiment (United Kingdom)
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The Parachute Regiment, colloquially known as the Paras, is an elite airborne infantry regiment of the British Army. One battalion is permanently under the command of the Director Special Forces in the Special Forces Support Group, the other battalions are the parachute infantry component of the British Armys rapid response formation,16 Air Assault Brigade. The Paras are the line infantry regiment of the British Army that has not been amalgamated with another unit since the end of the Second World War. The Parachute Regiment was formed on 22 June 1940 during the Second World War, in Europe, these battalions formed part of the 1st Airborne Division, the 6th Airborne Division and the 2nd Independent Parachute Brigade Group. Another three battalions served with the British Indian Army in India and Burma, the regiment took part in six major parachute assault operations in North Africa, Italy, Greece, France, the Netherlands and Germany, often landing ahead of all other troops. At the end of the Second World War, the regiment was reduced to three regular army battalions first assigned to the 16th Parachute Brigade and later the 5th Airborne Brigade, the reserve 16th Airborne Division was formed using the regiment reserve battalions in the Territorial Army. Defence cuts gradually reduced the TA formations to a parachute brigade, the Parachute Regiment consists of three regular army battalions, the 1st, 2nd, and 3rd, and an Army Reserve battalion, the 4th. The 1st is based at St Athan, Wales, and is attached to the Special Forces Support Group. They receive further training on weapons, communications equipment and specialist assault skills. All men within the Parachute Regiment can expect to serve with the SFSG on rotation and this ensures that the advanced military skills taught to the SFSG are maintained in the other two regular battalions. The 2nd and 3rd battalions are the infantry component of the 16 Air Assault Brigade, the armys rapid response brigade. The reserve 4th Battalion has its headquarters at Pudsey and companies in Glasgow, Liverpool, volunteers for the Parachute Regiment are invited to a 3-day insight course at the Parachute Regiment Assessment Course at Catterick Garrison. Over the three days, they have to pass a series of fitness assessments. All recruit training is undertaken over a 30-week course with 2nd Infantry Training Battalion at the Infantry Training Centre at Catterick. P company puts recruits through a number of physical assessments designed to test fitness, stamina, at the end of P Company, recruits take part in eight pre-parachute selection tests. Those who are successful are awarded their maroon beret, currently, recruits for the Parachute Regiment must be male and aged 16 to 33 for the regular Army, or 18 to 40 for the Army Reserve. Potential Officers must be aged 18 to 29, on completion of his basic training and entry into his battalion, recruits are posted to RAF Brize Norton for a Basic Parachute Course. Since 1995, all jumps are carried out from powered aircraft
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Royal Gurkha Rifles
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The Royal Gurkha Rifles is a rifle regiment of the British Army, forming part of the Brigade of Gurkhas. Unlike other regiments in the British army, soldiers are recruited from Nepal and their motto is, Better to die than live a coward. 2nd Battalion, Royal Gurkha Rifles, formed by renaming the 1st Bn, 3rd Battalion, Royal Gurkha Rifles, formed by renaming the 1st Bn, 10th Princess Marys Own Gurkha Rifles. The 3rd Battalion was amalgamated with the 2nd Battalion in 1996 as part of run down of British forces in Hong Kong, in December 1995, Lieutenant-Colonel Bijaykumar Rawat became the commanding officer of the 1st Battalion, the first Nepalese to become a battalion commander in the RGR. He oversaw the departure of the battalion from Hong Kong just before that citys transfer to Chinese control, during this tour, Cornet Harry Wales was attached for a period to the 1st Battalion as a Forward Air Controller. Under Army 2020, the regiment was intended to provide two light battalions, rotating between Brunei and the UK, with their higher unit as 11th Infantry Brigade. However, in June 2015, the 2nd Battalion, then based in the UK, was reassigned to part of 16 Air Assault Brigade. The two battalions of the RGR are formed as light role infantry, the first battalion is based at the British garrison in Brunei as part of Britains commitment to maintaining a military presence in Southeast Asia. The second battalion is based at Shorncliffe, near Folkestone in Kent as part of 16 Air Assault Brigade, a post on the Gurkha Brigade website in August 2016 noted that the RGR will grow in personnel size in the future. Corporal Dip Prasad Pun of the 1st battalion was awarded Conspicuous Gallantry Cross for an act of bravery during the War in Afghanistan in 2010 and he alone defended his outpost against a force of up to 30 Taliban fighters. He fired more than 400 rounds,17 grenades, and one mine and he even resorted to fighting with his machine gun tripod after his ammunition had run out
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The Rifles
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The Rifles is an infantry regiment of the British Army. Formed in 2007, it consists of five Regular and two Reserve battalions, plus a number of companies in other Army Reserve battalions, each battalion of The Rifles was formerly an individual battalion of one of the two large regiments of the Light Division. Since formation the regiment has been involved in operations, first in the later stages of the Iraq War. The Rifles was created as a result of the Future Army Structure, however, on 24 November 2005, the Ministry of Defence announced that the four regiments would amalgamate into a single five-battalion regiment. The 1st Battalion undertook a tour in Afghanistan between October 2008 and April 2009 mentoring the Afghan National Army in Helmand Province, the 5th Battalion was one of the last British Army units to leave Iraq in May 2009. The 4th Battalion provided reinforcement cover for the elections in Afghanistan, at the same time the 2nd Battalion was deployed to Sangin and was relieved in due course by the 3rd Battalion. The 2nd and 5th battalions of the Rifles returned for a tour of duty in Afghanistan serving in the Nahri Saraj District in October 2011. Initially configured in the role as part of 3 Commando Brigade, it moved to 160th Infantry Brigade. Personnel were based at Beachley Barracks, Chepstow, 2nd Battalion, a redesignation of the 1st Battalion, Royal Green Jackets. Initially configured in the role as part of 19 Light Brigade. Personnel are based at Thiepval Barracks, Lisburn, 3rd Battalion, a redesignation of the 2nd Battalion, The Light Infantry. Initially configured in the role as part of 52nd Infantry Brigade, it moved to 51st Infantry Brigade. Personnel are based at Dreghorn Barracks, Edinburgh, 4th Battalion, a redesignation of the 2nd Battalion, Royal Green Jackets. Initially configured in the role as part of 1 Mechanised Brigade. Personnel are based at New Normandy Barracks in Aldershot Garrison, the battalion will convert to a Specialised Infantry battalion, to provide an increased contribution to countering terrorism and building stability overseas. 5th Battalion - redesignation of the 1st Battalion, The Light Infantry, configured in the armoured role as part of 20th Armoured Brigade, it will remain as a Warrior battalion under Army 2020. Personnel are based at Bulford Camp, 6th Battalion - redesignation of the Rifle Volunteers. It comes under 160th Infantry Brigade and Headquarters Wales and is paired with 1 RIFLES, personnel are based at Wyvern Barracks in Exeter with sub-units at Gloucester, Taunton, Dorchester, Shrewsbury, Hereford and Truro
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Special Air Service
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The Special Air Service is a special forces unit of the British Army. The SAS was founded in 1941 as a regiment, and later reconstituted as a corps in 1950, the unit undertakes a number of roles including covert reconnaissance, counter-terrorism, direct action and hostage rescue. The Special Air Service traces its origins to 1941 and the Second World War and it was reformed as part of the Territorial Army in 1947, named the 21st Special Air Service Regiment. It was conceived as a force to operate behind enemy lines in the North African Campaign. Its first mission, in November 1941, was a drop in support of the Operation Crusader offensive. Due to German resistance and adverse conditions, the mission was a disaster,22 men. Its second mission was a major success, transported by the Long Range Desert Group, it attacked three airfields in Libya, destroying 60 aircraft with the loss of 2 men and 3 Willys MB. In September 1942, it was renamed 1st SAS, consisting at that time of four British squadrons, one Free French, one Greek, in January 1943, Colonel Stirling was captured in Tunisia and Paddy Mayne replaced him as commander. In April 1943, the 1st SAS was reorganised into the Special Raiding Squadron under Maynes command and the Special Boat Squadron was placed under the command of George Jellicoe. The Special Raiding Squadron fought in Sicily and Italy along with the 2nd SAS, the Special Boat Squadron fought in the Aegean Islands and Dodecanese until the end of the war. In 1944 the SAS Brigade was formed from the British 1st and 2nd SAS, the French 3rd and 4th SAS and the Belgian 5th SAS. It was tasked with parachute operations behind the German lines in France and carried out supporting the Allied advance through Belgium, the Netherlands. As a result of Hitlers issuing of the Commando Order on 18 October 1942, in July 1944, following Operation Bulbasket,34 captured SAS commandos were summarily executed by the Germans. In October 1944, in the aftermath of Operation Loyton another 31 captured SAS commandos were summarily executed by the Germans, at the end of the war the British Government saw no further need for the force and disbanded it on 8 October 1945. The following year it was decided there was a need for a long-term deep-penetration commando unit, ultimately, the Artists Rifles, raised in 1860 and headquartered at Dukes Road, Euston, took on the SAS mantle as 21st SAS Regiment on 1 January 1947. In 1950, a 21 SAS squadron was raised to fight in the Korean War, after three months of training in Britain, it was informed that the squadron would no longer be required in Korea and so it instead volunteered to fight in the Malayan Emergency. Upon arrival in Malaya, it came under the command of Mike Calvert who was forming a new unit called the Malayan Scouts, the Rhodesians returned home after three years service and were replaced by a New Zealand squadron. By this time the need for a regular army SAS regiment had been recognised, in 1959 the third regiment, the 23rd SAS Regiment, was formed by renaming the Reserve Reconnaissance Unit, which had succeeded MI9 and whose members were experts in escape and evasion
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Army Air Corps (United Kingdom)
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The Army Air Corps is a component of the British Army, first formed in 1942 during the Second World War. There are eight regiments of the AAC as well as four Independent Flights and they are located in Britain, Brunei, Canada, and Germany. The AAC provides the air elements of 16 Air Assault Brigade through Joint Helicopter Command. The British Army first took to the sky during the 19th century with the use of observation balloons, in 1911 the Air Battalion of the Royal Engineers was the first heavier-than-air British military aviation unit. Between the wars, the Army used RAF co-operation squadrons, at the beginning of the Second World War, Royal Artillery officers, with the assistance of RAF technicians, flew Auster observation aircraft under RAF-owned Air Observation Post Squadrons. Twelve such squadrons were raised —three of which belonged to the RCAF—, early in the war, Winston Churchill, Prime Minister of the United Kingdom, announced the establishment of a new branch of army aviation, the Army Air Corps, formed in 1942. The corps initially comprised the Glider Pilot Regiment and the Parachute Battalions, in 1944, the SAS Regiment was added to the Corps. One of their most successful exploits during the war was Operation Deadstick, including the attack on Pegasus Bridge, once the three gliders landed, some roughly which incurred casualties, the pilots joined the glider-borne troops to act as infantry. The bridge was taken within ten minutes of the battle commencing and they were soon reinforced and relieved by soldiers from Lord Lovats 1 Special Service Brigade, famously led by piper Bill Millin. It was subsequently reinforced by units of the British 3rd Division. The pilots who had flown the gliders soon had to transfer to flying powered aircraft, becoming part of the RAF Air Observation Post Squadrons. In 1957 the Glider Pilot and Parachute Corps was renamed to The Parachute Regiment, while the Glider Pilot Regiment and the Air Observation Squadrons amalgamated into a new unit, from 1970, nearly every army brigade had at least one Aviation Squadron that usually numbered twelve aircraft. The main rotor aircraft during the 1970s were the Westland Scout, the Sioux was replaced from 1973 by the Westland Gazelle used for Airborne recce, initially unarmed, they were converted to carry 68mm SNEB rocket pods in 1982, during the Falklands War. The Scout was replaced from 1978 by the Westland Lynx, which was capable of carrying additional firepower in the form of door gunners. Basic rotary flying training was carried out on the Bell Sioux in the 1970s, fixed-wing types in AAC service have included the Auster AOP.6 and AOP.9 and DHC-2 Beaver AL.1 in the observation and liaison roles. Since 1989, the AAC have operated a number of Britten-Norman Islander and Defender aircraft for surveillance, the corps operated the DHC-1 Chipmunk T.10 in the training role until its replacement by the Slingsby T67 Firefly in the 1990s. The Firefly was replaced by the Grob Tutor in 2010, a further boost in the Army Air Corps capability came in the form of the Westland Apache AH.1 attack helicopter. In 2006, British Apaches deployed to Afghanistan as part of the NATO International Security Assistance Force, the strength of the Army Air Corps is believed to be some 2,000 Regular personnel, of which 500 are officers
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Special Reconnaissance Regiment
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The Special Reconnaissance Regiment, or SRR, is a special reconnaissance unit of the British Army. The regiment conducts a range of classified activities related to covert surveillance and reconnaissance. The SRR draws its personnel from existing units and can recruit volunteers from any serving male or female member of the British Armed Forces, the Special Reconnaissance Regiment conducts surveillance operations mainly concerning, but not limited to, counter-terrorism activities. It was formed to relieve the Special Air Service and the Special Boat Service of that role and is believed to contain around 500–700 personnel, media reports state they are based alongside the Special Air Service in Hereford. The SRR was formed to meet a demand for a reconnaissance capability identified in the Strategic Defence Review. The regiment was formed around a core of the already established 14 Intelligence Company, on 22 July 2005 Jean Charles de Menezes was shot dead by armed police officers on a London Underground train at Stockwell tube station. A partial Ministry of Defence response was reported by The Sunday Times, after an hour -long gunfight, Apache attack helicopters, the Gurkha Quick reaction force and the 16-man unit, supported by a U. S. A company from the Parachute Regiment in an RAF Chinook took off to them, a pair of Apaches spotted the bodies. One SBS member was awarded the MC for his actions in the ambush and he claimed that they would have no operational role and would be fully accountable, as required by the St Andrews Agreement. In late 2015, it was reported there were approximately 60 Special Reconnaissance Regiment plain-clothed and unarmed surveillance troops operating in Northern Ireland, personnel retain the uniforms of their parent organisations with the addition of an emerald grey coloured beret and the SRR cap badge. The cap badge shares Excalibur in common with the other UKSF units, in the case of the SRR being placed behind a Corinthian helmet, the stable belt of the SRR is similar in style to that of the SAS, however, being midnight blue, it is darker. Russia – 45th Spetsnaz Regiment France – 13th Parachute Dragoon Regiment Israel – Sayeret Matkal United States – Intelligence Support Activity
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Royal Engineers
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The Corps of Royal Engineers, usually just called the Royal Engineers, and commonly known as the Sappers, is one of the corps of the British Army. It is highly regarded throughout the military, and especially the Army and it provides military engineering and other technical support to the British Armed Forces and is headed by the Chief Royal Engineer. The Regimental Headquarters and the Royal School of Military Engineering are in Chatham in Kent, the corps is divided into several regiments, barracked at various places in the United Kingdom and around the world. In Woolwich in 1716, the Board formed the Royal Regiment of Artillery and established a Corps of Engineers, the manual work was done by the Artificer Companies, made up of contracted civilian artisans and labourers. In 1782, a Soldier Artificer Company was established for service in Gibraltar, ten years later the Gibraltar company, which had remained separate, was absorbed and in 1812 the name was changed to the Corps of Royal Sappers and Miners. The Corps has no battle honours, in 1832, the regimental motto, Ubique Quo Fas Et Gloria Ducunt, was granted. The motto signified that the Corps had seen action in all the conflicts of the British Army. In 1911 the Corps formed its Air Battalion, the first flying unit of the British Armed Forces, the Air Battalion was the forerunner of the Royal Flying Corps and Royal Air Force. In 1915, in response to German mining of British trenches under the then static siege conditions of the First World War, before the Second World War, Royal Engineers recruits were required to be at least 5 feet 4 inches tall. They initially enlisted for six years with the colours and a six years with the reserve or four years. Unlike most corps and regiments, in which the age limit was 25. They trained at the Royal Engineers Depot in Chatham or the RE Mounted Depot at Aldershot, the Royal Engineers Museum is in Gillingham in Kent. Britain having acquired an Empire, it fell to the Royal Engineers to conduct some of the most significant civil engineering schemes around the world, some examples of great works of the era of empire can be found in A. J. Smitherss book Honourable Conquests. The Royal Engineers, Columbia Detachment, commanded by Richard Clement Moody, was responsible for the foundation, the Royal Albert Hall is one of the UKs most treasured and distinctive buildings, recognisable the world over. Since its opening by Queen Victoria in 1871, the leading artists from every kind of performance genre have appeared on its stage. The Hall was designed by Captain Francis Fowke and Major-General Henry Y. D. Scott of the Royal Engineers, the designers were heavily influenced by ancient amphitheatres, but had also been exposed to the ideas of Gottfried Semper while he was working at the Victoria and Albert Museum. Much of the British colonial era infrastructure of India, of which survive today, was created by engineers of the three presidencies armies and the Royal Engineers. In 1838 he designed and built sea defences for Vizagapatam and he masterminded the Godavery Delta project where 720,000 acres of land were irrigated and 500 miles of land to the port of Cocanada was made navigable in the 1840s
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Royal Corps of Signals
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The Royal Corps of Signals is one of the combat support arms of the British Army. Signals units are among the first into action, providing the battlefield communications, colloquially referred to by some as Siggies, Royal Signals units provide the full telecommunications infrastructure for the Army wherever they operate in the world. The Corps has its own engineers, logistics experts and systems operators to run radio, in 1870, C Telegraph Troop, Royal Engineers, was founded under Captain Montague Lambert. By 1871, C Troop had expanded in size from 2 officers and 133 other ranks to 5 officers and 245 other ranks, in 1879, C Troop first saw action during the Anglo-Zulu War. Signalling was the responsibility of the Telegraph Battalion until 1908, when the Royal Engineers Signal Service was formed, as such it provided communications during the First World War. It was about time that motorcycle despatch riders and wireless sets were introduced into service. A Royal Warrant for the creation of a Corps of Signals was signed by the Secretary of State for War, Winston Churchill, six weeks later, King George V conferred the title Royal Corps of Signals. Before the Second World War, Royal Signals recruits were required to be at least 5 feet 2 inches tall and they initially enlisted for eight years with the colours and a further four years with the reserve. They trained at the Signal Training Centre at Catterick Camp, all personnel were taught to ride. Throughout the Second World War, members of the Royal Corps of Signals had served in every theatre of war, by the end of the war the strength of the Corps was 8,518 officers and 142,472 other ranks. In the immediate period, the Corps played a full and active part in numerous campaigns, including Palestine, Indonesia-Malaysia confrontation, Malaya. Soldiers from the Royal Signals delivered communications in the Falklands War, the first Gulf War, Bosnia, Kosovo, Sierra Leone, East Timor and they are currently deployed in Cyprus and Afghanistan. In late 2012, 2nd Signal Brigade disbanded, the future structure of the Royal Signals will change under Army 2020. Other ranks are trained both as soldiers and tradesmen. Their basic military training is delivered at the Army Training Regiment at Winchester before undergoing trade training at 11th Signal Regiment. Whilst SSgts are generally regarded as being Regimental Duty, this roster does not start until WO2, the Corps wears a blue and white tactical recognition flash. This is worn horizontally on the arm with the blue half charging forward. Airborne elements of the Royal Signals wear a Drop Zone flash on the arm of their combat jacket
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Intelligence Corps (United Kingdom)
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The Intelligence Corps is one of the corps of the British Army. It is responsible for gathering, analysing and disseminating military intelligence and also for counter-intelligence, the Director of the Intelligence Corps is a brigadier. In the 19th century, British intelligence work was undertaken by the Intelligence Department of the War Office, an important figure was Sir Charles Wilson, a Royal Engineer who successfully pushed for reform of the War Offices treatment of topographical work. Although the first proposals to create an intelligence corps came in 1905 and it left for France on 12 August 1914. The Royal Flying Corps was formed to monitor the ground, during the Irish War of Independence, Intelligence Corps operatives were used in an unsuccessful battle to defeat the Irish Republican Army. The Cairo Gang were overwhelmingly Intelligence Corps operatives, on Bloody Sunday,1920, twelve of these agents were assassinated at their lodgings by Michael Collins Squad. Due to this and similar failures, the Intelligence Corps was disbanded in 1929, on 19 July 1940 a new Intelligence Corps was created by Army Order 112 and has existed since that time. The Army had been unprepared for collecting intelligence for deployment to France, the Corps trained its operatives to parachute at RAF Ringway, who were then dropped over France as part of the Special Operations Executive. Intelligence Corps officers were involved in forming the highly-effective Long Range Desert Group, around 40% of British Army personnel at Bletchley Park were in the Intelligence Corps. The Corps gained its regimental march in 1956, first played at Kneller Hall, from August 1957, the Corps first had a permanent cadre of officers, previously all personnel serving in the corps were officers from other parts of the army, on occasional tours. Many members of the Intelligence Corps served in Northern Ireland during the Troubles, units such as the Military Reaction Force, Special Reconnaissance Unit, Force Research Unit and 14 Intelligence Company contained Corps soldiers and officers. On 1 February 1985 the corps was declared an Arm instead of a Service. Intelligence Corps personnel wear a distinctive green beret with a cap badge consisting of a union rose between two laurel branches and surmounted by a crown. Their motto is Manui Dat Cognitio Vires, the corps quick march is The Rose & Laurel while its slow march is Henry Purcells Trumpet Tune & Ayre. DISC was renamed as Joint Intelligence Training Group in January 2015, the corps has a particularly high proportion of commissioned officers, many of them commissioned from the ranks, and also a high percentage of female members. Non-commissioned personnel join as an Operator Military Intelligence or Operator Military Intelligence and they do basic 14-week military training at either the Army Training Centre, Pirbright, or the Army Training Regiment, Winchester. Forearmed, History of the Intelligence Corps, live and Let Spy, Brixmis the Last Cold War Mission
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Royal Army Chaplains' Department
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The Royal Army Chaplains Department is an all-officer corps that provides ordained clergy to minister to the British Army. The Army Chaplains Department was formed by Royal Warrant of 23 September 1796, previously chaplains had been part of individual regiments, but not on the central establishment. Only Anglican chaplains were recruited until 1827, when Presbyterians were recognised, Roman Catholic chaplains were recruited from 1836, Methodist chaplains from 1881, and Jewish chaplains from 1892. During the First World War some 4,400 Army Chaplains were recruited and 179 lost their lives on active service, the Department received the Royal prefix in February 1919. During the Second World War another 96 British and 38 Commonwealth Army Chaplains lost their lives, from 1946 until 1996, the RAChDs Headquarters, Depot and Training Centre were at Bagshot Park in Surrey, now the home of The Earl and Countess of Wessex. In 1996, they moved to the joint service Armed Forces Chaplaincy Centre at Amport House near Andover, uniquely within the British Army, the Royal Army Chaplains Department has different cap badges for its Christian and Jewish officers. Army chaplains, although they are all commissioned officers of the British Army and wear uniform and they are unique within the British Army in that they do not carry arms. At services on formal occasions, chaplains wear their medals and decorations on their clerical robes, the RAChDs motto is In this Sign Conquer as seen in the sky before the Battle of the Milvian Bridge by the Roman Emperor Constantine. Its regimental march, both quick and slow, is the Prince of Denmarks March, erroneously known as the Trumpet Voluntary, the Museum of Army Chaplaincy is located at Amport House near Andover, Hampshire. Chaplains are the only British Army officers who do not carry standard officer ranks and they are officially designated Chaplain to the Forces. They do, however, have grades which equate to the standard ranks, Chaplains are usually addressed as Padre /ˈpɑːdreɪ/, never by their nominal military rank. The Senior Roman Catholic Chaplain is sometimes ranked as a monsignor, the Sword of the Lord, Military Chaplains from the First to the Twenty-First Century. University of Notre Dame Press ISBN 0-268-02176-7 Kennedy, Geoffrey Anketell Studdert The Unutterable Beauty, ISBN 1-84685-110-6 Loudon, the Role of Army Chaplains since 1914. ISBN 1-86033-840-2 MacDonald, David R. Padre E. C, crosse and the Devonshire Epitaph, The Astonishing Story of One Man at the Battle of the Somme, ISBN 978-1-929569-45-8 McLaren, Stuart John Somewhere in Flanders. A Norfolk Padre in the Great War, the War Letters of the Revd Samuel Frederick Leighton Green MC, Army Chaplain 1916–1919. The Larks Press, Norfolk, UK,2005, ISBN 1-904006-25-6 Montell, Hugh A Chaplains War. The Story of Noel Mellish VC, MC, ISBN 1-84394-008-6 ORahilly, Alfred The Padre of Trench Street, ISBN 1-905363-15-X Purcell, William Woodbine Willie. Being some account of the life and times of Geoffrey Anketell Studdert Kennedy, poet, prophet, seeker after truth, London,1962 Smyth, Brigadier The Rt Hon
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Royal Logistic Corps
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The Royal Logistic Corps provides logistic support functions to the British Army. It is the largest Corps in the Army, the RLC flag is dark blue with the Corps Badge emblazoned on the centre. It has a Corps of Drums and a Marching Band, the RLC is the only Corps of the British Army with battle honours, derived from the usage of previous transport elements of the Royal Waggon Train, and their successors as cavalry. It is often seen on the insignia of Regiments and Corps with Royal in their title, RLC units include, RHQ The RLC. located at the Home of the Corps, Princess Royal Barracks, Deepcut. Defence Explosive Ordnance Disposal, Munitions and Search School formerly the Army School of Ammunition until 2009,15 Air Assault Close Support Squadron RLC. Attached to 13 Air Assault Support Regiment, Disbanded Units,2 Logistic Support Regiment RLC, based at Gutersloh. 8 Regiment - The Regiment formed in 1964 at Munster, Germany as 8 Transport Column, initially based in Nelson Barracks, it moved to Portsmouth Barracks and was disbanded in York Barracks on 27 March 2012. The regiment consisted of 3,5,13,27 and 64 Squadrons and in its time had attached pioneers from the RPC and it worked closely with the American Custodial Detachment whose role was maintenance of nuclear warheads and weapons components. The regiment directly supported the Gunners, firstly 24,39 and 50 Missile Regiments and this latter task was carried out in the UK from barracks at Catterick, 1993-2008. 12 Logistic Support Regiment - Disbanded at Abingdon 12 December 2013,19 Combat Service Support Battalion - a combined unit with a logistical squadron and an Equipment Support company. 23 Pioneer Regiment - a specialist pioneer unit with artisans, defence and Force Protection elements,24 Regiment - disbanded in Germany,30 January 2014. Part of 104th Logistic Support Brigade, drivers, Technicians, EOD all selected from the RLC. It is headed by a Colonel as the head of the Corps. There is also a head, who heads the Corps and its wider family such as the Associations and Cadets. Holders of the post include, General Sir Kevin ODonoghue Lieutenant General Mark Poffley The Sustainer is the magazine of the RLC Association, the Waggoner remains the Journal of the RASC/RCT Association. The RAOC Gazette that of the RAOC Association and the Pioneer of the RPC Association, the Review is an annual magazine of essays published by the Corps. The RLC has five Victoria Cross holders, Five derive historically from establishments that eventually became the Royal Corps of Transport, assistant Commissary James Langley Dalton VC. Second Lieutenant Alfred Cecil Herring VC. Army Service Corps, private Richard George Masters VC. Army Service Corps
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Royal Army Medical Corps
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The Royal Army Medical Corps is a specialist corps in the British Army which provides medical services to all Army personnel and their families, in war and in peace. Together with the Royal Army Veterinary Corps, the Royal Army Dental Corps and Queen Alexandras Royal Army Nursing Corps, because it is not a fighting arm, under the Geneva Conventions, members of the RAMC may only use their weapons for self-defence. Other ranks do not fix bayonets, neither do they prefix Surgeon in front of their rank as medical officers of the Royal Navy do. The RAMC, like every other British regiment, has its own distinctive unit insignia, dark blue beret, the default Army colour worn by units without distinctive coloured berets. There is also a small attachment to Special Forces, the Medical Support Unit who wear the beret of the SAS. Cap badge depicting the Rod of Asclepius, surmounted by a crown, enclosed within a wreath, with the regimental motto In Arduis Fidelis. The cap badge is worn 1 inch above the eye on the beret. The cap badge of the ranks must also be backed by an oval patch of dull cherry-red coloured cloth measuring 3.81 cm wide and 6.35 cm high sewn directly to the beret. Officers do not use the backing, but have a cloth cap badge instead. Silver regimental collar badges, a miniature of the cap badge, stable belt comprising equal horizontal bands of dull cherry, royal blue, and old gold, reflecting the old uniform worn in the 1900s, the gold depicting the royal in the title. Silver belt buckle with engraved regimental badge, Medical services in the British armed services go as far back as the formation of the Standing Regular Army after the Restoration of Charles II in 1660. This was the first time a career was provided for a Medical Officer, known as the Regimental Surgeon, both in peacetime and in war. The Army was formed entirely on a basis, and an MO with a Warrant Officer as his Assistant Surgeon was appointed to each regiment. The MO was also for the first time concerned in the health of his troops. This regimental basis of appointment for MOs continued until 1873, when an army medical service was set up. There was much unhappiness in the Army Medical Service in the following years, for medical officers did not actually have military rank but advantages corresponding to relative military rank. They had inferior pay in India, excessive amounts of Indian and colonial service and they did not have their own identity as did the Army Service Corps, whose officers did have military rank. A number of complaints were published, and the British Medical Journal campaigned loudly, for over two years after 27 July 1887 there were no recruits to the Army Medical Department
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Royal Army Dental Corps
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The Royal Army Dental Corps is a specialist corps in the British Army that provides oral hygiene services to British Army personnel and their families in war and in peace. The corps is a part of the British Armys Army Medical Services, in 1921, dentists of the RAMC were split off into a separate Army Dental Corps. The corps was awarded the prefix to become the Royal Army Dental Corps in November 1946 in recognition of its service in World War II. Qualified dentists are all commissioned officers, before the Second World War, ADC recruits were required to be at least 5 feet 2 inches tall and could enlist up to 30 years of age. They initially enlisted for seven years with the colours and a five years with the reserve. They trained at the Royal Army Medical Corps Depot, Crookham Camp, Aldershot, the two trades available at that time were Clerk Orderly and Dental Mechanic. Official site Royal Army Dental Corps Association
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Royal Army Veterinary Corps
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The Royal Army Veterinary Corps is an administrative and operational branch of the British Army responsible for the provision, training and care of animals. It is a corps, forming part of the Army Medical Services. Unusually, although it is responsible for providing what could be termed materiel, it is under the purview of the Adjutant-General, the original Army Veterinary Service within the Army Medical Department was founded in 1796 after public outrage concerning the death of Army horses. John Shipp was the first veterinary surgeon to be commissioned into the British Army when he joined the 11th Light Dragoons on 25 June 1796, the Honorary Colonel-in-Chief is the Princess Royal who has visited RAVC dog-handling units serving in Afghanistan. In late March 2016, the Ministry of Defence announced that Fitz Wygram House, the RAVC provides, trains and cares for mainly dogs and horses, but also tends to the various regimental mascots in the army, which range from goats to an antelope. Personnel include veterinary surgeons and veterinary technicians providing medical and surgical care to animals, dogs are used extensively in the theatre of war, and are organised within the Military Working Dog Regiment. Horses are used primarily for ceremonial purposes, although the Corps continues to rehearse procedures for the deployment of horses. The main location for the RAVC is the Defence Animal Centre based at Melton Mowbray in Leicestershire and they are also responsible for explosives and drug search dogs. Its only subsidiary regiment is the 1st Military Working Dog Regiment, sadie, a black labrador retriever belonging to 102 MWDSU and cared for by handler Lance Corporal Karen Yardley, won the PDSA Dickin Medal in 2007. In February 2010, Treo, a black Labrador-Spaniel crossbreed, was awarded the Dickin Medal for services in Afghanistan, in 2011 Lance Corporal Liam Tasker of 104 MWD Squadron was killed in Helmand Province, Afghanistan. He was posthumously mentioned in despatches and his Arms Explosive search dog, Theo, died shortly afterwards. Theo was posthumously awarded the Dickin Medal on 25 October 2012, a memorial to the RAVC and its predecessors was unveiled at the National Memorial Arboretum on 2 May 2014 by the Princess Royal. The History of the Royal Army Veterinary Corps, 1919–1961, review of The History of the Royal Army Veterinary Corps 1919–1961. A History of the Royal Army Veterinary Corps, 1796–1919, london, Baillière & Co. p.268
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Queen Alexandra's Royal Army Nursing Corps
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Queen Alexandras Royal Army Nursing Corps is the nursing branch of the British Army and part of the Army Medical Services. Although an official nursing service was not established until 1881, the corps traces its heritage to Florence Nightingale, who was instrumental in lobbying for the support of female military nurses. The Army Nursing Service, which had established in 1881. In 1897, in an effort to have nurses available if needed for war, nurses registered for the service and by the beginning of the First Boer War the reserve had around 100 members, but swelled its membership to over 1400 during the conflict. PCANSR eventually became the Queen Alexandra’s Imperial Military Nursing Service, in March 1902, Queen Alexandra’s Imperial Military Nursing Service was established by Royal Warrant, and was named after Queen Alexandra, who became its President. In 1949, the QAIMNS became a corps in the British Army and was renamed as the Queen Alexandras Royal Army Nursing Corps, since 1950 the organisation has trained nurses, and in 1992 men were allowed to join. The associated Queen Alexandras Royal Army Nursing Corps Association is a registered charity, Queen Alexandra was President from 1902 until her death in 1925. The following year she was succeeded by Queen Mary, the Colonel In Chief is HRH The Countess of Wessex GCVO. The Corps has two Colonels Commandant, Colonel Sue Bush RRC who was appointed in 2011 and Colonel Jane Davis OBE QVRM TD DL who was appointed in 2014, the Territorial Force Nursing Service was established in 1909 as a sister organisation to the QAIMNS. Its purpose was to supplement the service in emergencies and all its members worked as nurses in civilian life. It was renamed the Territorial Army Nursing Service in 1921, when the Territorial Force was renamed the Territorial Army, the initial ranking system used by the QAIMNS was as follows
32.
Royal Electrical and Mechanical Engineers
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The Corps of Royal Electrical and Mechanical Engineers is a corps of the British Army that maintains the equipment that the British Army utilises. Pursuant to the recommendation of a committee William Beveridge chaired, the Corps of Royal Electrical and Mechanical Engineers was formed on the 1st October 1942, such a major re-organisation was too complex to be carried out quickly and completely in the middle of a world war. Therefore the changeover was undertaken in two phases, at the same time a number of individual tradesmen were transferred into REME from other corps. The new corps was responsible for repairing the technical equipment of all arms with certain major exceptions. REME did not yet undertake, Those repairs which were carried out by tradesmen who were driver/mechanics or fitters in regiments. Repairs of RASC-operated vehicles, which remained the responsibility of the RASC, repairs of RE specialist equipment, which remained the responsibility of the RE. In 1949, it was decided that REME Phase II should be implemented, the main changes were, The transfer to REME of most of the unit repair responsibilities of other arms. The provision of Light Aid Detachments for certain units that had not possessed them under the old organisation, the provision of new REME workshops to carry out field repairs in RASC transport companies. Maintenance of vessels of the RASC fleet whilst in port was given to the fleet repair branch and this organisation was also responsible for arranging and overseeing ship refits. After some interim designs, the badge of the Corps was formalised in June 1943 for use as the cap-badge, collar-badge, and on the buttons. It consisted of an oval Royally Crowned laurel wreath, on the wreath were four small shields at the compass points, within the wreath was a pair of calipers. Examples of these early badges can be found at the REME Museum, in 1947 the Horse and Lightning was adopted as the cap badge. The final change occurred in 1953 when the Queens crown replaced the Kings crown, at the end of the war, the Allies occupied the major German industrial centres to decide their fate. The Volkswagen factory at Wolfsburg became part of the British Zone in June 1945 and No.30 Workshop Control Unit, REME and they operated under the overall direction of Colonel Michael McEvoy at Rhine Army Headquarters, Bad Oeynhausen. Uniquely, he had experience of the KdF Wagen in his career as a motor racing engineer. Whilst attending the Berlin Motor Show in 1939 he was able to test drive one, after visiting the Volkswagen factory he had the idea of trying to get Volkswagen back into production to provide light transport for the occupying forces. The British Army, Red Cross and essential German services were short of light vehicles. If the factory could provide them, there would be no cost to the British taxpayer, to do this a good manager with technical experience would be needed
33.
Adjutant General's Corps
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The Adjutant Generals Corps is a corps in the British Army responsible for many of its general administrative services. As of 2002, the AGC had a staff of 7,000 people and its personnel serve alongside and administer every unit in the British Army. The AGC Pro unifies two former services which, while no longer independent, retain their identities and cap badges, the Royal Military Police is the Armys police force, while the Military Provost Staff provides guards for military prisons. The newly formed Military Provost Guard Service is also part of this branch, the ETS Branch has the responsibilities of the Royal Army Educational Corps, it is an all officer branch with around 400 serving members. The ALS Branch provides legal advice to all levels of the Army and it retains the cap badge of the former Army Legal Corps. Prior to its amalgamation into the AGC, it was an independent corps in its own right and its personnel are all qualified lawyers and commissioned officers. The Museum of the Adjutant Generals Corps is located at Peninsula Barracks in Winchester and it was opened in 2003 and is also the museum of the AGCs predecessor corps and units. It is one of several museums that are part of Winchesters Military Museums. Official site AGC Museum AGC AGC Regimental Association AGC entry on the UK Armed Forces site
34.
Educational and Training Services Branch
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The Educational and Training Services form part of the Adjutant Generals Corps and have done since 1992 when this Corps of the British Army was formed. Their remit is to continue the education of soldiers and officers alike. In 1992 the Royal Army Educational Corps was disbanded and its Officers transferred into the newly formed Educational, ETS is an all officer, all graduate, branch. It provides education to Regular and Reserve Army personnel, helping them to meet the challenges of the 21st century by training for certainty and educating for uncertainty. Officers are primarily employed as follows, Training and Development advisors who specialise in the creation, design, implementation and assurance of Army wide training, Learning Development Officers in Army Education Centres developing soldiers command, leadership and management skills in order to prepare them for promotion. On operations as Learning Development Officers, supporting Short Term Training Teams abroad as the Education and Training Specialist. Training development posts in the Directorate Training Capability Directorates, Army Recruiting and Training Division or in Defence Training Establishments, headquarters, Operational and Training appointments The Educational and Training Services Branch is a member of the International Association for Military Pedagogy
35.
Army Legal Services Branch
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The Army Legal Services Branch is a branch of the Adjutant-Generals Corps in the British Army. Before 1992, the branch existed as the independent Army Legal Corps, many of the functions of the ALS were once carried out by the Judge Advocate General whose own origins can be traced back to Medieval times. Following World War I, the demand for legal services within the army. The Directorate of Army Legal Services was formed from the JAGs office on 1 October 1948 and it was always the smallest corps in the Army. On 6 April 1992, the became the Army Legal Services Branch of the Adjutant Generals Corps. Army Legal Services Branch is structured as follows, The ALS posts a number of its Officers to the Service Prosecuting Authority, the most senior military officer in the organisation is a Brigadier of the ALS who is the Deputy Director Service Prosecutions. Officers of the SPA prosecute cases at Court Martial and where appropriate Service Civilian Court and they also act as respondent in the Summary Appeal Court and represent the Crown at the Court Martial Appeal Court. The SPA has its HQ and UK Office at RAF Northolt and it also maintains an office in Bielefeld, Germany. The Advisory Branch of ALS advises the chain of command on a variety of administrative. There are advisory Officers in every major Army HQ around the world, Advisory branch Officers often work directly with the Army’s most senior commanders. When the British Army deploys on operations it takes legal advisors with it, when deployed on operations ALS Officers are often asked to advise on the most sensitive issues, as well as on international law and often on the local law of the country concerned. ALS Operational Law branch Officers are also attached to the operations of NATO. The headquarters of Army Legal Assistance is located at Catterick Barracks and this branch provides legal assistance and advice to entitled service personnel and their dependants worldwide. The majority of advice relates to law, debt and German legal issues. ALA do not deal the Child Support Agency, wills and probate, property law or adoption, ALA therefore exists to provide this service instead. ALA is a service, but applicants must fund any court or other fixed costs themselves. ALA officers conduct legal clinics in Germany and in operational theatres, RAF Legal Branch Judge Advocate General Adjutant Generals Corps - British Army website Army Legal Services - British Army website Official British Army homepage
36.
Royal Military Police
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Members of the RMP are often known as Redcaps because of the scarlet covers on their peaked caps, or scarlet coloured berets. The RMP origins can be traced back to the 13th Century but it was not until 1877 that a corps of military police was formed. This was followed by the Military Foot Police in 1885, although technically two independent corps, the two effectively functioned as a single organisation. In 1926, they were amalgamated to form the Corps of Military Police. In recognition of their service in the Second World War, they became the Corps of Royal Military Police on 28 November 1946, on 6 April 1992 the RMP amalgamated into the Adjutant Generals Corps, under whose overall command they form part of the AGCs Provost Branch. Non-commissioned members of the RMP receive their training as soldiers. They then receive further training at the Defence School of Policing and Guarding, RMP commissioned officers are trained at the Royal Military Academy Sandhurst, as are all other British Army officers. The regimental march of the RMP is The Watchtower or Hoch Heidecksburg originally a German Army marching tune from 1912 by Rudolf Herzer, the RMP motto is Exemplo Ducemus, Latin for By example, shall we lead. The Provost Marshal is a post which goes back to the 13th century and was originally an under-officer of the Earl Marshal, in 1685 the role of Provost Marshal General became a permanent post. The Military Mounted Police was formed in 1877 and the Military Foot Police was formed in 1885, during the First World War the Military Police grew from 508 all ranks to over 25,000 all ranks by the end of the War. During the Battle of Neuve Chapelle in March 1915 the Military Police served the Army as a rather than just individual units. On 27 February 1926 the Corps of Military Police was formed by merging the Military Mounted Police, Provost Wing – Responsible for general policing. Provost Companies were included in the order of battle of Home Commands, Armoured, Infantry and Airborne Divisions, as well as at Army and Corps level and with independent Brigades. From 1942, Ports Provost Companies were raised, consisting of a mix of Provost and Vulnerable Points Sections, Vulnerable Points Wing – Formed in 1941 to provide security of static locations and establishments. They were known as blue caps from the Oxford blue cloth covers worn on their service dress caps, originally intended to act as static Companies and detachments, VP Coys were later deployed in North West Europe, guarding prisoner of war camps and other static installations. The VP Wing was quickly phased out at the end of the war, traffic Control Wing – Formed in 1941, TC Coys were deployed throughout the United Kingdom, releasing Provost Companies from the tasks of traffic control. TC Coys were later deployed in the Middle East, Italy, the Wing was phased out of the Corps by 1946. Field Security Wing – First formed in 1937, personnel of the F. S. W, wore Lincoln green cap covers and brass shoulder titles on their tunics with the letters FSP, to distinguish them from the rest of the Corps
37.
Military Provost Staff
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The Military Provost Staff are the Armys specialists in custody and detention, providing advice inspection and surety within custodial establishments. The MPS form part of the Adjutant Generals Corps and are based at the Military Corrective Training Centre in Colchester, the Military Prison Staff Corps was formed in 1901 under Army Order 241. It was redesignated the Military Provost Staff Corps in 1906, as the Military Provost Staff it became part of the Adjutant Generals Corps on 6 April 1992, forming the Provost Branch along with the Royal Military Police. It retains a separate identity within the AGC, however, keeping its cap badge, the MPS does not recruit directly from civilian life, but only accepts applications from soldiers already serving in the Army. All its members hold a rank of Corporal. MOD Website -new Tactical recognition flash for the MPS
38.
Military Provost Guard Service
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The Military Provost Guard Service is responsible for maintaining physical security at British Armed Forces locations throughout Great Britain. It is one of three constituent units of the Adjutant Generals Corps Provost Branch, the Provost branch is the responsibility of the Provost Marshal who is a Brigadier from the Royal Military Police. In Northern Ireland, security at Ministry of Defence establishments is provided by the Northern Ireland Security Guard Service in a manner to that of the MPGS in Great Britain. The aim of the MPGS is to rationalise guarding arrangements at sites where service personnel normally live, the MPGS replaces previously civilian-held duties with armed soldiers. The MPGS works alongside the civilian unarmed Ministry of Defence Guard Service, the MPGS was formed in the wake of structural changes of the Armed Forces and the increased threat of terrorism in 1999. Military Working Dog services at some sites and they must have completed that service within six years of application to the MPGS, unless they have relevant service in the Police or HM Prison Service since leaving the armed forces. To join, they have to re-enlist into the Regular British Army on a Military Local Service Engagement, the MLSE is a form of engagement which is ideally suited to use by the MPGS. There are 26 police constabularies that currently have a Memorandum of Understanding with the Military Provost Guard Service in respect of the authority for carrying firearms on UK roads. MPGS soldiers are issued the uniform and equipment as other arms and services in the British Army. Everyday working dress is the standard Personal Clothing System Combat Uniform in Multi-Terrain Pattern, beret with cap badge, belt, the shirt and jacket will have the MPGS tactical recognition flash on the right sleeve. If soldiers are carrying out security duties on roads or vehicle checks, they may wear a high-visibility yellow jacket, normally with SECURITY or MILITARY GUARD printed on the front. The main firearm used by the MPGS is the SA80 L85A2 assault rifle, all MPGS soldiers must pass a weapon handling test biannually to use firearms. Some vehicles have an amber strobe beacon on the roof for increased visibility, in late 2013 the Ministry of Defence bought some new Ford Ranger pickups for use within the MPGS and other MOD departments. Commandants Service A similar Russian organization
39.
Small Arms School Corps
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In 1849, Claude-Étienne Minié produced the Minié rifle, although still a muzzle loader three important advances were incorporated. Re-equipment of the Army with this new firearm being adopted in 1851, the consequence of this was that the army now had a weapon that was more accurate, at a longer range, was quicker to load and was marginally safer for the user as to ignition. For the first time since the demise of the bow and arrow lethal marksmanship was possible, shooting ceased to be a drill and became an art based on personal skill. Elevation, windage and ballistics now played a part, in March 1853 the Army Estimates included the sum of £1,000 for Lord Hardinge to form an Establishment for the instruction of the Army in rifle and target practice. In June 1853 Colonel Hay arrived at Hythe, Kent, with a staff of officers. On 1 August the first instructor, Colour Sergeant MacKay of the 19th Foot, was appointed, by 15 September a further three instructors were on strength. They were Sergeant Ruston, Sergeant Lobes and Sergeant Morris, the first mention of the establishment of the School was in the Army List of 1854 when it was referred to as the School of Musketry. These men were the Corps of Instructors of Musketry, a misnomer as muskets were being withdrawn from service - yet the art of the use of arms to this day is sometimes known as musketry. The Machine Gun Training Centres had been established in 1914 at Grantham and by the BEF in Wisques and this was followed on 14 October 1915 by the creation of the Machine Gun Corps. Originally equipped with the Maxim gun, these were replaced by the Vickers machine gun shortly after formation of the Corps, in 1919 the name was changed to the Small Arms School. In 1926 the School expanded to include the Machine Gun School at Netheravon, the original badge of the School was crossed rifles surmounted by a crown. In 1929 the present badge was introduced, consisting of crossed rifles, the title Small Arms School Corps came into being at this time. On the occasion of the centenary of the Corps in 1953, in 1969 the School moved from Hythe to Warminster where Headquarters SASC remains to this day. The SASC does not recruit directly from life, but only accepts applications from soldiers already serving in the British Army. All its members hold a rank of Sergeant. Volunteers transfer to the SASC from All Arms and Services, although primarily from the Infantry, the training regime is as follows, Phase 1 takes place at Land Warfare Centre, Warminster and lasts for 11 weeks. Candidates are assessed to see if they have the ability and capacity to instruct Skill At Arms to the standard required by the SASC. The phase consists of how to train the trainer in the instruction of Small Arms, Defence Instructional Techniques, Command, Leadership and Management training, candidates are also trained to assess instruction and conduct de-briefs
40.
Royal Army Physical Training Corps
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The Royal Army Physical Training Corps is the British Army corps responsible for physical fitness and physical education and is headquartered in Aldershot. Its members are all Royal Army Physical Training Corps Instructors, the RAPTC was formed in 1860 as the Army Gymnastic Staff. It was renamed the Army Physical Training Staff in 1918 and was given status as the Army Physical Training Corps by Army Order 165 in 1940. Notable former Army Physical Training Instructors include Nik Stuart, a former National Gymnastic Coach, at the Festival of Remembrance on 13 November 2010, Huw Edwards announced that the Army Physical Training Corps had been granted the title Royal Army Physical Training Corps by Her Majesty the Queen. The corps cap badge, which is worn on the front of its vests, t-shirts and tracksuits, consists of crossed swords surmounted by a crown. The corps motto is Mens sana in corpore sano which means a mind in a healthy body. Its quick march is Be Fit, with words taken from Land and it is not possible to join the RAPTC directly from civilian life. Prospective PTIs must first join another regiment or corps and then qualify as Regimental All Arms Physical Training Instructor after a course at the ASPT. They then return to their own unit and only after further experience can they attend selection for the RAPTC, if they pass the selection course they follow a 30-week training course before qualifying as Advanced PTIs and transferring to the RAPTC as an RAPTCI. Royal Army Physical Training Corps – on British Army official website
41.
Corps of Army Music
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The Corps of Army Music is a Corps of the British Army dedicated to the provision and promotion of military music. The Queen signed a warrant on 13 August 1994 to allow the formation of the Corps of Army Music. The home of the corps was established at Kneller Hall in Twickenham, a site that encompasses the Headquarters of the Corps of Army Music and the Royal Military School of Music. The school was founded by the Duke of Cambridge, soon after his appointment as Commander in Chief in 1857, when the first class of musicians was formed. The establishment was retitled as The Royal Military School of Music by Queen Victoria in 1887, the Future Army Structures review of 2006 saw the bands of the Regular Army reduced from 30 to 23. The regiments of the Life Guards and The Blues and Royals will have their bands merged to form a band of the Household Cavalry. The five Foot Guards Bands will remain in London, as Symphonic Wind Bands, the 10 man strong Light Cavalry Band will be amalgamated with the Heavy Cavalry and Cambrai Band to form the Band of the Royal Armoured Corps. A string orchestra, to be known as the Countess of Wessex’s String Orchestra, will be based in Woolwich, prior to Options for Change and the formation of the Corps of Army Music most regiments, especially in the infantry, maintained their own military bands. This tradition is now continued by the Army Reserve, who retain regimental, Army Reserve Bands are not part of the Corps of Army Music. They are still under the command of their parent corps or regiment
42.
Artillery
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Artillery is a class of large military weapons built to fire munitions far beyond the range and power of infantrys small arms. Early artillery development focused on the ability to breach fortifications, and led to heavy, as technology improved, lighter, more mobile field artillery developed for battlefield use. This development continues today, modern self-propelled artillery vehicles are highly mobile weapons of great versatility providing the largest share of an armys total firepower, in its earliest sense, the word artillery referred to any group of soldiers primarily armed with some form of manufactured weapon or armour. In common speech, the artillery is often used to refer to individual devices, along with their accessories and fittings. However, there is no generally recognised generic term for a gun, howitzer, mortar, and so forth, the United States uses artillery piece, the projectiles fired are typically either shot or shell. Shell is a widely used term for a projectile, which is a component of munitions. By association, artillery may also refer to the arm of service that customarily operates such engines, in the 20th Century technology based target acquisition devices, such as radar, and systems, such as sound ranging and flash spotting, emerged to acquire targets, primarily for artillery. These are usually operated by one or more of the artillery arms, Artillery originated for use against ground targets—against infantry, cavalry and other artillery. An early specialist development was coastal artillery for use against enemy ships, the early 20th Century saw the development of a new class of artillery for use against aircraft, anti-aircraft guns. Artillery is arguably the most lethal form of land-based armament currently employed, the majority of combat deaths in the Napoleonic Wars, World War I, and World War II were caused by artillery. In 1944, Joseph Stalin said in a speech that artillery was the God of War, although not called as such, machines performing the role recognizable as artillery have been employed in warfare since antiquity. The first references in the historical tradition begin at Syracuse in 399 BC. From the Middle Ages through most of the era, artillery pieces on land were moved by horse-drawn gun carriages. In the contemporary era, the artillery and crew rely on wheeled or tracked vehicles as transportation, Artillery used by naval forces has changed significantly also, with missiles replacing guns in surface warfare. The engineering designs of the means of delivery have likewise changed significantly over time, in some armies, the weapon of artillery is the projectile, not the equipment that fires it. The process of delivering fire onto the target is called gunnery, the actions involved in operating the piece are collectively called serving the gun by the detachment or gun crew, constituting either direct or indirect artillery fire. The term gunner is used in armed forces for the soldiers and sailors with the primary function of using artillery. The gunners and their guns are usually grouped in teams called either crews or detachments, several such crews and teams with other functions are combined into a unit of artillery, usually called a battery, although sometimes called a company
43.
Regiment
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A regiment is a military unit. Their role and size varies markedly, depending on the country, in Medieval Europe, the term regiment denoted any large body of front-line soldiers, recruited or conscripted in one geographical area, by a leader who was often also the feudal lord of the soldiers. By the 17th century, a regiment was usually about a thousand personnel. In many armies, the first role has been assumed by independent battalions, battlegroups, task forces, brigades and other, similarly-sized operational units. By the beginning of the 18th century, regiments in most European continental armies had evolved into permanent units with distinctive titles and uniforms, when at full strength, an infantry regiment normally comprised two field battalions of about 800 men each or 8–10 companies. In some armies, an independent regiment with fewer companies was labelled a demi-regiment, a cavalry regiment numbered 600 to 900 troopers, making up a single entity. With the widespread adoption of conscription in European armies during the nineteenth century, the regimental system underwent modification. Prior to World War I, a regiment in the French, German, Russian. As far as possible, the battalions would be garrisoned in the same military district, so that the regiment could be mobilized. A cavalry regiment by contrast made up an entity of up to 1,000 troopers. Usually, the regiment is responsible for recruiting and administering all of a military career. Depending upon the country, regiments can be either combat units or administrative units or both and this is often contrasted to the continental system adopted by many armies. Generally, divisions are garrisoned together and share the same installations, thus, in divisional administration, soldiers and officers are transferred in and out of divisions as required. Some regiments recruited from specific areas, and usually incorporated the place name into the regimental name. In other cases, regiments would recruit from an age group within a nation. In other cases, new regiments were raised for new functions within an army, e. g. the Fusiliers, the Parachute Regiment, a key aspect of the regimental system is that the regiment or battalion is the fundamental tactical building block. This flows historically from the period, when battalions were widely dispersed and virtually autonomous. For example, a regiment might include different types of battalions of different origins, within the regimental system, soldiers, and usually officers, are always posted to a tactical unit of their own regiment whenever posted to field duty
United Kingdom
British Army
Canada – Royal Regiment of Canadian Artillery
Australia – Royal Regiment of Australian Artillery
New Zealand – Royal Regiment of New Zealand Artillery
India – Regiment of Artillery
Pakistan – Regiment of Artillery
Sri Lanka – Sri Lanka Artillery
Singapore – Singapore Volunteer Artillery
Malta – Armed Forces of Malta
Malaysia – Rejimen Artileri Diraja
Gibraltar – The Royal Gibraltar Regiment
South Africa – South African Artillery Formation
