British Army

Components British Army Territorial Army List of current regiments Structure of the British Army Administration HQ Land Command HQ Adjutant-General HQ Northern Ireland Overseas Deployments British Forces Germany British Forces Cyprus British Forces Gibraltar British Garrison Brunei Equipment British military rifles Modern Equipment History History of the British Army Timeline of the British Army Recruitment in the British Army Personnel List of senior officers Officer rank insignia Other ranks rank insignia British Army Portal Portal to other related sites

The Battle of Waterloo, one of the greatest victories in British military history

The British Army is the land armed forces branch of the British Armed Forces. The Territorial Army ( TA) is the principal and Volunteer reserve force of the British Army, the land armed forces branch of the United Kingdom Cavalry Household Cavalry Household Cavalry Regiment and Household Cavalry Mounted Regiment The Life Guards The Blues and The structure of the British Army is broadly similar to that of the Royal Navy and Royal Air Force, being divided into two Commands as top-level budget Land Command (or 'HQ Land' is a military command and part of the structure of the modern British Army. The Adjutant-General to the Forces, commonly just referred to as the Adjutant-General ( AG) is one of the most senior officers in the British Army. HQ Northern Ireland is the command formation responsible for the administration of all British Armed Forces stationed in and around Northern Ireland. British Forces Germany (BFG is the name for British service personnel and civilians based in Germany British Forces Cyprus ( BFC) is the name given to the British Armed Forces stationed in the UK sovereign base areas of Dhekelia and Akrotiri on British Forces Gibraltar is the name given to the British Armed Forces stationed in the British Overseas Territory of Gibraltar. The British Military Garrison Brunei (BGB is the name given to the British armed forces presence in Brunei. In some cases less is more The purpose of this article is to give an overview This is a list of some of the equipment currently in use by the British Army. The history of the British Army spans over three and a half centuries and numerous European wars Colonial wars and World wars. 1500-1599 1537 The Overseers of the Fraternity or Guild of St George received a Royal Charter from Henry VIII on 25 August when The British Army came into being with unification of the Kingdoms of England and Scotland into the United Kingdom of Great Britain in 1707 This is a list of senior officers of the British Army. See also Commander in Chief of the Forces, Chief of the General Staff, and Chief of the Imperial General Origins In the 17th and 18th centuries rank was generally denoted by the quantity of lace and through other decoration used on uniforms Variants Bombardier/Lance Bombardier are ranks of the Royal Artillery. In the Battle of Waterloo (Sunday 18 June 1815 near Waterloo Belgium An army (from Latin Armata "act of arming" via Old French armée) in the broadest sense is the land-based Armed forces The Armed forces of the United Kingdom, commonly known as the British Armed Forces or Her Majesty's Armed Forces, and sometimes legally the Armed Forces It came into being with unification of the Kingdoms of England and Scotland into the Kingdom of Great Britain in 1707. The Kingdom of England was a State (927-1707 located in Western Europe dating from the ninth or tenth century to the early eighteenth century when it was legally The Kingdom of Scotland ( Gaelic: Rìoghachd na h-Alba, Scots: Kinrick o Scotland) was a State in northwest Europe The Kingdom of Great Britain, also known as the United Kingdom of Great Britain, was a State in northwest Europe, in existence from 1707 to 1800 The new British Army incorporated Regiments that had already existed in England and Scotland and was administered by the War Office from London. The War Office was a former department of the British Government, responsible for the administration of the British Army between the 17th century and 1963 when London ( ˈlʌndən is the capital and largest urban area in the United Kingdom. Since 1963, it has been managed by the Ministry of Defence. The Ministry of Defence ( MoD) is the United Kingdom government department responsible for implementation of government defence policy and is the headquarters

As of April 2007, the British Army includes roughly 101,310 regular personnel and 38,460 Territorial Army members. The Territorial Army ( TA) is the principal and Volunteer reserve force of the British Army, the land armed forces branch of the United Kingdom The full-time element of the British Army has also been referred to as the Regular Army since the creation of the reservist Territorial Army in 1908. The British Army is deployed in many of the world's war zones as part of both Expeditionary Forces and in United Nations Peacekeeping forces. Expeditionary warfare is used to describe the organization of a nation's military to fight abroad especially when deployed to fight away from its established bases at home or abroad The United Nations ( UN) is an International organization whose stated aims are to facilitate cooperation in International law, International security Peacekeeping, as defined by the United Nations, is "a way to help countries torn by conflict create conditions for sustainable peace The British Army is currently deployed in Kosovo, Cyprus, Germany, Iraq, Afghanistan and many other places. The Kosovo Force ( KFOR) is a NATO -led international force responsible for establishing a safe and secure environment in Kosovo, the self-proclaimed independent British Forces Cyprus ( BFC) is the name given to the British Armed Forces stationed in the UK sovereign base areas of Dhekelia and Akrotiri on British Forces Germany (BFG is the name for British service personnel and civilians based in Germany Multi-National Force - Iraq (MNF-I, is a military command, led by the United States that is fighting the Iraq War against Iraqi insurgents or resistants

In contrast to the Royal Navy, Royal Marines and Royal Air Force, the British Army does not include "Royal" in its title, however many of its constituent Regiments and Corps are styled Royal. The Royal Navy of the United Kingdom is the oldest of the British armed services (and is therefore known as the Senior Service) The Royal Marines ( RM) are the marine corps and amphibious Infantry of the United Kingdom and along with the Royal Navy ^[1]

The professional head of the British Army is the Chief of the General Staff, currently Sir Richard Dannatt. Chief of the General Staff ( CGS) has been the title of the professional head of the British Army since 1964. General Sir Francis Richard Dannatt KCB CBE MC (born 23 December 1950) is the Chief of the General Staff

History

Main article: History of the British Army

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 United Kingdom of Great Britain in 1707. The history of the British Army spans over three and a half centuries and numerous European wars Colonial wars and World wars. Historically Scotland has a long military tradition that predates the Act of Union with England. The Kingdom of Great Britain, also known as the United Kingdom of Great Britain, was a State in northwest Europe, in existence from 1707 to 1800 The new British Army incorporated existing English and Scottish regiments, and was controlled from London.

From roughly 1763 the United Kingdom has been one of the leading military and economic powers of the world. The British Empire expanded in this time to include colonies, protectorates, and Dominions throughout the Americas, Africa, Asia and Australasia. The British Empire was the largest empire in history and for over a century was the foremost global power. This article is about a type of political territory For other uses see Colony (disambiguation. In International law, a protectorate is a autonomous territory that is "protected" by a stronger state or entity hense the protector which engages to protect A dominion, often Dominion, refers to one of a group of autonomous polities under sovereign authority within the British Empire and The Americas are the lands of the Western hemisphere or New World, consisting of the Continents of North America and South America Australasia is a Region of Oceania: New Zealand, Australia, Papua New Guinea, and neighbouring Islands in the Pacific Although the Royal Navy is widely regarded as having been vital for the rise of Empire, and British dominance of the world, the British Army played important roles in colonisation. The Royal Navy of the United Kingdom is the oldest of the British armed services (and is therefore known as the Senior Service) Typical tasks for the Army included garrisoning the colonies, capturing strategically important territories and participating in actions to pacify colonial borders, provide support to allied governments, suppress Britain's rivals, and protect against foreign powers and hostile natives. Garrison (various spellings (from the French garnison, itself from the verb garnir, "to equip" is the collective term for a body of Troops British troops also helped capture strategically important territories for the British, allowing the British Empire to expand throughout the globe. The Army also involved itself in numerous wars meant to pacify the borders, or to prop-up friendly governments, and thereby keep other, competitive, empires away from the British Empire's borders. Among these actions were the Seven Years' War, the American War of Independence, the Napoleonic Wars, the First and Second Opium Wars, the Boxer Rebellion, the New Zealand Wars, the Indian Mutiny, the First and Second Boer Wars, the Fenian raids, the Anglo-Irish War, its serial interventions into Afghanistan (which were meant to maintain a friendly buffer state between British India and the Russian Empire), and the Crimean War (to keep the Russian Empire at a safe distance by coming to Turkey's aid). The Seven Years' War (1756&ndash1763 involved all of the major European powers of the period causing 900000 to 1400000 deaths In this article the inhabitants of the thirteen colonies that supported the American Revolution are primarily referred to as "Americans" with occasional references to "Patriots" The Napoleonic Wars (1803-1815 involved Napoleon's French Empire and a shifting set of European allies and opposing coalitions The First Opium War or the First Anglo-Chinese War was fought between the British East India Company and the Qing Dynasty in China from 1839 The Second Opium War, the Second Anglo-Chinese War, the Arrow War, or the Anglo-French expedition to China, was a war of the United Kingdom The Boxer Rebellion, or Boxer Movement, was an uprising by members of the Chinese Society of Right and Harmonious Fists against foreign influence The New Zealand Wars, sometimes called the Land Wars and also once called the Māori Wars, were a series of conflicts that took place in New Zealand The Indian Rebellion of 1857 began as a mutiny of Sepoys of British East India Company 's army on the 10th of May 1857 in the town of Meerut, See also Second Boer War,, South African Wars (1879-1915 The First Boer War ( Dutch: Eerste Boerenoorlog, Afrikaans: See also First Boer War,, South African Wars (1879-1915 The Second Boer War ( Dutch: Tweede Boerenoorlog, Afrikaans: 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 The Irish War of Independence (or Tan War, or Anglo-Irish War, Irish: Cogadh na Saoirse) from January 1919 to July 1921 was a guerrilla Afghanistan /æfˈgænɪstæn/ officially the Islamic Republic of Afghanistan ( Pashto: د افغانستان اسلامي جمهوریت, The Russian Empire ( Pre-reform Russian: Pоссійская Имперія Modern Russian: Российская Империя translit: Rossiyskaya The Crimean War, also known in Russia as the Eastern War (Восточная война Vostochnaya Vojna) (March 1854–February 1856 was fought

The Death of General Wolfe during the Battle of Quebec. General James Wolfe ( 2 January, 1727 &ndash 13 September, 1759) was a British Army officer known for his training reforms The Battle of the Plains of Abraham, also known as the Battle of Quebec, was a pivotal battle in the French and Indian War, the North American theatre of the

As had its predecessor, the English Army, the British Army fought Spain, France, and the Netherlands for supremacy in North America and the West Indies. Spain () or the Kingdom of Spain (Reino de España is a country located mostly in southwestern Europe on the Iberian Peninsula. This article is about the country For a topic outline on this subject see List of basic France topics. The Netherlands ( Dutch:, ˈnedərlɑnt is the European part of the Kingdom of the Netherlands, which consists of the Netherlands the Netherlands The Caribbean (ˌkærəˡbiən kæ'rəbiən Cariben|Caraïben or Caraïben; Caraïbe or more commonly Antilles; Caribe is a Region consisting With native and provincial assistance, the Army conquered New France in the Seven Years' War and subsequently suppressed a Native American uprising in Pontiac's War. The Viceroyalty of New France (Nouvelle-France was the area colonized by France in North America during a period extending from the exploration of the The Seven Years' War (1756&ndash1763 involved all of the major European powers of the period causing 900000 to 1400000 deaths For indigenous peoples in the United States other than Hawaii and Alaska see also Native Americans in the United States. Pontiac's Rebellion was a war launched in 1763 by North American Indians who were dissatisfied with British policies in the Great Lakes region after The British Army suffered defeat in the American War of Independence, losing the Thirteen Colonies but holding on to Canada. In this article the inhabitants of the thirteen colonies that supported the American Revolution are primarily referred to as "Americans" with occasional references to "Patriots" The Thirteen Colonies were part of what became known as British America, a name that was used by Great Britain until the Treaty of Paris (1783 recognized the

The British army was heavily involved in the Napoleonic Wars in which the army served in Spain, across Europe, and in North Africa. The Napoleonic Wars (1803-1815 involved Napoleon's French Empire and a shifting set of European allies and opposing coalitions The war between the British and French Empires stretched around the world. The British Army finally came to defeat Napoleon at one of Britain's greatest military victories at the battle of Waterloo. In the Battle of Waterloo (Sunday 18 June 1815 near Waterloo Belgium

An artist's interpretation of The Battle of Rorke's Drift in which 11 VCs were awarded to British troops. Rorke's Drift was a mission station in Natal, South Africa, situated near a natural ford (drift on the Buffalo River at. The battle is remarkable in that a hundred well-armed British soldiers managed to defend the small, walled compound of a farmstead and hold a few thousand native warriors and their spears long enough for them to give up and leave them alone.

Under Oliver Cromwell, the English Army had been active in the conquest, and the settlement, of Ireland since the 1650s. Oliver Cromwell (25 April 1599 Old Style &ndash 3 September 1658 Old Style) was an English military and political leader best known The Cromwellian campaign was characterised by its uncompromising treatment of the Irish towns (most notably Drogheda) that had supported the Royalists during the English Civil War. Drogheda (ˈdrɒhədə ˈdrɔːdə ( Droichead Átha in Irish, meaning "Bridge of the Ford" is an industrial and port town in County Louth on It (and subsequently, the British Army) have been almost continuously involved in Ireland ever since, primarily in suppressing numerous Irish revolts and campaigns for self-determination. It was faced with the prospect of battling Anglo-Irish and Ulster Scots settlers in Ireland, who alongside their Irish countrymen had raised their own volunteer army and threatened to emulate the American colonists if their conditions (primarily concerning home rule and freedom of trade) were not met. The British Army found itself fighting Irish rebels, both Protestant and Catholic, primarily in Ulster and Leinster (Wolfe Tone's United Irishmen) in the 1798 rebellion. Theobald Wolfe Tone, commonly known as Wolfe Tone ( 20 June, 1763 – 19 November, 1798) was a leading figure in the United The Society of United Irishmen was founded as a Liberal political organisation in eighteenth century Ireland that sought Parliamentary reform The Irish Rebellion of 1798 (Éirí Amach 1798 Turn Oot 1798 or 1798 rebellion as it is known locally was an uprising in 1798 lasting several months against the

In addition to battling the armies of other European Empires' (and of its former colonies, the United States, in the American War of 1812,) in the battle for global supremacy, the British Army fought the Chinese in the First and Second Opium Wars, and the Boxer Rebellion; Māori tribes in the first of the New Zealand Wars; Indian princely forces and British East India Company mutineers in the Indian Mutiny; the Boers in the First and Second Boer Wars; Irish Fenians in Canada during the Fenian raids; and Irish separatists in the Anglo-Irish War. The War of 1812 was fought between the United States of America and the British Empire, particularly Great Britain and her North American colonies The First Opium War or the First Anglo-Chinese War was fought between the British East India Company and the Qing Dynasty in China from 1839 The Second Opium War, the Second Anglo-Chinese War, the Arrow War, or the Anglo-French expedition to China, was a war of the United Kingdom The Boxer Rebellion, or Boxer Movement, was an uprising by members of the Chinese Society of Right and Harmonious Fists against foreign influence This article discusses the Māori people of New Zealand For their language see Māori language, and for other meanings see Māori (disambiguation. The New Zealand Wars, sometimes called the Land Wars and also once called the Māori Wars, were a series of conflicts that took place in New Zealand India, officially the Republic of India (भारत गणराज्य inc-Latn Bhārat Gaṇarājya; see also other Indian languages) is a country The Honourable East India Company ( HEIC) referred to most commonly as the East India Company, also historically and colloquially as John Company, or The Indian Rebellion of 1857 began as a mutiny of Sepoys of British East India Company 's army on the 10th of May 1857 in the town of Meerut, See also Second Boer War,, South African Wars (1879-1915 The First Boer War ( Dutch: Eerste Boerenoorlog, Afrikaans: See also First Boer War,, South African Wars (1879-1915 The Second Boer War ( Dutch: Tweede Boerenoorlog, Afrikaans: Fianna Éireann The Fenians, both the Fenian Brotherhood and Irish Republican Brotherhood, were fraternal organisations dedicated to the establishment of an independent 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 The Irish Republican Army ( IRA) (Óglaigh na hÉireann was a military organisation descended from the Irish Volunteers, established 25 November 1913 and who The Irish War of Independence (or Tan War, or Anglo-Irish War, Irish: Cogadh na Saoirse) from January 1919 to July 1921 was a guerrilla

Following William and Mary's accession to the throne, England involved itself in the War of the Grand Alliance primarily to prevent a French invasion restoring Mary's father, James II. The Nine Years' War (1688–97 – often called the War of the Grand Alliance or the War of the League of Augsburg – was a major war of the late 17th James II of England and Ireland James VII of Scotland (14 October 1633 &ndash 16 September 1701 was King of England, King of Scots, Later that same year James Following the 1707 union of England and Scotland, and then the 1801 creation of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland, British foreign policy, on the continent, was to contain expansion by its competitor powers such as France and Spain. The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland was the formal name of the United Kingdom from 1 January 1801 until 12 April 1927 This article is about the country For a topic outline on this subject see List of basic France topics. Spain () or the Kingdom of Spain (Reino de España is a country located mostly in southwestern Europe on the Iberian Peninsula. The territorial ambitions of the French led to the War of the Spanish Succession and the Napoleonic Wars. In the War of the Spanish Succession (1701–1714 several European powers combined to stop French succession to the Spanish throne and what would likely have been a resulting The Napoleonic Wars (1803-1815 involved Napoleon's French Empire and a shifting set of European allies and opposing coalitions Russian activity led to the Crimean War. The Crimean War, also known in Russia as the Eastern War (Восточная война Vostochnaya Vojna) (March 1854–February 1856 was fought

The vastly increasing demands of imperial expansion, and the inadequacies and inefficiencies of the underfunded, post-Napoleonic Wars British Army, and of the Militia, Yeomanry, and Volunteer Force, led to the Cardwell and Childers Reforms of the late 19th century, which gave the British Army its modern shape, and redefined its regimental system. The term militia is commonly used today to refer to a military force composed of ordinary Citizens to provide defense emergency law enforcement or Paramilitary service Yeomanry is a designation used by a number of units or sub-units of the British Territorial Army, descended from volunteer Cavalry regiments The Volunteer Force was a citizen army of part-time rifle artillery and engineer corps created as a popular movement in 1859 The Cardwell Reforms refer to a series of reforms of the British Army undertaken by Secretary of State for War (and former soldier Edward Cardwell between The Childers Reforms restructured the Infantry Regiments of the British army. A regiment is a Military unit, composed of a variable number of Battalions – commanded by a Colonel. The Haldane Reforms of 1907, formally created the Territorial Force as the Army's volunteer reserve component. The Territorial and Reserve Forces Act 1907 (7 Edw7 c9 was an act of the Parliament of the United Kingdom that reformed the reserve forces of the British The Territorial Force ( TF) was the volunteer component of the British Army from 1908 to 1920 when it became the Territorial Army.

British Mark One Tank during World War I. The British Mark I was the world's first combat Tank, entering service in the middle of World War I, born of the need to break the domination of trenches and World War I (abbreviated WWI; also known as the First World War, the Great War, and the War to End All Note the guidance wheels behind the main body which were later scrapped as they were unnecessary. Armoured vehicles of this time still required much infantry and artillery support and still do to a lesser extent even in today's military.

Great Britain's dominance of the world had been challenged by numerous other powers, notably the German Empire. The German Empire is the name commonly used in English to describe Germany from 1871 to 1918 when it was a semi- Constitutional monarchy: beginning with the Unification The UK was allied with France (by the Entente Cordiale) and Russia, and when the First World War broke out in 1914, the British Army sent the British Expeditionary Force to France and Belgium to prevent Germany from occupying these countries. Flag of the United Kingdomsvg|right|70px]] The Entente cordiale is a series of agreements signed on 8 April 1904 between the United Kingdom World War I (abbreviated WWI; also known as the First World War, the Great War, and the War to End All The British Expeditionary Force ( BEF) was the British army sent to the Western Front in France and Belgium on the outbreak of The War would be the most devastating in British military history, with near 800,000 men killed and over 2 million wounded. In the early part of the war, the professional force of the BEF was decimated and, by turns, a volunteer (and then conscripted) force replaced it. Major battles included the Battle of the Somme. The Battle of the Somme, also known as the Somme Offensive, fought from July to November 1916 was among the largest battles of the First World War Advances in technology saw advent of the tank, with the creation of the Royal Tank Regiment, and advances in aircraft design, with the creation of the Royal Flying Corps, which were to be decisive in future battles. A tank is a tracked, Armoured fighting vehicle designed for Front-line combat which combines Operational mobility and tactical The Royal Tank Regiment (RTR is an armoured regiment of the British Army. The Royal Flying Corps (RFC was the over-land air arm of the British military during most of the First World War. Trench warfare dominated strategy on the Western Front, and the use of chemical and poison gases added to the devastation. Trench warfare is a form of warfare where both combatants have fortified positions and fighting lines are static Following the outbreak of World War I in 1914 the German army opened the Western Front by first invading Luxembourg and Belgium, then gaining

In 1939, the Second World War broke out with the German invasion of Poland. World War II, or the Second World War, (often abbreviated WWII) was a global military conflict which involved a majority of the world's nations, including Poland (Polska officially the Republic of Poland British assurances to the Polish led the British Empire to declare war on Germany. Again an Expeditionary Force was sent to France, only to be hastily evacuated as the German forces swept through the Low Countries and across France in 1940. The British Expeditionary Force ( BEF) was the British army sent to the Western Front in France and Belgium on the outbreak of Only the Dunkirk evacuations saved the entire Expeditionary Force from capture. The Battle of Dunkirk was the defense and evacuation of the British and Allied forces that had been separated from the main body of the French defenses by the German advance Later, however, the British would have success defeating the Italians and Germans at the Battle of El Alamein in North Africa, and in the D-Day invasions of Normandy with the help of American, Canadian, Australian and New Zealand forces. The First Battle of El Alamein 1&ndash27 July 1942 was a battle of the Western Desert Campaign of World War II, fought between Axis forces commanded North Africa or Northern Africa is the Northernmost Region of the African Continent, separated by the Sahara from Sub-Saharan In the Far East, the British Army battled the Japanese in Burma. For a topic outline on this subject see List of basic Japan topics. Burma, officially the Union of Myanmar ( pjìdàunzṵ mjàmmà nàinŋàndɔ̀ is the largest country by geographical area in mainland Southeast Asia. World War II saw the British army develop its Commando units including the Parachute Regiment and Special Air Service. The British Commandos were first formed by the British Army in June 1940 during World War II as a well-armed but non-regimental raider force employing unconventional The Parachute Regiment is the Airborne Infantry element of the British Army. The Special Air Service ( SAS) is a Special forces regiment within the British Army which has served as a model and inspiration for the special During the war the British army was one of the major fighting forces on the side of the allies.

After the end of World War II, the British Army was significantly reduced in size, although National Service continued until 1960. "National Service" redirects here For national service in other countries see National service. This period also saw the process of Decolonisation commence with the end of the British Raj, and the independence of other colonies in Africa and Asia. Decolonization refers to the undoing of Colonialism, the establishment of governance or authority through the creation of settlements by another country or jurisdiction For usage see British rule in India British Raj ( rāj, lit "reign" in Hindustani) primarily refers to the British Accordingly the strength of the British military was further reduced, in recognition of Britain's reduced role in world affairs, outlined in the 1957 Defence White Paper, although major conflicts had been recently fought in form of the Korean War in 1950 and Suez Crisis in 1956. The 1957 White Paper on Defence (Cmnd230 was a British White paper setting forth the future as seen of the British military The Korean War refers to a period of military conflict between North Korean and South Korean regimes with major hostilities lasting from June 25 1950 until the The Suez Crisis, also referred to as the Tripartite Aggression, (أزمة السويس - العدوان الثلاثي Crise du canal de Suez מבצע קדש Kadesh A large deployment of British troops also remained in Germany, facing the threat of Soviet invasion. There have been two formations named British Army of the Rhine (BAOR The Union of Soviet Socialist Republics (USSR was a constitutionally Socialist state that existed in Eurasia from 1922 to 1991 The Cold War saw significant technological advances in warfare, and the Army saw more technologically advanced weapons systems come into service. Cold War is the state of conflict tension and competition that existed between the United States and the Soviet Union (USSR and their respective allies from the

Despite the decline of the British Empire, the Army was still deployed around the world, fighting colonial wars in Aden, Cyprus, Kenya and Malaya. The British Empire was the largest empire in history and for over a century was the foremost global power. The Aden Emergency was an insurgency against British crown forces in what is now the country of Yemen on the southern Arabian Peninsula. EOKA ( Εθνική Οργάνωσις Κυπρίων Αγωνιστών, Ethniki Organosis Kyprion Agoniston ( Greek for National Organisation The Malayan Emergency was a State of emergency declared by the British colonial government of Malaya in 1948 and lifted in 1960 as well as an insurrection and In 1982 the British Army, alongside the Royal Marines, helped to recapture the Falkland Islands during the Falklands War against Argentina. The Royal Marines ( RM) are the marine corps and amphibious Infantry of the United Kingdom and along with the Royal Navy The Falklands War (Guerra de las Malvinas/Guerra del Atlántico Sur also called the Falklands Conflict/Crisis, was fought in 1982 between Argentina and the For a topic outline on this subject see List of basic Argentina topics.

In the three decades following 1969, the Army was heavily deployed in Northern Ireland, to support the Royal Ulster Constabulary (later the Police Service of Northern Ireland) in their conflict with loyalist and republican paramilitary groups, called Operation Banner. Northern Ireland (Tuaisceart Éireann Ulster Scots: Norlin Airlann) is a Country within the United Kingdom, lying in the northeast of The Royal Ulster Constabulary GC was the name of the Police force in Northern Ireland from 1922 to 2001 The Police Service of Northern Ireland is the Police service that covers Northern Ireland. Operation Banner was the operational name for the British Armed Forces ' campaign in Northern Ireland between August 1969 and July 2007 The locally-recruited Ulster Defence Regiment was formed, later becoming the Royal Irish Regiment in 1992. The Ulster Defence Regiment ( UDR) was an Infantry Regiment of the British Army formed as an anti-terrorist Militia in 1970 to replace For the regiment of the same name disbanded in 1922 see Royal Irish Regiment (1684-1922 The Royal Irish Regiment (27th (Inniskilling 83rd Over 700 soldiers were killed during the Troubles. Following the IRA ceasefires between 1994 and 1996 and since 1997, demilitarisation has taken place as part of the peace process, much reducing the military presence in the area. The Provisional Irish Republican Army (Óglaigh na hÉireann ( IRA; also referred to as the PIRA, the Provos, or by some of its supporters as the On June 25th 2007, the Second Battalion Princess of Wales's Royal Regiment vacated the Army complex at Bessbrook Mill in Armagh. This is part of the 'normalisation' programme in Northern Ireland in response to the IRA's declared end to its activities.

Recent and current conflicts

Persian Gulf War

Main article: Operation Granby

The ending of the Cold War saw a 40% cut in manpower, as outlined in the Options for Change review. Operation Granby was the name given to the British military operations during the Gulf War in 1991 Cold War is the state of conflict tension and competition that existed between the United States and the Soviet Union (USSR and their respective allies from the Options for Change was a restructuring of the British Armed Forces in 1990, aimed at cutting defence spending following the end of the Cold War. Despite this, the Army has been deployed in an increasingly global role. In 1991, the United Kingdom was the second largest contributor to the coalition force that fought Iraq in the Gulf War. For a topic outline on this subject see List of basic Iraq topics. The nation supplied just under 50,000 personnel and was the nation put in control of Kuwait after it was liberated. The State of Kuwait ( دولة الكويت IPA [dawlatt̪ alkuwajt̪]) is a sovereign Arab Emirate on the coast of the Persian Gulf, enclosed

Balkans conflicts

Main article: Yugoslav wars

The British Army was deployed to Yugoslavia in 1992. The Yugoslav Wars were a series of violent conflicts in the territory of the former Socialist Federal Republic of Yugoslavia (SFRY that took place between 1991 and See also Kingdom of Yugoslavia, Socialist Federal Republic of Yugoslavia, Federal Republic of Yugoslavia Yugoslavia ( Serbo-Croatian Initially this force formed part of the United Nations Protection Force. The United Nations Protection Force (UNPROFOR, was the first UN peacekeeping force in Croatia and in Bosnia and Herzegovina during the In 1995 command was transferred to IFOR and then to SFOR. The Implementation Force ( IFOR) was a NATO -led multinational force in Bosnia and Herzegovina under a one year mandate from 20 December The Stabilisation Force (SFOR was a NATO -led multinational force in Bosnia and Herzegovina which was tasked with upholding the Dayton Agreement. Currently troops are under the command of EUFOR. EUFOR or European Union Force is a term used to describe European Union military deployments and has been used four times so far in FYROM from March 2003 to December Over 10,000 troops were sent. In 1999 British forces under the command of SFOR were sent to Kosovo during the conflict there. The Stabilisation Force (SFOR was a NATO -led multinational force in Bosnia and Herzegovina which was tasked with upholding the Dayton Agreement. Command was subsequently transferred to KFOR. The Kosovo Force ( KFOR) is a NATO -led international force responsible for establishing a safe and secure environment in Kosovo, the self-proclaimed independent

Afghanistan

Main article: War in Afghanistan (2001–present)

In 2001 The 3rd Division Signal Regiment were deployed in Kabul, Afghanistan to assist in the liberation of the troubled capital. The War in Afghanistan, which began on October 7 2001 as the U The British 3rd Infantry Division, known at various times as the Iron Division, 3rd (Iron Division or as Iron Sides, was originally formed in 1809 } Kābul ( Persian and Pashto: کابل, IPA:) is the Capital and largest city of Afghanistan, with Afghanistan /æfˈgænɪstæn/ officially the Islamic Republic of Afghanistan ( Pashto: د افغانستان اسلامي جمهوریت, The Royal Marines' 3 Commando Brigade also swept the Afghan mountains but this force is part of the Royal Navy. 3 Commando Brigade is a commando formation of the British Armed Forces and the main manoeuvre formation of the Royal Marines. Afghanistan /æfˈgænɪstæn/ officially the Islamic Republic of Afghanistan ( Pashto: د افغانستان اسلامي جمهوریت, The Royal Navy of the United Kingdom is the oldest of the British armed services (and is therefore known as the Senior Service) The British Armed forces are currently in charge of NATO forces in the nation. The British Army is today concentrating on fighting Taliban forces and bringing security to Helmand province under NATO control. The Taliban ( طالبان, also anglicised as Taleban; translation "students" is a Sunni Islamist, predominately

Iraq War

Main article: Iraq War

In 2003, the United Kingdom was a major contributor to the United States-led invasion of Iraq. The Iraq War, also known as the Second Gulf War, the Occupation of Iraq, or the War in Iraq, is an ongoing Military campaign The 2003 invasion of Iraq, from March 20 to May 1 2003 was spearheaded by the United States, backed by British forces and smaller contingents from Australia There was some disagreement amongst the populace but the House of Commons voted for the conflict, sending over 45,000 army personnel to the region. The British Army maintains a presence in the city of Basra and the southern regions of Iraq. Basra ( BGN: AlBasrah also called Basorah Abillah and Uruk or IRAQ The name that British colony has adopted for Basra For a topic outline on this subject see List of basic Iraq topics. The British Army is not currently at war, but this is a conflict against groups acting within Iraq. The British Army's main duty in Iraq is peace-keeping.

The British military admitted, on March 27, 2008, that it breached the human rights of an Iraqi man, named Baha Mousa, who died in custody, and that its soldiers also violated the rights of eight other detained Iraqis. Events 196 BC - Ptolemy V ascends to the throne of Egypt. 1309 - Pope Clement V excommunicates 2008 ( MMVIII) is the current year in accordance with the Gregorian calendar, a Leap year that started on Tuesday of the Common ^[2]

Northern Ireland

Main article: Operation Banner

The British Army was initially deployed in Northern Ireland in the wake of Catholic rioting in Derry^[3] and Belfast^[4] and to prevent Protestant Loyalist attacks on Catholic communities, under Operation Banner between 1969 and 2007 in support of the Royal Ulster Constabulary (RUC) and its successor, the Police Service of Northern Ireland (PSNI). Operation Banner was the operational name for the British Armed Forces ' campaign in Northern Ireland between August 1969 and July 2007 Northern Ireland (Tuaisceart Éireann Ulster Scots: Norlin Airlann) is a Country within the United Kingdom, lying in the northeast of Belfast ( is the capital city of Northern Ireland and the seat of government in Northern Ireland. Operation Banner was the operational name for the British Armed Forces ' campaign in Northern Ireland between August 1969 and July 2007 The Royal Ulster Constabulary GC was the name of the Police force in Northern Ireland from 1922 to 2001 The Police Service of Northern Ireland is the Police service that covers Northern Ireland. ^[5] There has been a steady reduction in the number of troops deployed in Northern Ireland since the Good Friday Agreement was signed in 1998. Northern Ireland (Tuaisceart Éireann Ulster Scots: Norlin Airlann) is a Country within the United Kingdom, lying in the northeast of The Agreement, most often referred to as the Belfast Agreement (Comhaontú Bhéal Feirste Belfast Greeance or the Good Friday Agreement (Comhaontú Aoine an In 2005, after the Provisional Irish Republican Army announced an end to armed conflict in Northern Ireland, it was revealed that the British Army would dismantle posts in the province and withdraw many troops and restore troop levels to that of a peace time garrison. The Provisional Irish Republican Army (Óglaigh na hÉireann ( IRA; also referred to as the PIRA, the Provos, or by some of its supporters as the The operation ended at midnight on 31 July 2007, making it the longest continuous deployment in the British Army's history, lasting some thirty-eight years. Events 30 BC - Battle of Alexandria: Mark Antony achieves a minor victory over Octavian 's forces but most of his army subsequently Year 2007 ( MMVII) was a Common year starting on Monday of the Gregorian calendar in the 21st century. ^[6] An internal British Army document released in 2007 stated an expert opinion that the British Army had failed to defeat the IRA but had made it impossible for them to win through the use of violence. ^[6][7]

Tommy Atkins and other nicknames

A long established nickname for a British soldier has been 'Tommy Atkins' or 'Tommy' for short. Tommy Atkins (often just Tommy) is a term for a common soldier in the British Army that was already well established in the nineteenth century but is particularly The origins are obscure but most probably derive from a specimen army form circulated by the Adjutant-General Sir Harry Calvert to all units in 1815 where the blanks had been filled in with the particulars of a Private Thomas Atkins, No 6 Company, 23rd Regiment of Foot. Present day English soldiers are often referred to as 'Toms' or just 'Tom' (The Scots equivalent being 'Jock', the Welsh equivalent 'Taffy'). Outside the services soldiers are generally known as 'Squaddies' by the British popular press. A tabloid is a Newspaper industry term which refers to a smaller newspaper format per spread to a weekly or semi-weekly alternative newspaper that focuses on local-interest The British Army magazine Soldier has a regular cartoon strip, 'Tom', featuring the everyday life of a British soldier.

Junior officers in the army are generally known as 'Ruperts' by the Other ranks. Other Ranks (ORs in the British Army, Royal Marines and Royal Air Force (and in the armies and air forces of many other Commonwealth countries This nickname is believed to be derived from the children's comic book character Rupert Bear who epitomises traditional public school values. Rupert Bear is a children's Comic strip character who features in a series of books based around his adventures ^[8]

The term 'Pongo', as in where the army goes the pong goes, or 'Perce' is often used by Sailors and Royal Marines to refer to soldiers. It is not considered complimentary.

Today's Army

Statistics

The Challenger 2, the British Army's Main Battle Tank. FV4034 Challenger 2 is a Main battle tank (MBT currently in service with the armies of the United Kingdom and Oman. Tank classification is a Taxonomy of identifying either the intended role or weight class of Tanks The classification by role was used primarily during

Current deployments

'High Intensity' Operations

'Low-Intensity' Operations

Permanent overseas postings

Equipment

Main article: Modern equipment of the British Army

SA-80 rifle

Warrior IFV

The Land Rover Wolf, the backbone of the British Army. This is a list of some of the equipment currently in use by the British Army. The SA80 ( Small Arms for the 1980s) is a family of 556 mm small arms designed and produced (until 1988 by the Royal Small Arms Factory at The FV510 Warrior tracked vehicle family are a series of British armoured vehicles originally developed to replace the older FV430 series of armoured The Land Rover Wolf is a military utility vehicle in service with UK Armed Forces and the Dutch Marine Corps

The basic infantry weapons of the British Army are the SA-80 assault rifle family, with several variants such as the L86A2 Designated Marksmans Rifle and the short stock variant, issued to tank crews. The SA80 ( Small Arms for the 1980s) is a family of 556 mm small arms designed and produced (until 1988 by the Royal Small Arms Factory at The general issue sidearm is the Browning L9A1, though a search is currently underway to find a replacement. The Browning Hi-Power is a single-action, 9 mm semi-automatic Pistol. Support fire is provided by the FN Minimi light machine gun and the L7 GPMG; indirect fire by 51 and 81 mm Mortar, as well as the UGL, mounted under the barrel of the SA80 rifle. The Minimi (short for French: Mini Mitrailleuse; “mini machine gun” is a Belgian 5 The MAG is a Belgian 762 mm General purpose machine gun, designed in the early 1950s at Fabrique Nationale (FN by Ernest Vervier The L9A1 51 mm Light Mortar is a man-portable mortar system used by the British Army. The United Kingdom 's L16 81 mm mortar is the standard mortar used by the British army. Sniper rifles used include the L96A1 7. The Accuracy International Arctic Warfare rifle is a family of Bolt-action Sniper rifles designed and manufactured by the British company Accuracy 62 mm, the L115A1 and the AW50F, all produced by Accuracy International. The AWM ( Arctic Warfare Magnum) is a Sniper rifle manufactured by Accuracy International. The AW50F is a.50 BMG Anti-materiel rifle used by the British Australian military and South Korean Special Forces Accuracy International is a specialist British Firearms manufacturer based in Portsmouth, Hampshire, England, and best known for In addition, some units use the L82A1 . The M82 (also more recently known as the M107) is a heavy SASR (Special Application Scoped Rifle developed by the American Barrett Firearms Company 50 calibre Barrett sniper rifle.

The British Army commonly uses the Land Rover Wolf and Land Rover Defender; with the Challenger 2 as its Main Battle Tank. The Land Rover Wolf is a military utility vehicle in service with UK Armed Forces and the Dutch Marine Corps The Land Rover Defender is a British four wheel drive Off-road utility vehicle FV4034 Challenger 2 is a Main battle tank (MBT currently in service with the armies of the United Kingdom and Oman. The Warrior Infantry Fighting Vehicle is the primary APC, although many variants of the Combat Vehicle Reconnaissance (Tracked) are used, as well as the Saxon APC and FV430 series now being re-engined and uparmoured and returned to front line service as Bulldog. The FV510 Warrior tracked vehicle family are a series of British armoured vehicles originally developed to replace the older FV430 series of armoured The Combat Vehicle Reconnaissance (Tracked &mdashor CVR(T &mdashis a family of Armoured fighting vehicles in service with the British Army and others The Saxon is an Armoured personnel carrier used by the British Army and supplied in small numbers to various overseas organisations The FV430 series covers a number of Armoured fighting vehicles of the British Army, all built on the same chassis The Bulldog, colloquially known as the British Bulldog or English Bulldog, is a medium-size breed of Dog that originated in England

The Army uses three main artillery systems; the MLRS, which debuted in Operation Granby and has a range of 30 km: the AS-90, a self-propelled howitzer, and the L118, a 105 mm towed gun-howitzer, used primarily by lighter units and in support of the Royal Marines

The Rapier FSC Missile System is the Army's primary battlefield air defence system, widely deployed since the Falklands War; and the Starstreak HVM is a surface-to-air missile, launched either by a single soldier or from a vehicle-mounted launcher. Operation Granby was the name given to the British military operations during the Gulf War in 1991 The AS-90 (Artillery System for the 1990s is a lightly-armoured self-propelled artillery piece used by the British Army. The L118 Light Gun is a 105 mm towed Howitzer, originally produced for the British Army in the 1970s and widely exported since including to the United The Royal Marines ( RM) are the marine corps and amphibious Infantry of the United Kingdom and along with the Royal Navy Rapier is a British Surface-to-air missile developed for the British Army and Royal Air Force. The Falklands War (Guerra de las Malvinas/Guerra del Atlántico Sur also called the Falklands Conflict/Crisis, was fought in 1982 between Argentina and the Disambiguation Starstreak redirects here For the Marvel comics superheroine named Starstreak see Julie Power. The Starstreak fills a similar role to the American FIM-92 Stinger

The Army Air Corps (AAC) provide direct aviation support for the Army, although the RAF also assist in this role. The FIM-92 Stinger is a personal portable Infrared homing Surface-to-air missile developed in the United States and used by all the U The Army Air Corps is a component of the British Army, first formed in 1942 The primary attack helicopter is the Westland WAH-64 Apache; a license-built, modified version of the AH-64 Apache that will replace the Westland Lynx AH7 in the anti-tank role. The Westland WAH-64 Apache is a licence-built version of the Boeing AH-64D Apache Longbow Attack helicopter for the British Army. WikipediaWikiProject Aircraft. Please see WikipediaWikiProject Aircraft/page content for recommended layout The Westland Lynx performs several roles including tactical transport, armed escort, reconnaissance and evacuation. It used to also offer the anti-tank warfare roll; it could carry eight TOW anti-tank missiles. In the Composites Industry, a tow is an untwisted Bundle of continuous filaments and it refers to human-made Fibers particularly The Tow missile system fit, for the Lynx was withdrawn from service by the MOD in December 2005, after the coming in to service of the WAH-64 Apache.

The Bell 212 is used as a specialist utility and transport helicopter, with a crew of two and a transport capacity of twelve troops. For an overview of the whole Huey family of aircraft see Bell Huey WikipediaWikiProject Aircraft.

The Westland Gazelle helicopter is a light helicopter, primarily used for battlefield scouting and control of artillery and aircraft. WikipediaWikiProject Aircraft. Please see WikipediaWikiProject Aircraft/page content for recommended layout

The Agusta A109 is used for Special Operations Aviation, along with the Gazelle.

The Britten-Norman Islander is a light aircraft used for airborne reconnaissance and command, primarily in Northern Ireland. The Britten-Norman BN-2 Islander is a 1960s British light utility aircraft mainline airliner and cargo aircraft designed and originally manufactured by Britten-Norman

Formation and structure

British Army Arms and Services

Combat Arms Royal Armoured Corps Infantry Guards Division Scottish Division King's Division Queen's Division Prince of Wales' Division Royal Irish Regiment Parachute Regiment Royal Gurkha Rifles The Rifles Special Air Service Regiment Army Air Corps Combat Support Arms Royal Regiment of Artillery Corps of Royal Engineers Royal Corps of Signals Intelligence Corps Combat Services Royal Army Chaplains Department Royal Logistic Corps Army Medical Services Royal Army Medical Corps Royal Army Dental Corps Royal Army Veterinary Corps Queen Alexandra's Royal Army Nursing Corps Corps of Royal Electrical and Mechanical Engineers Adjutant General's Corps Army Legal Services Branch Royal Military Police Military Provost Staff Corps Small Arms School Corps Army Physical Training Corps General Service Corps Corps of Army Music

See main article: Structure of the British Army

The structure of the British Army is complex, due to the different origins of its various constituent parts. The SA80 ( Small Arms for the 1980s) is a family of 556 mm small arms designed and produced (until 1988 by the Royal Small Arms Factory at This article is about the.50 caliber M2 machine gun For the.30-06 M2 machine gun see M1919 Browning machine gun. The SA80 ( Small Arms for the 1980s) is a family of 556 mm small arms designed and produced (until 1988 by the Royal Small Arms Factory at The Minimi (short for French: Mini Mitrailleuse; “mini machine gun” is a Belgian 5 The Browning Hi-Power is a single-action, 9 mm semi-automatic Pistol. The MAG is a Belgian 762 mm General purpose machine gun, designed in the early 1950s at Fabrique Nationale (FN by Ernest Vervier The Accuracy International Arctic Warfare rifle is a family of Bolt-action Sniper rifles designed and manufactured by the British company Accuracy The AWM ( Arctic Warfare Magnum) is a Sniper rifle manufactured by Accuracy International. FV4034 Challenger 2 is a Main battle tank (MBT currently in service with the armies of the United Kingdom and Oman. The FV510 Warrior tracked vehicle family are a series of British armoured vehicles originally developed to replace the older FV430 series of armoured The Combat Vehicle Reconnaissance (Tracked &mdashor CVR(T &mdashis a family of Armoured fighting vehicles in service with the British Army and others The FV432 is the Armoured personnel carrier variant of the British Army 's FV430 series of Armoured The Land Rover Wolf is a military utility vehicle in service with UK Armed Forces and the Dutch Marine Corps IVECO LMV (Light Multirole Vehicle is a 4WD tactical vehicle developed by IVECO, and in service with several countries The AS-90 (Artillery System for the 1990s is a lightly-armoured self-propelled artillery piece used by the British Army. The M270 Multiple Launch Rocket System (M270 MLRS is a MRL, a type of Rocket artillery. The L118 Light Gun is a 105 mm towed Howitzer, originally produced for the British Army in the 1970s and widely exported since including to the United Rapier is a British Surface-to-air missile developed for the British Army and Royal Air Force. Disambiguation Starstreak redirects here For the Marvel comics superheroine named Starstreak see Julie Power. The FH-70 (Field Howitzer for the 1970s is a towed Howitzer in use with several nations The Westland WAH-64 Apache is a licence-built version of the Boeing AH-64D Apache Longbow Attack helicopter for the British Army. WikipediaWikiProject Aircraft. Please see WikipediaWikiProject Aircraft/page content for recommended layout WikipediaWikiProject Aircraft. Please see WikipediaWikiProject Aircraft/page content for recommended layout For an overview of the whole Huey family of aircraft see Bell Huey WikipediaWikiProject Aircraft. The Britten-Norman BN-2 Islander is a 1960s British light utility aircraft mainline airliner and cargo aircraft designed and originally manufactured by Britten-Norman A series of logistics vehicles operated by the British Army. Currently consists of two vehicles Leyland Medium Mobility Load Carrier (MMLC Land Rover is an all-terrain vehicle and Multi Purpose Vehicle (MPV manufacturer based in Solihull, England, now operated as part of the Jaguar MAN AG is a German engineering Company based in Munich. MAN is one of Europe's leading manufacturers of engineering equipment The UK All Terrain Mobility Platform is commonly known by the name of its manufacturer Supacat. Man-portable Surveillance and Target Acquisition Radar ( MSTAR) is a light weight all-weather battlefield Radar Doppler radar operating in the J Band Bowman is the name of the Tactical communications system used by the British Armed Forces. Skynet is a family of military Satellites now operated by Paradigm Secure Communications on behalf of the UK Ministry of Defence, which provide The Royal Armoured Corps (RAC is currently a collection of ten regular Regiments mostly converted from old horse cavalry regiments, and four Yeomanry regiments The British Army 's Infantry comprises 51 Battalions of Infantry, from 19 Regiments Of these 37 battalions are part of the 'Regular' army and the The Guards Division is an administrative unit of the British Army responsible for the administration of the regiments of Foot Guards. The Scottish Division is a British Army Infantry command training and administrative apparatus designated for all Scottish line infantry units The King's Division is a British Army command training and administrative apparatus designated for infantry regiments in the North of England The Queen's Division is a British Army command training and administrative apparatus designated for has the regiments from the east of England and the remaining regiment of The Prince of Wales's Division is a British Army command training and administrative apparatus designated for all land force units in the West of England and For the regiment of the same name disbanded in 1922 see Royal Irish Regiment (1684-1922 The Royal Irish Regiment (27th (Inniskilling 83rd The Parachute Regiment is the Airborne Infantry element of the British Army. The Royal Gurkha Rifles (RGR is a Regiment of the British Army, forming part of the Brigade of Gurkhas. For the band The Rifles see The Rifles (band. For the novel by William T The Special Air Service ( SAS) is a Special forces regiment within the British Army which has served as a model and inspiration for the special The Army Air Corps is a component of the British Army, first formed in 1942 The Royal Artillery, is the common name for the Royal Regiment of Artillery, is an Arm of the British Army. The Corps of Royal Engineers, usually just called the Royal Engineers ( RE) and commonly known as the Sappers, is one of the corps The Royal Corps of Signals (often simply known as the Royal Signals is one of the combat support arms of the British Army. The Intelligence Corps (also known as Int Corps) is one of the Corps of the British Army. The Royal Army Chaplains' Department (RAChD is an all-officer corps that provides Ordained Clergy to minister to the British Army. Royal Logistic Corps is the British Army Corps that provides the logistic support for the Army The Army Medical Services (AMS is the organisation responsible for administering the four separate units responsible for supplying medical and nursing services in the British Army The Royal Army Medical Corps ( RAMC) is a specialist Corps in the British Army which provides Medical services to all British Army The Royal Army Dental Corps ( RADC) is a specialist Corps in the British Army that provides dental care services to British Army personnel and their families The Royal Army Veterinary Corps ( RAVC) is an administrative and operational branch of the British Army responsible for the provision training and care of animals Queen Alexandra's Royal Army Nursing Corps ( QARANC; commonly known as the QAs) is the Nursing branch of the British Army and part of the The Corps of Royal Electrical and Mechanical Engineers ( REME; pronounced phonetically as "Reemee" is a Corps of the British Army that has The Adjutant General's Corps is a corps in the British Army responsible for many of its general administrative services The Army Legal Services Branch ( ALS) is a branch of the Adjutant-General's Corps (AGC in the British Army. The Royal Military Police ( RMP) is the branch of the British Army responsible for the policing of service personnel and providing a Military police The Military Provost Staff Corps ( MPSC) was the Corps of the British Army which ran its Military prisons As the Military Provost Staff The Small Arms School Corps (SASC is a small corps of the British Army responsible for maintaining the proficiency of the army in the use of small arms support weapons and The Army Physical Training Corps ( APTC) is the British Army Corps responsible for Physical fitness and Physical education. The General Service Corps ( GSC) is a corps of the British Army. The Corps of Army Music is a corps of the British Army. It was formed in 1994 as an umbrella organisation centred on the Royal Military School of Music The structure of the British Army is broadly similar to that of the Royal Navy and Royal Air Force, being divided into two Commands as top-level budget It is broadly split into the Regular Army (full-time soldiers and units) and the Territorial Army (part-time soldiers and units). The Territorial Army ( TA) is the principal and Volunteer reserve force of the British Army, the land armed forces branch of the United Kingdom

In terms of its military structure it has two parallel organisations, one Administrative and one Operational.

Administrative

• Divisions administrating all military units, both Regular and TA, within a geographical area (e. A division is a large Military unit or formation usually consisting of around ten to thirty thousand soldiers g. 5 Div based in Shrewsbury). Shrewsbury ( /ˈʃruːzbri/ or /ˈʃroʊzbri/ is the County town of Shropshire, in the West Midlands region of England
  • Brigade in a non fighting capacity (e. A brigade is a Military unit Echelon: is g. 43 (Wessex) Brigade based in Bulford). A brigade is a Military unit Echelon: is Bulford ( is a village and Civil parish in the Salisbury district of Wiltshire, England, close to Salisbury Plain.

Operational

The three major commands are Land Command, Headquarters Adjutant General, and Headquarters Northern Ireland. Land Command (or 'HQ Land' is a military command and part of the structure of the modern British Army. The Adjutant-General to the Forces, commonly just referred to as the Adjutant-General ( AG) is one of the most senior officers in the British Army.

Corps made up of two or more Divisions (now unlikely to be deployed as a purely national formation due to the size of the British Army) e. This article is about a military unit For alternative meanings see Corps (disambiguation. g. the ARRC. The Headquarters Allied Rapid Reaction Corps, ( HQ ARRC or ARRC) was created in 1992 in Bielefeld based on the former British I Corps

• Division made up of two or three Brigades with an HQ element and support troops. A division is a large Military unit or formation usually consisting of around ten to thirty thousand soldiers Commanded by a Major-general. Major General or Major-General is a Military rank used in many countries
  • Brigade made up of three Battalions an HQ element and associated support troops. A brigade is a Military unit Echelon: is Commanded by a Brigadier. This article refers to the military rank For the Doctor Who character known as the Brigadier see Brigadier Lethbridge-Stewart.
    • Battalion of about 700 soldiers, made up of five companies commanded by a Lieutenant Colonel. A battalion is a Military unit of around 500-1500 men usually consisting of between two and seven companies and typically commanded by a Lieutenant Colonel Lieutenant Colonel ( Lieutenant-Colonel in English from the French grade 's spelling is a rank of Commissioned officer in the armies

or:

• Battlegroup. A battlegroup (British/Commonwealth term or Task force (US term in modern military theory, is the basic building block of an Army 's This is a mixed formation of armour, infantry, artillery, engineers and support units, and its structure is task specific. It is formed around the core of either an Armoured Regiment or Infantry Battalion, and has other units added or removed from it as necessary. A Battlegroup will typically consist of between 600 and 700 soldiers under the command of a Lieutenant Colonel.
  • Company of about 100 soldiers, typically in three platoons, commanded by a Major. A company is a Military unit, typically consisting of 75-200 Soldiers Most companies are formed of three to five Platoons although the exact number may vary Major is a Military rank the use of which varies according to country
    • Platoon of about 30 soldiers, commanded by a Second Lieutenant or Lieutenant. A platoon is a military unit typically composed of two to four sections or Squads and containing about 30 to 50 soldiers Second Lieutenant is the lowest commissioned officer Military rank in many Armed forces. Lieutenant (abbreviated Lt or Lieut) is a Military, Naval, Paramilitary, Fire service, Emergency medical services
      • Section of about 8 to 10 soldiers, commanded by a Corporal. A section is a small Infantry unit first introduced in the British Army. Corporal is a rank in use in some form by most militaries and also by some police forces or other uniformed organizations

A number of elements of the British Army use alternative terms for Battalion, Company and Platoon. These include the Royal Armoured Corps, Corps of Royal Engineers, Royal Logistics Corps, and the Royal Corps of Signals who use Regiment(Battalion), Squadron(Company) and Troop(Platoon). The Royal Armoured Corps (RAC is currently a collection of ten regular Regiments mostly converted from old horse cavalry regiments, and four Yeomanry regiments The Corps of Royal Engineers, usually just called the Royal Engineers ( RE) and commonly known as the Sappers, is one of the corps Royal Logistic Corps is the British Army Corps that provides the logistic support for the Army The Royal Corps of Signals (often simply known as the Royal Signals is one of the combat support arms of the British Army. A squadron is a small unit or formation of Cavalry, armour, Aircraft (including Balloons) or Warships Army A troop is a Military unit, originally a small force of Cavalry, subordinate to a Squadron and headed by the troop leader The Royal Artillery are unique in using the term Regiment in place of both Corps and Battalion, they also replace Company with Battery and Platoon with Troop. The Royal Artillery, is the common name for the Royal Regiment of Artillery, is an Arm of the British Army. This article is about a military unit For alternative meanings see Corps (disambiguation. A battalion is a Military unit of around 500-1500 men usually consisting of between two and seven companies and typically commanded by a Lieutenant Colonel In Military organizations an artillery battery is a unit of Guns mortars or Rockets so grouped in order to facilitate better battlefield

Aviation components

The British Army operates alongside the Royal Air Force as part of a Joint Force, but the army also has its own Army Air Corps. The Army Air Corps is a component of the British Army, first formed in 1942

The AAC has in its arsenal:

• Westland Apache Helicopters
• Westland Lynx Helicopters
• Westland Gazelle Helicopters
• Bell 212 Helicopters
• Britten-Norman Islander Aircraft
• Agusta A109

Special Forces

Main article: United Kingdom Special Forces

The British Army contributes two of the three special forces formations within the United Kingdom Special Forces Command; the Special Air Service Regiment and the Special Reconnaissance Regiment. The Westland WAH-64 Apache is a licence-built version of the Boeing AH-64D Apache Longbow Attack helicopter for the British Army. WikipediaWikiProject Aircraft. Please see WikipediaWikiProject Aircraft/page content for recommended layout WikipediaWikiProject Aircraft. Please see WikipediaWikiProject Aircraft/page content for recommended layout For an overview of the whole Huey family of aircraft see Bell Huey WikipediaWikiProject Aircraft. The Britten-Norman BN-2 Islander is a 1960s British light utility aircraft mainline airliner and cargo aircraft designed and originally manufactured by Britten-Norman The United Kingdom Special Forces ( UKSF) is a UK Ministry of Defence Directorate which also has the capability to provide a Joint Special Operations In most countries special forces (SF is a generic term for highly-trained Military teams/units that conduct specialized operations such as Reconnaissance The United Kingdom Special Forces ( UKSF) is a UK Ministry of Defence Directorate which also has the capability to provide a Joint Special Operations The Special Air Service ( SAS) is a Special forces regiment within the British Army which has served as a model and inspiration for the special The Special Reconnaissance Regiment ( SRR) is a Special Forces Regiment of the British Armed Forces, which conducts special Reconnaissance

The most famous formation is the Special Air Service Regiment. The Special Air Service ( SAS) is a Special forces regiment within the British Army which has served as a model and inspiration for the special Formed in 1941, the SAS is considered the role model for many other special force Regiments in the world. In most countries special forces (SF is a generic term for highly-trained Military teams/units that conduct specialized operations such as Reconnaissance

The SAS comprises one regular Regiment and two Territorial Army Regiments and is headquartered at Duke of York Barracks, London. The Territorial Army ( TA) is the principal and Volunteer reserve force of the British Army, the land armed forces branch of the United Kingdom London ( ˈlʌndən is the capital and largest urban area in the United Kingdom.

The regular Regiment, 22 SAS Regiment has its headquarters and depot located in Hereford and consists of five squadrons: A, B, D, G and Reserve and a training wing. Hereford ( ˈhɛrɨfəd is a city, Civil parish and County town of Herefordshire, England. The regiment has battlespace roles in deep reconnaissance, target identification and indication and target destruction and denial. In its Counter Terrorism role it is seen as one of the prime anti-terrorist, hostage rescue and target capture units in the world.

The two reserve SAS Regiments; 21 SAS Regiment and 23 SAS Regiment have a more limited role, focusing on the battlespace, with tasks including Long Range Reconnaissance Patrols and Combat Search and Rescue; rather than Counter-Terrorism. The Artists Rifles (originally Artists' Rifles until the apostrophe was officially dropped from the full title in 1937 as it was so often misused is a volunteer Regiment The Special Air Service ( SAS) is a Special forces regiment within the British Army which has served as a model and inspiration for the special

The Special Reconnaissance Regiment (SRR) which was formed in 2005, from existing assets, undertakes close reconnaissance and special surveillance tasks. The Special Reconnaissance Regiment ( SRR) is a Special Forces Regiment of the British Armed Forces, which conducts special Reconnaissance

Formed around 1st Battalion the Parachute Regiment, with attached Royal Marines and RAF Regiment assets, the Special Forces Support Group are under the Operational Control of Director Special Forces to provide operational manoeuvre support to the elements of United Kingdom Special Forces. The Parachute Regiment is the Airborne Infantry element of the British Army. The Royal Marines ( RM) are the marine corps and amphibious Infantry of the United Kingdom and along with the Royal Navy The Royal Air Force Regiment ( RAF Regt) is a specialist Airfield defence Corps founded by Royal Warrant in 1942 The Special Forces Support Group ( SFSG) is a special operations unit of the British Armed Forces.

Recruitment

The Army mainly recruits within the United Kingdom, and normally has a recruitment target of around 25,000 soldiers per year.

Low unemployment in Britain has resulted in the Army having difficulty in meeting its target , and in the early years of the 21st century there has been a marked increase in the number of recruits from other (mostly Commonwealth) countries. In 2008 Commonwealth origin volunteers comprised approximately 6. 7% of the Army's total strength. In total 6,600 foreign soldiers from 42 countries were represented in the Army, not including Gurkhas. Prithvi Naraya Shahdev and Sri Teen Maharaja Jung Bahadur The Way of Sacrifice The Rajputs Pages 28-30 Graduate Thesis South Asian Studies Department Dr After Gurkhas, the nation with most citizens in the British Army is Fiji, with 1,900, followed by Jamaica and Ghana with 600 each; soldiers also come from more prosperous countries such as Australia, South Africa and the Republic of Ireland. Fiji (Matanitu ko Viti फ़िजी officially the Republic of the Fiji Islands (Matanitu Tu-Vaka-i-koya ko Viti फ़िजी द्वीप समूह गणराज्य Jamaica (ˈdʒəˈmeɪkə} is an Island nation of the Greater Antilles, in length and as much as in width situated in the Caribbean Sea. The Republic of Ghana is a country in West Africa. It borders Côte d'Ivoire (Ivory Coast to the west Burkina Faso to the north Togo to the Ireland ( Irish: Éire, ˈeːrʲə is a country in north-western Europe.

The Ministry of Defence is now considering capping the number of recruits from Commonwealth countries, although this will not affect the Gurkhas. The Ministry of Defence ( MoD) is the United Kingdom government department responsible for implementation of government defence policy and is the headquarters If the trend continues 10% of the army will be from Commonwealth countries before 2012. 2012 ( MMXII) will be a Leap year starting on Sunday of the Gregorian calendar. The cap is being debated, as some fear the army's "Britishness" is being diluted, and employing too many could make the army seen as employing too many mercenaries. Britishness is a term referring to a sense of national identity of the British people, and common Culture of the United Kingdom. A mercenary is a person who takes part in an armed conflict who is not a national or a party to the conflict and is "motivated to take part in the hostilities essentially by ^[11]

The minimum recruitment age is 16 years (but only after the end of GCSEs), although soldiers may not serve on operations below 18 years; the maximum recruitment age was raised in January 2007 from 26 to 33 years. The normal term of engagement is 22 years, and once enlisted soldiers are not normally permitted to leave until they have served at least 4 years. ^[12]

There has been a strong and continuing tradition of recruiting from Ireland including what is now the Republic of Ireland. Ireland ( Irish: Éire, ˈeːrʲə is a country in north-western Europe. Almost 150,000 Irish soldiers fought in the First World War; 49,000 died. More than 60,000 Irishmen, more than from Northern Ireland, also saw action in the Second World War; like their compatriots in the Great War, all were volunteers. Northern Ireland (Tuaisceart Éireann Ulster Scots: Norlin Airlann) is a Country within the United Kingdom, lying in the northeast of There were more than 400 men serving from the Republic in 2003. ^[13]

Oath of allegiance

Troops of the Grenadier Guards on guard at Buckingham Palace. The Grenadier Guards (GREN GDS is the most senior Regiment of the Guards Division of the British Army, and as such is the most senior regiment of infantry Buckingham Palace is the official London residence of the British monarch. Various army regiments supply troops to guard the Royal residences.

All soldiers must take an oath of allegiance upon joining the Army, a process known as "attestation". Those who believe in God use the following words:

Others replace the words "swear by Almighty God" with "solemnly, sincerely and truly declare and affirm".

Training establishments^[14]

• Army Training Regiments:
  • ATR Bassingbourn
  • ATR Winchester
  • ATR Pirbright
  • ATR Lichfield
  • AFC Harrogate
• Infantry Training Centres:
  • ITC Catterick
  • Infantry Battle School, Brecon
  • Support Weapons School, Warminster
• Regional training centres
• Tri Service Police College
• Welbeck Defence Sixth Form College
• Royal Military Academy Sandhurst (RMAS)

Flags and ensigns

Flag Ratio: 3:5. An Army Training Regiment ( ATR) is a unit of the British Army which conducts basic training for all new recruits less adult Infantry recruits who are trained at the The Infantry Training Centre ( ITC) is a unit of the British Army administered by HQ School of Infantry responsible for both basic and advanced training Regional Training Centres were created from the previously existing Specialist Training Teams to provide training for the United Kingdom Territorial Army (TA Welbeck Defence Sixth Form College (Welbeck DSFC is a Sixth form College in Woodhouse Leicestershire, England, United Kingdom The Royal Military Academy Sandhurst ( RMAS) commonly known simply as Sandhurst, is the British Army officer initial training centre The official flag of the Army.

The non-ceremonial flag of the British Army. Sometimes the word "Army" in gold letters appears below the badge.

The British Army does not have its own specific ensign, unlike the Royal Navy, which uses the White Ensign, and the RAF, which uses the Royal Air Force Ensign. The White Ensign is an Ensign flown on British Royal Navy ships and Shore establishments It consists of a red St George's Cross on The Royal Air Force Ensign is the official Flag which is used to represent the Royal Air Force. Instead, the Army has different flags and ensigns, for the entire army and the different regiments and corps. The official flag of the Army as a whole is the Union Flag, flown in ratio 3:5. The Union Flag, also known as the Union Jack, is the national flag of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland. A non-ceremonial flag also exists, which is used at recruiting events, military events and exhibitions. It also flies from the MOD building in Whitehall. ^[15] Whilst at war, the Union Flag is always used, and this flag represents the Army on the Cenotaph in Whitehall, London (the UK's memorial to war dead). A cenotaph is a tomb or a Monument erected in honour of a person or group of persons whose remains are elsewhere Whitehall is a road in Westminster in London, England. It is the main artery running north from Parliament Square, towards traditional London ( ˈlʌndən is the capital and largest urban area in the United Kingdom. A British Army ensign also exists for vessels commanded by a commissioned officer, the Blue Ensign defaced with the Army badge. The Blue Ensign is a Flag, one of several British ensigns, used by certain organisations or territories associated with the United Kingdom. Army Vessels are operated by the Maritime element of the Royal Logistic Corps. Royal Logistic Corps is the British Army Corps that provides the logistic support for the Army

Each line regiment (which does not include the Rifle Regiments) also has its own flags, known as the Colours - the Regimental Colour and the Queen's Colour. In military organizations the practice of carrying colours standards or Guidons, to act both as a rallying point for troops and to mark the location of the commander is thought These Colours have been taken into battle in the past and give pride to the regiment. There is great variation in the designs of different Regimental Colours. Typically the colour has the Regiment's badge in the centre.

Ranks, specialisms and insignia

NATO Code	OF-10	OF-9	OF-8	OF-7	OF-6	OF-5	OF-4	OF-3	OF-2	OF-1		OF-D-	Student Officer
United Kingdom Edit												No Equivalent
	Field Marshal1	General	Lieutenant General	Major General	Brigadier	Colonel	Lieutenant Colonel	Major	Captain	Lieutenant	Second Lieutenant		Officer Cadet
Abbreviation	FM	Gen. Please see " Field Marshal " for other countries which use this rank Field Marshal is the highest military rank of the United Kingdom General is currently the highest peace-time rank in the British Army and Royal Marines. Lieutenant General is a Military rank used in many countries The rank traces its origins to the Middle Ages where the title of Lieutenant General was held by the Major General or Major-General is a Military rank used in many countries This article refers to the military rank For the Doctor Who character known as the Brigadier see Brigadier Lethbridge-Stewart. Colonel is a rank of the British forces, ranking just below Brigadier. Please see " Lieutenant Colonel " for other countries which use this rank Lieutenant-Colonel is a British rank used in several Commonwealth Please see " Major " for other countries which use this rank In the British military, major is a military rank which is used Please see " Captain " for other versions of this rank Captain is a rank in the British armed forces that is used in the Army, Royal Navy First Lieutenant is a Military rank. The rank of Lieutenant has different meanings in different military formations (see Comparative military ranks Second Lieutenant is the lowest commissioned officer Military rank in many Armed forces. Officer Cadet is a rank held by military Cadets during their training to become Commissioned officers The term Officer Trainee is used interchangeably	Lt-Gen.	Maj-Gen.	Brig.	Col.	Lt-Col.	Maj.	Capt.	Lt.	2nd Lt.
1 Now an honorary or wartime rank only.

NATO Code	OR-9						OR-8		OR-7		OR-6						OR-5						OR-4		OR-3		OR-2						OR-1
United Kingdom Edit																	No Equivalent										No Insignia
	Warrant Officer Class One (Conductor)			Warrant Officer Class One			Warrant Officer Class Two (Quartermaster Sergeant)	Warrant Officer Class Two (Sergeant Major)	Staff Sergeant/ Colour Sergeant		Sergeant												Corporal/ Bombardier		Lance-Corporal/ Lance-Bombardier		Private/regimental equivalent

Every regiment and corps has its own distinctive insignia, such as cap badge, beret and stable belt. Conductor ( Cdr) is an appointment held by a few selected Warrant Officers Class 1 in the Royal Logistic Corps and is the most senior appointment that A Warrant Officer ( WO) is a member of a military organization holding one of a specific group of ranks. A Warrant Officer ( WO) is a member of a military organization holding one of a specific group of ranks. A Warrant Officer ( WO) is a member of a military organization holding one of a specific group of ranks. For the Brush-footed butterfly Species, see Athyma selenophora. Colour Sergeant ( CSgt or formerly C/Sgt) is a non-commissioned rank in the Royal Marines and Infantry Regiments of the Sergeant is a rank used in some form by most militaries police forces and other uniformed organizations around the world Corporal is a rank in use in some form by most militaries and also by some police forces or other uniformed organizations Bombardier is a rank used in Artillery units in the armies of Commonwealth countries instead of Corporal. Lance Corporal is a Military rank, used by many armed forces worldwide and also by some Police forces and other uniformed organizations Bombardier is a rank used in Artillery units in the armies of Commonwealth countries instead of Corporal. A Private is a Soldier of the lowest Military rank (equivalent to NATO Rank Grades OR-1 to OR-3 depending on the force served in A cap badge, also known as head badge or hat badge, is a badge worn on Uniform headgear and distinguishes the wearer's nationality and/or organisation A beret (ber-HET in French or /ˈBer-EHT/ in English, except in the USA, where it is usually pronounced /ber-EHT is a soft round Cap, usually A stable belt is an item of Uniform used in the Armed forces of the United Kingdom and other Commonwealth countries

Throughout the army there are many official specialisms. They do not affect rank, but they do affect pay bands.

Royal Navy and RAF infantry units

The other armed services have their own infantry units which are not part of the British Army. An Ammunition Technician (AT is a British Army Soldier trained to inspect repair test and modify all ammunition and explosives used by the British Army The Royal Marines are amphibious light infantry forming part of the Royal Navy, and the Royal Air Force has the RAF Regiment used for airfield defence, force protection duties and Forward Air Control. The Royal Marines ( RM) are the marine corps and amphibious Infantry of the United Kingdom and along with the Royal Navy Traditionally light infantry (or skirmishers) were soldiers whose job was to provide a Skirmishing screen ahead of the main body of Infantry, harassing The Royal Navy of the United Kingdom is the oldest of the British armed services (and is therefore known as the Senior Service) The Royal Air Force Regiment ( RAF Regt) is a specialist Airfield defence Corps founded by Royal Warrant in 1942

Overseas Territories Military Units

Two Bermuda Regiment Warrant Officers. The Bermuda Regiment is the home defence unit of the British Overseas Territory of Bermuda.

Numerous military units were raised historically in British territories, including self-governing and Crown colonies, and protectorates. Few of these have appeared on the Army List, and their relationship to the British Army has been ambiguous. Whereas Dominions, such as Canada and Australia, raised their own armies, Crown possessions (like the Channel Islands), and colonies (now called Overseas Territories) were, and are, dependencies of the UK, and their defence remains the responsibility of the National (i. e. , United Kingdom) government. All military forces of overseas territories are, therefore, under the direct command of the UK Government, via the local Governor and Commander-In-Chief. Many of the units in colonies, or former colonies, were also actually formed at the behest of the UK Government as it sought to reduce the deployment of the British Army on garrison around the world at the latter end of the 19th century. Today, three overseas territories retain locally-raised military units, Bermuda, Gibraltar, and the Falkland Islands. Ba (officially The Bermuda Islands or The Somers Isles) is a British overseas territory in the North Atlantic Ocean. Gibraltar (dʒɨˈbrɒltər is a British overseas territory located near the southernmost tip of the Iberian Peninsula overlooking the Strait of Gibraltar The units are patterned on the British Army, are subject to review by the Ministry of Defence, and are ultimately under the control of the British government, not the local governments of the territories (though day-to-day control may be delegated to Ministers of the territorial governments). Despite this, the units may have no tasking or funding from the MOD, and are generally raised under acts of the territorial assemblies.

• Bermuda Regiment
• Royal Gibraltar Regiment
• Falkland Islands Defence Force

See also

• List of British Army Regiments (2008)
• Ministry of Defence
• Redcoat
• Territorial Army
• Home Service Force
• Volunteer Army
• British military history
• British Army Casualties during Operation TELIC
• Royal Navy
• Royal Air Force
• United Kingdom Special Forces
• Modern equipment and uniform of the British Army
• The British Army Rumour Service
• Military Covenant
• Army Cadet Force(ACF)
• Army Rugby Union
• Military mascot
• List of nicknames of British Army regiments

Footnotes

External links

• British Army Website
• British Army Friends Reunited
• The British Army: A Pocket Guide 2008-2009