British Army

Components British Army Territorial Army List of current regiments British Forces Germany Structure of the British Army Equipment Modern Equipment History History of the British Army Timeline of the British Army Personnel List of senior officers Officer rank insignia Enlisted rank insignia

The history of the British Army spans three centuries and numerous European, colonial and world wars. From the early 1800s until 1914, the United Kingdom was the greatest economic and imperial power in the world, and although this dominance was principally achieved through the strength of the British Royal Navy, the British Army played a significant role. The British Army is the land armed forces branch of the British Armed Forces. ... Flag of the British Army File links The following pages link to this file: British Army Royal Air Force Royal Navy Military of the United Kingdom Structure of the British Army Territorial Army British Forces Germany British Army officer rank insignia British Army enlisted rank insignia List of British Army... The British Army is the land armed forces branch of the British Armed Forces. ... In the United Kingdom the Territorial Army is a part of the British Army composed of reserve units, or part-time soldiers. ... This is a list of British Army regiments in the aftermath of the defence cuts of the Options for Change defence white paper in 1991. ... The British Forces Germany (BFG) is the successor of the British Army of the Rhine (BAOR) and Royal Air Force Germany (RAFG), which were disbanded in 1994 after the end of the Cold War. ... At the top level, the structure of the British Army is headed by two main administrative top-level budgets - Land Command and the Adjutant-General. ... This is a list of some of the equipment in use by the modern British Army. ... // 1600-1699 1633 - The Royal Regiment of Foot (later the Royal Scots) is placed on the Scottish Establishment, later becoming the oldest infantry regiment in continious service in the British Army. ... This is a list of senior officers of the British Army. ... Origins From medieval times, devices such as pennants and shield patterns through to the full development of heraldry had been used to identify very senior ranks such as the monarch or other leaders of armies. ... Enlisted ranks is not a term used in the British Army, and is only used in this articles title for the sake of consistency with rank listings in other countries; not least those of the United States. ... Europe is conventionally considered one of the seven continents of Earth which, in this case, is more a cultural and political distinction than a physiographic one, leading to various perspectives about Europes borders. ... In general, the word colonial means of or relating to a colony. In United States history, the term Colonial is used to refer to the period before US independence. ... Events and Trends Beginning of the Napoleonic Wars (1803 - 1815). ... 1914 (MCMXIV) was a common year starting on Thursday. ... The Royal Navy of the United Kingdom is the senior service of the British armed services being the oldest of its three branches. ... The British Army is the land armed forces branch of the British Armed Forces. ...

In peacetime, Britain has generally maintained only a small professional volunteer army, expanding this as required in time of war, due to Britain's traditional role as a sea power. Since 1745, the army has played little or no role in British domestic politics, and, other than in Ireland, has seldom been deployed against internal threats. Army (from French armée) can, in some countries, refer to any armed force. ... Naval warfare is combat in and on seas and oceans. ... // Events May 11 - War of Austrian Succession: Battle of Fontenoy - At Fontenoy, French forces defeat an Anglo-Dutch-Hanoverian army including the Black Watch June 4 – Frederick the Great destroys Austrian army at Hohenfriedberg August 19 - Beginning of the 45 Jacobite Rising at Glenfinnan September 12 - Francis I is elected...

The Army has been involved in many international conflicts, including the Napoleonic Wars, the Crimean War and the two World Wars. Historically, it contributed to the expansion and retention of the British Empire. Whilst in the latter part of the 20th century, it oversaw a generally orderly dismantling of that empire. The 1990s saw the Army become increasing involved in multi-national peacekeeping work and this has continued into the 21st century. Recently, it has also been deployed in combat operations in Iraq. Combatants Allies: • Great Britain/United Kingdom, • Prussia, • Austria, • Sweden, • Russia • France • Denmark-Norway • Poland Casualties Full list Full list The Napoleonic Wars were a series of wars fought during Napoleon Bonapartes rule over France. ... Combatants United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland, Second French Empire, Ottoman Empire, Kingdom of Sardinia Imperial Russia Strength 250,000 British 400,000 French 10,000 Sardinian 1,200,000 Russian Casualties 17,500 British 90,000 French 35,000 Turkish 2,050 Sardinian killed, wounded and died of... A World War is a military conflict affecting the majority of the worlds major nations. ... The British Empire in 1897, marked in pink, the traditional colour for Imperial British dominions on maps. ... (19th century - 20th century - 21st century - more centuries) Decades: 1900s 1910s 1920s 1930s 1940s 1950s 1960s 1970s 1980s 1990s As a means of recording the passage of time, the 20th century was that century which lasted from 1901–2000 in the sense of the Gregorian calendar (1900–1999 in the... The 1990s decade refers to the years from 1990 to 1999, inclusive. ... Norwegian Blue Helmet during the Siege of Sarajevo, 1992 - 1993, photo by Mikhail Evstafiev. ... The 21st century is the century that began on 1 January 2001 and will last to 31 December 2100. ...

The British Army has long been at the forefront of new military developments. It was the first to develop and deploy the tank, and what is now the Royal Air Force had its origins within the British army. The Royal Air Force (often abbreviated to RAF) is the air force branch of the British Armed Forces. ...

Origins (1661-1774)

The British Army came into being with the merger of the Scottish Army and the English Army, following the unification of the two countries' parliaments and the creation of the Kingdom of Great Britain in 1707. Although England had made many earlier claims to sovereignty in Scotland, there had been no unified British state prior to that time (other than a brief period during which the Roman province of Britain had achieved political independence-although even that had failed to establish complete control over the north of the island). The new British Army incorporated existing English and Scottish regiments, and was controlled from London. Royal motto: Dieu et mon droit (French: God and my right)1 Capital London Head of State King of Great Britain Head of Government Prime Minister Parliament House of Commons, House of Lords This article is about the historical state called the Kingdom of Great Britain (1707-1800). ...

Prior to the English Civil War in 1642, there was no standing army in England or Scotland. Troops were raised in either country by its King, when required, a development of the feudal concept of fief (in which a lord was obligated to raise a certain quota of knights, men at arms and yeomanry, under greater control of the King). After the English Tudor queen, Elizabeth I, died childless, the Scottish Stewart, King James VI, found himself also King James I of England, and moved to London. His heir, Charles I, found himself embroiled in war over his attempt to rule without a parliament. This led to various Royalist and Parliamentary armies being raised to battle for the control of England in the English Civil War. With its victory in that war, the English Parliament assumed control, and standing companies, based on Cromwell's New Model Army, formed the basis of the first regiments of the new standing English Army. Cromwell had deprived both England and Scotland of a monarch when he had Charles I beheaded. When the still independent Scotland proclaimed his son , also named Charles Stewart, King of Scotland on 4th February, 1649, Cromwell invaded the country in an attempt to depose the uncrowned King and to force his own protectorship upon Scotland (Edinburgh Castle surrendered to the English on Christmas Eve, 1650, but Charles II was crowned at Scone on New Year's Day. This invasion resulted in many Scottish Prisoners-Of-War being shipped as slaves to English colonies. Following Cromwell's death, the Restoration of Charles II saw the New Model Army kept as a standing force, and the King raised further regiments loyal to the Crown. On January 26th, 1661 Charles II issued the Royal Warrant that created the genesis of what would become the British Army, although the Scottish and English Armies would remain two seperate organisations until the unification of England and Scotland in 1707. The term English Civil War (or Wars) refers to the series of armed conflicts and political machinations which took place between Parliamentarians and Royalists from 1642 until 1651. ... Royal motto (French): Dieu et mon droit (Translated: God and my right) Englands location (dark green) within the United Kingdom (light green), with the Republic of Ireland (blue) to its west Languages None official English de facto Capital None official London de facto Largest city London Area – Total Ranked... Motto: Nemo me impune lacessit (English: No one provokes me with impunity) Scotlands location within Europe Scotlands location within the United Kingdom Languages English, Gaelic, Scots Capital Edinburgh Largest city Glasgow First Minister Jack McConnell Area - Total - % water Ranked 2nd UK 78,782 km² 1. ... Under the system of feudalism, a fiefdom, fief, feud or fee, consisted of heritable lands or revenue-producing property granted by a liege lord in return for a vassal knights service (usually fealty, military service, and security). ... A statue of an armoured knight of the Middle Ages For the chess piece, see knight (chess). ... In the 1790s, the threat of invasion of England was high, with the French Revolution and the rise of Napoleon Bonaparte. ... The Tudor dynasty or House of Tudor (Welsh: Tudur) is a series of five monarchs of Welsh origin who ruled England and Ireland from 1485 until 1603. ... Elizabeth I (7 September 1533 – 24 March 1603 ) was Queen of England and Queen of Ireland from 17 November 1558 until her death. ... The Coat of Arms of King James I, the first British monarch of the House of Stuart. ... The term English Civil War (or Wars) refers to the series of armed conflicts and political machinations which took place between Parliamentarians and Royalists from 1642 until 1651. ... Unfinished portrait miniature of Oliver Cromwell by Samuel Cooper, 1657. ... The New Model Army became the best known of the various Parliamentarian armies in the English Civil War. ... A regiment is a military unit, larger than a company and smaller than a division. ... The name Charles I is used to refer to numerous persons in history: Kings: Charles I of England, Scotland, and Ireland Charles I of France (also known as Charles the Bald) Charles I of Spain (also known as Charles V of the German Empire) Charles I of Romania Charles I... Charles Stewart was a variant spelling of the name of the two Stuart dynasty Kings of Britain, namely Charles I and Charles II, as well as of Bonnie Prince Charlie, the Young Pretender. ... Scones with honey. ... King Charles II The English Restoration or simply Restoration was an episode in the history of Great Britain beginning in 1660 when the monarchy was restored under King Charles II after the English Civil War. ... Charles II or The Merry Monarch (29 May 1630–6 February 1685) was the King of England, King of Scots, and King of Ireland from 30 January 1649 (de jure) or 29 May 1660 (de facto) until his death. ... Events January 1 - John V is crowned King of Portugal April 25 - Allied army is defeated by Bourbonic army at Almansa (Spain) in the War of the Spanish Succession. ...

In an effort to control the powers of the monarch, the English Parliament had passed the Bill of Rights 1689 to prevent a standing army in peacetime without the consent of Parliament. To this day, annual continuation notices are required for the British Army to remain legal. However, now the Army was under the control of the Government, and the last King to lead his troops into battle was George II at the Battle of Dettingen in 1743. The Bill of Rights 1689 is an English Act of Parliament with the full title An Act Declaring the Rights and Liberties of the Subject and Settling the Succession of the Crown and also known by its short title, the Bill of Rights. ... George II (George Augustus) (10 November 1683–25 October 1760) was King of Great Britain and Ireland, Duke of Brunswick-Lüneburg (Hanover) and Archtreasurer and Prince-Elector of the Holy Roman Empire from 11 June 1727 until his death. ... The Battle of Dettingen took place on June 16 (some sources, no doubt using a different calendar, say June 27), 1743 at Dettingen in Bavaria during the War of the Austrian Succession. ... // Events February 14 - Henry Pelham becomes British Prime Minister February 21 - - The premiere in London of George Frideric Handels oratorio, Samson. ...

Units had originally been known by the names of their colonels, such as Sir John Mordaunt's Regiment of Foot, but in 1751 a numeral system was adopted, with each regiment gaining a number in accordance with their rank in the order of precedence, so John Mordaunt's Regiment became the 47th Regiment of Foot. During the period of 1661-1774, the British Empire expanded during the many wars it took part in against its European rivals and the Army actively participated in all the conflicts, including the Seven Years' War (1755-63), deemed to be one of the first 'world wars', and saw one of the most important conquests by the Army; the taking of Quebec. Events Adam Smith is appointed professor of logic at the University of Glasgow March 25 - For the last time, New Years Day is legally on March 25 in England and Wales. ... An order of precedence is a sequential hierarchy of nominal importance of people; it is used by many organizations and governments. ... Official name 47th (The Lancashire) Regiment of Foot Nicknames The Cauliflowers The Lancashire Lads Wolfes Own Motto Marches Description Line Infantry regiment Creation date 1751 Reason for creation Battle Honours Louisburg, Quebec 1759, Tarifa, Vittoria, San Sebastian, Nive, Peninsula, Ava, Alma, Inkerman, Sevastopol The 47th (the Lancashire) Regiment of... The Seven Years War (1756–1763), some of whose theatres are called the Pomeranian War and the French and Indian War, was hailed by Winston Churchill as the first world war, as it was the first conflict in human history to be fought around the globe. ... 1755 was a common year starting on Wednesday (see link for calendar). ... 1763 was a common year starting on Saturday (see link for calendar). ... Motto: Je me souviens (French: I remember) Official languages French Capital Quebec City Largest city Montréal Lieutenant-Governor Lise Thibault Premier Jean Charest (PLQ) Parliamentary representation  - House seat  - Senate seats 75 24 Area Total  â€¢ Land  â€¢ Water    (% of total)  Ranked 2nd 1,542,056 km² 1,183,128 km² 176...

American Revolution, Napoleonic Wars and the Long Peace (1774-1854)

The American War of Independence began in 1775 when the Thirteen Colonies rose up against British rule. Many Americans, however, sought to remain with the British Empire and duly fought for the British, and were known as Loyalists. Five American units were placed on the regular establishment, known as the American Establishment (formed in 1779) though there were many other Loyalist units. Upon the independence of America and the end of the war in 1783, many of the Loyalist forces fled north to Canada, where many subsequently served with the British Army. The Army itself had established many units during the war, to serve in North America or provide replacements for garrisons; all but three -- the 23rd Dragoons, 71st and 78th Foot -- were disbanded in the immediate aftermath of the war. 1775 was a common year starting on Sunday (see link for calendar). ... Betsy Ross purportedly sewed the first American flag with 13 stars and 13 stripes representing each of the 13 states. ... 1779 was a common year starting on Friday (see link for calendar). ... 1783 was a common year starting on Wednesday (see link for calendar). ...

An officer and private of the 52nd (Oxfordshire) Regiment of Foot (Light Infantry)

The 60th (Royal American) and 95th Regiments of Foot.

By the turn of the 19th Century, the Army was beginning to embrace new technology and new tactics, some of the most important being the rifle and creation of entire regiments of light infantry and riflemen; these skirmishers gave the Army the capability of acting in a fluid manner (rather than constricted by formations, which was still the predominant method of fighting during that period). The first light infantry regiments were the 43rd and 53rd Foot in 1803, though were still armed with muskets. An Experimental Corps of Riflemen was formed in 1800, armed with the Baker rifle. It was brought into the line as the 95th Regiment of Foot in 1802 (The Rifle Brigade from 1816). The 95th Rifles saw extensive service, most prominently in the Peninsular War where the mountainous terrain saw them in their element. The French Revolutionary Wars saw the Army take part in many campaigns against the French (as-well as countries conquered by them) in the Caribbean; the Indian sub-continent (including the capture of Ceylon); Europe and in North Africa, which including a successful campaign in 1801 to expel invading French troops in Egypt. The 52nd (Oxfordshire) Regiment of Foot (Light Infantry) by Joseph Constantine Stadler; published early 1800s. ... The 52nd (Oxfordshire) Regiment of Foot (Light Infantry) by Joseph Constantine Stadler; published early 1800s. ... The 60th (Royal American) Regiment of Foot and 95th Regiment of Foot. ... The 60th (Royal American) Regiment of Foot and 95th Regiment of Foot. ... The Kings Royal Rifle Corps was a British Army formation. ... There have been several regiments in the British Army numbered as the 95th Regiment of Foot. ... Alternative meaning: Nineteenth Century (periodical) (18th century — 19th century — 20th century — more centuries) As a means of recording the passage of time, the 19th century was that century which lasted from 1801-1900 in the sense of the Gregorian calendar. ... A rifle is a firearm that uses a spiral groove cut into the barrel to spin a projectile (usually a bullet), thus improving accuracy and range of the projectile. ... Traditionally light infantry (or skirmishers) were soldiers whose job was to provide a skirmishing screen ahead of the main body of infantry, harassing and delaying the enemy advance. ... The 53rd Regiment of Foot was raised in 1755 as the 55th but was renumbered in 1757 to the 53rd. ... 1803 was a common year starting on Saturday (see link for calendar). ... In 1800 an Experimental Corps of Rifllemen were raised by Colonel Coote-Manningham and Lieutenant-Colonel the Hon William Stewart, drawn from officers and other ranks from drafts of a variety of British regiments. ... 1800 (MDCCC) was an common year starting on Wednesday (see link for calendar). ... The Baker rifle was the rifle used by the Rifle regiments of the British Army during the Napoleonic Wars. ... --69. ... 1816 was a leap year starting on Monday (see link for calendar). ... Combatants Kingdom of Great Britain, Austria, Prussia, Spain, Russia, Sardinia France The French Revolutionary Wars occurred between the outbreak of war between the French Revolutionary government and Austria in 1792 and the Treaty of Amiens in 1802. ... The Union Jack, flag of the newly formed United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland. ...

In 1803, with Napoleon as leader of France, the Napoleonic Wars began. As in the previous war with France, the Army saw service in many campaigns, including the capture of the Cape of Good Hope in Southern Africa; an abortive (initially unauthorised) invasion of Spanish-South America along with further wars and campaigns in the Indian sub-continent and Caribbean. The Army also saw service in the War of 1812 against America (unrelated to the Napoleonic Wars) though it was initially Canadian forces that fought the Americans back into the USA after their invasion of Canada failed. 1803 was a common year starting on Saturday (see link for calendar). ... For other uses, see Napoleon (disambiguation). ... Combatants Allies: • Great Britain/United Kingdom, • Prussia, • Austria, • Sweden, • Russia • France • Denmark-Norway • Poland Casualties Full list Full list The Napoleonic Wars were a series of wars fought during Napoleon Bonapartes rule over France. ... The Cape of Good Hope; looking towards the west, from the coastal cliffs above Cape Point. ... South America South America is a continent crossed by the equator, with most of its area in the Southern Hemisphere. ... The War of 1812 (in Britain, the American War of 1812 to 1815), was fought between the United States and British Empire from 1812 to 1815, on land in North America and at sea around the world. ...

Field Marshal Arthur Wellesley, 1st Duke of Wellington

The most important campaign the Army fought during the conflict was the Peninsular War in Portugal and Spain. After the French had invaded Portugal and Spain, the British landed in Portugal to help them in their uprising against the French in 1808. The British were commanded by Lieutenant-General Arthur Wellesley (later 1st Duke of Wellington) and he achieved a number of important victories over the French but was, in spite of this, replaced as commander. After Sir John Moore was killed at the Battle of Corunna in January 1809, Wellesley returned as Commander-in-Chief. With the help of the Portuguese and Spanish (including guerrillas), the British fought many bloody battles against the French who had invaded Portugal twice, being pushed out both times, and the British also having to retreat from Spain a number of times until, in May 1813, a renewed offensive saw the French pushed back in Spain, and the British successfully entered France itself in October 1813. With the British now firmly in France and the French experiencing defeats elsewhere, Napoleon was forced into exile in April 1814. He returned to France and regained power but was defeated at Battle of Waterloo on 18 June 1815 by a British, Belgian, Dutch, and Prussian force under the command of the Duke of Wellington. Image File history File links 1st duke of Wellington unofficial photo of part of a painting on display in the Duke of Wellingtons Regimental Headquarters. ... Image File history File links 1st duke of Wellington unofficial photo of part of a painting on display in the Duke of Wellingtons Regimental Headquarters. ... The Peninsular War (1808–1814) (known as War of Independence in Spain, as French Invasions in Portugal, as Guerre dEspagne in France was a major conflict during the Napoleonic Wars, fought on the Iberian Peninsula by Spanish, Portuguese, and the British forces against the Napoleonic French. ... 1808 was a leap year starting on Friday (see link for calendar). ... Arthur Wellesley, 1st Duke of Wellington, KG, GCB, GCH, PC, FRS (c. ... Sir John Moore (November 13, 1761 – January 16, 1809) was a British soldier and General. ... The Battle of La Coruña took place on January 16, 1809, between 14,000 British under Sir John Moore, and 16,000 French under Marshal Soult, who was endeavouring to prevent the British from evacuating by sea from the port. ... 1809 was a common year starting on Sunday (see link for calendar). ... Guerrilla (also called a partisan) is a term borrowed from the Spanish guerrilla meaning little war, and used to describe small combat groups and the individual members of such groups (see Etymology). ... 1813 is a common year starting on Friday (link will take you to calendar). ... 1814 was a common year starting on Saturday (see link for calendar). ... Combatants France Anglo-Allied/Prussian/ Dutch Commanders Napoléon Bonaparte (Ney in control of battle) Duke of Wellington Gebhard von Blücher Strength 72,000 67,000 Anglo-Dutch 60,000 Prussian (48,000 engaged by about 18:00) Casualties 25,000 22,000 Map of the Waterloo campaign The... June 18 is the 169th day of the year in the Gregorian Calendar (170th in leap years), with 196 days remaining. ... The Battle of New Orleans 1815 was a common year starting on Sunday (see link for calendar). ...

Due to the war, the British Empire had increased in size and was continuing to do so after the end of the war. The Government, however, implemented heavy cuts on the Armed Forces, with many units being disbanded, including the émigre units that had fled to Britain from countries occupied by France such as the King's German Legion and Royal Corsican Rangers. The cuts proved too severe and a number of new regiments were raised. Though the Royal Navy played an extremely prominent part in the expansion and maintenance of the Empire, the Army's contribution was vital. One of the most important contributions was its participation in the many wars during the expansion of British power in the Indian sub-continent, eventually culminating in the establishment of most what is modern-day India by the 1850s. The Army also saw increasing service in Africa and in the Far East, including the First China War between 1839-42, a war ostensibly provoked for trade reason. Émigré is a French term that literally refers to a person who has migrated out, but often carries a connotation of politico-social self-exile. ... When Napoleon imposed the Convention of Artlenburg (Convention of the Elbe) on July 5, 1803 the Kurfürstentum Hannover (Electorate of Hannover) was disbanded and its army dissolved. ... // Events and Trends Technology Production of steel revolutionised by invention of the Bessemer process Benjamin Silliman fractionates petroleum by distillation for the first time First transatlantic telegraph cable laid First safety elevator installed by Elisha Otis Science Charles Darwin publishes The Origin of Species, putting forward the theory of evolution... Africa is the worlds second-largest and second-most populous continent, after Asia. ... 1839 was a common year starting on Tuesday (see link for calendar). ... 1842 was a common year starting on Saturday (see link for calendar). ...

Crimea, Mutiny, Colonial Wars & the Cardwell-Childers reforms (1854-1914)

Organisation

Due to the Indian Mutiny (1857-58), the Army was extremely overstretched, to such an extent that Canadian volunteers raised a regiment for the British Army, titled the 100th (or Prince of Wales's Royal Canadians) Regiment of Foot, for service in India; it did not, however, see service there. In the aftermath of the Mutiny, control of India was transferred from the East India Company to the Crown. The so-called 'European' regiments of the East India Company, consisting of three cavalry and nine infantry regiments, were transferred to the British Army. There were also many troops and batteries of artillery that became incorporated into the Royal Regiment of Artillery. An engraving titled Sepoy Indian troops dividing the spoils after their mutiny against British rule gives a contemporary view of events from the British perspective. ... 1857 was a common year starting on Thursday (see link for calendar). ... 1858 (MDCCCLVIII) is a common year starting on Friday of the Gregorian calendar (or a common year starting on Sunday of the 12-day-slower Julian calendar). ... The British East India Company, sometimes referred to as John Company, was a joint-stock company which was granted an English Royal Charter by Elizabeth I on December 31, 1600, with the intent to favour trade privileges in India. ... The Royal Regiment of Artillery, generally known as the Royal Artillery (RA), is, despite its name, a corps of the British Army It is made up of a number of regiments. ...

At the peak of the British Empire, the middle and upper classes were often 'militaristic', usually seeking to join the armed forces to increase their social standing, especially the Yeomanry regiments. In 1859, there was an assassination attempt on Napoleon III, ruler of France, by Felice Orsini which was linked to Britain. In spite of the fact Britain had only just been in a war against Russia with France as its ally, there was now an increased fear of war breaking out. This saw a surge in interest in the more affluent communities in creating volunteer units, known as 'Volunteer Rifle Corps'. There were many such corps formed all over the United Kingdom, one of the most prominent was the Artists' Rifles (originally known as the 38th Middlesex Rifle Volunteer Corps) established in 1860 by the art student Edward Starling. The middle class (or middle classes) comprises a social group once defined by exception as an intermediate social class between the nobility and the peasantry. ... The term upper class refers to a group of people at the top of a social hierarchy. ... In the 1790s, the threat of invasion of England was high, with the French Revolution and the rise of Napoleon Bonaparte. ... 1859 (MDCCCLIX) is a common year starting on Saturday of the Gregorian calendar (or a common year starting on Monday of the Julian calendar). ... Charles Louis Napoléon Bonaparte (April 20, 1808 - January 9, 1873) was the son of King Louis Bonaparte and Queen Hortense de Beauharnais; both monarchs of the French puppet state, the Kingdom of Holland. ... Felice Orsini (1819 - March 13, 1858) was an Italian revolutionary who tried to assassinate Napoleon III. Felice Orsini was born at Meldola in Romagna. ... The Volunteer Army was a citizen army of part-time rifle corps, created as a popular movement in the 19th. ... The 21st Special Air Service Regiment (Artists) (Volunteers) is a special forces regiment of the British Territorial Army. ... 1860 is the leap year starting on Sunday. ...

In the early 1870s, the Cardwell reforms, named after the Secretary of State of War Edward Cardwell, saw radical reforms of the armed forces implemented in the aftermath of the inadequacies found in the Crimean War. Some of the reforms included the abolition of the purchase of commissions, replacing it with advancement by seniority and merit; the end of flogging and the pairing of single-battalion regiments via administrative depots on a county-based system. The Childers reforms, which came into effect on 1 July 1881, continued the reforms which strengthened regiments' county affiliations by discarding the numeral system and combining most of the single-battalion regiments into two-battalion regiments with, for the most part, county names in their titles. This created a force of 69 Line Infantry regiments, consisting of 48 English, 10 Scottish, 8 Irish, and 3 Welsh regiments. Another aspect of the reforms included the further integration of the militia into the regular regimental system, becoming additional numbered battalions of the regiments, and the establishment of a reserve force. These changes, and the others that were implemented, bore the Army in good stead for the two World Wars it would experience in the 20th Century. // Events and Trends Technology The invention of the telephone (1876) by Alexander Graham Bell. ... A series of reforms of the British Army undertaken by Secretary of State for War (and former soldier) Edward Cardwell in 1870. ... Edward Cardwell, 1st Viscount Cardwell (July 24, 1813–February 15, 1886) was a prominent British politician in the Peelite and Liberal parties during the middle of the 19th century. ... Combatants United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland, Second French Empire, Ottoman Empire, Kingdom of Sardinia Imperial Russia Strength 250,000 British 400,000 French 10,000 Sardinian 1,200,000 Russian Casualties 17,500 British 90,000 French 35,000 Turkish 2,050 Sardinian killed, wounded and died of... Through most of the history of the British Army it was common practice for officers to purchase their rank. ... Whipping on a post Flagellation is the act of whipping (Latin flagellum, whip) the human body. ... A Depot is usually a centralised store or operating base for logistical use by commercial or governmental bodies. ... The Childers Reforms were undertaken by Secretary of State for War Hugh Childers in 1881. ... July 1 is the 182nd day of the year (183rd in leap years) in the Gregorian Calendar, with 183 days remaining. ... 1881 (MDCCCLXXXI) was a common year starting on Saturday (see link for calendar). ... Regular infantry, as distinct from specialised infantry such as Foot Guards, light infantry or special forces. ... (19th century - 20th century - 21st century - more centuries) Decades: 1900s 1910s 1920s 1930s 1940s 1950s 1960s 1970s 1980s 1990s As a means of recording the passage of time, the 20th century was that century which lasted from 1901–2000 in the sense of the Gregorian calendar (1900–1999 in the...

For a list of the regiments that were established on 1 July, see List of British Army regiments (1881). July 1 is the 182nd day of the year (183rd in leap years) in the Gregorian Calendar, with 183 days remaining. ... This is a list of British Army cavalry and infantry regiments that were created by Childers reforms in 1881, a continuation of the Cardwell reforms. ...

The Second Boer War (1899-1902) provided further impetus for the expansion of the Army -- which had already been expanding in size during the last years of the 19th Century -- including the creation of the Irish Guards in 1900 in honour of the distinguished service of Irish regiments during that conflict, and the Royal Garrison Regiment, created to fill the void of units departing for South Africa. After the end of the war and the Army's inadequacies during it, further reforms took place, known as the Haldane reforms after Richard Burdon Haldane. Some of the reforms included the establishment of the British Expeditionary Force (BEF) in anticipation of a war on the European continent; and a part-time volunteer organisation, known as the Territorial Force, was also created, encompassing the reserve units of the Army with militia units being transferred to the newly created Special Reserve. An Air Battalion was formed in the Royal Engineers in 1911, becoming the Royal Flying Corps the following year. The RFC remained part of the Army until 1918 when it was separated to form the Royal Air Force. Combatants British Empire Orange Free State, South African Republic Commanders Frederick Roberts later Lord Kitchener Christiaan Rudolf de Wet and Paul Kruger Casualties Military dead:22,000 Civilian dead:N/A Total dead:22,000 Military dead:6,500 Civilian dead:24,000 Total dead:30,500 The Second Boer... Official name Irish Guards Colonel-in-Chief HM Queen Elizabeth II Colonel-of-the-Regiment James Hamilton, 5th Duke of Abercorn Nicknames Bobs Own The Micks Motto Quis Separabit (Who Shall Separate Us) Anniversaries Saint Patricks Day (17 March) Marches quick: St Patricks Day slow: Let Erin Remember... 1900 (MCM) was an exceptional common year starting on Monday. ... Richard Burdon Sanderson Haldane, 1st Viscount Haldane, (July 30, 1856 - August 19, 1928), was an important British Liberal politician, lawyer, and philosopher. ... The British Expeditionary Force (BEF) was the British army sent to France and Belgium in World War I and British Forces in Europe from 1939 - 1940 during World War II. The BEF was established by Secretary of State for War Richard Haldane following the Second Boer War in case the... In the United Kingdom the Territorial Army is a part of the British Army composed of reserve units, or part-time soldiers. ... The examples and perspective in this article or section may not represent a worldwide view. ... The Air Battalion of the Royal Engineers was the first flying unit of the British Military. ... The Corps of Royal Engineers, usually just called the Royal Engineers (RE), and commonly known as the Sappers, is one of the corps of the British Army. ... 1911 (MCMXI) was a common year starting on Sunday (click on link for calendar). ... The Royal Flying Corps (RFC) was the over-land air arm of the British military during most of World War I. Origin and Early History Formed by Royal Warrant on May 13, 1912, the RFC superseded the Air Battalion of the Royal Engineers. ... 1918 (MCMXVIII) was a common year starting on Tuesday of the Gregorian calendar (see link for calendar) or a common year starting on Wednesday of the Julian calendar. ... The Royal Air Force (often abbreviated to RAF) is the air force branch of the British Armed Forces. ...

Operations

'Charge of the Light Brigade', Painting by Richard Caton Woodville (1825-1855)

Britain's first major war in Europe since Waterloo, the Crimean War, began in 1854 after Britain and France declared war on Russia, fearing Russian domination of the Mediterranean a year after it had invaded Turkish territory. The first signs of inadequacy in the Army was experienced during the Army's landings at Calamity Bay where the Army experienced great difficulty in its logistics. Further inadequacies were found throughout the war in British Army organisation and much incompetence was also discovered in the higher echelons of command, noticed most prominently in the Charge of the Light Brigade during the Battle of Balaklava. The war ended in 1856. The Army had suffered <?> killed, most of which was due to disease. In the immediate aftermath of the war the Victoria Cross, which became the highest award for bravery in the face of the enemy, was created. The following year the Indian Mutiny began and the Army was overstretched, having to bring in garrison units from all over the Empire. The Mutiny was quelled with the help of loyal Indian and Gurkha forces in 1858. Charge of the Light Brigade. ... Charge of the Light Brigade. ... Charge of the Light Brigade, Painting by Richard Caton Woodville (1825-1855) The Charge of the Light Brigade was an ill-advised cavalry charge, led by Lord Cardigan, which occurred during the Battle of Balaclava on October 25, 1854 during the Crimean War. ... Categories: Stub | Battles of the Crimean War ... 1856 was a leap year starting on Tuesday (see link for calendar). ... Victoria Cross medal, ribbon, and bar. ... An engraving titled Sepoy Indian troops dividing the spoils after their mutiny against British rule gives a contemporary view of events from the British perspective. ... 1858 (MDCCCLVIII) is a common year starting on Friday of the Gregorian calendar (or a common year starting on Sunday of the 12-day-slower Julian calendar). ...

After this, the Army increasingly concentrated on policing the Empire in its many distant outposts while also helping to expand it. The Army was used to intervene in other nations, mostly for British interests such as trade. In Canada, Irish-American ex-Union Army soldiers launched a number of encroachments into Canadian territory in 1866 and 1870, known as the Fenian Raids. These actions saw an increasing assertiveness in Canada, with Canadian units being the primary defenders. In 1878, the Second Afghan War took place between 1878-80 due to fears of Russian influence in Afghanistan, Russia being Britain's rival in the region. Elsewhere, in Africa, the Anglo-Zulu War began, in 1879, signifying further British expansion in southern Africa. The Zulu War saw disaster at Isandlwana, and heroic legend at Rorke's Drift. The performance of the Martini-Henry rifle (introduced in 1871) duly became a symbol of the Empire's colonial wars. There were many more campaigns in Africa before the end of the 19th Century, during a period of time known as the "scramble for Africa". The 21st Michigan Infantry, a company of Shermans veterans. ... 1866 (MDCCCLXVI) is a common year starting on Monday of the Gregorian calendar or a common year starting on Wednesday of the 12-day-slower Julian calendar. ... 1870 was a common year starting on Saturday (see link for calendar). ... The Fenian raids were attacks by members of the Fenian Brotherhood based in the United States, on British army forts, customs posts and other targets in Canada in order to bring pressure on Britain to withdraw from Ireland, between 1866 and 1871. ... 1878 (MDCCCLXXVIII) was a common year starting on Tuesday (see link for calendar). ... ... The Battle of Rorkes Drift The Anglo-Zulu War was fought in 1879 between Britain and the Zulus, and signalled the end of the Zulus as an independent nation. ... 1879 (MDCCCLXXIX) was a common year starting on Wednesday (see link for calendar). ... Combatants Britain Zulu Nation Commanders Brevet Lieutenant Colonel Henry Pulleine. ... Combatants Britain Zulu Nation Commanders John Rouse Merriott Chard Prince Dabulamanzi Strength 139 4,000–5,000 Casualties 17 killed, 15 wounded about 550 killed Rorkes Drift was a mission station in Natal, South Africa situated near a natural ford (drift) on the Buffalo River. ... The Martini-Henry (also known as the Peabody-Martini-Henry) was a breech-loading lever-actuated rifle adopted by the British, combining an action worked on by Friedrich von Martini (based on the Peabody rifle developed by Henry Peabody), with the rifled barrel designed by Scotsman Alexander Henry. ... 1871 (MDCCCLXXI) was a common year starting on Sunday (see link for calendar). ... For information on the colonization of Africa prior to the 1880s, including Carthaginian and early European colonization, see Colonization of Africa. ...

The Boer War began in 1899 after tension between the British and the two Dutch Boer republics culminated in the Boers declaring war against the British. Though it was a relatively minor war in comparison to what awaited the British in 1914, many tactics, technology and equipment used during the war helped the British gain experience for the forthcoming World War. However, future inadequacies had been discovered in the Army during the war, and like the Crimean War, most of the Army's deaths was due to disease. The war also saw the present and future Dominions -- Australia, Canada, Newfoundland, New Zealand and South Africa -- become increasingly independent and assertive, all having had troops fight the Boers. The British eventually withdrew from all of these countries and the Dominions forces took over its duties. <need dates for when they left> The Army garrisons in Australia and New Zealand had already been withdrawn in 1870. The last British battalion to leave Canada was the 5th Battalion, The Royal Garrison Regiment in 1905 when it departed Halifax, Nova Scotia, which it had been garrisoning. There were many other small wars that the Army took part in just before WWI, nearly all being in Africa, with the exception of the Boxer Rebellion (1900) and an expedition to Tibet in 1904. 1899 (MDCCCXCIX) was a common year starting on Sunday (see link for calendar). ... Boer is the Afrikaans (and Dutch) word for farmer which came to denote the descendants of the Afrikaans-speaking migrating farmers of the expanding eastern Cape frontier. ... A Dominion is a wholly self-governing or virtually self-governing state of the British Empire or Commonwealth of Nations, particularly one which reached that stage of constitutional development in the late 19th and early 20th centuries such as Canada, Australia and New Zealand. ... Newfoundland (French: Terre-Neuve; Irish: Talamh an Éisc; Latin: Terra Nova) is a large island off the northeast coast of North America, and the most populous part of the Canadian province of Newfoundland and Labrador. ... 1870 was a common year starting on Saturday (see link for calendar). ... 1905 (MCMV) was a common year starting on Sunday (see link for calendar). ... Please read first: This article is about the Nova Scotia community. ... Motto: Munit Haec et Altera Vincit (Latin: One defends and the other conquers) Official languages None (English,French,Gaelic) Capital Halifax Largest city Halifax Lieutenant-Governor Myra Freeman Premier Rodney MacDonald (PC) Parliamentary representation  - House seat  - Senate seats 11 10 Area Total  â€¢ Land  â€¢ Water    (% of total)  Ranked 12th 55,283... Boxer forces, 1900 photograph The Boxer Uprising (Traditional Chinese: 義和團起義; Simplified Chinese: 义和团起义; Pinyin: Yìhétuán Qǐyì; The Righteous and Harmonious Fists) or Boxer Rebellion (義和團之亂 or 義和團匪亂) was a Chinese rebellion against foreign influence in areas such as trade, politics, religion and technology that occurred in China during the final... Tibet (older spelling Thibet; Tibetan: བོད་, Bod, pronounced pö in Lhasa dialect; Chinese: 西藏, Pinyin: XÄ«zàng or Chinese: 藏区, Pinyin: ZàngqÅ« [the two names are used with different connotations; see Name section below]) is a region in Central Asia and the home of the Tibetan people. ... 1904 (MCMIV) was a leap year starting on a Friday (link will take you to calendar). ...

The Great War (1914-18)

Organisation

At the outbreak of the First World War in August 1914, the British Army was a small, professional force of 247,000 soldiers, over half of which were posted overseas in garrisons throughout the British Empire. The regular Army was supported by 224,000 reservists and 269,000 soldiers of the Territorial Force. The size of the Army was in stark contrast to the Royal Navy which was the largest navy in the world, while many of the Army's continental counterparts, such as the French and German Armies (both of whom employed conscription) numbered nearly 1 million troops and were part of highly militarised societies. Ypres, 1917, in the vicinity of the Battle of Passchendaele. ... 1914 (MCMXIV) was a common year starting on Thursday. ... In the United Kingdom the Territorial Army is a part of the British Army composed of reserve units, or part-time soldiers. ...

Under the Entente Cordiale, the British Army's role in a European war was to embark the 120,000 soldiers of the British Expeditionary Force (BEF), arranged in six infantry and one cavalry divisions, to cooperate with the French Army. Kaiser Wilhelm was famously dismissive of the BEF, on 19 August issuing his order to "exterminate... the treacherous English and walk over General French's contemptible little army." — in later years the survivors of the regular army dubbed themselves "The Old Contemptibles". By the end of 1914, after the battles of Mons, Le Cateau, the Aisne and Ypres, the old regular British Army had been effectively wiped out. The Entente Cordiale (French for friendly understanding) is a series of agreements signed on April 8, 1904, between the United Kingdom and France. ... The British Expeditionary Force (BEF) was the British army sent to France and Belgium in World War I and British Forces in Europe from 1939 - 1940 during World War II. The BEF was established by Secretary of State for War Richard Haldane following the Second Boer War in case the... Symbol of the Polish 1st Legions Infantry Division in NATO code A division is a large military unit or formation usually consisting of around ten to fifteen thousand soldiers. ... German Emperor Wilhelm (born Friedrich Wilhelm Viktor Albrecht, Prince of Prussia 27 January 1859–4 June 1941), was the last German Emperor and King of Prussia (de: Deutscher Kaiser und König von Preußen), ruling from 15 June 1888 to 9 November 1918. ... August 19 is the 231st day of the year (232nd in leap years) in the Gregorian Calendar. ... The Earl of Ypres John Denton Pinkstone French, 1st Earl of Ypres, KP, GCB, OM, GCVO, KCMG, PC (28 September 1852–22 May 1925) was a British Field Marshal, the first commander of the British Expeditionary Force (BEF) in World War I. Biography Born in Ripple in Kent, the son... Combatants Britain Germany Commanders Sir John French Alexander von Kluck Strength 4 divisions 8 divisions Casualties 1,600 5,000 (estimate) The Battle of Mons (Flemish name for Mons is Bergen) was the first major action of the British Expeditionary Force in World War I. Following the surrender of the... On the 25th of September, 1914, the British, French & Belgians retreated from the Battle of Mons & set up defensive positions in Le Cateau. ... Combatants Britain, France Germany Commanders Sir John French, Louis Franchet dEsperey, Michel-Joseph Maunoury, Joseph Joffre Alexander von Kluck, Karl von Bülow, Josias von Heeringen Strength Two French armies and the BEF Three German armies Casualties Unknown Unknown The First Battle of the Aisne was the Allied follow... The First Battle of Ypres was the last major battle of the first year (1914) of World War I. This battle and the Battle of the Yser marked the end of the Race to the Sea where the Germans tried to reach the French Channel ports of Calais and Dunkerque...

August 1914: London volunteers await their pay at St. Martin-in-the-Fields

As the regular Army declined, the numbers were made up, first by the Territorials, followed by the volunteers of Lord Kitchener's New Army, known as Kitchener's Army. By the end of August 1914, he had raised six new divisions, rising to 29 divisions by March 1915. The Territorial Force also expanded, raising second- and third-line battalions and forming eight additional divisions on top of its peacetime strength of 14 divisions. By January 1916 when conscription was introduced, 2.6 million men had volunteered for service and a further 2.3 million were conscripted before the end of the war. Download high resolution version (1247x859, 331 KB) Wikipedia does not have an article with this exact name. ... Download high resolution version (1247x859, 331 KB) Wikipedia does not have an article with this exact name. ... London is the capital city of the United Kingdom and of England and is the most populous city in the European Union. ... St Martin-in-the-Fields is a Church of England church just northeast off Trafalgar Square in the City of Westminster, London. ... The Earl Kitchener The Right Honourable Horatio Herbert Kitchener, 1st Earl Kitchener, KG, KP, GCB, OM, GCSI, GCMG, GCIE, ADC, PC (24 June 1850–5 June 1916) was a British Field Marshal, diplomat and statesman. ... WWI recruitment poster for Kitcheners Army. ... 1915 (MCMXV) was a common year starting on Friday (see link for calendar). ... 1916 (MCMXVI) was a leap year starting on Saturday (link will take you to calendar). ...

A church service at the 10th (Irish) Division camp near Basingstoke, 1915.

A prominent feature of the early months of volunteering was the formation of Pals battalions, whole units recruited from the same town or workplace, such as the Grimsby Chums. Many of these pals who had lived and worked together, now joined up and trained together, only to die together on the first day on the Somme, leaving entire communities shattered. Download high resolution version (1000x664, 196 KB) Wikipedia does not have an article with this exact name. ... Download high resolution version (1000x664, 196 KB) Wikipedia does not have an article with this exact name. ... The 10th (Irish) Division, was a New Army division, one of Kitcheners New Army K1 Army Group divisions raised largely in Ireland from the Irish National Volunteers in 1914. ... Basingstoke is a large town in the county of Hampshire in the south of England. ... The Pals battalions of World War I were units of the British Army that consisted of men who had enlisted together at special local recruiting drives, with the promise that they would be able to serve alongside their friends, neighbours and work colleagues (Pals) rather than having to be mixed... The Grimsby Chums was a British First World War Pals battalion of Kitcheners Army raised in and around the town of Grimsby in Lincolnshire. ... Combatants Britain, France, Newfoundland Germany Commanders Douglas Haig Henry Rawlinson Ferdinand Foch Fritz von Below Strength 13 British divisions 6 French divisions 6 divisions Casualties British: 57,470 French: 7,000 10,000 - 12,000 The first day on the Somme, 1 July 1916, was the opening day of the...

During the war, most new infantry battalions were raised within existing regiments; the Northumberland Fusiliers were most prolific, fielding 51 battalions. However, some new regiments were created, such as the fifth regiment of the Foot Guards, the Welsh Guards, created in 1915 to honour the distinguished actions of the Welsh regiments in the war. THE ROYAL NORTHUMBERLAND FUSILIERS Nomenclature One of Englands premier county regiments, the Royal Northumberland Fusiliers can trace its ancestory back to the year 1674. ... The Welsh Guards is an infantry regiment of the British Army, part of the Guards Division. ... For an explanation of often confusing terms such as Great Britain, Britain, United Kingdom, England and Wales and England, see British Isles (terminology). ...

The war also saw the British having an increasing reliance upon the Dominion and Empire troops, many of whom volunteered to serve in the British Army out of a perception that Britain was the 'Motherland'. The Royal Newfoundland Regiment and British West Indies Regiment were both formed in 1915, the latter of which was made up of volunteers from the Caribbean who had arrived in Britain. Both regiments were disbanded in 1919. There were also existing regiments like the West India Regiment and West Africa Regiment (both disbanded by the end of the 1920s). At various times on the Western Front, Australia, Canada and India provided corps, New Zealand a division and South Africa a brigade, all of which were attached to British armies. A Dominion is a wholly self-governing or virtually self-governing state of the British Empire or Commonwealth of Nations, particularly one which reached that stage of constitutional development in the late 19th and early 20th centuries such as Canada, Australia and New Zealand. ... The Royal Newfoundland Regiment is a militia unit of the Canadian Armed Forces. ... The West India Regiment (WIR) was a British colonial infantry regiment. ... It has been suggested that this article or section be merged with Social issues of the 1920s. ... For most of World War I, Allied Forces, predominantly those of France and the United Kingdom, were stalled at trenches on the Western Front. ... A corps (a word that immigrated from the French language, pronounced IPA: , but originating in the Latin corpus, corporis meaning body; plural same as singular) is either a large military unit or formation, an administrative grouping of troops within an army with a common function (such as artillery or signals... Army (from French armée) can, in some countries, refer to any armed force. ...

In August 1914, the Army's Royal Flying Corps dispatched 63 aircraft to France in support of the BEF. The aggressive doctrine of RFC commander, General Hugh Trenchard, and periods of technical inferiority such as the Fokker Scourge of 1916 and Bloody April in 1917 resulted in high casualty rates amongst aircrews. At the start of 1918, the RFC numbered nearly 4,000 aircraft, including capable fighters such as the Sopwith Camel and S.E.5a. On 1 April 1918, the RFC merged with the Royal Naval Air Service, forming the independent Royal Air Force. The Royal Flying Corps (RFC) was the over-land air arm of the British military during most of World War I. Origin and Early History Formed by Royal Warrant on May 13, 1912, the RFC superseded the Air Battalion of the Royal Engineers. ... Hugh Montague Trenchard, 1st Viscount Trenchard (February 3, 1873 - February 10, 1956) was the British Chief of the Air Staff during World War I, and was instrumental in establishing the Royal Air Force (RAF). ... The Fokker Scourge, a term coined by the British press, was a period of time in World War I in the summer of 1915. ... 1916 (MCMXVI) was a leap year starting on Saturday (link will take you to calendar). ... During the First World War, the month of April 1917 was known as Bloody April by the Allied air forces. ... 1917 (MCMXVII) was a common year starting on Monday of the Gregorian calendar (see link for calendar) or a common year starting on Tuesday of the 13-day slower Julian calendar. ... An A-10 Thunderbolt II, F-86 Sabre, P-38 Lightning and P-51 Mustang fly in formation during an air show at Langley Air Force Base, Virginia. ... A Sopwith Camel at the Imperial War Museum in London. ... The Royal Aircraft Factory S.E.5 was a British biplane fighter aircraft of the First World War. ... April 1 is the 91st day of the year (92nd in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar, with 274 days remaining. ... 1918 (MCMXVIII) was a common year starting on Tuesday of the Gregorian calendar (see link for calendar) or a common year starting on Wednesday of the Julian calendar. ... The Royal Naval Air Service (RNAS) was the air arm of the Royal Navy until near the end of World War I. When the Royal Flying Corps (RFC) was founded on April 13, 1912 it was intended to encompass all military flying. ... The Royal Air Force (often abbreviated to RAF) is the air force branch of the British Armed Forces. ...

Equipment

Vickers machine gun crew, Western Front.

The British Army were pioneers in some aspects of military technology, having adopted the first machine gun, the Maxim, in 1889 and by 1912 it possessed the Vickers machine gun. Both infantry and cavalry were equipped with the Lee-Enfield rifle (first introduced in 1895) with which the professionals of the regular Army could fire 15 aimed rounds per minute. However, in 1914 the Army was ill-prepared for large-scale continental warfare and ill-equipped for the environment of trench warfare, in particular short of grenades and mortars. Artillery suffered from a shortage of shells and initially supply only improved at the expense of quality. The Army adopted chemical weapons, usually in response to German innovations, and often lagged markedly, taking over a year to deploy their own mustard gas agent. Wikipedia does not have an article with this exact name. ... Wikipedia does not have an article with this exact name. ... The Vickers machine gun or Vickers gun is a name primarily used to refer to the water-cooled . ... A weapon is a tool used to kill or incapacitate a person or animal, or destroy a military target. ... A machine gun is a fully-automatic firearm that is capable of firing bullets in rapid succession. ... An early Maxim gun in operation with the Royal Navy The Maxim gun was the first self-acting machine gun. ... 1889 (MDCCCLXXXIX) was a common year starting on Tuesday (see link for calendar). ... 1912 (MCMXII) was a leap year starting on Monday in the Gregorian calendar (or a leap year starting on Tuesday in the 13-day-slower Julian calendar). ... The Vickers machine gun or Vickers gun is a name primarily used to refer to the water-cooled . ... Lee-Enfield No4 Mk1 with bayonet, scabbard attached The Lee-Enfield was the British armys standard bolt action, magazine-fed, repeating rifle from 1895 until 1956. ... 1895 (MDCCCXCV) was a common year starting on Tuesday (see link for calendar) of the Gregorian calendar (or a common year starting on Thursday of the 12-day-slower Julian calendar). ... Trench Warfare is a form of war in which both opposing armies have static lines apples, oranges, poo, cheese and bananas dug into the ground, facing each other. ... Grenade may refer to: The well-known hand grenade commonly used by soldiers. ... US soldier firing an M224 60-mm mortar. ... Historically, artillery refers to any engine used for the discharge of projectiles during war. ... Dressing the wounded during a gas attack by Austin O. Spare, 1918. ... Airborne exposure limit 0. ...

The Loyal North Lancashire Regiment showing off their new Brodie helmets. Until 1916, British soldiers wore a soft peaked cap which gave no protection from shrapnel.

The British Army reacted to these shortcomings, introducing the Mills bomb as the standard grenade, producing over 70 million in the final three years of the war, and the versatile Stokes mortar, the predecessor the modern mortar. The role of the machine gun expanded throughout the war, dramatically increasing the firepower to the infantry. Platoons were equipped with the light Lewis gun while the independent machine gun companies of the Machine Gun Corps, established on 22 October 1915, operated the heavy Vickers. As the war progressed, the artillery grew in sophistication, employing the creeping barrage for protection of advancing infantry, developing sound-ranging and flash-detection techniques for counter-battery fire, and learning how to predict the fall of shells without needing to register the guns on their target. Download high resolution version (881x640, 103 KB)The Loyal North Lancashire Regiment showing off their new steel helmets (1916) Original image obtained from http://www. ... Download high resolution version (881x640, 103 KB)The Loyal North Lancashire Regiment showing off their new steel helmets (1916) Original image obtained from http://www. ... The Queens Lancashire Regiment (QLR) is an infantry regiment of the British Army. ... US Marine Corps M1917 Brodie pattern helmet The Brodie helmet (also called the shrapnel helmet or Tommy helmet, and in the United States known as a doughboy helmet) was a steel helmet designed and patented in 1915 by John L. Brodie. ... Shrapnel is the term used to describe the spherical shot or musket balls dispersed when a shrapnel shell bursts. ... Mills bomb Nationality United Kingdom Date of design 1915 Service duration May, 1915 - 1970s Type Fragmentation Filling Baratol Detonation 7 seconds, later reduced to 4 Weight 773 g Filling weight 71 g Length 95. ... Platoon is a term from military science. ... The Lewis Gun was a pre-WWI era American design of machine gun most widely used by the British and Imperial armies that continued to see service all the way through to WWII. It is visually distinctive because of the wide tubular cooling shroud around the barrel, and the top... The Machine Gun Corps (MGC) was a corps of the British Army, formed in October 1915 in response to the need for more effective use of machine guns on the Western Front in World War I. The Heavy Branch of the MGC were the first to use tanks in combat... October 22 is the 295th day of the year (296th in leap years) in the Gregorian Calendar, with 70 days remaining. ... 1915 (MCMXV) was a common year starting on Friday (see link for calendar). ... Rolling barrage is a military tactic in which massed artillery support an infantry advance by firing continuously at positions just in front of the advancing troops. ... The term counter-battery fire refers to the concept of detecting the source of artillery (shells or rockets) landing on friendly forces and firing back at them with artillery, suppressing or destroying them in order to protect the friendly forces and reduce enemy artillery strength. ...

Mark I tank in reserve prior to the Battle of Thiepval Ridge, September 1916.

The Army pioneered the use of the tank; operated by the Heavy Branch of the Machine Gun Corps, the Mark I tank first saw service on the Somme in September 1916. In July 1917, the Tank Corps was formed from the Heavy Branch and was the only corps created in the war to survive past the 1920s, becoming the Royal Tank Corps in 1922, then Royal Tank Regiment in 1939. An early model British Mark I male tank, named C-15, near Thiepval, 25 September 1916. ... An early model British Mark I male tank, named C-15, near Thiepval, 25 September 1916. ... A Mark I tank on 26 September 1916 (moving left to right). ... The Battle of Thiepval Ridge was the first large offensive mounted by the British Reserve Army of Lieutenant General Hubert Gough during the Battle of the Somme. ... A Mark I tank on 26 September 1916 (moving left to right). ... Combatants United Kingdom France Canada India Newfoundland New Zealand South Africa Australia German Empire Commanders Douglas Haig Ferdinand Foch Max von Gallwitz Fritz von Below Strength 13 British & 6 French divisions (initial) 51 British divisions (final) 10. ... 1922 (MCMXXII) was a common year starting on Sunday (see link for calendar). ... The Royal Tank Regiment is a unit of the British Army (formerly the Tank Corps and Royal Tank Corps). ... 1939 (MCMXXXIX) was a common year starting on Sunday (link will take you to calendar). ...

Operations

The most important theatre was the Western Front but the British Army fought in almost every theatre of the First World War. In the four years of the war, the British Army had suffered nearly 2.5 million casualties; 662,000 men killed, 140,000 missing and 1.65 million wounded. In warfare, a theater or theatre is normally used to define a specific geographic area within which armed conflict occurs. ... For most of World War I, Allied Forces, predominantly those of France and the United Kingdom, were stalled at trenches on the Western Front. ...

Western Front

Under the command of Field Marshall Sir John French, the British Expeditionary Force (BEF) began to deploy to France within days of the declaration of war. The first encounter with the Germans came at Mons on 23 August 1914 after which the Allies began the Great Retreat, not stopping until at the outskirts of Paris. The BEF had small role in halting the German advance at the Marne before participating in the Aisne counter-offensive which was followed by a period known as the "Race to the Sea" during which the BEF redeployed to Flanders. For the BEF, 1914 ended with "First Ypres" which marked the beginning of a long struggle for the Ypres salient. In four months, the BEF had suffered nearly 90,000 casualties and of the 64 original 1,000-strong battalions that had travelled to France in August, on average only one officer and 30 other ranks remained. On Christmas Day, the steadily expanding BEF was reorganised into two armies; the First Army under General Sir Douglas Haig and the Second Army under General Sir Horace Smith-Dorrien. Note: This article is about the military usage of the word marshal. For other usages, see the end of this article. ... The Earl of Ypres John Denton Pinkstone French, 1st Earl of Ypres, KP, GCB, OM, GCVO, KCMG, PC (28 September 1852–22 May 1925) was a British Field Marshal, the first commander of the British Expeditionary Force (BEF) in World War I. Biography Born in Ripple in Kent, the son... The British Expeditionary Force (BEF) was the British army sent to France and Belgium in World War I and British Forces in Europe from 1939 - 1940 during World War II. The BEF was established by Secretary of State for War Richard Haldane following the Second Boer War in case the... President Franklin D. Roosevelt signs a declaration of war against Japan on December 8, 1941, one day after the attack on Pearl Harbor. ... Combatants Britain Germany Commanders Sir John French Alexander von Kluck Strength 4 divisions 8 divisions Casualties 1,600 5,000 (estimate) The Battle of Mons (Flemish name for Mons is Bergen) was the first major action of the British Expeditionary Force in World War I. Following the surrender of the... This is the song that never ends yes it gos on and on my friends some people started singing it not knowing what it was they just started singing it forever just becauseThis is the song that never ends yes it gos on and on my friends some... 1914 (MCMXIV) was a common year starting on Thursday. ... The Great Retreat covers the slow retreat by the Allies to the River Marne after their defeat by the Germans at Battle of Mons on 23 August. ... The Eiffel Tower, the international symbol of the city, with the skyscrapers of La Défense business district 5 km/ 3 mi behind. ... Combatants France United Kingdom Germany Commanders Joseph Joffre John French Helmuth von Moltke Karl von Bulow Alexander von Kluck Strength 1,071,000 1,485,000 Casualties Approximately 263,000: 250,000 French casualties (80,000 dead) 13,000 British casualties (1,700 dead) Approximately 250,000 total The First... Combatants Britain, France Germany Commanders Sir John French, Louis Franchet dEsperey, Michel-Joseph Maunoury, Joseph Joffre Alexander von Kluck, Karl von Bülow, Josias von Heeringen Strength Two French armies and the BEF Three German armies Casualties Unknown Unknown The First Battle of the Aisne was the Allied follow... Course of the Race to the Sea showing dates of encounters and highlighting the significant battles. ... Flanders (Flemish, Fleming) (Dutch: Vlaanderen (Vlaams, Vlaming)) has two main designations: a geographical region in the north of Belgium, corresponding to the Flemish region, a constituent part of the federal Belgian state. ... The First Battle of Ypres was the last major battle of the first year (1914) of World War I. This battle and the Battle of the Yser marked the end of the Race to the Sea where the Germans tried to reach the French Channel ports of Calais and Dunkerque... The Belfry of Ypres Ypres (French, generally used in English;1 Ieper official name in the local Dutch) is a municipality located in Flanders, one of the three regions of Belgium, and in the Flemish province of West Flanders. ... In military terms, a salient is a battlefield feature that projects into enemy territory. ... The British First Army was a field army that existed during the First and Second World Wars. ... Field Marshal Lord Haig Field Marshal Sir Douglas Haig, 1st Earl Haig, KT, GCB, OM, GCVO, KCIE, ADC (June 19, 1861 – January 28, 1928) was a British soldier and senior commander during World War I. He was commander of the British Expeditionary Force during the Battle of the Somme and... The British Second Army was extant in both World Wars. ... General Sir Horace Lockwood Smith-Dorrien General Sir Horace Lockwood Smith-Dorrien (May 26, 1858–August 12, 1930) was a British soldier and commander of the British II Corps of the BEF during the Great War. ...

British infantry advancing through gas at Loos, 25 September 1915.

Trench warfare prevailed in 1915 and the BEF, as the junior partner on the Western Front, fought a series of small battles, at times coordinated with the larger French offensives; at Neuve Chapelle in March, Aubers Ridge and Festubert in May and at Givenchy in June. On 22 April 1915, the Germans launched the Second Battle of Ypres, employing poison gas for the first time on the Western Front and capturing much of the high ground that ringed the salient. By September 1915 the British Army had grown in strength, with the first New Army divisions entering the line, and as part of the Third Battle of Artois, the Army launched a major attack at Loos utilising their own newly developed chemical weapons for the first time. The result was another costly and disappointing failure and marked the end for Field Marshall French; on 19 December 1915, General Sir Douglas Haig became Commander-in-Chief of the BEF. Download high resolution version (1200x725, 118 KB)British infantry advancing into a gas cloud during the Battle of Loos, 25 September 1915. ... Download high resolution version (1200x725, 118 KB)British infantry advancing into a gas cloud during the Battle of Loos, 25 September 1915. ... There are things that have the name Loos in France: Communes Loos, in the Nord département Related Loos-en-Gohelle, in the Pas-de-Calais département Persons Adolf Loos François Loos (José Miguel García Loos) writer, book edited in 1997 Personal Marketing in Venezuela. ... September 25 is the 268th day of the year (269th in leap years). ... 1915 (MCMXV) was a common year starting on Friday (see link for calendar). ... Trench Warfare is a form of war in which both opposing armies have static lines apples, oranges, poo, cheese and bananas dug into the ground, facing each other. ... The Battles of Neuve Chapelle and Artois was a battle in the First World War. ... Battle of Festubert was an attack by the British army on the Ypres salient of the western front during World War I. It began on May 15, 1915 and continued until May 25. ... Battle of Givenchy (December 18-22,1914) was a battle fought during World War I the saw an initially advancing British force face strong opposition and counter-attack from a solidly entrenched German force around the village of Givenchy. ... April 22 is the 112th day of the year in the Gregorian calendar (113th in leap years). ... 1915 (MCMXV) was a common year starting on Friday (see link for calendar). ... Combatants France United Kingdom Canada Newfoundland German Empire Commanders General Sir Horace Smith-Dorrien Duke Albrecht of Württemberg Strength UK, Canada, Newfoundland: 6 infantry divisions France: 2 infantry divisions 7 infantry divisions Casualties UK, Canada, Newfoundland: (6,000) India: 58,000 France: 10,000 35,000 The Second Battle... Early detection of chemical agents Sociopolitical climate of chemical warfare While the study of chemicals and their military uses was widespread in China, the use of toxic materials has historically been viewed with mixed emotions and some disdain in the West (especially when the enemy were doing it). ... Following the outbreak of hostilities in the Great War the then British Secretary of State for War Horatio Kitchener, Lord Kitchener of Khartoum, advised forming a volunteer army of a million men. ... Combatants France, Britain Germany Commanders Auguste Dubail Sir John French Crown Prince Rupprecht Strength French 10th Army 6 British Divisions German 6th Army Casualties 48,000 French 50,000 British 20,000 German A battle on the western front of World War I, the Second Battle of Artois is also... The Battle of Loos was one of the major British offensives mounted on the Western Front in 1915 during World War I. The battle was the British component of the combined Anglo-French offensive known as the Second Battle of Artois. ... December 19 is the 353rd day of the year (354th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... 1915 (MCMXV) was a common year starting on Friday (see link for calendar). ...

Tyneside Irish Brigade advancing on the First Day of the Somme (1 July 1916)

For the British Army, 1916 was dominated by the Battle of the Somme which started disastrously on 1 July. The first day on the Somme remains the bloodiest day in the history of the British Army when over 19,000 soldiers were killed and a nearly 40,000 were wounded, all for little or no gain. There followed nearly five months of attrition during which the Fourth Army of General Henry Rawlinson and the Fifth Army of General Hubert Gough advanced about five miles for a cost of 420,000 casualties. Despite the losses, the British Army under Haig had grown in size and experience such that it was now an equal partner with the French Army on the Western Front. Download high resolution version (1000x730, 76 KB)A support company of the Tyneside Irish Brigade advancing from the Tara-Usna Line opposite La Boisselle on 1 July, 1916, the first day on the Somme. ... Download high resolution version (1000x730, 76 KB)A support company of the Tyneside Irish Brigade advancing from the Tara-Usna Line opposite La Boisselle on 1 July, 1916, the first day on the Somme. ... The Tyneside Irish Brigade was a British First World War infantry brigade of Kitcheners Army, raised in 1914. ... First Day on the Somme Conflict First World War Date 1 July 1916 Place Somme, Picardy, France Result Decisive German victory The first day on the Somme, 1 July 1916, was the opening day of the British and French offensive that became the Battle of the Somme. ... July 1 is the 182nd day of the year (183rd in leap years) in the Gregorian Calendar, with 183 days remaining. ... 1916 (MCMXVI) was a leap year starting on Saturday (link will take you to calendar). ... Combatants United Kingdom France Canada India Newfoundland New Zealand South Africa Australia German Empire Commanders Douglas Haig Ferdinand Foch Max von Gallwitz Fritz von Below Strength 13 British & 6 French divisions (initial) 51 British divisions (final) 10. ... July 1 is the 182nd day of the year (183rd in leap years) in the Gregorian Calendar, with 183 days remaining. ... Combatants Britain, France, Newfoundland Germany Commanders Douglas Haig Henry Rawlinson Ferdinand Foch Fritz von Below Strength 13 British divisions 6 French divisions 6 divisions Casualties British: 57,470 French: 7,000 10,000 - 12,000 The first day on the Somme, 1 July 1916, was the opening day of the... Attrition may have multiple meanings: From a military standpoint, attrition means a gradual, natural reduction in membership or personnel, as through retirement, resignation, or death. ... The British Fourth Army was a field army of the British Expeditionary Force during the First World War. ... General Henry Rawlinson at Fourth Army HQ, Querrieu Chateau, July 1916. ... The British Fifth Army was a field army of the British Expeditionary Force during the First World War. ... Sir Hubert de la Poer Gough (August 12, 1870–1963) was a British World War I general who commanded the British Fifth Army from 1916 to 1918. ...

British wounded returning from fighting on Bazentin Ridge, July 1916.

In February 1917 the German Army began to withdraw to the Hindenburg Line and it was these formidable defences that elements of the British Army assaulted in the Battle of Arras in April. For this battle, the British Prime Minister, David Lloyd George, had placed Haig and the BEF under the orders of new French Commander-in-Chief, Robert Nivelle who planned a major French Army offensive in Champagne. Arras failed to deliver a breakthrough and Haig, freed from the restraints of the French command, now embarked on his favoured plan to launch an offensive in Flanders. In a successful preliminary operation, General Herbert Plumer's Second Army seized the Messines Ridge south of Ypres. The Third Battle of Ypres, which began on 31 July 1917, was one of the worst ordeals endured by British and Dominion forces during the war, with the battlefield reduced to a quagmire. It was not until 6 November that the Passchendaele ridge was captured, by which time the British Army had sustained 310,000 casualties. Download high resolution version (1000x727, 118 KB) Wikipedia does not have an article with this exact name. ... Download high resolution version (1000x727, 118 KB) Wikipedia does not have an article with this exact name. ... Battle of Bazentin Ridge Conflict First World War Date 14 July 1916 Place Somme, Picardy, France Result British victory The Battle of Bazentin Ridge, launched by the British Fourth Army at dawn on 14 July 1916, marked the start of the second phase of the Battle of the Somme. ... The Hindenburg Line was a vast system of defences in Northern France constructed by the Germans during the winter of 1916– 17 during World War I; the Germans called it the Siegfried Line. ... The Battle of Arras took place from 9 April to 16 May 1917. ... The Prime Minister of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland is the head of government and so exercises many of the executive functions nominally vested in the Sovereign, who is head of state. ... David Lloyd George, 1st Earl Lloyd-George of Dwyfor, OM, PC (17 January 1863 – 26 March 1945) was a British statesman and the last member of the Liberal Party to be Prime Minister of the United Kingdom. ... Robert Georges Nivelle (October 15, 1857 - March 22, 1924) was a French military commander during World War I. Born in Tulle, France, to a French father and English mother, Nivelle graduated from the École Polytechnique in 1878 and served in Indochina, Algeria, and China as an artillery officer. ... The Nivelle Offensive was a 1917 Allied attack on the Western Front in World War I. The offensive was a costly failure. ... Champagne is one of the traditional provinces of France, a region of France that is best known for the production of the sparkling white wine that bears the regions name. ... Flanders (Flemish, Fleming) (Dutch: Vlaanderen (Vlaams, Vlaming)) has two main designations: a geographical region in the north of Belgium, corresponding to the Flemish region, a constituent part of the federal Belgian state. ... Herbert Onslow Plumer, 1st Viscount Plumer (1857–1932) was a British colonial official and soldier. ... The battle of Messines was launched on the 7 June 1917 by General Herbert Plumers second army. ... Passchendaele village, before and after the Battle of Passchendaele The Battle of Passchendaele, otherwise known as the Third Battle of Ypres, was one of the major battles of World War I, fought by British, ANZAC, and Canadian soldiers against the German army near Ypres (Ieper in Flemish) in West Flanders... July 31 is the 212th day (213th in leap years) of the year in the Gregorian Calendar, with 153 days remaining. ... 1917 (MCMXVII) was a common year starting on Monday of the Gregorian calendar (see link for calendar) or a common year starting on Tuesday of the 13-day slower Julian calendar. ... A Dominion is a wholly self-governing or virtually self-governing state of the British Empire or Commonwealth of Nations, particularly one which reached that stage of constitutional development in the late 19th and early 20th centuries such as Canada, Australia and New Zealand. ... November 6 is the 310th day of the year (311th in leap years) in the Gregorian Calendar, with 55 days remaining. ... Combatants United Kingdom France Canada Australia New Zealand German Empire Commanders Douglas Haig Hubert Gough Herbert Plumer Francois Anthoine Max von Gallwitz Erich Ludendorff Strength Unknown Unknown Casualties 448,000 killed and wounded 260,000 killed and wounded The 1917 Battle of Passchendaele, also known as the Third Battle of...

For the British Army, 1917 ended with faint promise in the Battle of Cambrai which demonstrated the potential of tanks operating en masse. Third Army commander, General Julian Byng, planned an ambitious breakthrough and achieved an unprecedented advanced of six kilometres on the first day but lacked the reserves to either continue or consolidate. A German counter-offensive succeeded in recapturing most of the lost ground. Combatants United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland Newfoundland German Empire Commanders Julian Byng Georg von der Marwitz Strength 2 Corps 1 Corps Casualties 45,000 killed 9,000 prisoners 100 tanks destroyed 45,000 killed 11,000 prisoners The Battle of Cambrai (November 20 - December 3, 1917) was a... The British Third Army was a British Army unit. ... Julian Hedworth George Byng, 1st Viscount Byng of Vimy (September 11, 1862 - June 6, 1935) was commander of the Canadian army in World War I, and later became Governor General of Canada. ... A kilometre (American spelling: kilometer), symbol: km is a unit of length in the metric system equal to 1000 metres (from the Greek words χίλια (khilia) = thousand and μέτρο (metro) = count/measure). ...

The year 1918 started with disaster and ended in triumph for the British Army. On 21 March 1918, German commander, General Erich Ludendorff, launched the Spring Offensive and the main weight of the first blow, Operation Michael, fell on the British Fifth Army of General Gough which was forced into retreat, finally halting the German advance east of Amiens. The next German attack came south of Ypres along the Lys river and here too the British Army fell back. Haig issued his famous Order of the Day, "With our backs to the wall and believing in the justice of our cause, each one of us must fight on to the end." In response to the crisis facing the Allies, French general Ferdinand Foch was made Supreme Commander for Allied forces on the Western Front, placing the BEF under his strategic direction. March 21 is the 80th day of the year in the Gregorian Calendar (81st in leap years). ... 1918 (MCMXVIII) was a common year starting on Tuesday of the Gregorian calendar (see link for calendar) or a common year starting on Wednesday of the Julian calendar. ... Ludendorff in 1918 Erich Ludendorff (sometimes given incorrectly as Erich von Ludendorff) (April 9, 1865 – December 20, 1937, Tutzing, Bavaria, Germany) was a German Army officer, noted as a general during World War I. Ludendorff was born in Kruszewnia near Posen, Prussia (now Poznań, Poland). ... The 1918 Spring Offensive or Kaiserschlacht was a series of German attacks along the Western Front during the First World War, which marked the deepest advance by either side since 1914. ... The Spring Offensive (Operation Michael) was a German offensive along the Western Front during the First World War which marked the deepest advance by any side since 1914. ... The cathedral in Amiens Location within France Amiens is a city and commune in the north of France, 120 km north of Paris. ... British and Portuguese captured by German forces in the Flanders region (1918) British 55th (West Lancashire) Division troops blinded by tear gas during the battle, 10 April 1918. ... Marshal of France Ferdinand Foch, OM, GCB, (October 2, 1851 – March 20, 1929) was a French soldier. ...

On 8 August 1918, General Rawlinson's Fourth Army launched the Battle of Amiens which marked the start of the Hundred Days Offensive, the final Allied offensive on the Western Front. Over the following weeks, all five armies of the BEF went on the offensive from the Somme to Flanders. A few American divisions remained attached to British armies and participated in the British operations. Fighting continued right up until the Armistice with Germany came into effect at 11.00 am on 11 November 1918. August 8 is the 220th day of the year in the Gregorian Calendar (221st in leap years), with 145 days remaining. ... 1918 (MCMXVIII) was a common year starting on Tuesday of the Gregorian calendar (see link for calendar) or a common year starting on Wednesday of the Julian calendar. ... Combatants United Kingdom, France, Canada, Australia Germany Commanders Henry Rawlinson Georg von der Marwitz Strength 4 Aus. ... The Hundred Days Offensive was the final offensive in World War I by the Allies against the Central Powers on the Western Front from August 8, 1918 to November 11, 1918. ... Somme is a French département, named after the Somme River, located in the north of France. ... The armistice treaty between the Allies and Germany was signed in a railway carriage in woods near Compiègne on November 11th, 1918, and marked the end of the First World War on the Western Front. ... November 11 is the 315th day of the year (316th in leap years) in the Gregorian Calendar, with 50 days remaining. ... 1918 (MCMXVIII) was a common year starting on Tuesday of the Gregorian calendar (see link for calendar) or a common year starting on Wednesday of the Julian calendar. ...

Other theatres

The British Army was involved in some comparatively obscure theatres of the war such as the symbolic contribution of the South Wales Borderers in support of Japanese forces in the capture of the German port of Tsingtao in China in 1914. A few British Army battalions also participated in the campaign in East Africa against von Lettow-Vorbeck's elusive German and colonial Askari forces however most British operations in Africa were carried out by native colonial or Indian Army units under British command. The South Wales Borderers was an infantry regiment of the British Army. ... Qingdao (Simplified Chinese: 青岛; Traditional Chinese: 青島; Pinyin: QÄ«ngdÇŽo; Wade-Giles: Ching-tao), well-known to the West by its Postal System Pinyin transliteration Tsingtao, is a sub-provincial city in eastern Shandong province, Peoples Republic of China. ...  Eastern Africa (UN subregion)  East African Community  Central African Federation (defunct)  geographic, including above East Africa or Eastern Africa is the easternmost region of the African continent, variably defined by geography or geopolitics. ... General Paul Erich von Lettow-Vorbeck (March 20, 1870 - March 9, 1964) was the commander of the German East Africa campaign in World War I, the only colonial campaign of that war where Germany remained undefeated. ... A drawing of an Askari by Wilhelm Kuhnert Askari is an Arabic and Swahili word meaning soldier. It was frequently used to describe indigenous troops in East Africa and the Middle East serving European colonial powers but also describes policemen and security guards. ... Africa is the worlds second-largest and second-most populous continent, after Asia. ... The Indian Army in the time of the British Raj (1857–1947) // Administrative Name The Indian Army is the name for the Indian Armed forces of that country; the meaning of that name changed over time: History The Indian Army was formed after the Indian Mutiny in 1857 by the...

A battalion of Lancashire Fusiliers bound for Cape Helles, Gallipoli in May 1915.

The British Army was heavily engaged in the Mediterranean, Middle East and Mesopotamia throughout the war, mainly against the Ottoman Empire. In April 1915, following the failure of the Royal Navy's attempt capture the Dardanelles, the Army landed at Cape Helles on the Gallipoli peninsula. In August another landing was made at Suvla Bay but the deadlock remained and by January 1916, the British, Anzac and French forces had withdrawn. A new front was opened in Salonika at the request of the Greek government, intending to support Serbian forces and oppose Bulgaria, but this too remained static, tying up troops who suffered severely from malaria and other illnesses; it gained a reputation as "Germany's biggest internment camp." Download high resolution version (1200x1343, 415 KB)Lancashire Fusiliers bound for Cape Helles, Gallipoli, May 1915. ... Download high resolution version (1200x1343, 415 KB)Lancashire Fusiliers bound for Cape Helles, Gallipoli, May 1915. ... The Lancashire Fusiliers was a British infantry regiment that was amalgamated with other Fusilier regiments in 1968 to form the Royal Regiment of Fusiliers. ... Satellite image of the Gallipoli peninsula and surrounding area Gallipoli, called Gelibolu in modern Turkish, (Greek: Καλλίπολις), is a town in northwestern Turkey. ... The Mediterranean Sea is an intercontinental sea positioned between Europe to the north, Africa to the south and Asia to the east, covering an approximate area of 2. ... A map showing countries commonly considered to be part of the Middle East The Middle East is a region comprising the lands around the southern and eastern parts of the Mediterranean Sea, a territory that extends from the eastern Mediterranean Sea to the Persian Gulf. ... To meet Wikipedias quality standards, this article or section may require cleanup. ... It has been suggested that Lifestyle of the Ottoman Empire be merged into this article or section. ... Map of the Dardanelles The Dardanelles (Turkish: Çanakkale BoÄŸazı, Greek: Δαρδανελλια), formerly known as the Hellespont, is a narrow strait in northwestern Turkey connecting the Aegean Sea with the Sea of Marmara. ... Landing at Cape Helles Conflict First World War Date 25 April 1915 Place Cape Helles, Gallipoli, Turkey Result British victory The Landing at Cape Helles was part of the amphibious invasion of the Gallipoli peninsula by British and French forces on April 25, 1915 during World War I. Helles, at... Combatants United Kingdom France India Australia New Zealand Newfoundland Ottoman Empire Commanders Sir Ian Hamilton Otto Liman von Sanders Mustafa Kemal Strength 5 divisions (initial) 14 divisions (final) 6 divisions (initial) 14 divisions (final) Casualties 252,000 (205,000 British, 47,000 French) 253,000 The Battle of Gallipoli took... Landing at Suvla Bay Conflict First World War Date 6–15 August 1915 Place Suvla, Gallipoli peninsula, Turkey Result Turkish victory The landing at Suvla Bay was an amphibious landing made at Suvla on the Aegean coast of Gallipoli peninsula in Turkey as part of the August Offensive, the final... The Australian and New Zealand Army Corps (popularly abbreviated as ANZAC) was originally an army corps of Australian and New Zealand troops who fought in World War I at Gallipoli, in the Middle East and on the Western Front. ... The White Tower The Arch of Galerius Map showing the Thessaloníki prefecture Thessaloníki (Θεσσαλονίκη) is the second-largest city of Greece and is the principal city and the capital of the Greek region of Macedonia. ... Serbia and Montenegro  â€“ Serbia      â€“ Vojvodina   â€“ Montenegro Kosovo (UN administration) Official language Serbian1 Capital Belgrade Area (not including data for Kosovo) – Total – % water 77. ... Red blood cell infected with Malaria, derived from mala aria (Medieval Italian for bad air) and formerly called ague or marsh fever in English, is an infectious disease which causes about 350-500 million infections with humans and approximately 1. ... A concentration camp is a large detention centre created for political opponents, aliens, specific ethnic or religious groups, civilians of a critical war-zone, or other groups of people, often during a war. ...

The victorious General Allenby dismounted, enters Jerusalem on foot out of respect for the Holy City, 31 December 1917

In the Sinai and Palestine, the British Army, along with Australian and New Zealand light cavalry, made steady progress against Ottoman opposition until the First Battle of Gaza in March 1917. The appointment of General Edmund Allenby reinvigorated the campaign, leading to the capture of Jerusalem in December 1917 and the decisive Meggido Offensive in September 1918 which precipitated an armistice with the Ottoman Empire. In Mesopotamia, the Army was highly dependent upon Indian Army forces and initially experienced success until defeat at Kut-al-Amara in April 1916 halted progress. The British eventually regained momentum upon General Frederick Stanley Maude becoming commander and Baghdad was captured in 1917. Famous public photo of dismounted General Sir Edmund Allenby entering the Holy City of Jerusalem on foot 1917. ... Famous public photo of dismounted General Sir Edmund Allenby entering the Holy City of Jerusalem on foot 1917. ... Jerusalem (; Hebrew: Yerushalayim; Arabic: al-Quds, Greek Ιεροσόλυμα), the capital of Israel, is an ancient Middle Eastern city on the watershed between the Mediterranean Sea and the Dead Sea at an elevation of 650-840 meters. ... December 31 is the 365th day of the year (366th in leap years) in the Gregorian Calendar. ... 1917 (MCMXVII) was a common year starting on Monday of the Gregorian calendar (see link for calendar) or a common year starting on Tuesday of the 13-day slower Julian calendar. ... Sinai and Palestine Campaign during World War I: Sinai campaign Battle of Romani Battle of Magdhaba Battle of Rafa Palestine campaign First Battle of Gaza Second Battle of Gaza Third Battle of Gaza Battle of Beersheba Battle of Megiddo Categories: Battles of the Sinai and Palestine Campaign ... Cavalry is also a common misspelling of the Biblical hill Calvary. ... First Battle of Gaza Conflict First World War Date 26 March 1917 Place Gaza, southern Palestine Result Turkish victory The First Battle of Gaza was a World War I battle on the southern border of Palestine. ... Field Marshal Edmund Henry Hynman Allenby, 1st Viscount Allenby, GCB, GCMG, GCVO (April 23, 1861 - May 14, 1936) was a British soldier and administrator most famous for his role during World War I, in which he led the Egyptian Expeditionary Force in the conquest of Palestine and Syria in 1917... Battle of Jerusalem Conflict World War I Date December 8–26, 1917 Place Jerusalem, Palestine Result Allied victory The Battle of Jerusalem resulted in the city of Jerusalem falling to British forces in December 1917. ... Battle of Megiddo Conflict First World War Date September 19-21, 1918 Place Megiddo, Palestine Result British victory The Battle of Megiddo of September 19-21, 1918, was an important milestone in British General Edmund Allenbys conquest of Palestine during World War I. His forces made a massive push... To meet Wikipedias quality standards, this article or section may require cleanup. ... The Indian Army in the time of the British Raj (1857–1947) // Administrative Name The Indian Army is the name for the Indian Armed forces of that country; the meaning of that name changed over time: History The Indian Army was formed after the Indian Mutiny in 1857 by the... The Siege of Kut-al-Amara (December 7, 1915 - April 29, 1916) was part of the Mesopotamian campaign in World War I. The British Mesopotamian Expeditionary Force (MEF) suffered a very serious defeat against the Ottoman forces. ... General Sir Frederick Stanley Maude (June 24, 1864 - November 18, 1917) was a British soldier. ... Location of Baghdad within Iraq Baghdad (Arabic: ‎ translit: , Kurdish: Bexda, from Persian Baagh-daad or Bag-Da-Du meaning “Garden of God” [1]) is the capital of Iraq and of Baghdad Governorate. ...

Inter-War Period (1919-1939)

In the immediate aftermath of the First World War, Britain faced serious economic woes and heavy defence cuts were consequently imposed by the British Government in the early 1920s as part of a reduction in public expenditure known as the "Geddes Axe" after Sir Eric Geddes. The Government introduced the Ten Year Rule, stating its belief that Britain would not be involved in another major war for 10-years, and was abandoned in 1932. The Royal Tank Corps was the only corps formed in WWI that survived the cuts; the cavalry had sixteen regiments amalgamated into eight and there was a substantial reduction in infantry battalions and the size of the TF (now retitled as the Territorial Army). The Army was effectively being reduced to the role of imperial policeman, concentrated on responding to the small imperial conflicts that rose up across the Empire. On 31 July 1922, the Army also lost six Irish regiments (5 infantry and 1 cavalry) that were based and recruited from the south of Ireland, largely in part due to the creation of the Irish Free State. In spite of this, Irishmen from the south were still able to join the British Army, and many did indeed do so. Sir Eric Campbell Geddes (26 September 1875-22 June 1937) was a British politician. ... The Ten Year Rule was a British government order, under Winston Churchill as Secretary of State for War, of August 1919 to the armed forces that they should draft their estimates on the assumption that the British Empire would not be engaged in any great war during the next ten... 1932 (MCMXXXII) was a leap year starting on Friday (the link will take you to a full 1932 calendar). ... July 31 is the 212th day (213th in leap years) of the year in the Gregorian Calendar, with 153 days remaining. ... 1922 (MCMXXII) was a common year starting on Sunday (see link for calendar). ... The Irish Free State (Irish: Saorstát Éireann) (1922–1937) was the name of the state comprising the 26 of Irelands 32 counties that were separated from the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland under the Irish Free State Agreement (or Anglo-Irish Treaty) signed by British and...

One of the first post-war campaigns that the Army took part in was the Allied intervention in Russia in 1919 to assist the "White Army" against the Communist Bolsheviks during their Civil War. The British Army was also maintaining occupation forces in the defeated powers of WWI. In Germany, a British Army of the Rhine (BAOR) was established. The BAOR would remain in existence until 1929 when British forces were withdrawn. Another British occupation force was based in Constantinople in Turkey, and a number of British units fought against Turkish rebels during the Turkish War of Independence. A small British Military Mission was also advising the Polish Army during the Polish-Soviet War (1919-1921). White army may refer to: The military arm of the White movement, a loose coalition of anti-Bolshevik forces in the Russian Civil War The Saudi Arabian National Guard The National Guard of Kuwait This is a disambiguation page — a navigational aid which lists other pages that might otherwise share... Leaders of the Bolshevik Party and the Communist International, a painting by Malcolm McAllister on the Pathfinder Mural in New York City and on the cover of the book Lenin’s Final Fight published by Pathfinder. ... The Russian Civil War was fought from 1918 to 1922. ... There have been two formations named British Army of the Rhine (BAOR). ... 1929 (MCMXXIX) was a common year starting on Tuesday (link will take you to calendar). ... Constantinople[1] was the name of the modern-day city of Ä°stanbul, Turkey over the centuries that it served as the second capital of the unified Roman Empire, and after its division into East and West, of the Eastern Roman Empire, also known as the Byzantine Empire (from the city... To meet Wikipedias quality standards, this article or section may require cleanup. ... The British Military Mission to Poland was an effort by Britain to aid the nascent Second Polish Republic after it achieved its independence in November, 1918, at the end of the First World War. ... Polish Army (Polish Wojsko Polskie) is the name applied to the military forces of Poland. ... Combatants Russian Soviet Federated Socialist Republic Second Polish Republic Commanders Mikhail Tukhachevsky Józef PiÅ‚sudski Edward Rydz-ÅšmigÅ‚y Strength 950,000 including reserves 5 million 360,000 including reserves 738,000 Casualties Unknown, dead estimated at 100,000 - 150,000 Unknown, dead estimated at 60,000 The Polish...

The Army, throughout the inter-war period, also had to deal with quelling paramilitary organisations seeking the removal of the British. In British Somaliland, Mohammed bin Abdullah (known to the British Army as 'The Mad Mullah') resumed his campaign against the British, a campaign he had first begun in 1900. The operations against him were prominent due to the newly-formed RAF being instrumental in his defeat. The Army also took part in operations in Ireland against the IRA during the Anglo-Irish War. Both sides committed atrocities, some units becoming infamous, such as the paramilitary Black and Tans that were recruited from veterans of WWI. The British Army was also supporting British Indian Army operations in the North-West Frontier of India against numerous tribes (known collectively as the Pashtun) hostile to the British. The Army had been operating in the volatile North-West area since the 1800s. The last major uprising that the Army had to deal with before the start of the Second World War, was the uprising in Palestine that began in 1936. The British Somaliland Protectorate was a British protectorate in the north part of the Horn of Africa, later part of Somalia. ... Mohammed bin Abdullah, was a Somali mullah, religious agitator and dervish of the Habr Suleiman tribe in what was then British Somaliland. ... The West Cork Flying Column during the War of Independence. ... An Irish War of Independence memorial in Dublin The Anglo-Irish War (also known as the Irish War of Independence) was a guerrilla campaign mounted against the British government in Ireland by the Irish Republican Army under the proclaimed legitimacy of the First Dáil, the extra-legal Irish parliament... Black and Tans For other senses, see Black and tan (disambiguation). ... The Indian Army in the time of the British Raj (1857–1947) // Administrative Name The Indian Army is the name for the Indian Armed forces of that country; the meaning of that name changed over time: History The Indian Army was formed after the Indian Mutiny in 1857 by the... North-West Frontier Province (NWFP) is geographically the smallest of the four provinces of Pakistan. ... The Pashtuns (also Pushtun, Pakhtun, ethnic Afghan, or Pathan) are an ethno-linguistic group consisting mainly of eastern Iranian stock living primarily in eastern and southern Afghanistan, and the North West Frontier Province, Federally Administered Tribal Areas and Baluchistan provinces of Pakistan. ... Events and Trends Beginning of the Napoleonic Wars (1803 - 1815). ... Mushroom cloud from the nuclear explosion over Nagasaki rising 18 km into the air. ... The Great Uprising, Great Revolt, or Great Arab Revolt was an uprising by Palestinian Arabs in the British Mandate of Palestine which lasted from 1936 to 1939. ... 1936 (MCMXXXVI) was a leap year starting on Wednesday (link will take you to calendar). ...

By the 1930s, another war with Germany was about to occur, now controlled by Hitler's Nazi Party who wee becoming increasingly aggressive and expansionist. The Army was, however, not prepared for war, lagging behind the technologically advanced and much larger Heer of the German Wehrmacht. The mechanisation of the cavalry, converting to Cruiser, Light, and Infantry tanks, as-well as Carriers and Armoured cars, had begun in 1929 though was going at an extremely slow pace due to it having little priority brought on by the severe economical restrictions imposed on the Armed Forces. With each Service vying for a share of the defence budget, the Army came last behind the Royal Navy and Royal Air Force in allocation of funds. In contrast to Germany's embrace of tank warfare and individuals such as Heinz Guderian, many individuals in the higher echelons in Britain had little enthusiasm for armour and the ideas of Basil Liddell Hart and J.F.C. Fuller were largely ignored; ironically, many of their ideas were employed by the Germans for their Blitzkrieg. By the mid-1930s, mechanisation in the British Army was gaining momentum and on 4 April 1939, with the mechanisation process nearing completion, the Royal Armoured Corps was formed to administer the cavalry regiments and Royal Tank Regiment (with the exception of the Household Cavalry). The mechanisation process was finally completed in 1941 with the Royal Scots Greys. This article or section does not cite its references or sources. ... (April 20, 1889 – April 30, 1945) was Chancellor of Germany from 1933 and Führer (Leader) of Germany from 1934 until his death. ... The Nazi swastika symbol The National Socialist German Workers Party ( German: Nationalsozialistische Deutsche Arbeiterpartei), better known as the NSDAP or the Nazi Party was a political party that was led to power in Germany by Adolf Hitler in 1933. ... Heer (   listen?) is the German word for army. ... German cavalry and motorized units entering Poland from East Prussia during the Polish Defensive War of 1939 Wehrmacht (help· info) (Defence force) was the name of the armed forces of Germany from 1935 to 1945. ... The cruiser tank (also called cavalry tank or fast tank) was a British tank design concept of the interwar period. ... The US M1A1 Abrams tank is a typical modern main battle tank. ... The infantry tank was a concept developed by the British in the years leading up to World War II. They were intended to work alongside infantry. ... East German BRDMs on parade during celebrations of the 40th anniversary of East Germany in 1989 Armoured personnel carriers (APCs) are light armoured fighting vehicles for the transport of infantry. ... Military armored cars A French VBL reconnaissance vehicle. ... 1929 (MCMXXIX) was a common year starting on Tuesday (link will take you to calendar). ... Heinz Wilhelm Guderian (17 June 1888 - 14 May 1954) was a military theorist and innovative General of the German Army during the Second World War. ... The military historian Basil Liddell Hart. ... J.F.C. Fuller (September 1, 1878 – February 10, 1966), full name John Frederick Charles Fuller, was a British Major General, military historian and strategist, notable as an early theorist of modern armoured warfare, including categorising principles of warfare. ... April 4 is the 94th day of the year in the Gregorian calendar (95th in leap years). ... 1939 (MCMXXXIX) was a common year starting on Sunday (link will take you to calendar). ... The Royal Armoured Corps (RAC) is currently a collection of ten regular regiments, mostly converted from old horse cavalry regiments, and four Yeomanry regiments of the Territorial Army. ... The term Household Cavalry is used across the Commonwealth of Nations to describe the cavalry of the Household Divisions. ... For the movie, see 1941 (film) 1941 (MCMXLI) was a common year starting on Wednesday (the link is to a full 1941 calendar). ... The Scots Greys was the unofficial and later official name of a dragoon regiment of the British Army from 1678 until 1971, when they amalgamated to form The Royal Scots Dragoon Guards (Carabiniers and Greys). ...

After the Munich Crisis in 1938, a serious effort was undertaken to expand the Army, including the doubling in size of the Territorial Army, helped by the reintroduction of conscription in April 1939; by mid-1939 the Army consisted of just about 225,000 Regulars and 300,000 understrength and poorly-equipped Territorials and Reservists, all of which was dwarfed, yet again, by its continental counterparts. By the end of the year though, over 1 million had been conscripted into the Army while some occupations, such as dockers and miners, were exempt from being called up as part of reserved occupations. Just before the war, a new British Expeditionary Force was formed. Between 1938-39, with the a substantial expansion in the Army, a number of new organisations were formed, including the Auxiliary Territorial Service for women in September 1938; its duties were vast, and helped release men for front-line service. The Munich Agreement was an agreement regarding the Munich Crisis between the major powers of Europe after a conference held in Munich in Germany in 1938 and concluded on September 29. ... 1938 (MCMXXXVIII) was a common year starting on Saturday (link will take you to calendar). ... British non-derogative slang for a dock worker, i. ... The El Chino Mine located near Silver City, New Mexico is an open-pit copper mine Mining is the extraction of valuable minerals or other geological materials from the earth, usually (but not always) from an ore body, vein, or (coal) seam. ... A reserved occupation (also known as essential services) is an occupation considered important enough to a country that those serving in such occupations are exempt - in fact forbidden - from military service. ... This article needs to be cleaned up to conform to a higher standard of quality. ...

World War II (1939-1945)

Organisation

By the time the British Empire, France and their allies declared war on Germany on 3 September 1939, two days after its invasion of Poland, the Army was still unprepared. For example, only a very small number of Matilda tanks (later to gain fame in North Africa) were in service when war broke out, and nearly 100,000 soldiers were based abroad, more than half of which were located in India and the East of Suez garrisons, such as Singapore. Others were based in the Mediterranean, Middle East, and North Africa, while the smallest was the West Indies with just a single battalion -- the 2nd Battalion, The King's Shropshire Light Infantry -- garrisoning the region, supported by indigenous units. September 3 is the 246th day of the year (247th in leap years). ... 1939 (MCMXXXIX) was a common year starting on Sunday (link will take you to calendar). ... The A12 Infantry Tank II Matilda (sometimes referred to as Senior Matilda or Matilda II) was a British tank of World War II. In a somewhat unorthodox move, it shared the same name as the A11 Infantry Tank I. The name Matilda itself comes from a cartoon duck. ... East of Suez was a term used in British military and political discussions. ... The Caribbean or the West Indies is a group of islands in the Caribbean Sea. ... The Kings Shropshire Light Infantry is a former regiment of the British Army, formed in 1881 by the amalgamation of the 53rd Regiment of Foot and the 85th (Kings Light Infantry) Regiment of Foot. ...

The British infantry at the beginning of the war were still equipped with the venerable Lee-Enfield rifle, the No. 4 variant being gradually phased in, and Webley revolver; they had gained a new reliable machine gun to accompany the Vickers, the Bren, and their principal anti-tank weapon was the Boys anti-tank rifle. They acquired many new technologies and equipment during the war, many of which were utilised to great effect by the new élite and special forces units, intended to strike against enemy-occupied territory. Among these élite forces, the most prominent were the Army Commandos, Long Range Desert Group, the Special Air Service Regiment (formed to administer existing SAS units in 1944) and The Parachute Regiment; the latter was administered by the Army Air Corps from 1942, along with The Glider Pilot Regiment and the Air Observation Post Squadron, RA, being joined by the SAS upon its formation. Some of the new infantry equipment produced in the war included the PIAT anti-gun launcher and Sten gun. A number of infantry battalions, such as the 2nd Ox & Bucks,1st Royal Ulsters and [The 2nd Battalion The South Staffordshire Regiment]converted to the "Airlanding" role, landing via glider. By the end of the war, much of the infantry itself had become mechanised, enabling it to better co-operate with armoured units. Lee-Enfield No4 Mk1 with bayonet, scabbard attached The Lee-Enfield was the British armys standard bolt action, magazine-fed, repeating rifle from 1895 until 1956. ... The Webley Revolver was a standard issue weapon for the British Army from 1887 until 1956. ... The Bren, usually called the Bren Gun was a series of machine guns adopted by Britain in the 1930s and used in various roles into the 1980s. ... Boyes Anti-tank Rifle Type Anti tank rifle Nationality United Kingdom Era World War II History Date of design 1937 Production period 1937 - ? Service duration 1937 - 194? Operators United Kingdom, Empire/Commonwealth, War service World War II Specifications Type Bolt action rifle Calibre . ... The British Commandos were first formed by the Army in June 1940 during World War II as a well-armed but unregimented raider force employing unconventional and irregular tactics to assault, disrupt and reconnoitre the enemy in mainland Europe and Scandinavia. ... The Long Range Desert Group (LRDG) was a British Army unit during World War II. The unit was founded in Egypt following the Italian declaration of war (June 1940) by Major Ralph A. Bagnold with the assistance of captains Clayton and Shaw, acting under the direction of General Wavell. ... SAS Cap Badge Official force name Special Air Service Nicknames The Regiment The SAS (British Army phonetic) the sass (discouraged by the unit itself) Motto Who Dares Wins Description Britains main Special Operations Force. ... The Parachute Regiment is the airborne infantry element of the British Army. ... The Army Air Corps is a vital component of the British Army. ... This article is about the year. ... PIAT in Canadian War Museum The PIAT, for Projector, Infantry, Anti Tank, was one of the earlier anti-tank weapons based on a HEAT shell. ... The Sten gun was a British submachine gun from World War II, notable for its simple design and low cost of production, being made from only 47 different parts. ... The Oxfordshire and Buckinghamshire Light Infantry was an infantry regiment of the British Army. ... Categories: Possible copyright violations ... Glider infantry (sometimes referred to as Airlanding infantry) were a short-lived innovation in military tactics, used during World War II. // Early History During their rearmament prior to the War, the Germans formed large numbers of gliding clubs and schools, to train future pilots for their Luftwaffe. ... Gliders are heavier-than-air aircraft primarily intended for unpowered flight. ...

The regular forces also experienced a substantial expansion, not just including the many battalions created in existing regiments. Six cavalry regiments were formed from the cadres of existing regiments, along with two new infantry regiments. All of these regiments would be disbanded during demobilisation in the aftermath of the war. The requirement for infantry was much less than in the previous world war, and many infantry battalions were duly converted into artillery in the Royal Artillery (such as anti-air, taking part in, among others, the Blitz) and armoured regiments in the Royal Armoured Corps and Royal Tank Regiment. For example, the 7th Battalion, The King's Regiment (Liverpool) became the 40th (The King's) Battalion, Royal Tank Regiment. A Reconnaissance Corps of over 20 regiments was also formed (absorbed by the RAC in 1944). By the end of the war, the tactics used for armoured regiments had become very sophisticated, including better combined operations with the other arms. The armoured regiments possessed an arsenal of capable tanks by the end of the war, including specialist vehicles known as "Hobart's Funnies", while some of the main combat tanks included the Sherman and Churchill. In the immediate aftermath of the war, the WWII-designed Centurion became the Army's first main battle tank. Blitz, the German word for lightning, and often used figuratively as in blitzschnell (as fast as lightning), may mean any of a number of things in English: Blitzkrieg, the lightning war strategy of WWII Germany The Blitz, the German aerial attacks on Britain in WWII Baedeker Blitz, the reprisal bombing... The Reforms In 1881, under Childers reforms, the continuation of Cardwells reforms, the army was further overhauled, with the regular, militia and volunteer battalions of the army being brought intor one structure, as well as being given connections with cities and counties. ... Badge of the 79th Armoured Division Amphibious DD tanks await blowing of breaches in the sea wall on Utah Beach. ... General characteristics Length: 5. ... The Infantry Tank IV Churchill was a heavy British infantry tank of the Second World War, best known for its heavy armour and its use as the basis of many specialist vehicles. ... The Centurion was the primary British Main Battle Tank of the immediate post-war era, and considered by many to be one of the best British tank designs of all time. ... The US M1A1 Abrams tank is a typical modern main battle tank. ...

As in WWI with the Bantam units created for people under regulation height, the Local Defence Volunteers was created for individuals too old or too young to be assigned to front-line units, or people in reserved occupations. The organisation was eventually re-titled to the Home Guard and was to be part of the defence of Britain in the advent of a German invasion of Britain. They were usually improvised and poorly equipped but were passionate and dedicated to their duties. They were popularised in the T.V. show "Dad's Army". A Home Guard is a part-time civilian reserve military force similar to a militia. ... A reserved occupation (also known as essential services) is an occupation considered important enough to a country that those serving in such occupations are exempt - in fact forbidden - from military service. ... Dad’s Army was a British sitcom about the Home Guard in the Second World War, written by Jimmy Perry and David Croft and broadcast on BBC television between 1968 and 1977. ...

Operations

Norway

The Army's first encounter with the Germans came in Norway. The Germans had invaded Norway on 9 April 1940. After naval operations by the Royal Navy, Norway was counter-invaded a few days later, with troops being deployed to the centre at Åndalsnes and Namsos, and north at Narvik; the south had been taken by the Germans. The Germans superiority in the air was evident and the British forces in the centre eventually had to evacuate, having undertaken a fighting withdrawal, from 1 May to 3 May. In the north, Narvik had been taken by the British who, with reasonable air-cover, had a more successful period. However, with the beginning of the campaign in France, the British Government's attention was diverted and the Germans eventually pushed further north. The British force was evacuated on 8 June. The British Army's lack of training and equipment for winter conditions and its inadequate numbers -- just three brigades strong -- had told throughout the campaign. German battle cruisers in a Norwegian port in June 1940 The Norwegian Campaign led to the first direct confrontation between the military forces of the Allies — United Kingdom and France against Nazi Germany in World War II. The primary reason for Germany seeking the occupation of Norway was Germanys... April 9 is the 99th day of the year in the Gregorian calendar (100th in leap years). ... 1940 (MCMXL) was a leap year starting on Monday (the link is to a full 1940 calendar). ... Ã…ndalsnes is a Norwegian town in the municipality of Rauma, of which it is also the administrative center. ... County Nord-Trøndelag Landscape Namdalen Municipality NO-1703 Administrative centre Namsos Mayor (2004) KÃ¥re Aalberg (SV) Official language form Neutral Area  - Total  - Land  - Percentage Ranked 141 775 km² 751 km² 0. ... County Nordland Landscape Ofoten Municipality NO-1805 Administrative centre Narvik Mayor (2004) Olav Sigurd Alstad (Ap) Official language form BokmÃ¥l Area  - Total  - Land  - Percentage Ranked 29 2,023 km² 1,905 km² 0. ... May 1 is the 121st day of the year in the Gregorian calendar (122nd in leap years). ... May 3 is the 123rd day of the year in the Gregorian calendar (124th in leap years). ... June 8 is the 159th day of the year in the Gregorian Calendar (160th in leap years), with 206 days remaining. ...

Maginot, Arras and Dunkirk

British and French prisoners at Dunkirk, June 1940. About 68,000 casualties (killed, wounded, missing, taken prisoner) were incurred by the BEF.

As in WWI, the Army deployed a British Expeditionary Force to the continent, consisting initially of four divisions under the command of General Lord Gort. Over the many months that followed, in a period known as the Phony War, the British soldiers trained for war and built up their forces and garrisoned the Maginot Line. By the time the Germans invaded the Low Countries on 8 May 1940, the BEF consisted of 10 divisions, a tank brigade and a detachment of 500 aircraft from the RAF. The BEF was directly in the path of the German diversionary attack through Belgium (the main attack being through the Ardennes forest). The speed of the German advance pushed the Allies back and Belgium and the Netherlands were conquered. After a brief armoured counter-attack at Arras on 20 May, most of the BEF withdrew to a small area around the French port of Dunkirk. The evacuation of British and French forces (Operation Dynamo) began on 26 May with air cover provided by the RAF at heavy cost; over 330,000 British and French were evacuated back to Britain by the operations end on 4 June, and about 220,000 were evacuated from other ports. The British Army had been saved to fight another day but it had to leave much of its equipment behind. Download high resolution version (1144x1341, 251 KB)British and French POWS at Dunkirk, France in June 1940. ... Download high resolution version (1144x1341, 251 KB)British and French POWS at Dunkirk, France in June 1940. ... John Standish Surtees Prendergast Vereker, 6th Viscount Gort (VC, GCB, CBE, DSO & 2 Bars, MVO, MC) (July 10, 1886 - March 1946) was a British soldier who served in both World War I and II, rising to the rank of Field Marshal and receiving the Victoria Cross. ... British Ministry of Home Security Poster The Phony War, or in Winston Churchills words the Twilight War, was a phase in early World War II marked by few military operations in Continental Europe, in the months following the German invasion of Poland. ... The Maginot Line (IPA: [maÊ’ino], named after French minister of defense André Maginot) was a line of concrete fortifications, tank obstacles, machine gun posts and other defenses which France constructed along its borders with Germany and with Italy in the wake of World War II. Generally the term... The Low Countries, the historical region of de Nederlanden, are the countries (see Country) on low-lying land around the delta of the Rhine, Scheldt, and Meuse (Maas) rivers. ... May 8 is the 128th day of the year in the Gregorian Calendar (129th in leap years). ... 1940 (MCMXL) was a leap year starting on Monday (the link is to a full 1940 calendar). ... The Ardennes is a region of extensive forests and rolling hill country, primarily in Belgium and Luxembourg, but stretching into France (lending its name to the Ardennes département and the Champagne-Ardenne région). ... The Battle of Arras, was an Allied counter-attack to the German blitzkrieg through France during World War II. // Background Early on during the Battle of France, German forces managed to repel Allied forces and push them back considerably. ... May 20 is the 140th day of the year in the Gregorian Calendar (141st in leap years). ... Location within France For the battleship, see Dunkerque Dunkirk (French: Dunkerque; Dutch: Duinkerke; German: Dünkirchen) is a harbour city and a commune in the northernmost part of France, in the département of Nord, 10 km from the Belgian border. ... Evacuation at Dunkirk, June 1940. ... May 26 is the 146th day of the year in the Gregorian calendar (147th in leap years). ... June 4 is the 155th day of the year in the Gregorian calendar (156th in leap years), with 210 days remaining. ...

East Africa

Elsewhere, the British were experiencing mixed success against the Italians, who had entered the war on Germany's side in June 1940. In East Africa, the British initially experienced defeat when 175,000 Italian troops invaded British Somaliland in August 1940, conquering the territory in a brief campaign against the small garrison. The British and Commonwealth forces gradually gained the upper hand, helped by the invaluable contribution of irregulars known as Gideon Force under the command of Charles Orde Wingate, and by early 1941, the British had invaded Italian Somaliland and on 16 May, the Duke of Aosta surrendered all Italian forces in East Africa. The East African campaign was a more obscure one, just as it had been in WWI but it was, nonetheless, a campaign that gave the Army invaluable experience. The East African Campaign refers to the battles fought between British Empire and Commonwealth forces and Italian Empire forces in Italian East Africa during World War II. This campaign is often seen as part of the North African Campaign. ... The British Somaliland Protectorate was a British protectorate in the north part of the Horn of Africa, later part of Somalia. ... Irregular soldiers in Beauharnois, Quebec, 19th century Irregular military refers to any non-standard military. ... The Gideon Force was a British-led African guerrilla force fighting the Italian occupation forces in Abyssiania (modern-day Ethiopia) during the World War II. Leader and creator of the force was British major Charles Orde Wingate. ... Major General Orde Charles Wingate, (February 26, 1903 – March 24, 1944), was a British major general and creator of two special military units during the World War II. // Beginnings Orde Wingate was born February 23, 1903 in India to a military family. ... Italian Somaliland was an Italian colony that lasted, apart from a brief interlude of British rule, from the late 19th century until 1960 in the territory of the modern-day East African nation of Somalia. ... May 16 is the 136th day of the year in the Gregorian Calendar (137th in leap years). ...

North Africa

Valentine Mk. 3 tank carrying British infantry in North Africa

Bernard Law Montgomery

In North Africa, Italian forces had attempted an invasion of Egypt in September 1940 but were repulsed in a successful counter-attack in December by Commonwealth forces in Operation Compass, ending with about 25,000 Italian troops captured and the Allies in Italian Libya. The Germans responded by sending a force known as the Afrika Korps under Erwin Rommel. The Germans launched an offensive in 1941, pushing the Allies back and besieging Tobruk. The British Eighth Army was created in the aftermath. The Commonwealth forces began an offensive in November and pushed the enemy forces back but the Germans launched an offensive in 1942, culminating in the capture of Tobruk. Shortly afterwards, General Bernard Law Montgomery took command and under his leadership, the Allies launched a highly successful offensive known as the Second Battle of El Alamein in November 1942. The Axis forces were removed from Libya and the Torch Landings in November by the British and Americans signified the end of the Axis threat in North Africa. The desert war saw tanks in its element, yet they were equally vulnerable to air power. The 7th Armoured Division became one of the most well-known units of the war, nicknamed the 'Desert Rats'. Valentine carrying british troops in the desert This image has been released into the public domain by the copyright holder, its copyright has expired, or it is ineligible for copyright. ... Valentine carrying british troops in the desert This image has been released into the public domain by the copyright holder, its copyright has expired, or it is ineligible for copyright. ... Download high resolution version (549x700, 68 KB)http://www. ... Download high resolution version (549x700, 68 KB)http://www. ... During World War II the North African Campaign, also known as the Desert War, took place in the North African desert from September 13, 1940 (The USA started to directly supply the British in this effort on May 11, 1942) to May 13, 1943. ... Operation Compass was a World War II Allied military operation in the Western Desert Campaign. ... The seal of Afrikakorps The German Afrika Korps (German:Deutsches Afrikakorps ( (help· info)) (DAK)) was the corps-level headquarters controlling the German Panzer divisions in Libya and Egypt during the North African Campaign of World War II. Since there was little turnover in the units attached to the corps, the... Erwin Johannes Eugen Rommel ( ) (November 15, 1891–October 14, 1944) was one of the most distinguished German Field Marshals, and one of the greatest military leaders of his time. ... Combatants United Kingdom Australia Poland Czechoslovakia Germany Italy Commanders Leslie Morshead Erwin Rommel Strength 14,000 - Casualties Britain: 9009 killed 941 captured estimated 12,000 total 8,000 The Siege of Tobruk was a lengthy confrontation between Axis and Allied forces, mostly Australian, in the North African Campaign of World... The Eighth Army was one of the best-known formations in World War II, fighting in the campaigns in North Africa and Italy. ... This article is about the year. ... Tobruk or Tubruq (Arabic: طبرق; also transliterated as Tóbruch, Tobruch, Ţubruq, Tobruck ) is a town, seaport, municipality, and peninsula in eastern Libya in Northern Africa. ... Bernard Law Montgomery Field Marshal Bernard Law Montgomery, 1st Viscount Montgomery of Alamein (November 17, 1887 - March 24, 1976) was a British military officer during World War II often referred to as Monty. ... Combatants British Commonwealth Poland Free French Forces Greece Germany Italy Commanders Bernard Montgomery Erwin Rommel Strength 250,000 men 1,030 tanks 900 guns 530 aircraft 90,000 men 500 tanks 500 guns 350 aircraft Casualties 23,500 dead or wounded 710 tanks 25,000 dead or wounded 30,000... Combatants United States United Kingdom Free French Germany Vichy France Commanders Dwight Eisenhower François Darlan Strength 73,500 ? Casualties 479+ dead 720 wounded 1346+ dead 1997 wounded Operation Torch was the Anglo-American invasion of French North Africa in World War II during the North African Campaign, started November... The 7th Armoured Division (known as the Desert Rats) of the British Army was the most famous unit of its type in British service during World War II. It was a regular division in the Middle East, designated the Mobile Division at first, renamed the Armoured Division (Egypt) in September...

The Mediterranean

In the Mediterranean, the Army garrison in the British territory of Malta performed anti-air operations in conjunction with the RAF during the bombing of Malta (1940-42) by German and Italian forces. Malta went on to receive the collective award of the George Cross for its bravery. In Greece, the Army contributed a small force to a mostly Australian and New Zealand operation. After an Italian invasion of Greece in October 1940 was successfully repulsed, the Germans invaded in April 1941. A Commonwealth force came to Greece's assistance but they eventually had to be evacuated, many being moved to the island of Crete, commanded by General Bernard Freyberg. The Germans subsequently launched a combined air and sea invasion of Crete in May. The German paratroopers suffered severe casualties but they gradually gained the upper-hand and the Commonwealth defenders, having put up a stubborn defence, had to be evacuated. The Royal Navy suffered heavily in the process but in spite of the casualties they persisted in the evacuation. Over 16,000 were successfully evacuated but 12,254 Commonwealth soldiers were taken prisoner. American troops man an anti-aircraft gun near the Algerian coastline in 1943 Anti-aircraft, or air defense, is any method of combating military aircraft from the ground. ... George Cross The George Cross (GC) is the highest Commonwealth decoration awarded for acts of conspicuous gallantry not in the face of the enemy and is equal to the Victoria Cross. ... Crete (Greek Κρήτη Kriti; called Candia in the Venetian period and Turkish: Girit) is the largest of the Greek islands and the fifth largest in the Mediterranean Sea. ... The Rt Hon. ...

The Far East

The Army in the Far East, as it was in Europe in 1939, was unprepared for war breaking out in the Far East, inadequate in both numbers and equipment. The Government had relied upon the now reduced power of the Royal Navy for the defence of the territories East of Suez, known as the "Singapore Strategy", during the inter-war period. On 7 December 1941, the Japanese launched their surprise attack on Pearl Harbor, bringing war to the Americans and the Far East. The Japanese swiftly launched invasions of British and other countries territories shortly afterwards. The Japanese invasion of Malaya from Indochina and China, was swift and successful and they quickly gained air and naval superiority. The Army gave a stubborn defence but were gradually pushed back, most units withdrawing to Singapore. Hong Kong was taken on 25 December and Singapore fell on 15 February 1942, becoming the most disastrous day in the Army's history. In Burma, coming under ferocious attack by the Japanese, the British and Indian defenders retreated to India, making it in May 1942 just before the monsoons cut them off. Two Chindit operations behind Japanese lines took place between 1943-44. In February 1944, the Allied launched an offensive in the South, while the Japanese attacked north India in March. After a successful defence of Imphal and Kohima, the Japanese were defeated there in June. An offensive to retake Burma began in late 1944, culminating in the capture of Rangoon in May 1945. December 7 is the 341st day (342nd in leap years) of the year in the Gregorian calendar. ... Combatants United States of America Imperial Japan Commanders Husband Kimmel (USN) Walter Short (USA) Chuichi Nagumo (IJN) Strength 8 battleships, 8 cruisers, 29 destroyers, 9 submarines, ~50 other ships, ~390 planes 6 aircraft carriers, 2 battleships, 3 cruisers, 9 destroyers, 8 tankers, 23 fleet submarines, 5 midget submarines, 441 planes... The Federation of Malaya, or in Malay Persekutuan Tanah Melayu, was formed in 1948 from the British settlements of Penang and Malacca and the nine Malay states and replaced the Malayan Union. ... Indochina, or the Indochinese Peninsula, is a region in Southeast Asia. ... December 25 is the 359th day of the year (360th in leap years) in the Gregorian Calendar, with 6 days remaining. ... Combatants Allied forces: Indian Army; British Army; Australian Army; Malayan forces; Straits Settlements forces Imperial Japanese Army Commanders Arthur Percival Tomoyuki Yamashita Strength 85,000 36,000 Casualties about 5,000 killed; about 80,000 POWs 1,715 dead, 3,500 wounded The Battle of Singapore was a battle fought... February 15 is the 46th day of the year in the Gregorian Calendar. ... The Chindits (Officially in 1942 77th Indian Infantry Brigade and in 1943 3rd Indian Infantry Division) were a British jungle Special Forces unit that served in Burma from 1943 until 1945 as part of the Fourteenth Army during the Burma Campaign in World War II. They were formed into long... The Battle of Imphal took place in Manipur district of North East India from April until June 1944. ... The Battle of Kohima was a battle of the Burma Campaign in World War II, fought around the town of Kohima in northeast India from April 4 to June 22, 1944. ... Yangôn, formerly Rangoon, population 4,504,000 (2001), is the capital of Myanmar. ... 1945 (MCMXLV) was a common year starting on Monday (the link is to a full 1945 calendar). ...

Normandy

In June 1944, the invasion of Normandy took place: the Americans would land at Omaha and Utah; the British at Gold and Sword; and the Canadians, with some British units, at Juno. The 6th Airborne Division was one of three Allied airborne divisions that landed just before the landings. The 6th Airborne landed behind Sword in the early hours of 6 June, performing a number of operations that included the taking of the Pegasus and Horsa Bridges and destruction of the Merville gun battery. On the morning of 6 June, with allied air and naval superiority, the amphibious invasion of Normandy began. The main British forces were tasked with taking Caen but this had been one of Montgomery's -- commander of the Allied land forces -- deliberately tasking objectives, and the town was not taken until the following month. On 18 July, the Allies launched Operation Goodwood -- the largest armoured offensive Western Europe had seen at that time -- to attempt a breakout of Normandy and draw German forces from the Americans section; however, the operation saw British armoured units suffer heavily. After the almost entire destruction of a German Army at the Falaise Pocket in August, the Allies advanced east, entering Belgium in early September; its capital, Brussels, was liberated by the Guards Armoured Division on 3 September. The important port of Antwerp was liberated by 11th Armoured Division the following day. Troops from the First Division landing on Omaha beach. ... American assault troops move onto Utah Beach, carrying full equipment. ... Gold Beach was the Allied codename for the centre invasion beach during the World War II Allied invasion of Normandy, June 6, 1944. ... British infantry waiting to move off Queen White Beach, SWORD Area, while under enemy fire, on the morning of 6 June. ... Combatants Canada Germany Commanders Major-General R.F.L. Keller, 3rd Canadian Infantry Division, Lieutenant-General H.D.G. Crerar, 2nd Canadian Armoured Brigade Generalleutnant Wilhelm Richter, German 716th Static Infantry Division Strength 15,000 Unknown Casualties 574 dead, 340 wounded Unknown German defense at Juno Beach. ... The British 6th Airborne Division was an airborne unit of the British Army during World War II. It is best known for its participation in the Normandy invasion on June 6, 1944. ... June 6 is the 157th day of the year in the Gregorian calendar (158th in leap years), with 208 days remaining. ... Pegasus Bridge before its replacement Pegasus was the name given to a bridge over the Caen canal, near the town of Ouistreham. ... This article needs to be cleaned up to conform to a higher standard of quality. ... June 6 is the 157th day of the year in the Gregorian calendar (158th in leap years), with 208 days remaining. ... July 18 is the 199th day (200th in leap years) of the year in the Gregorian Calendar, with 166 days remaining. ... Operation Goodwood was also used as the codename for the series of attacks by the British Fleet Air Arm on the German battleship Tirpitz in late August 1944. ... During World War II, the Falaise pocket (also known as the Chambois pocket, Chambois-Montcormel pocket, Falaise-Chambois pocket and in French: Poche de Falaise) was the area between the four cities of Trun-Argentan-Vimoutiers-Chambois near Falaise, France, in which Allied forces tried to encircle and destroy the... Hotel de Ville de Bruxelles Map showing the location of Brussels in Belgium Emblem of the Brussels-Capital Region Flag of The City of Brussels Brussels (Dutch: Brussel, pronounced ; French: Bruxelles, pronounced in Belgian French and often by non-Belgian speakers of French; German: Brüssel) is the capital of... The Guards Armoured Division was formed on 17 June 1941. ... September 3 is the 246th day of the year (247th in leap years). ... The Cathedral of our Lady (Onze-Lieve-Vrouwekathedraal, Antwerp) in the Handschoenmarkt, in the old quarter of Antwerp is the largest cathedral in the Low Countries and home to a number of triptychs by Belgian Baroque painter Rubens. ... British 11th Armoured Division: The Black Bull. ...

Netherlands

The invasion of the Netherlands (Operation Market Garden) began on 17 September. The British XXX Corps, which included Canadian units, provided the ground forces and 1st Airborne Division was part of a 3-division Allied airborne assault. The plan was for the three airborne divisions to take the bridges at Eindhoven, Nijmegan, and Arnhem and for XXX Corps to use them to cross the Rhine and into Germany. XXX Corps was constantly delayed by German opposition while travelling up just one single road, managing to reach all but 1st Airborne at Arnhem who had been prevented from advancing to Arnhem, only one battalion managing to make it to Arnhem bridge, holding out for four days. The 1st Airborne Division was effectively destroyed, just 2,000 out of 10,000 making it back. In an effort to use the port of Antwerp, the Canadians and Polish cleared the southern bank of the Scheldt, and British and Canadian forces took the island of Walcheren after an amphibious assault. In December, the Germans launched a last-gasp offensive against the Allies at the Bulge. It was ostensibly an American battle, XXX Corps providing Britain's contribution, and the Germans were defeated by January. Combatants XXX Corps First Allied Airborne Army II SS Panzer Corps Army Group B First Parachute Army Commanders Montgomery von Rundstedt Strength 35,000 airborne, XXX Corps 20,000 (start of the battle) Casualties 18,000 casualties 13,000 casualties Operation Market Garden (September 17-September 25, 1944) was an... September 17 is the 260th day of the year (261st in leap years). ... The XXX Corps was an infantry corps in the British Army. ... The British 1st Airborne Division was a military unit that fought in World War II. It suffered terrible casualties, especially in Operation Market Garden. ... Eindhoven is a municipality and a city located in the province of Noord-Brabant in the south of the Netherlands, originally at the confluence of the Dommel and Gender brooks. ... Arnhem is a municipality and a city in the east of the Netherlands, located on the Lower Rhine, and the capital of the Gelderland province. ... Loreley At 1,320 kilometres (820 miles) and an average discharge of more than 2,000 cubic meters per second, the Rhine (German Rhein, French Rhin, Dutch Rijn, Romansch: Rein, Italian: Reno) is one of the longest and most important rivers in Europe. ... The Scheldt (Dutch: Schelde, French Escaut) is a 350 km[1] long river that finds its origin in the north of France, enters Belgium and near Antwerp flows west into the Netherlands towards the North Sea. ... Satellite image of the Scheldt estuary Walcheren is a former island in the province of Zeeland in the Netherlands at the mouth of the Scheldt estuary. ... Combatants United States United Kingdom Germany Commanders Dwight D. Eisenhower Gerd von Rundstedt Strength Dec 16 - start of the Battle: about 83,000 men; 242 Sherman tanks, 182 tank destroyers, and 394 pieces of corps and divisional artillery. ...

Germany

The concentration camp at Bergen-Belsen

The offensive towards the Rhine began in February, the British 21st Army Group had the British Second Army pin the Germans facing them, while the Canadian First Army in the north and the U.S. Ninth Army in the south made a pincer movement against the Germans, piercing their part of the Siegfried Line. On 23 March, First and Second Armies crossed the Rhine, the largest airborne assault in history (Operation Varsity) taking place the following day. The British forces in Germany advanced into the North German Plain, heading in the direction of Hamburg. During their advance, British forces took Bremen with the Canadians on 26 April after fierce fighting, including in the advance itself, especially against the more fanatical sections of the German military like the SS and Hitler Youth. The British had encountered them in places like the Teutoburger Wald where the Army experienced fierce resistance at Ibbenburen. The British forces reached the vicinity of Hamburg in late April and it surrendered on 3 May. After crossing the Elbe, some British units reached the Baltic coast where they linked up with the Russians, Montgomery meeting his counterpart, Konstantin Rokossovsky, at Wismar. The German forces in Denmark, Holland, and north-west Germany surrendered to Montgomery on 4 May. During the advance into Germany, the Army discovered the awful horrors that had been taking place there and in Eastern Europe when the 63rd Anti-Tank Regiment, RA (Worcestershire and Oxfordshire Yeomanry) liberated the Bergen-Belsen concentration camp on 15 April, the only such camp to be liberated by the British. Partial view of Bergen Belsen This image has been released into the public domain by the copyright holder, its copyright has expired, or it is ineligible for copyright. ... Partial view of Bergen Belsen This image has been released into the public domain by the copyright holder, its copyright has expired, or it is ineligible for copyright. ... (Redirected from 21st Army Group) The British 21st Army Group was an important Allied force in the European Theatre of World War II. Commanded by Field Marshal Sir Bernard Montgomery it initially controlled all ground forces in Operation Overlord. ... The British Second Army was extant in both World Wars. ... The Canadian First Army was the overall command for the Canadian military forces in Europe during World War II. It was formed in early 1942 to command two corps composed of the three infantry divisions, two armoured divisions, and two armoured brigades that had assembled in England. ... Shoulder sleeve insignia of the U.S. Ninth Army. ... Bunker on the Siegfried line The original Siegfried line was a line of defensive forts and tank defenses built by Germany along their border with France in 1916-1917 during World War I. However, in English, Siegfried line more commonly refers to the similar World War II defensive line, built... March 23 is the 82nd day of the year in the Gregorian Calendar (83rd in Leap years). ... Operation Varsity was an airborne operation towards the end of World War II, intended to gain a foothold across the River Rhine. ... The North German Plain is a lowland region extending from the North Sea and Baltic Sea southward to the uplands of central Germany. ... The smaller Alster lake at dusk Hamburg (Low German: Hamborg, [haË‘mbɔːχ]) is the second largest city in Germany and with Hamburg Harbour, its principal port, Hamburg is also the second largest port city in the European Union. ... The river Weser flows through Bremen to the estuary at Bremerhaven. ... April 26 is the 116th day of the year in the Gregorian Calendar (117th in leap years). ... SS or ss or Ss may be: The Schutzstaffel, a Nazi paramilitary force Steamship (SS) (ship prefix) The United States Secret Service A submarine not powered by nuclear energy (SS) (United States Navy designator), see SSN A Soviet/Russian surface-to-surface missile, as listed by NATO reporting name Shortstop... The Hitler Youth (German: Hitler-Jugend, abbreviated HJ) was a paramilitary organization of the Nazi Party that existed from 1922 to 1945. ... View over the Teutoburg Forest The Teutoburg Forest (German: Teutoburger Wald) is a range of low, forested mountains in the German states of Lower Saxony and North Rhine-Westphalia, which is believed to be the environ of a decisive battle in AD 9. ... May 3 is the 123rd day of the year in the Gregorian calendar (124th in leap years). ... The River Elbe (Czech Labe , Sorbian/Lusatian Łobjo, German Elbe) is one of the major waterways of Central Europe. ... The Baltic Sea is located in Northern Europe, from 53°N to 66°N latitude and from 20°E to 26°E longitude. ... Marshal of the Soviet Union Konstantin Rokossovsky Konstantin Konstantinovich Rokossovsky (Russian: Константин Константинович Рокоссовский, Polish name Konstanty Rokossowski) (December 21, 1896 – August 3, 1968), Soviet military commander and Polish Defence Minister. ... Wismar Coat of Arms Wismar is a smaller port and Hanseatic League city in northern Germany on the Baltic Sea, in the state of Mecklenburg-Vorpommern, about 45 km due east of Lübeck, and 30 km due north of Schwerin. ... May 4 is the 124th day of the year in the Gregorian calendar (125th in leap years). ... ‹ The template below has been proposed for deletion. ... April 15 is the 105th day of the year in the Gregorian calendar (106th in leap years). ...

The end of the war

The war officially ended in Europe on 8 May 1945. The war in the Far East was, however, ended more suddenly and in a most unexpected way; the dropping of the atomic bombs on Hiroshima and Nagasaki by the Americans in August; the war officially ended with Japan's formal surrender on 2 September. The British Army numbered about 2.9 million men and women when war ended, suffering just over 140,000 killed and nearly 240,000 wounded. In the new peace, a new divided world was emerging from the ashes of the old, with Eastern Europe now under the control of the Soviet Union while much of Western Europe, shattered by the destruction of WWII, turned to the United States who would assist Europe under the Marshall Plan. In this new uncertain world, the Army's ability to actively participate in the Nuclear Age was also in doubt. May 8 is the 128th day of the year in the Gregorian Calendar (129th in leap years). ... 1945 (MCMXLV) was a common year starting on Monday (the link is to a full 1945 calendar). ... The mushroom cloud of the atomic bombing of Nagasaki, Japan, 1945, rose some 18 km (11 mi) above the epicenter. ... Hiroshima City Hall Mayor Tadatoshi Akiba Address 〒730-8586 Hiroshima-shi, Naka-ku, Kokutaiji 1-6-34 Phone number 082-245-2111 Official website: Hiroshima City , The city of Hiroshima ) is the capital of Hiroshima Prefecture, and the largest city in the Chugoku region of western Honshu, the largest of... Megane-bashi (Spectacles Bridge) Nagasaki ) (help· info), literally long peninsula, is the capital and the largest city of Nagasaki Prefecture. ... September 2 is the 245th day of the year in the Gregorian calendar (246th in leap years). ... Map of Cold-War era Europe showing the countries that received Marshall Plan aid. ... Nuclear proliferation is the spread from nation to nation of nuclear technology, including nuclear power plants but especially nuclear weapons. ...

End of Empire and Cold War (1945-1990)

Organisation

The flag of the UN

The flag of NATO

The United Nations (UN) was formed on 24 October 1945, with Britain one of five permanent members of the UN Security Council. Britain still saw itself as a global power, despite it having been eclipsed by the two superpowers -- the USA and Soviet Union -- and the efforts by many colonies of the Empire to gain independence. Another global organisation, known as the North Atlantic Treaty Organisation (NATO), was established on 4 April 1949 with Britain one of its founding members. The creation of NATO signified the beginning of the "Cold War" between the ideologically divided "Western Allies" and the Eastern Communist powers, controlled by the Soviet Union; they created their own NATO equivalent in 1955, known as the Warsaw Pact. An integral part of NATO's defences in the now divided Europe was the British Army of the Rhine (BAOR) in West Germany, the British Army's new overseas 'home' that replaced independent India. The British Army, just as in the aftermath of WWI, had established BAOR in the immediate aftermath of the war and was centred on I Corps (upon its re-establishment in 1951), at its peak reaching about 80,000 troops. Image File history File links Flag_of_the_United_Nations. ... Image File history File links Flag_of_the_United_Nations. ... Image File history File links Flag_of_NATO.svg The flag of the North Atlantic Treaty Organisation (NATO). ... Image File history File links Flag_of_NATO.svg The flag of the North Atlantic Treaty Organisation (NATO). ... United Nations - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia /**/ @import /skins-1. ... October 24 is the 297th day of the year (298th in leap years) in the Gregorian Calendar, with 68 days remaining. ... 1945 (MCMXLV) was a common year starting on Monday (the link is to a full 1945 calendar). ... A session of the Security Council in progress The United Nations Security Council is the most powerful organ of the United Nations. ... This article or section may contain original research or unverified claims. ... NATO 2002 Summit in Prague The North Atlantic Treaty Organisation (NATO), also called the North Atlantic Alliance, the Atlantic Alliance or the Western Alliance, is an international organisation for collective security established in 1949, in support of the North Atlantic Treaty signed in Washington, DC, on 4 April 1949. ... April 4 is the 94th day of the year in the Gregorian calendar (95th in leap years). ... 1949 (MCMXLIX) is a common year starting on Saturday. ... The Cold War (Russian: Холодная война , Kholodna-ya voina) was the protracted geopolitical, ideological, and economic struggle that emerged after World War II between the global superpowers of the Soviet Union and the United States, supported by their alliance partners. ... 1955 (MCMLV) was a common year starting on Saturday of the Gregorian calendar. ... Unofficial Seal of the Warsaw Pact Distinguish from the Warsaw Convention, which is an agreement among airlines about financial liability. ... The British I Corps has a long history, and was in existence as an active formation in the British Army for longer than any other corps. ... 1951 (MCMLI) was a common year starting on Monday; see its calendar. ...

The Army was beginning to draw down its forces, beginning demobilisation shortly after the end of war. The Territorial units were placed in 'suspended animation', being reconstituted upon the reformation of the TA in 1947. On 1 January 1948, National Service, the new name for conscription, formally came into effect. The Army was, however, being reduced in size upon the end of British rule in India, including the second battalions of every Line Infantry regiment either amalgamating with the 1st Battalions to maintain the 2nd Battalion's history and traditions, or simply disband, thus ending the two-battalion policy implemented by Childers in 1881. This proved too severe a decision for the overstretched Army, and a number of regiments reformed their second battalion in the 1950s. The year 1948 also saw the Army receive four Gurkha regiments (eight battalions in total) transferred to them from the Indian Army and were formed into the Brigade of Gurkhas, initially based in Malaya. 1947 (MCMXLVII) was a common year starting on Wednesday (the link is to a full 1947 calendar). ... January 1 is the first day of the calendar year in both the Julian and Gregorian calendars. ... 1948 (MCMXLVIII) was a leap year starting on Thursday (the link is to a full 1948 calendar). ... National service describes a form of military service in which all citizens (or all male citizens) of one particular nation can participate, either voluntarily or (more often) non-voluntarily. ... The 1950s were a decade that spanned the years 1950 through 1959. ... Gurkha Soldiers (1896) The Brigade of Gurkhas is the collective term for British Army units that are composed of Nepalese soldiers. ...

More reforms of the armed forces took place with the 1957 Defence White Paper, which saw further reductions implemented; the Government realised after the debacle of the Suez War that Britain was no longer a global superpower and decided to withdraw from most of its commitments in the world, limiting the armed forces to concentrating on NATO, with an increased reliance upon nuclear weapons. The White Paper announced that the Army would be reduced in size from about 330,000 to 165,000, with National Service ending by 1963 (it officially ended on 31 December 1960, with the last conscript being discharged in May 1963) with the intention of making the Army into an entirely professional force. This enormous reduction in manpower led to, between 1958-62, eight cavalry and thirty infantry regiments being amalgamated, the latter amalgamations producing fifteen single-battalion regiments. Brigade cap badges superseded the regimental cap badge in 1959 and it was perceived as the first step in the dilution of the regimental system, though all attempts have consistently failed to do so. The mushroom cloud of the atomic bombing of Nagasaki, Japan, 1945, rose some 18 km (11 mi) above the hypocenter. ... 1963 (MCMLXIII) was a common year starting on Tuesday (the link is to a full 1963 calendar). ... December 31 is the 365th day of the year (366th in leap years) in the Gregorian Calendar. ... 1960 (MCMLX) was a leap year starting on Friday (the link is to a full 1960 calendar). ... A cap badge is a badge worn on the front of uniform headgear and distinguishes the wearers organisation. ...

The cap badges of the present (as of 2005) infantry regiments

Many of the regiments created during the 1957 White Paper would have only a brief existence, most being amalgamated into new 'large' regiments -- The Queen's, Royal Fusiliers, Royal Anglian, Light Infantry, Royal Irish Rangers, and the Royal Green Jackets -- all of whose 'junior' battalions were disbanded by the mid-1970s. Two regiments -- The Cameronians (Scottish Rifles) and The York and Lancaster Regiment-- opted to be disbanded rather than amalgamated. The fourteen administrative brigades (created in 1948) were replaced by six administrative divisions in 1968, with regimental cap badges being re-introduced the following year. The Conservative Government came to power in 1970, one of its pledges included the saving of the Argyll and Sutherland Highlanders after a popular campaign to save it had been provoked by the announcement of its intended demise. The Government also decided to stop the planned amalgamation of The Gloucestershire Regiment with The Royal Hampshire Regiment. Further cavalry and infantry regiments were, however, amalgamated between 1969-1971, with six cavalry (into three) and six infantry (also into three) regiments doing so. Download high resolution version (1023x925, 123 KB)British Army infantry cap badges Created using the individual cap badges on the British Army website. ... Download high resolution version (1023x925, 123 KB)British Army infantry cap badges Created using the individual cap badges on the British Army website. ... The Queens Regiment was an infantry regiment of the British Army. ... The Royal Regiment of Fusiliers is an infantry regiment of the British Army, part of the Queens Division. ... The Royal Anglian Regiment (R ANGLIAN) is an infantry regiment of the British Army, part of the Queens Division. ... The Light Infantry is an infantry regiment of the British Army, part of the Light Division. ... Cap badge of the Royal Green Jackets The Royal Green Jackets is an infantry regiment of the British Army, one of two within the Light Division (the other being The Light Infantry). ... The 1970s decade refers to the years from 1970 to 1979, inclusive. ... The Cameronians (Scottish Rifles) was an infantry regiment of the British Army, the only regiment of rifles amongst the Scottish regiments of infantry. ... The York and Lancaster Regiment was an infantry regiment of the British Army. ... 1968 (MCMLXVIII) was a leap year starting on Monday (the link is to a full 1968 calendar). ... 1970 (MCMLXX) was a common year starting on Thursday (the link is to a full 1970 calendar). ... Official name Argyll and Sutherland Highlanders (Princess Louises) Colonel-in-Chief HM Queen Elizabeth II Nicknames Motto Sans Peur Ne Obliviscaris Anniversaries Balaklava (25 October) Marches Quick: The Highland Laddie Quick: The Campbells Are Coming Charge: Monymusk Funerals: Lochaber No More Mascot A Shetland Pony called Cruachan Description Infantry... The Gloucestershire Regiment was an infantry regiment of the British Army. ...

For the structure of the Army during this time period, see List of British Army regiments (1962). This is a list of British Army regiments after the Army restructuring caused by the 1957 Defence White Paper: many regiments were amalgamated between 1958-60. ...

Operations

In the immediate aftermath of the war in the Far East, the Army was tasked with reoccupying British territories such as Malaya, Singapore, and Hong Kong. The Army also took part in operations that culminated in the restoration of other countries rule in their territories, if only for a short while. A British and Indian forces arrived on the island of Java in the Dutch East Indies in September 1945 to disarm and help repatriate the Japanese occupation forces. It was a month after the nationalists, who had been provided with arms by the Japanese, had declared an independent Indonesia. The situation in Java was quite chaotic with much violence taking place. The British and Indian forces experienced fierce resistance from the nationalists; ironically, the former Japanese occupation force was employed by the British to help maintain order and fought alongside the British and Indian forces. Dutch forces gradually arrived in number and the British and Indians left by November 1946. A similar situation existed in French Indochina after Ho Chi Minh had declared independence on 2 September 1945. British and Indian troops, commanded by Major-General Douglas Gracey deployed to occupy the south of the country shortly afterwards with the intention of disarming and repatriating the Japanese troops, while the Nationalist Chinese occupied the north. The country was in chaos and the population did not want French rule restored. The British were compelled to rearm a large number of French POWs, who then went on a rampage, and Japanese troops to help maintain order. The British and Indians departed by February 1946 and the First Indochina War began shortly afterwards. Java (Indonesian, Javanese, and Sundanese: Jawa) is an island of Indonesia, and the site of its capital city, Jakarta. ... The Dutch East Indies, or Netherlands East Indies, (Dutch: Nederlands-Indië) was the name of the colonies set up by the Dutch East India Company, which came under administration of the Netherlands during the 19th century (see Indonesia). ... 1946 (MCMXLVI) was a common year starting on Tuesday. ... French Indochina was a federation of protectorates in Southeast Asia, part of the French colonial empire. ... Official portrait of Hồ Chí Minh Hồ Chí Minh (May 19, 1890 – September 2, 1969) was a Vietnamese revolutionary and statesman, who later became Prime Minister (1946-1955) and President (1955-1969) of North Vietnam. ... General Sir Douglas David Gracey General Sir Douglas David Gracey, KCB, KCIE, CBE, MC (1894-1964) was a British officer in both the First and Second World Wars and the second Chief of Army Staff of Pakistan, holding this office from 11 February 1948 to 16 January 1951. ... The Kuomintang (KMT) or Nationalist Party of China (Traditional Chinese: 中國國民黨; Simplified Chinese: 中国国民党; pinyin: Zhōngguó Guómíndǎng; Wade-Giles: Chung-kuo Kuo-min-tang; Tongyong Pinyin: Jhongguo Guomindang; literally the National Peoples Party of China) is a conservative political party currently active in the Republic of China (ROC) on... Combatants French Republic Viet Minh Commanders Strength 500,000  ? Casualties 94,581 dead 78,127 wounded 40,000 captured 300,000+ dead 500,000+ wounded 100,000 captured The First Indochina War (also called the French Indochina War) was fought in Southeast Asia from 1946 through 1954 between the nation...

The latter part of the 1940s saw the British begin to withdraw from Empire, the Army playing a prominent role in its dismantlement. The first colony the British withdraw from was its largest possession, India. It was announced in 1947 that India would become independent on 15 August, being separated into two counties, one mostly Muslim (Pakistan) and the other mostly Hindu (India). The last British Army unit to leave was the 1st Battalion, The Somerset Light Infantry (Prince Albert's) on 28 February 1948. In Palestine there was a surge in attacks against the British by Zionist organisations such as Irgun and the Stern Gang after the British attempted to limit Jewish immigration into Palestine. The British eventually withdrew in 1948, with the State of Israel being established on 14 May. Elsewhere, Communist guerrillas launched an uprising in Malaya, starting the Malayan Emergency. // Events and trends World War II was a truly global conflict with many facets: immense human suffering, fierce indoctrination, and the use of new, extremely devastating weapons such as the atomic bomb. ... 1947 (MCMXLVII) was a common year starting on Wednesday (the link is to a full 1947 calendar). ... August 15 is the 227th day of the year in the Gregorian Calendar (228th in leap years), with 138 days remaining. ... The Somerset Light Infantry (Prince Alberts) was an infantry regiment of the British Army. ... February 28 is the 59th day of the year in the Gregorian calendar. ... 1948 (MCMXLVIII) was a leap year starting on Thursday (the link is to a full 1948 calendar). ... A bilingual poster in Romanian and Hungarian promoting a film about Jewish settlement in Palestine, 1930s. ... Irgun poster showing their view of the Land of Israel Irgun (ארגון), shorthand for Irgun Tsvai Leumi (ארגון צבאי לאומי, also spelled Irgun Zvai Leumi), Hebrew for National Military Organization, was a militant Zionist group that operated in the British Mandate of Palestine from 1931 to 1948. ... Avraham Stern Lehi (Hebrew acronym for Lohamei Herut Israel, Fighters for the Freedom of Israel) was a radical underground Jewish paramilitary group, a terrorist group according to both its own description and that of its opponents. ... May 14 is the 134th day of the year in the Gregorian Calendar (135th in leap years). ... The Malayan Emergency was an insurrection and guerrilla war of the Malay Races Liberation Army against the British and Malayan administration from 1948-1960 in what is now Malaysia. ...

In the early 1950s, trouble began in Cyprus and Kenya (the Mau Mau uprising), in the former, an organisation known as EOKA sought unity with Greece, the situation being stabilised just before Cyprus was given independence in 1960. Kenya was one of many deployments for the Army in Africa during that period, most of the others being former Italian colonies placed in the temporary control of the Army. The Army also took part in the Korean War (1950-53), fighting in battles such as Imjin River which included Gloster Hill. Elsewhere, the Army withdrew from the Suez Canal Zone, Egypt in 1955. The following year, along with France and Israel, the British invaded Egypt in a conflict known as the Suez War, after the Egyptian leader, President Nasser nationalised the Suez Canal which Britain and France had shares in. The British Army contributed forces to the amphibious assault on Suez and Paras' took part in the airborne assault. Militarily, the war was a success, but international pressure forced them to withdraw soon afterwards, replaced by a UN peacekeeping force. The Mau Mau Uprising was an insurgency by Kenyan rebels against the British colonial administration from 1952 to 1960. ... EOKA (Εθνική Οργάνωσις Κυπρίων Αγωνιστών, Ethniki Organosis Kyprion Agoniston, in English National Organisation of Cypriot Fighters) was a Greek Cypriot nationalist organisation that fought for the expulsion of British troops from the island, for self-determination and for union with Greece in the mid to late 1950s. ... Combatants Western Allied/UN combatants: South Korea, United States Communist combatants: North Korea, Peoples Republic of China Strength Note: All figures may vary according to source. ... 1950 (MCML) was a common year starting on Sunday (link will take you to calendar). ... 1953 (MCMLIII) was a common year starting on Thursday (link is to a full 1953 calendar). ... The Battle of the Imjin took place between April 22 – April 25, 1951 during the Korean War. ... The hill designated Hill 235 during the Korean War is remembered as Gloster Hill because of the actions of the Gloucestershire Regiment (the Glorious Glosters) in following their orders to Hold on where you are during the Battle of the Imjin River 1951. ... 1881 drawing of the Suez Canal The Suez Canal (Arabic, Qanā al-Suways), west of the Sinai Peninsula, forms a 163 km (118 miles) ship canal in Egypt between Port Said (Būr Saīd) on the Mediterranean and Suez (al-Suways) on the Red Sea. ... 1955 (MCMLV) was a common year starting on Saturday of the Gregorian calendar. ... The Suez Crisis, also known as the Suez War, Suez Campaign or Kadesh Operation was a war fought on Egyptian territory in 1956. ... Gamal Abdel Nasser (Arabic: جمال عبد الناصر) Gamal Abdel Nasser (January 15, 1918 - September 28, 1970) was the second President of Egypt after Muhammad Naguib and is considered one of the most important Arab leaders in history. ... 1881 drawing of the Suez Canal. ...

In the 1960s, Aden and Borneo featured heavily with the Army, the latter known as the Indonesia-Malaysia confrontation. Trouble struck home that decade when a surge in violence in Northern Ireland against Catholics by Protestants led to British troops having to be sent into NI to assist in stopping the violence. They were initially welcomed by the Catholic community; however, this developed into opposition, and the IRA began to target British troops. It became known as "The Troubles" and was at its bloodiest in the 1970s and 1980s, subduing by the 1990s. The Army's operations usually had the Army supporting the RUC and the Ulster Defence Regiment (created in 1970) in maintaining order, seeking to prevent confrontations between the Catholics and Protestants, as-well as stopping Republican and Loyalist paramilitary groups from committing terrorist attacks. Some prominent incidents involving British troops included the Bloody Sunday incident on 30 January 1972 in which 13 civilians were killed by The Parachute Regiment, and an incident in which eighteen British soldiers were killed in a bomb attack on 27 August 1979, on the same day Lord Mountbatten of Burma was assassinated. The 1960s decade refers to the years from 1960 to 1969, inclusive. ... Port of Aden (around 1910). ... Borneo and Sulawesi. ... The Indonesia-Malaysia confrontation was an intermittent war over the future of the island of Borneo, between British-backed Malaysia and Indonesia in 1962-1966. ... Protestantism is a general grouping of denominations within Christianity. ... The West Cork Flying Column during the War of Independence. ... The Troubles is a term used to describe two periods of violence in Ireland during the twentieth century. ... The 1970s decade refers to the years from 1970 to 1979, inclusive. ... MacGyver - 1980s hero The 1980s decade refers to the years from 1980 to 1989, inclusive. ... The 1990s decade refers to the years from 1990 to 1999, inclusive. ... The Royal Ulster Constabulary (RUC) was name of the police force in Northern Ireland from 1922 to 2001. ... The Ulster Defence Regiment (UDR) was an infantry regiment of the British Army. ... 1970 (MCMLXX) was a common year starting on Thursday (the link is to a full 1970 calendar). ... Republicanism is the idea of a nation being governed as a republic. ... In general, a loyalist is an individual who is loyal to the powers that be or The Establishment. ... Derry civil rights association banner stained with Bernard McGuigans blood after shootings On Sunday January 30, 1972, in an incident since known as Bloody Sunday, 14 people were killed (including 6 minors) and 13 others wounded by British paratroopers after a Northern Ireland Civil Rights Association march in the... January 30 is the 30th day of the year in the Gregorian calendar. ... 1972 (MCMLXXII) was a leap year starting on Saturday (the link is to a full 1972 calendar). ... August 27 is the 239th day of the year in the Gregorian Calendar (240th in leap years), with 126 days remaining. ... This page refers to the year 1979. ...

Troops in Falklands Islands, 1982

In 1980, the Special Air Service emerged from its secretive world when its most high-profile operation, the ending of the Iranian Embassy siege in London, was broadcast live on television. By the 1980s, even though the Army was being increasingly deployed abroad, most of its permanent overseas garrison were gone, with the largest remaining being the BAOR in Germany, while others included Belize, Brunei, Gibraltar, and Hong Kong. One garrison, not garrisoned by the Army, was the Falkland Islands in the South Atlantic, 6,000 to 8,000 miles (11,000 to 15,000 km) from Britain. The Argentinians invaded the Falklands in April 1982. The British quickly responded and the Army had an active involvement in the campaign to liberate the Falklands upon the landings at San Carlos, taking part in a series of battles that led to them reaching the outskirts of the capital, Stanley. The Falklands War ending with the formal surrender of the Argentinian forces on 14 June. This work is copyrighted. ... This work is copyrighted. ... 1980 (MCMLXXX) was a leap year starting on Tuesday. ... The Iranian Embassy Siege of 1980 was a terrorist siege of the Iranian Embassy in London, United Kingdom. ... London is the capital city of the United Kingdom and of England and is the most populous city in the European Union. ... For other uses, see Atlantic (disambiguation) The Atlantic Ocean is Earths second-largest ocean, covering approximately one-fifth of its surface. ... 1982 (MCMLXXXII) was a common year starting on Friday of the Gregorian calendar. ... San Carlos is a settlement in northwestern East Falkland, lying south of Port San Carlos on San Carlos Water. ... Official website: http://www. ... The Falklands War (Spanish: Guerra de las Malvinas), was an effective state of war in 1982 between Argentina and the United Kingdom over the Falkland Islands (also known in Spanish as the Islas Malvinas) and South Georgia and the South Sandwich Islands. ... June 14 is the 165th day of the year in the Gregorian calendar (166th in leap years), with 200 days remaining. ...

Age of Mobility (1990-present)

Organisation

The collapse of the Soviet Union, ending the Cold War, saw a new defence white paper, Options for Change produced. This saw inevitable reductions in the British armed forces. The Army experienced a substantial cut in its manpower (reduced to about 120,000), which included the usual regimental amalgamations, including two of the large regiments of the 1960s -- the Queen's Regiment and Royal Irish Rangers -- and the third battalions of the remaining large regiments being cut. The British Army in Germany was also affected, with the British Army of the Rhine replaced by British Forces Germany and personnel numbers being from about 55,000 to 25,000; the replacement of German-based I Corps by the British-led Headquarters Allied Command Europe Rapid Reaction Corps also took place. Nine of the Army's administrative corps were amalgamated to form the Royal Logistic Corps and the Adjutant General's Corps). One major development was the disbandment of the Women's Royal Army Corps (though the largest elements were absorbed by the AGC) and their integration into services that had previously been restricted to men; however, women were still forbidden from joining armoured and infantry units. The four Gurkha regiments were amalgamated to form the three-battalion Royal Gurkha Rifles, reduced to two in 1996 just before the handover of Hong Kong to the People's Republic of China in 1997. Options for Change was a restructuring of the British military in 1993, aimed at cutting defence spending following the end of the Cold War. ... The British Forces Germany (BFG) is the successor of the British Army of the Rhine (BAOR) and Royal Air Force Germany (RAFG), which were disbanded in 1994 after the end of the Cold War. ... The Headquarters Allied Command Europe Rapid Reaction Corps, (HQ ARRC or ARRC) was created in 1992 in Bielefeld based on the former British I Corps (or I (BR) Corps ). It was originally created as the rapid reaction corps sized land force of the Reaction Forces Concept that emerged after the... The Royal Logistic Corps is a British Army corps that provides the logistical support for the Army. ... The Adjutant Generals Corps is a corps in the British Army responsible for many of its general administrative services. ... The Royal Gurkha Rifles is a regiment of the British Army, forming part of the Brigade of Gurkhas. ... 1996 (MCMXCVI) was a leap year starting on Monday of the Gregorian calendar, and was designated the International Year for the Eradication of Poverty. ... 1997 (MCMXCVII) was a common year starting on Wednesday of the Gregorian calendar. ...

The Labour Party became the country's new government after their election victory in 1997 and a new defence white paper was prepared, known as the Strategic Defence Review (1998). Some of the Army's reforms included the creation of two deployable divisions -- 1st (UK) Armoured Division and 3rd Mechanised Division, with the 1st Division being based in Germany -- and three 'regenerative' divisions -- 2nd, 4th, and 5th Divisions. The 16 Air Assault Brigade was formed from 24 Airmobile Brigade and elements of 5 Airborne Brigade to provide the Army with increased mobilty, and would include the Westland WAH-64 Apache attack helicopter. Other attempts to make the Army more mobile was the creation of the Joint Rapid Reaction Force, intended to provide a corps-sized force capable of reacting quickly to situations similar to Bosnia. The Army Air Corps's helicopters also helped form the multi-service Joint Helicopter Command. The Labour Party has since its formation in the early 20th century been the principal left wing political party in the United Kingdom (see British politics). ... The Strategic Defence Review (or SDR) was a policy document produced by the Labour Government that came to power in 1997. ... 1998 (MCMXCVIII) was a common year starting on Thursday of the Gregorian calendar, and was designated the International Year of the Ocean. ... History The 1st Armoured Division was a regular division in the British Army at the outbreak of World War II. It had formerly been designated The Mobile Division. ... The British 3rd Infantry Division was part of the ill-fated British Expeditionary Force evacuated from Dunkirk early in World War II. It was the first British division to land at Sword beach on D-Day. ... The British 2nd Infantry Division fought in Burma against the Japanese during World War II. See British 2nd Division (World War I) for the divisions World War I history. ... The British 4th Infantry Division served during World War II in France in 1940, North Africa and Italy. ... The British 5th Infantry Division was a World War II infantry division. ... The 16 Air Assault Brigade (16 AAB) is a unit of the British Army. ... The WAH-64 is a licence built version of the Boeing AH-64 Apache Longbow attack helicopter for the British Army. ... A Royal Air Force Merlin HC3 is an example of a helicopter of Joint Helicopter Command. ...

For the structure of the British Army during this period, see List of British Army regiments (1994) This is a list of British Army regiments in the aftermath of the defence cuts of the Options for Change defence white paper in 1991. ...

Another defence review was published in 2004, known as Delivering Security in a Changing World. The defence white paper stated that the Army's manpower would be reduced by 1,000, with four infantry battalions being cut and the manpower being redistributed elsewhere. One of the most radical aspects of the reforms was the announcement that most single-battalion regiments would amalgamate into large regiments, with most of the battalions retaining their previous regimental titles in their battalion names. The TA would also be further integrated into the Army, with battalions being numbered into the regiment's structure. These are reminiscent, in some respects, to the Cardwell-Childers reforms and the 1960s reforms. 2004 (MMIV) was a leap year starting on Thursday of the Gregorian calendar. ... The 2003 Defence White Paper, entitled Delivering Security in a Changing World sets out the future of the British military, and builds on the 1998 Strategic Defence Review (SDR) and the 2002 SDR New Chapter which responded to the challenges raised by the War on Terror. ...

Since the late 1990s, the British Army has been gradually moulded into an increasingly expeditionary-based force in anticipation of further small-scale wars against terrorist organisations like Al Qaida and so-called "Rogue states". The élite units of the Army are also playing an increasingly prominent role in the Army's operations and the SAS was allocated further funds in the 2004 defence paper, conveying the SAS's increasing important in the War on Terror. The 1st Battalion of the Parachute Regiment, meanwhile, is to become part of a new tri-service unit to support the SAS and the Navy's SBS, being acclaimed as the Army's equivalent to the U.S. Army Rangers. Another élite unit, which became operational on 6 April 2005, is the Special Reconnaissance Regiment. The 1990s decade refers to the years from 1990 to 1999, inclusive. ... Al-Qaeda (Arabic: القاعدة, the foundation or the base) is the name given to a worldwide network of militant Islamist organizations under the leadership of Osama bin Laden. ... A rogue state is a political entity that, contrary to the stated desires of other powers, attempts to acquire weapons that other countries seek to prevent from appearing under their custody, use weapons in domestic or international warfare that other powers consider abominable, commit crimes against humanity, harbor terrorists, tolerate... The Special Boat Service (SBS) is the British Royal Navys Special Forces unit. ... Official force name 75th Ranger Regiment Rangers Other names Airborne Rangers Army Rangers U.S. Army Rangers Branch U.S. Army Chain of Command USASOC Description Special Operations Force, rapidly deployable light infantry force. ... April 6 is the 96th day of the year in the Gregorian calendar (97th in leap years). ... Template:Diffgggtgerent calendars 2005 (MMV) was a common year starting on Saturday of the Gregorian calendar. ... Cap badge of the Special Reconnaissance Regiment. ...

Operations

C Company, 1st Battalion, The Staffordshire Regiment, 1 (UK) Armoured Division

The end of the Cold War did not provide the British Army with any respite, and the political vacuum left by the Soviet Union has seen a surge in instability in the world. Saddam Hussain's Iraq invaded Kuwait, one of its neighbour, in 1990, provoking condemnation from the United Nations, primarily led by the United States. The Gulf War and the British contribution, known as Operation Granby, was large, with the Army provided about 28,000 troops and 13,000 vehicles, mostly centred around 1 (UK) Armoured Division. After air operations ended, the land campaign against Iraq began on 24 February. 1st Armoured Division took part in the left-hook attack that helped destroy many Iraqi units. The ground campaign had lasted just 100-hours, Kuwait being officially liberated on 27 February. Company C, 1st Battalion, The Staffordshire Regiment, 1st UK Armoured Division live fire training exercise to assault mock village and trench complex, Medics moving to treat simulated casualty. ... Company C, 1st Battalion, The Staffordshire Regiment, 1st UK Armoured Division live fire training exercise to assault mock village and trench complex, Medics moving to treat simulated casualty. ... The Staffordshire Regiment (Prince of Wales) or Staffords is an infantry regiment of the British Army, part of the Prince of Wales Division. ... Saddam Hussein Saddām Hussein ʻAbd al-Majid al-Tikrītī (Often spelt Husayn or Hussain; Arabic صدام حسين عبدالمجيد التكريتي; born April 28, 1937 1) was President of Iraq from 1979 to 2003. ... This article is about the year. ... United Nations - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia /**/ @import /skins-1. ... Combatants U.S.-led coalition Iraq Commanders George H. W. Bush, Norman Schwarzkopf, Colin Powell Saddam Hussein, Ali Hassan Al-Majid, Hussein Kamel Strength 660,000 ~545,000 Casualties 345 dead, 1,000 wounded 25,000 - 100,000 dead, 100,000 - 300,000 wounded The 1991 Gulf War (also Persian... The British named their particaption in the 1991 defense of Saudi Arabia (know to the Americans as Operation Desert Shield) Operation Granby. ... February 24 is the 55th day of the year in the Gregorian Calendar. ... February 27 is the 58th day of the year in the Gregorian Calendar. ...

The British Army has also played an increasingly prominent role in peacekeeping operation, gaining much respect for its comparative expertise in the area. In 1992, during the wars in the Balkans provoked by the gradual disintegration of Yugoslavia, UN forces intervened in Croatia and later Bosnia, British forces contributing as part of UNPROFOR (United Nations Protection Force) (UNPROFOR). The force was a peacekeeping one, but with no peace to keep, it proved ineffective and was replaced by the NATO IFOR though this was replaced the following year by SFOR. As of 2005, Britain's contribution numbers about 3,000 troops. In 1999 the UK took a lead role in the NATO war against Slobodan Milošević's forces in Kosovo. After the air war ended, the Parachute Regiment and Royal Gurkha Rifles provided the spearhead for ground forces entering Kosovo. Mike Jackson refused, preventing In 2000, British forces, as part of Operation Palliser, intervened in civil war ravaged Sierra Leone, with the intention of evacuating British, Commonwealth and EU citizens. The SAS also played a prominent role when they along with Paras, launched the successful Operation Barras to rescue 6 soldiers of the Royal Irish Regiment being held by the rebels. The British force remained and provided the catalyst for the stabilisation of the country. 1992 (MCMXCII) was a leap year starting on Wednesday. ... Yugoslavia (Jugoslavija in all south Slavic languages, in Serbian and Macedonian Cyrillic Југославија) is a term used for three separate but successive political entities that existed during most of the 20th century on the Balkan Peninsula in Europe. ... Motto: none Anthem: Intermeco Capital Sarajevo Largest city Sarajevo Official language(s) Bosnian, Croatian, Serbian Government Presidency members Prime Minister Federal republic Sulejman Tihić1 (Bosniak) Borislav Paravac (Serb) Ivo Miro Jović (Croat) Adnan Terzic Independence From Yugoslavia Declared 5 April 1992 Area  - Total    - Water (%)   51,129 km² (124th) 19... Pocket badge of the UNPROFOR The United Nations Protection Force, UNPROFOR, were the primary UN peacekeeping troops in Croatia and in Bosnia and Herzegovina during the Yugoslav wars. ... The acronym IFOR may also refer to the International Fellowship of Reconciliation. ... Pocket badge of the SFOR The Stabilisation Force (SFOR) was a NATO-led multinational force in Bosnia and Herzegovina which was tasked with upholding the Dayton Agreement. ... Template:Diffgggtgerent calendars 2005 (MMV) was a common year starting on Saturday of the Gregorian calendar. ... 1999 (MCMXCIX) was a common year starting on Friday, and was designated the International Year of Older Persons by the United Nations. ... Slobodan MiloÅ¡ević Slobodan MiloÅ¡ević (Serbian Cyrillic: Слободан Милошевић, pronounced []); (20 August 1941 – 11 March 2006) was President of Serbia and of Yugoslavia. ... For other uses, see Kosovo (disambiguation). ... General Sir Michael Mike Jackson, GCB, CBE, DSO, ADC Gen (born 21 March 1944) is a British army officer, currently Chief of the General Staff. ... This article is about the year 2000. ... Operation Palliser was a British Armed forces operation in Sierra Leone in 2000 under the command of Brigadier David Richards. ... This article needs to be cleaned up to conform to a higher standard of quality. ... In the British Army, there have been two regiments titled the Royal Irish Regiment // Royal Irish Regiment The Royal Irish Regiment was formed in 1684 by the Earl of Granard from independent companies in Ireland. ...

The early 21st Century saw the world descend into a new war after the 9/11 terrorist attacks on the World Trade Centre in New York by Al Qaida: the War on Terrorism. A US-led invasion of Taliban-ruled Afghanistan followed, with the British contribution led by the RN and RAF; the most important Army element being the SAS. The British later took part in the invasion of invasion of Iraq in 2003, Britain's contribution being known as Operation Telic, The Army played a more significant role in Iraq than Afghanistan, deploying a substantial force, centred around 1 (UK) Armoured Division with, again, around 28,000 troops. The war began in March and the British fought in the southern area of Iraq, eventually capturing the second largest city, Basra, in April. The Army remained in Iraq upon the end of the war and now leads the Multi-National Division (South East), with the Army presence in Iraq numbering about 8 to 9,000 soldiers. The 21st century is the century that began on 1 January 2001 and will last to 31 December 2100. ... The World Trade Center on fire The September 11, 2001 attacks were a series of coordinated terrorist attacks against the United States on September 11, 2001. ... World trade centers arose in the United States and Japan in the 1970s, spearheaded by New York Citys World Trade Center. ... Official language(s) None, English de facto Capital Largest city Albany New York City Area  Ranked 27th  - Total 54,520 sq mi  (141,205 km²)  - Width 285 miles (455 km)  - Length 330 miles (530 km)  - % water 13. ... The War on Terrorism or War on Terror is a campaign by the United States government and some of its allies with the stated goal of ending international terrorism by stopping those groups identified by the U.S. as terrorist groups and ending state sponsorship of terrorism. ... Flag flown by the Taliban. ... For other uses of the term, see Iraq war (disambiguation) The 2003 invasion of Iraq (also called the 2nd or 3rd Persian Gulf War) began on March 20, 2003, when forces belonging primarily to the United States and the United Kingdom invaded Iraq without the explicit backing of the United... 2003 (MMIII) was a common year starting on Wednesday of the Gregorian calendar. ... Operation Telic is the codename under which all British operations of the 2003 Invasion of Iraq and after are being conducted. ... Location of Basra Basra (also spelled BaÅŸrah or Basara; historically sometimes written Busra, Busrah, and the early form Bassorah; Arabic: , Al-Basrah) is the second largest city of Iraq with an estimated population of c. ...

Terminology

• Army - Consists of 2 or more corps.
• Corps - Operationally, it comprises 2 or more divisions. In the British Army it is used to administrate units that perform the same function, such as the Corps of Royal Engineers.
• Division - About 10 to 20,000 personnel, comprising about 4 brigades and other units.
• Brigade - Consists of a number of regiments and supporting units, numbering about 2,000 to 5,000 personnel.
• Battalion/Regiment - Made up of companies/squadrons, numbering about 300 to 1,000 personnel. Can consist of multiple battalions.
• Battery/Company/Squadron/ - Consists of about 100 to 200 personnel.
• Platoonn/Troop Consists of about 30 personnel.
• Section - Consists of about 8 personnel.

The Corps of Royal Engineers (RE), commonly known as the Sappers, is one of the corps of the British Army. ...

Official rifle of the Army 1722-2005

See British military rifles The origins of the British military rifle are within its predecessor the Brown Bess musket; the variance being rifling in the barrel, which among other advantages imparts a spin on the bullet increasing both the range and the accuracy. ...

The British army has mixed extreme conservatism, 'penny-pinching', and extraordinarily exacting standards in its rifles. For example the move to percussion-caps was not made until 1842, while an 1866 trial examined 104 weapons and declined to award a first prize, or that the specifications for a SLR in the 1930s were so stiff "it is doubtful if any... rifle of the present day could meet it in its entirety." 1866 (MDCCCLXVI) is a common year starting on Monday of the Gregorian calendar or a common year starting on Wednesday of the 12-day-slower Julian calendar. ...

Changes were usually forced on the Army as a result of conflict or the actions of other armies. Note the rapid pace of change in the period 1850-1895 as the Crimean War forced changes and then the foreign demonstrations of the needle-gun, the Chassepot, and the Mannlicher-Mauser designs frightened the Army. 1850 was a common year starting on Tuesday (see link for calendar). ... 1895 (MDCCCXCV) was a common year starting on Tuesday (see link for calendar) of the Gregorian calendar (or a common year starting on Thursday of the 12-day-slower Julian calendar). ... The chassepot, officially known as fusil modèle 1866, was a military breechloading rifle, famous as the arm of the French forces in the Franco-German War of 1870 and 1871. ...

In the 19th century the change-overs were not instant, many colonial units soldiered on with older weapons - some units missing two cycles of change - while some weapons (italicized in the list below) were only issued to specialist rifle brigades or in very limited numbers.

As is often the case, the Army's men often had the weapons to fight the last war by the time of the following conflict. Most of the 19th century weapons were technologically obsolete at their introduction or within five years, and despite the apparently exhaustive testing many inadequate weapons were issued.

• Brown Bess 1722-1802
  • Long Land Pattern 1722-1802
  • Short Land Pattern 1777-1802
  • New Land Pattern Musket 1802-1842
• Baker rifle 1800-1835
• Pattern 1836 Brunswick rifle 1836-1851
• Pattern 1851 Minié rifle 1851-1855
• Enfield
  • Pattern 1853 1855-1860
  • Pattern 1860 1860-1864
• Snider-Enfield (or Converted Enfield) 1864-1871
• Martini-Henry 1871-1888
  • Enfield-Martini 1884-1888
• Lee-Metford 1888-1895
• Lee-Enfield 1895-1956
  • SMLE 1903-1956
• L1A1 SLR 1957-1985 (FN FAL)
• SA80 L85 1985-

Short Land Pattern The Brown Bess in History Brown Bess is a nickname of unknown provenance for the British Long Land Pattern Musket and its derivatives. ... The Baker rifle was the rifle used by the Rifle regiments of the British Army during the Napoleonic Wars. ... The Brunswick rifle was a . ... Enfield is the name of several places. ... SNIDER-ENFIELD BREECH LOADING RIFLE. The British . ... The Martini-Henry (also known as the Peabody-Martini-Henry) was a breech-loading lever-actuated rifle adopted by the British, combining an action worked on by Friedrich von Martini (based on the Peabody rifle developed by Henry Peabody), with the rifled barrel designed by Scotsman Alexander Henry. ... The Lee-Metford rifle was a breech-loading British army service rifle, combining James Paris Lees rear-locking bolt system and ten-round magazine with a seven groove rifled barrel designed by William Ellis Metford. ... Lee-Enfield No4 Mk1 with bayonet, scabbard attached The Lee-Enfield was the British armys standard bolt action, magazine-fed, repeating rifle from 1895 until 1956. ... The Fusil Automatique Leger, or Light Automatic Rifle (LAR). ... British soldier with L85 in the 1991 Gulf War British soldier with L85 SA80 (Small Arms for 1980s) is a family of related arms that include the British Armed Forcess standard combat rifle. ...

Further reading

• David Chandler, Ian Beckett, The Oxford History of the British Army, Oxford Paperbacks ISBN 0192803115
• The British Army Handbook: The Definitive Guide by the MoD, Brassey's (UK) Ltd ISBN 1857533933
• Arthur S. White, Bibliography of Regimental Histories of the British Army, Naval and Military Press ISBN 1843421550
• Richard Holmes, Tommy: The British Soldier on the Western Front, Perennial ISBN 0007137524
• Richard Holmes, Redcoat: The British Soldier in the Age of Horse and Musket, HarperCollins ISBN 0006531520

References

• The National Archives of Scotland: Doing research. Guides. Military records.
• Regiments.Org Regiments and Corps of the British Army: An Introductory Overview.
• Britain's Small Wars
• National Army Museum
• The Long, Long Trail
• Military history of the United Kingdom during World War II

The United Kingdom, along with France, declared war on Nazi Germany in 1939 after the German invasion of Poland. ...

See also

• British military history
• British Army Uniform
• History of England
• History of Ireland
• History of Scotland
• History of Wales
• Military history of the United Kingdom during World War II
• Recruitment in the British Army
• Regiment - For more detailed information on the British regimental system.