1.
Royal Regiment of Scotland
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The Royal Regiment of Scotland is the senior and only Scottish line infantry regiment of the British Army Infantry. It consists of four regular and two battalions, plus an incremental company, each formerly an individual regiment. However, each battalion maintains its former regimental Pipes & Drums to carry on the traditions of their antecedent regiments, along with the Rifles, it is currently the largest infantry regiment in the British Army. In addition, there are two Territorial bands, the Highland Band and the Lowland Band of the Royal Regiment of Scotland, the regiment also has its own Parachute Display Team, the Golden Lions and shinty team, the Scots Shinty Club. In 1948, every regiment of infantry was reduced to a single battalion. The creation of the Royal Regiment of Scotland encountered considerable opposition amongst former soldiers, conservatives, the new regiment is also primarily a kilted one and there are concerns that the much older Lowland units, which traditionally wore trews, will be effectively absorbed into a Highland tradition. Jackson delegated the decision on how the reduction of battalions would be achieved to the Council of Scottish Colonels, the status of the Black Watch was particularly controversial. When the confirmed plan to amalgamate the Regiments was announced, 1st Battalion The Black Watch was deployed away from Basra at Camp Dogwood in a dangerous region of Iraq. Hoon was accused by the SNP of stabbing the soldiers in the back and being motivated purely by political and administrative concerns, the regiment was initially formed of six regular and two Territorial battalions on 28 March 2006. All battalions in the Royal Regiment of Scotland, to preserve regional ties and former regimental identities, the order of battle is as follows, Regular battalions The Royal Scots Borderers, 1st Battalion The Royal Regiment of Scotland - operates in a light infantry role under 38th Brigade. Personnel are based at Palace Barracks in Belfast, the battalion will move to Aldershot and convert to a Specialised Infantry battalion, to provide an increased contribution to countering terrorism and building stability overseas. The Royal Highland Fusiliers, 2nd Battalion The Royal Regiment of Scotland - operates in the protected mobility role under 51st Infantry Brigade. Personnel are based at Glencorse Barracks in Edinburgh, the Black Watch, 3rd Battalion The Royal Regiment of Scotland - operates in the light protected mobility role under 51st Infantry Brigade and Headquarters Scotland. Personnel are based at Fort George, the Highlanders, 4th Battalion The Royal Regiment of Scotland - operates in the heavy protected mobility role under 20th Armoured Infantry Brigade. 51st Highland, 7th Battalion The Royal Regiment of Scotland - operates in an infantry role under 51st Infantry Brigade. The regiments Colonel-in-Chief is HM The Queen, in August 2005, the new regimental cap badge was unveiled at the Edinburgh Military Tattoo. The new cap badge incorporates the Saltire of St Andrew and the Lion Rampant of the Royal Standard of Scotland, the cap badge is surmounted by a crown, in this case the Crown of Scotland. The new regiments various Dress Uniforms incorporate a number of golden threads from the antecedent regiments, in No.1 and No.2 pattern dress, all battalions wear Blackcock tail feathers attached to the Glengarry in a tradition taken from the Royal Scots and Kings Own Scottish Borderers
2.
Royal Scots Dragoon Guards
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The Royal Scots Dragoon Guards is a cavalry regiment of the British Army, and the senior Scottish regiment. The regiment, through the Royal Scots Greys, is the oldest surviving Cavalry Regiment of the Line in the British Army, the regiment is currently based at Leuchars Station, as part of the Scottish 51st Infantry Brigade. It was formed on 2 July 1971 at Holyrood, Edinburgh, by the amalgamation of the 3rd Carabiniers and it saw active service during the Gulf War in 1991 deploying 57 Challenger tanks and in Bosnia as part of SFOR in 1996–97. In 1998, it became the first regiment in the British Army to operate the Challenger 2 main battle tank and it deployed to Kosovo, as part of KFOR, in 2000. The regiment deployed to Iraq for Operation Telic, the British element of the 2003 invasion of Iraq, the bulk of the regiment deployed as part of the Scots Dragoon Guards Battle Group with a single squadron detached to the First Battalion The Black Watch Battle Group. All deployed elements of the regiment took part in the advance on Iraqs second largest city, the regiment deployed to Iraq in 2006, where it suffered two casualties Lieutenant Richard Palmer and Corporal Gordon Pritchard. The regiment also saw service in Iraq in 2008, more recently in 2008,2011 and 2013/14 the regiment deployed to Afghanistan. The pipes and drums have distinguished themselves, most recently winning the award for Album of the Year at the 2009 Classical Brits, in November 2013, the unit bade farewell to its Challenger 2 tanks and converted to a Light Cavalry unit, armed with Jackal vehicles. Under the Army 2020 plan, it was re-reroled as a cavalry unit. The regiment has converted to the role of cavalry as part of restructuring in the army under Army 2020. It is now equipped with Jackal armoured fighting vehicles, the Royal Scots Dragoon Guards is also affiliated to A & C Squadrons of the Queens Own Yeomanry regiment of the Territorial Army. The Royal Scots Dragoon Guards have a museum situated at Edinburgh Castle. Opened in 2006, the exhibits include uniforms, medals, weapons, regalia, music, the regiments official abbreviation is SCOTS DG, the format of which follows the traditional Cavalry line. The cap badge features an eagle, which represents the French Imperial Eagle that was captured by Sergeant Charles Ewart, the Royal Scots Greys at Waterloo, from the French 45th Regiment of Foot. It is always worn with a backing in mourning for Tsar Nicholas II, the last Tsar of Russia. The cap badge also has the crossed carbines of the 3rd Carabiniers at the rear of the eagle, the Plume of The Prince of Wales with its motto Ich Dien is worn by all members of the Regiment embroidered on the upper part of the left sleeve. The right to wear this badge was granted to the 3rd Dragoon Guards in 1765, subsequently became the cap badge and later, with the crossed carabines, the distinctive yellow zigzag cap band was inherited from the Royal Scots Greys, who had worn it since the mid-19th century. As a royal regiment, the Royal Scots Dragoon Guards is permitted to wear the Royal Stewart tartan, which was a privilege granted by HM King George VI, and is worn by the regiments pipers
3.
Kingdom of Scotland
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The Kingdom of Scotland was a state in northwest Europe traditionally said to have been founded in 843, which joined with the Kingdom of England to form a unified Kingdom of Great Britain in 1707. Its territories expanded and shrank, but it came to occupy the third of the island of Great Britain. It suffered many invasions by the English, but under Robert I it fought a war of independence. In 1603, James VI of Scotland became King of England, in 1707, the two kingdoms were united to form the Kingdom of Great Britain under the terms of the Acts of Union. The Crown was the most important element of government, the Scottish monarchy in the Middle Ages was a largely itinerant institution, before Edinburgh developed as a capital city in the second half of the 15th century. The Scottish Crown adopted the conventional offices of western European courts, Parliament also emerged as a major legal institution, gaining an oversight of taxation and policy, but was never as central to the national life as its counterpart in England. In the 17th century, the creation of Justices of Peace, the continued existence of courts baron and the introduction of kirk sessions helped consolidate the power of local lairds. Scots law developed into a system in the Middle Ages and was reformed and codified in the 16th and 17th centuries. Under James IV the legal functions of the council were rationalised, in 1532, the College of Justice was founded, leading to the training and professionalisation of lawyers. David I is the first Scottish king known to have produced his own coinage, Early Scottish coins were virtually identical in silver content to English ones, but from about 1300 their silver content began to depreciate more rapidly than the English coins. At the union of the Crowns in 1603 the Scottish pound was fixed at only one-twelfth the value of the English pound, the Bank of Scotland issued pound notes from 1704. Scottish currency was abolished by the Act of Union, Scotland is half the size of England and Wales in area, but has roughly the same length of coastline. Geographically Scotland is divided between the Highlands and Islands and the Lowlands, the Highlands had a relatively short growing season, which was further shortened during the Little Ice Age. From Scotlands foundation to the inception of the Black Death, the population had grown to a million, following the plague and it expanded in the first half of the 16th century, reaching roughly 1.2 million by the 1690s. Significant languages in the kingdom included Gaelic, Old English, Norse and French. Christianity was introduced into Scotland from the 6th century, in the Norman period the Scottish church underwent a series of changes that led to new monastic orders and organisation. During the 16th century, Scotland underwent a Protestant Reformation that created a predominately Calvinist national kirk, there were a series of religious controversies that resulted in divisions and persecutions. The Scottish Crown developed naval forces at various points in its history, Land forces centred around the large common army, but adopted European innovations from the 16th century, and many Scots took service as mercenaries and as soldiers for the English Crown
4.
Kingdom of England
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In the early 11th century the Anglo-Saxon kingdoms, united by Æthelstan, became part of the North Sea Empire of Cnut the Great, a personal union between England, Denmark and Norway. The completion of the conquest of Wales by Edward I in 1284 put Wales under the control of the English crown, from the accession of James I in 1603, the Stuart dynasty ruled England in personal union with Scotland and Ireland. Under the Stuarts, the kingdom plunged into war, which culminated in the execution of Charles I in 1649. The monarchy returned in 1660, but the Civil War had established the precedent that an English monarch cannot govern without the consent of Parliament and this concept became legally established as part of the Glorious Revolution of 1688. From this time the kingdom of England, as well as its state the United Kingdom. On 1 May 1707, under the terms of the Acts of Union 1707, the Anglo-Saxons referred to themselves as the Engle or the Angelcynn, originally names of the Angles. They called their land Engla land, meaning land of the English, by Æthelweard Latinized Anglia, from an original Anglia vetus, the name Engla land became England by haplology during the Middle English period. The Latin name was Anglia or Anglorum terra, the Old French, by the 14th century, England was also used in reference to the entire island of Great Britain. The standard title for all monarchs from Æthelstan until the time of King John was Rex Anglorum, Canute the Great, a Dane, was the first king to call himself King of England. In the Norman period Rex Anglorum remained standard, with use of Rex Anglie. The Empress Matilda styled herself Domina Anglorum, from the time of King John onwards all other titles were eschewed in favour of Rex or Regina Anglie. In 1604 James VI and I, who had inherited the English throne the previous year, the English and Scottish parliaments, however, did not recognise this title until the Acts of Union of 1707. The kingdom of England emerged from the unification of the early medieval Anglo-Saxon kingdoms known as the Heptarchy, East Anglia, Mercia, Northumbria, Kent, Essex, Sussex. The Viking invasions of the 9th century upset the balance of power between the English kingdoms, and native Anglo-Saxon life in general, the English lands were unified in the 10th century in a reconquest completed by King Æthelstan in 927 CE. During the Heptarchy, the most powerful king among the Anglo-Saxon kingdoms might become acknowledged as Bretwalda, the decline of Mercia allowed Wessex to become more powerful. It absorbed the kingdoms of Kent and Sussex in 825, the kings of Wessex became increasingly dominant over the other kingdoms of England during the 9th century. In 827, Northumbria submitted to Egbert of Wessex at Dore, in 886, Alfred the Great retook London, which he apparently regarded as a turning point in his reign. The Anglo-Saxon Chronicle says that all of the English people not subject to the Danes submitted themselves to King Alfred, asser added that Alfred, king of the Anglo-Saxons, restored the city of London splendidly
5.
Kingdom of Great Britain
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The Kingdom of Great Britain, officially Great Britain, was a sovereign state in western Europe from 1 May 1707 to 31 December 1800. It did not include Ireland, which remained a separate realm, the unitary state was governed by a single parliament and government that was based in Westminster. Also after the accession of George I to the throne of Great Britain in 1714, the early years of the unified kingdom were marked by Jacobite risings which ended in defeat for the Stuart cause at Culloden in 1746. On 1 January 1801, the kingdoms of Great Britain and Ireland were merged to form the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland. In 1922, five-sixths of Ireland seceded from the United Kingdom, the name Britain descends from the Latin name for the island of Great Britain, Britannia or Brittānia, the land of the Britons via the Old French Bretaigne and Middle English Bretayne, Breteyne. The term Great Britain was first used officially in 1474, in the instrument drawing up the proposal for a marriage between Edward IV of Englands daughter Cecily and James III of Scotlands son James. The Treaty of Union and the subsequent Acts of Union state that England and Scotland were to be United into one Kingdom by the Name of Great Britain. However, both the Acts and the Treaty also refer numerous times to the United Kingdom and the longer form, other publications refer to the country as the United Kingdom after 1707 as well. The websites of the UK parliament, the Scottish Parliament, the BBC, additionally, the term United Kingdom was found in informal use during the 18th century to describe the state. The new state created in 1707 included the island of Great Britain, the kingdoms of England and Scotland, both in existence from the 9th century, were separate states until 1707. However, they had come into a union in 1603. Each of the three kingdoms maintained its own parliament and laws and this disposition changed dramatically when the Acts of Union 1707 came into force, with a single unified Crown of Great Britain and a single unified parliament. Ireland remained formally separate, with its own parliament, until the Acts of Union 1800, legislative power was vested in the Parliament of Great Britain, which replaced both the Parliament of England and the Parliament of Scotland. In practice it was a continuation of the English parliament, sitting at the location in Westminster. Newly created peers in the Peerage of Great Britain were given the right to sit in the Lords. Despite the end of a parliament for Scotland, it retained its own laws. As a result of Poynings Law of 1495, the Parliament of Ireland was subordinate to the Parliament of England, the Act was repealed by the Repeal of Act for Securing Dependence of Ireland Act 1782. The same year, the Irish constitution of 1782 produced a period of legislative freedom, the 18th century saw England, and after 1707 Great Britain, rise to become the worlds dominant colonial power, with France its main rival on the imperial stage
6.
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
7.
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
8.
Mechanized infantry
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Mechanized infantry is infantry equipped with armored personnel carriers or infantry fighting vehicles for transport and combat. Mechanized infantry is distinguished from motorized infantry in that its vehicles provide a degree of protection from hostile fire, most APCs and IFVs are fully tracked or are all-wheel drive vehicles, for mobility across rough ground. Some nations distinguish between mechanized and armored infantry, designating troops carried by APCs as mechanized and those in IFVs as armored. The support weapons for mechanized infantry are also provided with motorized transport, compared with light truck-mobile infantry, mechanized infantry can maintain rapid tactical movement and, if mounted in IFVs, has more integral firepower. It requires more combat supplies and ordnance supplies, and a larger proportion of manpower is required to crew. For example, most APCs mount a section of seven or eight infantrymen but have a crew of two, most IFVs carry only six or seven infantry but require a crew of three. To be effective in the field, mechanized units also require many mechanics, with specialized maintenance and recovery vehicles, arguably, the first mechanized infantry were assault teams mounted on A7V tanks. The vehicles were extra-large to let them carry sizeable assault teams, all-machine gun armed A7V tanks carried two small flame throwers for their dismounts to use. A7V tank would often carry a second officer to lead the assault team, during the Battle of St. Quentin, A7Vs were accompanied by 20 stormtroopers from Rohr Assault Battalion, but it is unspecified if they were acting as dismounts or were accompanying the tanks on foot. During the battle, tank crews were reported to dismount and attack enemy positions with grenades, towards the end of World War I, all the armies involved were faced with the problem of maintaining the momentum of an attack. Tanks, artillery, or infiltration tactics could all be used to break through an enemy defense and it was widely acknowledged that cavalry was too vulnerable to be used on most European battlefields, but many armies continued to deploy them. Motorized infantry could maintain rapid movement, but their trucks required either a road network or firm open terrain. They were unable to traverse a battlefield obstructed by craters, barbed wire, tracked or all-wheel drive vehicles were to be the solution. Following the war, development of mechanized forces was largely theoretical for some time, although some proponents of mobile warfare, such as J. F. C. Fuller, advocated building tank fleets, other, such as Heinz Guderian in Germany, as the Germans rearmed in the 1930s, they equipped some infantry units in their new Panzer divisions with the half-track Sd. Kfz. 251, which could keep up with tanks on most terrain, the French Army also created Light Mechanized divisions in which some of the infantry units possessed small tracked carriers. Together with the motorization of the infantry and support units. The German doctrine was to use them to exploit breakthroughs in Blitzkrieg offensives, as World War II progressed, most major armies integrated tanks or assault guns with mechanized infantry, as well as other supporting arms, such as artillery and engineers, as combined arms units
9.
Public duties
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Public duties are performed by military personnel, and usually have a ceremonial or historic significance rather than an overtly operational role. There are two regiments in Denmark, who provide soldiers for public duties, the Royal Life Guard regiment, the Guard Hussar Regiment Mounted Squadron provide mounted escorts for the Royal family and foreign dignitaries, and carry ceremonial services for the Royal Danish Army. The Royal Life Guards provide a permanent guard at the Amalienborg Palace, Kastellet, Rosenborg Castle/garrison of the Royal Life Guards in Copenhagen, on occasions guard is kept at Fredensborg Palace, Marselisborg Palace, Gråsten Palace, Christiansborg Palace and other locations inside the Danish realm. The Wachregiment Berlin was founded in early 1921, in addition to genuine security duties, the unit was used for ceremonial public duties in the capital. The regiment was disbanded in June 1921 and shortly after was revived as Kommando der Wachtruppe, the Wachtruppe comprised seven companies, each drawn from one of the seven active army divisions. Each company served for three months before returning to its parent division, in this way, the Wachtruppe represented the whole Reichswehr. The Kommando was based at Moabit Barracks, and every Monday, Wednesday, Friday and Saturday, in 1934, the unit was renamed Wachtruppe Berlin and in 1936, a headquarters and administration company were added. In June 1937, the unit was again renamed Wach Regiment Berlin, postings were now done by individuals, not entire companies, and each man served six-month tours of duty. The unit provided escorts and Guards of Honour for State Visits, Conferences, in 1939, the unit was reorganized as the Infantry Regiment Großdeutschland. While equipped as a unit, the regiment also maintained a public duties detachment in the capital. The ceremonial guard was pressed into service during the July bomb plot in 1944, in 1957, the post-war Bundeswehr established the Wachbataillon, a tri-service unit, for ceremonial duties. Three infantry battalions of the British army are currently tasked with the provision of Public Duties, two of these are from the Foot Guards of the Household Division, and one is a line infantry battalion. Permanent Public Duties companies of the Foot Guards also supplement these men, from 1783 to 1973, the Guards provided a nightly detachment called the Bank Picquet for guard duty at the Bank of England. Public duties are carried out in Edinburgh, although not as frequently as in London. Prior to 2002, sentries were stationed at the entrance to Edinburgh Castle. Today, sentries are posted during the evenings between 6 pm and 9 am, and throughout the week that HM The Queen spends in Edinburgh at both the castle and the Palace of Holyroodhouse. Sentries are also posted at the castle during the month of the Edinburgh Military Tattoo prior to each performance, unlike in London, there is no permanently based foot guards battalion stationed in Edinburgh, so public duties are performed by one of the resident line infantry/rifles battalions. However, as part of the Army 2020 plan, the Balaklava Company of the Royal Regiment of Scotland will be reduced to an incremental company to be based permanently in Scotland for public duties
10.
Battalion
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A battalion is a military unit. The use of the term varies by nationality and branch of service. Typically a battalion consists of 300 to 800 soldiers and is divided into a number of companies, a battalion is typically commanded by a lieutenant colonel. In some countries the word battalion is associated with the infantry, the term was first used in Italian as battaglione no later than the 16th century. It derived from the Italian word for battle, battaglia, the first use of battalion in English was in the 1580s, and the first use to mean part of a regiment is from 1708. The battalion must, of course, have a source of re-supply to enable it to sustain operations for more than a few days, the battalion is usually part of a regiment, brigade, or group, depending on the organizational model used by that service. The bulk of a battalions companies are often homogeneous with respect to type, a battalion includes a headquarters company and some sort of combat service support, typically organized within a combat support company. The term battalion is used in the British Army Infantry and some including the Royal Electrical and Mechanical Engineers. It was formerly used in the Royal Engineers, and was used in the now defunct Royal Army Ordnance Corps. Other corps usually use the term regiment instead, an infantry battalion is numbered ordinarily within its regiment. It normally has a company, support company, and three rifle companies. Each company is commanded by a major, the officer commanding, the HQ company contains signals, quartermaster, catering, intelligence, administration, pay, training, operations and medical elements. The support company usually contains anti-tank, machine gun, mortar, pioneer, mechanised units usually have an attached light aid detachment of the Royal Electrical and Mechanical Engineers to perform field repairs on vehicles and equipment. A British battalion in theatre during World War II had around 845 men in it, and, as of 2012, with successive rounds of cutbacks after the war, many infantry regiments were reduced to a single battalion. A battalion group or battlegroup consists of a battalion or armoured regiment with sub-units detached from other military units acting under the command of the battalion commander. In the Canadian Forces, most battalions are reserve units of between 100–200 soldiers that include an operationally ready, field-deployable component of approximately a half-company apiece, the nine regular force infantry battalions each contain three or four rifle companies and one or two support companies. Canadian battalions are generally commanded by lieutenant-colonels, though smaller reserve battalions may be commanded by majors, with the Dutch artillery units, the equivalent of a battalion is called an afdeling. Combat companies consist of infantry, combat engineers, or tanks, in the latter case, the unit is called an eskadron, which translates roughly to squadron
11.
Company (military unit)
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A company is a military unit, typically consisting of 80–250 soldiers and usually commanded by a major or a captain. Most companies are formed of three to six platoons, although the number may vary by country, unit type. Usually several companies are grouped as a battalion or regiment, the latter of which is formed by several battalions. Occasionally, independent or separate companies are organized for special purposes and these companies are not organic to a battalion or regiment, but rather report directly to a higher level organization such as a Marine Expeditionary Force headquarters. The modern military company became popularized during the reorganization of the Swedish Army in 1631 under King Gustav II Adolph, for administrative purposes, the infantry was divided into companies consisting of 150 men, grouped into regiments of eight companies. Tactically, the companies were organized into battalions and grouped with cavalry troops. From ancient times, some armies have used a base administrative. Furthermore, recent studies have indicated that humans are best able to maintain stable relationships in a group numbering between 100-250 members, with 150 members being the common number. The advent of accurate, long-range rifle fire, repeating rifles and this, coupled with the advent of radio communication, permitted relatively small numbers of men to have much greater firepower and combat effectiveness than previously possible. Companies, however, continue to remain within the range of 100-250 members, perhaps validating the premise that men fight best in organizations of around 150 members. These companies were not organic to any intermediate headquarters, but rather reported directly to the division headquarters, rifle companies consist of three platoons and a company headquarters. Until after the Second World War, the Royal Engineers and Royal Signals had both squadrons and companies depending on whether the units were supporting mounted or foot formations. The British Army infantry normally identifies its rifle companies by letter within a battalion, usually with the addition of a headquarters company and a support/heavy weapons company. Some units name their companies after regimental battle honours, this is commonly the case for composite units, for example the London Regiment with its Somme, Messines and Cambrai companies. The foot guards regiments use traditional names for some of their companies, for example Queens Company, Left Flank, Royal Marines companies are designated by a letter that is unique across the corps, not just within their command. The Intelligence Corps, Royal Army Medical Corps, Royal Military Police, the defunct Royal Army Service Corps, Royal Pioneer Corps and Royal Army Ordnance Corps had companies, the Royal Corps of Transport had squadrons. British companies are commanded by a major, the officer commanding. The Honourable Artillery Company is in fact a regiment, not a company, in terms of organisation, canadian Army organisation is modelled after the British
12.
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
13.
Aldershot Garrison
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Aldershot Garrison, also known as Aldershot Military Town, is a major garrison in South East England, located between Aldershot and Farnborough in Hampshire. Established in 1854, Aldershot has long seen as the home of the British Army. The garrison was established when the War Department bought an area of land near to the village of Aldershot. Over time, this grew into a military town and continues to be used by the Army to the present day. It is home to the headquarters of the Armys Support Command, the garrison plays host to around 70 military units and organisations. In 1972, the garrison was the site of one of the worst UK mainland IRA attacks of the time when a car bomb was detonated outside the mess of 16 Parachute Brigade. The Official IRA claimed responsibility, stating that the attack was in revenge for the shootings in Derry that came to be known as Bloody Sunday, at the time of the attack, Aldershot garrison was an entirely open garrison. Following the attack the Army took steps to secure the garrison by erecting security fences around most of the barracks and lines, the Garrison area covers approximately 500 acres. The total garrison population is about 10,500, adjacent to the military town is some 2,700 hectares of open military training area. Established in 1854, Aldershot has long seen as the home of the British Army. The garrison was established when the War Department bought an area of land near to the village of Aldershot. Over time, this grew into a military town and continues to be used by the Army to the present day. Before the establishment of the Camp at Aldershot, the British Army did not have any single permanent camp for training troops on a large scale. Historically, troops had stationed in long established garrisons, many of which could trace their histories back as mediaeval, or earlier. In 1852, following the death of The Iron Duke, a group of reformers, in 1853, a summer camp was established at Chobham Common and two divisional size military exercises were conducted. Following the success of these manoeuvres, it was decided that a permanent camp was needed where such exercises could be regularly conducted. Initially, Reigate was selected as a location that was strategically sound, despite its obvious advantages, Reigate was situated in prime agricultural land that would prove too expensive to purchase. Lord Hardinge suggested Aldershot Heath as the location for the new training area, as land was less expensive, in January 1854, the British Governments War Department purchased areas of heathland around the small village of Aldershot at £12 an acre
14.
Nemo me impune lacessit
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Nemo me impune lacessit was the Latin motto of the Royal Stuart dynasty of Scotland from at least the reign of James VI when it appeared on the reverse side of merk coins minted in 1578 and 1580. It is the motto of the Order of the Thistle. It means No one cuts me with impunity, and has been rendered in Scots as Wha daur meddle wi me. It is also translated into English as No one can harm me unpunished. The motto is also that of the Royal Company of Archers and has been displayed upon the second standard since 1713. Since 1707 it has appeared in the Scottish version of the arms of British Monarchs, the motto appears in conjunction with the collar of the Order of the Thistle, which is placed around the shield. The motto of the Order of the Thistle should not be confused with the motto of the Royal arms, Nemo me impune lacessit is displayed prominently above the Gatehouse entrance added to Edinburgh Castle in 1888. Armed forces units elsewhere have also adopted this historic motto, the Black Watch of Canada, a reserve infantry regiment of the Canadian Forces, also bears this motto. The motto is also that of the Cape Town Highlanders Regiment, the Caledonian Railway used the motto as part of its crest, until grouped into the London, Midland and Scottish railway in 1923. The motto appears as an inscription on the Scottish Bawbee coin of King Charles II surrounding a crowned thistle. Examples exist for 1677,1678 and 1679, the coin is scarce but not considered rare. This coin is of copper, and was later revalued as a half penny, union College, University of Queensland, Australia, also adopted the motto. The motto also appears on the collar of Edinburgh Rugby official kit. In Belgium, the 1st Squadron of the Belgian Air Force bears the motto, the motto was also used by the Italian noble family Malacrida, of Como. The 1st Battalion, 24th Marines of the United States Marine Corps, the mottos first word, Nemo, was adopted as the namesake for Nemo Arms, a Montana firearms maker. It is also referenced in the Edgar Allan Poe story The Cask of Amontillado, the phrase also appears on mourning bands worn over the badges of law enforcement officers in the United States. Also in America, at the Ivy League school of Dartmouth College, Nemo me impune lacessit is the motto of the Colleges independent conservative newspaper and it has been suggested that the phrase was originally used by Julius Caesar as he was attacked by the Senate. In the motto No-one harasses me with impunity, me was therefore originally the thistle itself, but by extension now refers to the Scottish regiments which have adopted it
15.
The Garb of Old Gaul
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The Garb of Old Gaul is an 18th-century patriotic Scottish march and song about Highland soldiers during the Seven Years War. The music was written by General John Reid, who was an officer of the 42nd Regiment of Foot during the Seven Years War. The words have traditionally attributed to Sir Harry Erskine. Robert Burns described it as This excellent loyal Scottish song and states that it first appeared in print in Herds Collection of 1769, alternative titles include The Highland Character and The Highland or 42nd Regiments March. The tune was originally a quick march but was rearranged as a slow march. The lyrics of the song are about the martial prowess of Highland soldiers, the phrase Garb of Old Gaul refers to the traditional Highland dress, ancient Gaul being thought of at the time as the heartland of the Celtic peoples. The tune is used by a number of Scottish military units as their regimental march and these include, Royal Scots Dragoon Guards Queens Royal Hussars Scots Guards Royal Scots Black Watch Ayrshire Yeomanry West Nova Scotia Regiment Royal Newfoundland Regiment
16.
Saint Andrew's Day
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Saint Andrews Day is the feast day of Saint Andrew. It is celebrated on 30 November, Saint Andrews Day is Scotlands official national day. In 2006, the Scottish Parliament designated Saint Andrews Day as a bank holiday. It is also a holiday in Romania. In Germany, the feast day is celebrated as Andreasnacht, in Austria with the custom of Andreasgebet, Saint Andrews Day marks the beginning of the traditional Advent devotion of the Saint Andrew Christmas Novena. The celebration of Saint Andrew as a festival is thought to originate from the reign of Malcolm III. It was thought that ritual slaughter of animals associated with Samhain was moved to this date, but it is only in more recent times that 30 November has been given national holiday status. In 2006, the Scottish Parliament passed the St. Andrews Day Bank Holiday Act 2007, if 30 November falls on a weekend, the next Monday is a bank holiday instead. Although it is a holiday, banks are not required to close. The University of St Andrews traditionally gives the day for all the students as a free holiday, Saint Andrews Day is an official flag day in Scotland. The Scottish Governments flag-flying regulations state that the Flag of Scotland shall fly on all its buildings with a flagpole, prior to 2002, the Scottish Government followed the UK Governments flag days and would only fly the Union Flag on Saint Andrews Day. The regulations were updated to state that the Union Flag would be removed and replaced by the Saltire on buildings with only one flagpole, however, the Union Flag is flown by the British Army at the Castle as it still is an official British Army flag flying station. In Scotland, and many countries with Scottish connections, Saint Andrews Day is marked with a celebration of Scottish culture with traditional Scottish food, music and dance. In Scotland the day is seen as the start of a season of Scottish winter festivals encompassing Saint Andrews Day, Hogmanay. There are week-long celebrations in the town of St Andrews and in some other Scottish cities, Saint Andrews Day is celebrated as the national day of Independence in Barbados. There are a few pre-Christian Romanian traditions connected to Saint Andrews Day, the Dacian New Year took place from 14 November until 7 December, this was considered the interval when time began its course. One of the elements came from the Roman and Thracian celebrations concerned wolves. During this night, wolves are allowed to eat all the animals they want and it is said that they can speak, too, but anyone that hears them will soon die
17.
Battle of Mount Tumbledown
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The Battle of Mount Tumbledown was an engagement in the Falklands War, one of a series of battles that took place during the British advance towards Stanley. This close-quarters night battle was dramatized in the BBC film Tumbledown. The Argentinian forces defending the mountains were Commander Carlos Robacios 5th Marine Infantry Battalion, the defending Argentines were already proving costly in lives. The attack was supported by gunfire from HMS Actives 4.5 inch gun. At the time of the battle, Ship-of-the-Line Lieutenant Eduardo Villarrazas N Company held Mount Tumbledown, Mount William was just south of Tumbledown and the Marine battalions O Company under Ship-of-the-Line Lieutenant Ricardo Quiroga was on its lower slopes. Major Oscar Ramon Jaimets B Company, 6th Regiment was in reserve behind N Company, Ship-of-the-Line Lieutenant Rodolfo Oscar Cionchis M Company occupied Sapper Hill. The Argentinian defenders held firm under the British softening up bombardment, Major Jaimet later recalled, I heard the cries of the wounded calling for their comrades, twelve men wounded before nightfall. We thought we had suffered before, but what luxury and comfort compared to this, during the battle, the 5th Marines Command Post took five direct hits, but Commander Robacio emerged unscathed. The 1st Platoon, led by Midshipman Bianchi, was located 500 meters southwest of Mount William, the 2nd Platoon, led by Midshipman Oruezabala, was located a little more to the northwest of the 1st Section. The 3rd Platoon, led by Chief Petty Officer Lucero, was located north of Mount Tumbledown, the left flank of this section was very close to the Company HQ. The 4th Section, led by Lieutenant Vazquez, was located at the west end of Tumbledown, with their area of responsibility pointing west and south. The 5th Section, led by Lieutenant Mino, was at the west end of Tumbledown, behind the 4th Section, facing west, note that whilst, the standard composition of infantry companies, is of three platoons this can be augmented in times of war. In this case two further sections were added, the 4th and 5th sections, the 12.7 mm machine guns were located behind the 1st Section. 105 mm recoilless rifles divided, a group was at the end of the 1st Section. 60 mm mortar were between the 4th Section and the command post. The 5th Marine Battalion, Nacar Company, 4th Platoon was located on the edge of Mount Tumbledown. His forehead pointed south, the purpose of location was to beat with guns the flank of the valley that was left to his forehead. Approximately 1000–1500 meters to front of the 1st and 2nd platoon were located, Section had a frontline of about 150–200 m
18.
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
19.
Prince Edward, Duke of Kent
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Prince Edward, Duke of Kent, KG, GCMG, GCVO, ADC is a grandchild of King George V and Queen Mary. He has held the title of Duke of Kent since the death of his father in 1942, the Duke of Kent carries out engagements on behalf of his first cousin, Elizabeth II. He is perhaps best known as president of the All England Lawn Tennis and Croquet Club, presenting the trophies to the Wimbledon champion and he also served as the United Kingdoms Special Representative for International Trade and Investment, retiring in 2001. He is also the president of The Scout Association, the Royal United Services Institute, and the Royal Institution of Great Britain, and since 1967 Grand Master of the United Grand Lodge of England. The Duke of Kent is also patron of the Institute of Advanced Motorists, as of the birth of the Duke of Cambridges second child, the Queens fifth great-grandchild, on 2 May 2015, the Duke of Kent was 34th in line. As of the death of the 7th Earl of Harewood in 2011, he became the Queens oldest living paternal cousin, since his mother was a cousin of Prince Philip, he is also a second cousin to Prince Charles and his siblings. Prince Edward was born on 9 October 1935, at No.3 Belgrave Square, home Secretary Sir John Simon was present to verify the birth. Prince Edwards father was Prince George, Duke of Kent, the son of George V. His mother was Princess Marina, Duchess of Kent, the daughter of Prince Nicholas of Greece and Denmark and he was baptised in the Private Chapel of Buckingham Palace on 20 November 1935 by the Archbishop of Canterbury Cosmo Lang. Prince Edward began his schooling at Ludgrove, a school in Berkshire, before going on to Eton College. After school he entered the Royal Military Academy Sandhurst where he won the Sir James Moncrieff Grierson prize for foreign languages, on 25 August 1942, Prince Edwards father, the Duke of Kent, was killed when his plane crashed in bad weather in Caithness. Prince Edward, who was almost 7, succeeded his father as Duke of Kent, Earl of St Andrews and he later took his seat in the House of Lords in 1959. As a member of the family, he began performing engagements at an early age. In 1953, he attended the coronation of his cousin, Elizabeth II, the Duke of Kent graduated from the Royal Military Academy Sandhurst on 29 July 1955 as a Second Lieutenant in the Royal Scots Greys, the beginning of a military career that would last over 20 years. He was promoted to captain on 29 July 1961, the Duke of Kent saw service in Hong Kong from 1962–63 and later served on the staff in Eastern Command. He was promoted to Major on 31 December 1967, during the early 70s, the Duke also served in Northern Ireland with his Regiment. He was promoted to Lieutenant-Colonel on 30 June 1973, the Duke retired from the Army on 15 April 1976. He was subsequently promoted Major-General on 11 June 1983 and Field Marshal on 11 June 1993, the Duke of Kent married Katharine Worsley at York Minster on 8 June 1961
20.
Order of the Garter
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The Most Noble Order of the Garter, founded in 1348, is the highest order of chivalry and the third most prestigious honour in England and the United Kingdom. It is dedicated to the image and arms of Saint George and it is awarded at the Sovereigns pleasure as a personal gift on recipients from the United Kingdom and other Commonwealth realms. Membership of the Order is limited to the Sovereign, the Prince of Wales, the order also includes supernumerary knights and ladies. New appointments to the Order of the Garter are always announced on St Georges Day, the orders emblem is a garter with the motto Honi soit qui mal y pense in gold lettering. Members of the wear it on ceremonial occasions. King Edward III founded the Order of the Garter around the time of his claim to the French throne, the list includes Sir Sanchet DAbrichecourt, who died on 20 October 1345. Other dates from 1344 to 1351 have also been proposed, the Kings wardrobe account shows Garter habits first issued in the autumn of 1348. Also, its original statutes required that member of the Order already be a knight. The earliest written mention of the Order is found in Tirant lo Blanch and it was first published in 1490. This book devotes a chapter to the description of the origin of the Order of the Garter, at the time of its foundation, the Order consisted of King Edward III, together with 25 Founder Knights, listed in ascending order of stall number in St.1431. Various legends account for the origin of the Order, the most popular legend involves the Countess of Salisbury, whose garter is said to have slipped from her leg while she was dancing at a court ball at Calais. When the surrounding courtiers sniggered, the king picked it up and returned it to her, exclaiming, Honi soit qui mal y pense, King Edward supposedly recalled the event in the 14th century when he founded the Order. This story is recounted in a letter to the Annual Register in 1774, The motto in fact refers to Edwards claim to the French throne, the use of the garter as an emblem may have derived from straps used to fasten armour. Medieval scholars have pointed to a connection between the Order of the Garter and the Middle English poem, Sir Gawain and the Green Knight, in Gawain, a girdle, very similar in its erotic undertones to the garter, plays a prominent role. A rough version of the Orders motto also appears in the text and it translates from Old French as Accursed be a cowardly and covetous heart. While the author of that poem remains disputed, there seems to be a connection between two of the top candidates and the Order of the Garter. Scholar J. P. Oakden has suggested that it is related to John of Gaunt, 1st Duke of Lancaster, and, more importantly. Another competing theory is that the work was written for Enguerrand de Coucy, the Sire de Coucy was married to King Edward IIIs daughter, Isabella, and was given admittance to the Order of the Garter on their wedding day
Kingdom of Scotland
Kingdom of England
Kingdom of Great Britain (1707–1800)
United Kingdom
British Army
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Australia – 3rd Battalion, Royal Australian Regiment
Royal Navy – HMS Duncan
