Structure of the British Army

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Template:British Army 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. These are responsible for providing operational capability to the Permanent Joint Headquarters, which is responsible for the command of all operations.

The command structure forms a hierarchy. Formations (divisions, and brigades) control groupings of units. Major Units are battalion- or regiment-sized units. Minor Units are smaller units, which may either be independent or part of a battalion or regiment. Units may be either Regular (full-time) or Territorial Army (part-time volunteers).

The naming conventions of units differ across the army for historical reasons - for example, an infantry battalion is equivalent to a cavalry regiment. An infantry regiment is an administrative and ceremonial organisation only, and can include several battalions.

Contents

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Formations

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Corps

In operational terms, a corps is a very large formation of two or more divisions - it could include upwards of fifty thousand personnel.

The British Army would be unlikely to deploy an all-British corps, but it does provide much of the headquarters and framework for the multinational NATO formation, the Allied Rapid Reaction Corps.

The word corps is also used for some large administrative groupings by common function - for example, the Infantry Corps.

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Divisions

A division is a formation of (usually) three or four brigades - around twenty thousand personnel.

The British Army has two main Ready Divisions, which can deploy their headquarters and trained formations immediately to operations. The Ready Divisions are:

The three remaining divisional headquarters (referred to as Regenerative Divisions), plus the London District and Northern Ireland HQ, act as regional commands in the UK itself; the divisions would only become field formations in the event of a general war. The Regenerative Divisions are:

A further two regional headquarters exist at the Divisional level - Headquarters Northern Ireland and London District.

Although the security situation in Northern Ireland has eased greatly in recent years and the British Army's presence there has been reduced, Headquarters Northern Ireland remains in being for the present.

London District's most public concern is the administration of ceremonial units and provision of garrisons for such installations as the Tower of London. However, its primary responsibility is to maintain units directly for the defence of the capital.

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Brigades

A brigade usually includes three or four battalion-sized units - around 5000 personnel.

When deployed on operations, the primary tactical formation is the battlegroup. This is a mixed formation formed around the core of one unit (either an armoured regiment or infantry battalion), with armour, infantry, artillery, engineers etc attached as needed.

Image:Brigadeorganisation.JPG

  • Key
    • 1) Armoured Regiment
    • 2) Armoured Infantry Battalion
    • 3) Artillery Regiment
    • 4) Army Air Corps Detachment
    • 5) Provost Unit
    • 6) Royal Logistic Corps Squadron
    • 7) Engineer Squadron
    • 8) Javelin Air Defence Battery
    • 9) Long-Range Anti-Tank Guided Weapons Troop
    • 10) Mechanised Infantry Battalion
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Ready Brigades

1st (UK) Armoured Division:

3rd (UK) Mechanised Division:

16 (Air Assault) Brigade is an independently deployable formation under the administrative control of 4th Division.

3 Commando Brigade is an additional deployable formation, outside the operational control of the Army but containing a number of army units.

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Regenerative Brigades

Each of these brigades has administrative control over the non-deployed units in a particular region.

2nd Division:

4th Division:

5th Division:

Headquarters Northern Ireland

London District

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Other Brigades

Headquarters Northern Ireland

These Brigades currently have a static Internal Security role and could not act as Ready or Regenerative brigades without hand-over and reorganisation.

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Administrative Formations

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Reserve Formations

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Order of Precedence

For the purposes of parading, the British Army is listed according to an order of precedence. This is the order in which the various corps of the army parade, from right to left, with the unit at the extreme right being highest.

The Household Cavalry have the highest precedence, apart from the Royal Horse Artillery when it parades with its guns.

For more detail, see British Army Order of Precedence.

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Arms and Services

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Combat Arms

The Combat Arms are the "teeth" of the British Army - the infantry and armoured units which have responsibility for closing with and killing the enemy.

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Royal Armoured Corps

The regiments of line cavalry and the Royal Tank Regiment are grouped together as the Royal Armoured Corps. These units operate either as armoured regiments with main battle tanks, or as formation reconnaissance units. The Household Cavalry is a separate corps formed of two regiments. One of these, the Household Cavalry Regiment, forms the fifth formation reconnaissance regiment.

Armoured RegimentsFormation Reconnaissance Regiments
The Royal Scots Dragoon Guards (Carabiniers and Greys)The Household Cavalry Regiment
The Royal Dragoon Guards1st The Queen's Dragoon Guards
The Queen's Royal Hussars (Queen's Own and Royal Irish)9th/12th Royal Lancers (Prince of Wales's)
The King's Royal HussarsThe Light Dragoons
2nd Royal Tank RegimentThe Queen's Royal Lancers

1st Royal Tank Regiment operates in a dual role; two squadrons serve in the NBC role as part of the Joint CBRN Regiment, while the other two are main battle tank training squadrons that serve as part of the Combined Arms Training Battlegroup at the Land Warfare Centre at Warminster.

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Infantry

As of 2006, the Infantry is divided for administrative purposed into six divisions. These are not the same as the divisions that are sent into combat, which are a mixture of infantry, armoured and support units. Instead they are groupings of regiments based on either georgraphical location or historical connection. Infantry battalions operate in one of five main roles:

Under the arms plot system, a battalion would normally spend between two and six years in one role, before re-training for another. However, plans are currently in place to phase out the arms plot system, and in future to have battalions specialise in individual roles.

Guards DivisionScottish DivisionKing's DivisionPrince of Wales' DivisionQueen's DivisionLight Division
1st Bn, Grenadier Guards1st, 2nd, 3rd, 4th, 5th & 6th Bn, The Royal Regiment of ScotlandTemplate:Fn1st Bn, The King's Own Royal Border Regiment1st Bn, The 22nd (Cheshire) Regiment1st & 2nd Bn, The Princess of Wales's Royal Regiment (Queen's and Royal Hampshires)1st Bn, The Devonshire and Dorset Light Infantry
1st Bn, Coldstream Guards1st Bn, The King's Regiment1st & 2nd Bn, The Royal Welsh1st & 2nd Bn, The Royal Regiment of Fusiliers1st & 2nd Bn, The Light Infantry
1st Bn, Scots Guards1st Bn, The Prince of Wales's Own Regiment of Yorkshire1st Bn, The Worcestershire and Sherwood Foresters Regiment (29th/45th Foot)1st & 2nd Bn, The Royal Anglian Regiment1st Bn, The Royal Gloucestershire, Berkshire and Wiltshire Light Infantry
1st Bn, Irish Guards1st Bn, The Green Howards (Alexandra, Princess of Wales's Own Yorkshire Regiment)1st Bn, The Staffordshire Regiment (The Prince of Wales's)1st & 2nd Bn, The Royal Green Jackets
1st Bn, Welsh Guards1st Bn, The Queen's Lancashire Regiment
1st Bn, The Duke of Wellington's Regiment (West Riding)

Template:Fnb 28th March - 1st August 2006

There are three further units in the army that are classed as infantry, but are not grouped in the various infantry divisions:

The Royal Gibraltar Regiment can also be considered part of the infantry, although its primary responsibility is the home defence of Gibraltar.

The Royal Irish Regiment shares the status of the largest infantry regiment in the British Army with the Parachute Regiment. The Royal Irish has a total of four battalions. The 1st Battalion, as has been stated, is a general service battalion that is part of the main body of infantry. However, the 2nd, 3rd and 4th Battalions are home service battalions, purely for service in Northern Ireland.

The Royal Gurkha Rifles is the largest part of the Brigade of Gurkhas, which also has its own support arms. These units are affiliated to the equivalent British units, but have their own unique cap badges.

  • Support units of the Brigade of Gurkhas
    • Queen's Gurkha Engineers: The Queen's Gurkha Engineers consists of:
      • 69 Field Squadron, 36 Engineer Regiment, Royal Engineers
      • 70 Field Support Squadron, 36 Engineer Regiment, Royal Engineers
    • Queen's Gurkha Signals: The Queen's Gurkha Signals consists of:
      • 246 Gurkha Signal Squadron, 2 Signal Regiment, Royal Signals
      • 250 Gurkha Signal Squadron, 30 Signal Regiment, Royal Signals
    • Queen's Own Gurkha Logistic Regiment: The Queen's Own Gurkha Logistic Regiment consists of:
      • 28 Transport Squadron, 10 Transport Regiment, Royal Logistic Corps
      • 94 Stores Squadron, 9 Supply Regiment, Royal Logistic Corps.
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Special Forces
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Combat Support Arms

The Combat Support Arms include the artillery, engineer, signals and aviation units. Their role is to directly support the Combat Arms in combat.

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Royal Regiment of Artillery

The Royal Artillery, despite its name, is a corps sub-divided into 16 regiments. Of these, four retain the name, cap badge and traditions of the Royal Horse Artillery. The sixteen regiments are divided into eight specialities:

Home DefenceAir DefenceGeneral Support (MLRS)Close Support (AS90)Close Support (L118 Light Gun)Surveillance and Target AcquisitionTraining
King's Troop, RHA12 Regiment, RA39 Regiment, RA1 Regiment, RHA7 (Para) Regiment, RHA5 Regiment, RA14 Regiment, RA
16 Regiment, RA 3 Regiment, RHA29 (Cdo) Regiment, RA32 Regiment, RA
47 Regiment, RA 4 Regiment, RA40 Regiment, RA
19 Regiment, RA
26 Regiment, RA
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Corps of Royal Engineers

Engineering support for the army is provided by the Royal Engineers, of which there are a total of 15 regiments in the regular army. Of these, 25 Engineer Regiment is a field regiment dedicated to service in Northern Ireland, 33 Engineer Regiment is an Explosive Ordnance Disposal unit, 39 Engineer Regiment provides engineering support to the RAF, and 42 Engineer Regiment is a dedicated Geographic unit. The Royal School of Military Engineering (RSME), also has two regiments, which are the parent units for recruits to the RSME:

  • 1 RSME Regiment - Construction Engineer School
  • 3 RSME Regiment - Combat Engineer School

The remainder are field regiments attached to various deployable formations:

  • 21 Engineer Regiment - 4th Armoured Brigade
  • 22 Engineer Regiment - 1st Mechanised Brigade
  • 23 Engineer Regiment - 16th Air Assault Brigade
  • 26 Engineer Regiment - 12th Mechanised Brigade
  • 28 Engineer Regiment - 1 (UK) Division
  • 32 Engineer Regiment - 7th Armoured Brigade
  • 35 Engineer Regiment - 20th Armoured Brigade
  • 36 Engineer Regiment - 3 (UK) Division
  • 38 Engineer Regiment - 19th Light Brigade

In addition, there are three independent squadrons in the Royal Engineers:

  • 9 Parachute Squadron - 9 Para provides engineering support to the parachute operations of 16 Air Assault Brigade, and is attached to 23 Engineer Regiment.
  • 59 Independent Commando Squadron - 59 Squadron is the engineers unit assigned to 3 Commando Brigade.
  • 62 Cyprus Squadron - 62 Squadron provides the engineering support for British Forces in Cyprus.
  • Within the structure of the Royal Engineers are two squadrons that are cap-badged as the Queen's Gurkha Engineers, manned predominantly by Gurkhas.

As well as the operational regiments and squadrons, there also exists within the structure of the Royal Engineers an organisation called the Military Works Force. This has responsibility for both permanent and temporary infrastructure development in several areas, including water, fuel, communications and utilities. Within the MWF are four works groups, which are the equivalent of regiments:

  • HQ Works Group, RE
  • 62 Works Group, RE - Water Infrastructure
  • 63 Works Group, RE - Utilities Infrastructure
  • 64 Works Group, RE - Fuel Infrastructure
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Royal Corps of Signals

In the British Army, communications below brigade level are maintained by individual units. For formations of Brigade level and above, communications and ICT are provided by the Royal Signals, which has a total of ten regiments, and 13 separate squadrons:

  • Regiments
    • 1 (UK) Division HQ and Signal Regiment
    • 2 Signal Regiment (Joint Rapid Reaction Force)
    • 3 (UK) Division HQ and Signal Regiment
    • 7 Signal Regiment (Allied Rapid Reaction Corps)
    • 10 Signal Regiment
    • 11 Signal Regiment (Training)
    • 14 Signal Regiment (Electronic Warfare)
    • 15 Signal Regiment (HQ Northern Ireland)
    • 16 Signal Regiment
    • 18 Signal Regiment (UK Special Forces)
    • 21 Signal Regiment (RAF Support)
    • 30 Signal Regiment
  • Squadrons
    • 200 Signal Squadron - 20 Armoured Brigade
    • 204 Signal Squadron - 4 Armoured Brigade
    • 207 Signal Squadron - 7 Armoured Brigade
    • 209 Signal Squadron - 19 Light Brigade
    • 213 Signal Squadron - 39 Infantry Brigade (NI)
    • 215 Signal Squadron - 1 Mechanised Brigade
    • 216 Signal Squadron - 16 Air Assault Brigade
    • 218 Signal Squadron - 8 Infantry Brigade (NI)
    • 228 Signal Squadron - 12 Mechanised Brigade
    • 261 Signal Squadron - 101 Logistic Brigade
    • 262 Signal Squadron - 102 Logistic Brigade
    • 280 (UK) Signal Squadron - Allied Forces North (AFNORTH)
    • Cyprus Communications Unit
  • Within the structure of the Royal Signals are two squadrons that are cap-badged as the Queen's Gurkha Signals, manned predominantly by Gurkhas.
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Army Air Corps

The Army Air Corps provides the battlefield support element of the army's aviation needs (the heavy transport element comes from the helicopters of the RAF, while the amphibious element is provided by the FAA). The AAC has six regiments, and a number of independent squadrons and flights:

  • 1 Regiment, AAC - Divisional Aviation Regiment to 1 (UK) Division.
  • 2 Regiment, AAC - Training Regiment
  • 3 Regiment, AAC - Attack Regiment
  • 4 Regiment, AAC - Attack Regiment
  • 5 Regiment, AAC - Aviation support to the army in Northern Ireland
  • 9 Regiment, AAC - Attack Regiment
  • 657 Squadron, AAC
  • 7 Flight - Aviation support to British Forces in Brunei
  • 8 Flight - Aviation support for the SAS
  • 12 Flight - Part of 1 Regiment, AAC
  • 25 Flight - Aviation support to British Forces in Belize
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Intelligence Corps

The Intelligence Corps is the army's main tool for the gathering and collating of intelligence, and for the organisation of the army's counter-intelligence apparatus.

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Joint CBRN Regiment

The Joint CBRN Regiment is a specialised corps of the army tasked with defence against nuclear, biological, radiological and chemical weapons. The regiment is a joint Army/RAF unit, made up of the following regular units:

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Combat Service Support Arms

The Combat Service Support Arms have the role of providing the services necessary for sustaining the Army.

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Royal Logistic Corps

The Royal Logistic Corps is the largest single corps in the British Army, and is responsible for the supply and movement of material to all units. Within the corps there are 21 separate regiments:

1 General Support Regiment12 Supply Regiment
2 Close Support Regiment13 Air Assault Support Regiment
3 Close Support Regiment14 Supply Regiment
4 General Support Regiment17 Port and Maritime Regiment
6 Support Regiment21 Logistic Support Regiment
7 Transport Regiment23 Pioneer Regiment
8 Artillery Support Regiment24 Regiment
9 Supply Regiment27 Transport Regiment
10 Transport Regiment29 Regiment
11 Explosive Ordnance Disposal Regiment89 Postal and Courier Regiment
5 Training Regiment

Within the structure of the Royal Logistic Corps are two squadrons that are cap-badged as the Queen's Own Gurkha Logistic Regiment, manned predominantly by Gurkhas.

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Corps of Royal Electrical and Mechanical Engineers

The Royal Electrical and Mechanical Engineers have responsibility for the maintenance of all of the British Army's equipment. Almost every unit will have REME tradesmen attached normally designated as a "Light Aid Detatchment (LAD)" or "Workshop (Wksp)". The corps provides detachments to each formation of brigade level and higher from its total of seven battalions:

  • 1st Battalion, REME - 4 Armoured Brigade
  • 2nd Battalion, REME - 7 Armoured Brigade
  • 3rd Battalion, REME - 20 Armoured Brigade
  • 4th Battalion, REME - 12 Mechanised Brigade
  • 5th Battalion, REME - 19 Light Brigade
  • 6th Battalion, REME - 1 Mechanised Brigade
  • 7th Battalion, REME - 16 Air Assault Brigade
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Other Services

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Training

There are two phases in the training for recruits into the army:

  • Phase 1
    • The initial phase features the basic training for all new recruits. There are two main strands, one for officers and one for other ranks.
      • Officers: Prospective officers first attend the Regular Commissions Board to determine whether they are suited to become officers. Once they pass the RCB, they attend the Royal Military Academy Sandhurst, where they undergo basic training, not just in the elements of soldiering, but also leadership. The Commissioning Course, which is the standard course for new officers, lasts 44 weeks. However, there are also short course for those with professional qualifications joining one of the services (Medicine, Law etc) that provides basic military training.
      • Soldiers: Prospective ordinary soldiers (other than the infantry) attend one of five Army Training Regiments spread around the country:
      • Here they undergo basic training, learning how to become soldiers. The basic course is the Army Development Course, which lasts for 20 weeks.

Once new recruits have passed their initial courses, either at RMAS or an ATR, then they move to Phase 2 Training.

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Infantry Training Centre

As of 2001, infantry training is undertaken as a single 24 week course at the Infantry Training Centre at Catterick, as opposed to being divided into Phase 1 and Phase 2 training. The ITC is divided into four separate battalions; these are divided into companies, each of which are responsible for one of the infantry's administrative divisions:

  • 1st Battalion, Infantry Training Centre
    • Queen's Division Company
    • King's Division Company
    • Light Division Company
  • 2nd Battalion, Infantry Training Centre
    • Scottish Division Company
    • Prince of Wales's Division Company
    • Somme Company
  • 3rd Battalion, Infantry Training Centre
    • Guards Division Company
    • Parachute Regiment Company
    • Gurkha Company
    • Gurkha Language Wing
  • 4th Battalion, Infantry Training Centre
    • HQ Company
    • Williams Company
    • Hook Company
    • Army School of Ceremonial
    • Army School of Bagpipe Music & Highland Drums
    • Gym EL Wing
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Units of the Territorial Army

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Armour (TA)

The four armoured regiments of the Territorial Army operate in two roles - provision of crew replacements for armoured and NBC regiments, and formation reconnaissance:

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Infantry (TA)

The 1999 reorganisation of the Territorial Army saw a number of new, multi-cap badge battalions take the place of the old territorial battalions of regular regiments:

A further infantry unit, not officially on the British Army list but still technically a British unit, is The Bermuda Regiment. This is a territorial infantry battalion which is responsible for the internal security of Bermuda.

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Royal Artillery (TA)

Air DefenceGeneral Support (MLRS)Close Support (Light Gun)Surveillance and Target Acquisition
104 Regiment, RA(V)101 Regiment, RA(V)100 Regiment, RA(V)Honourable Artillery Company
105 Regiment, RA(V) 103 Regiment, RA(V)
106 Regiment, RA(V)
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Royal Engineers (TA)

  • 71 Engineer Regiment (Volunteers) - Air Support Regiment
  • 73 Engineer Regiment (Volunteers) - Air Support Regiment
  • 75 Engineer Regiment (Volunteers) - Field Regiment
  • 101 (City of London) Engineer Regiment (Volunteers) - Explosive Ordnance Disposal Regiment
  • Royal Monmouthshire Royal Engineers (Militia) - Field Regiment
  • 131 Independent Commando Squadron (Volunteers) - Commando Support
  • 135 Independent Geographic Squadron (Volunteers) - Topography
  • 65 Works Group, RE (Volunteers) - Communications Infrastructure

Note: Although the Royal Monmouthshire Royal Engineers is part of the Royal Engineers order of battle, it is a separate regiment with its own cap badge, regimental colours and traditions.

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Royal Signals (TA)

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Intelligence Corps (TA)

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Army Air Corps (TA)

  • 7 Regiment, Army Air Corps (Volunteers)
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Services (TA)

In addition to the combat units, there are Territorial Army units in:

  • Adjutant General's Corps
  • Royal Electrical and Mechanical Engineers
    • 101 Battalion (V), REME
    • 102 Battalion (V), REME
    • 103 Battalion (V), REME
    • 104 Battalion (V), REME
  • Royal Logistic Corps
    • 150 Transport Regiment
    • 151 Logistic Support Regiment
    • 156 Transport Regiment
    • 157 Logistic Support Regiment
    • The Scottish Transport Regiment
    • 158 (Royal Anglian) Transport Regiment
    • 168 Pioneer Regiment
    • Catering Support Regiment
  • Army Medical Services
    • 144 Field Ambulance
    • 152 Ambulance Regiment
    • 201 (Northern) Field Hospital
    • 202 (Midlands) Field Hospital
    • 203 (Welsh) Field Hospital
    • 204 (North Irish) Field Hospital
    • 205 (Scottish) Field Hospital
    • 207 (Manchester) Field Hospital
    • 208 (Liverpool) Field Hospital
    • 212 (Yorkshire) Field Hospital
    • 220 (1st Home Counties) Field Ambulance
    • 222 (East Midlands) Field Ambulance
    • 243 (The Wessex) Field Hospital
    • 253 (North Irish) Field Ambulance
    • 254 (City of Cambridge) Field Ambulance
    • 256 (City of London) Field Hospital
    • 306 Field Hospital
    • First Aid Nursing Yeomanry
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Ceremonial Units

Although the majority of the British Army performs both operational and ceremonial roles, there are some units that are purely ceremonial. These are manned by fully trained soldiers who are periodically transferred from operational units.

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Queen's Guard/Queen's Life Guard

The following are units of the regular army that most regularly mount the guard at Buckingham Palace, Horse Guards and Windsor Castle:

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Gun Salutes

The following are units that provide gun salutes in various parts of London:

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Sovereign's Bodyguard

The following are not part of the army, but perform the ceremonial role of Sovereign's Bodyguard. They tend to be made up of retired officers and NCOs:

One of the significant duties that all of the above units (with the exception of the King's Troop and the Honourable Artillery Company) perform is to guard the catafalque upon which the coffin of a state funeral rests in Westminster Hall.

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Others

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Restructuring

In July 2004, the Government announced its proposals for restructuring of the armed forces. The main points concerning the army included:

  • Cutting four infantry battalions (three English and one Scottish) with the remaining single battalion regiments of the Scottish Division, King's Division and Prince of Wales's Division amalgamating. These will see either one regiment of four or more battalions, or two regiments of between two and three battalions in each division.
  • One armoured regiment being re-roled as force reconnaissance, with seven Challenger 2 squadrons being cut.
  • One heavy artillery regiment being re-roled as light artillery, with six AS-90 batteries being cut.
  • A reduction in the number of Ground Based Air Defence units, with the disbandment of the RAF Regiment squadrons, and a reduction in the size of the Royal Artillery batteries.

On 16 December 2004, Geoff Hoon announced restructuring plans. The new operational structure of the army will feature:

  • Two Armoured Brigades - these will be 7 Armoured Brigade and 20 Armoured Brigade.
  • Three Mechanised Brigades - these will be 1 Mechanised Brigade and 12 Mechanised Brigade, to be joined by the current 4 Armoured Brigade, which will convert to mechanised by 2006.
  • One Light Role Brigade - this will see 19 Mechanised Brigade convert to the light role, beginning at the start of 2005.
  • One Air Assault Brigade - 16 Air Assault Brigade.

Rumours were also confirmed, with the restructuring of the infantry along the large regiment lines. This will involve the Royal Scots and the King's Own Scottish Borderers amalgamating into a single battalion, and this then amalgamating with the other four regiments into a large Royal Regiment of Scotland, with battalions retaining their former titles. The regiments of the King's Division and the Prince of Wales's Division will also merge, with one battalion lost from the King's Division, and two from the Prince of Wales's. Thus, each will have one regiment of three battalions and one regiment of two battalions.

The restructuring will be as follows:

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Royal Armoured Corps restructuring

In 2005, the Queen's Royal Lancers will begin conversion from the Armoured role, equipped with Challenger 2, to the Formation Reconnaissance role, equipped with Scimitar.

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Royal Artillery restructuring

In 2005, 40 Regiment, Royal Artillery will begin conversion to the L118 Light Gun from the AS-90.

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Royal Engineers restructuring

Engineering support for 3 Commando Brigade to be expanded to a full regiment with the establishment of 24 Commando Engineer Regiment. This brings it into line with the other brigade sized formations.

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Royal Signals restructuring

Establishment of a new signals regiment, 22 Signal Regiment.

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Infantry restructuring

The arms plot is to be abolished, with all infantry battalions given a set role and (for armoured and mechanised battalions) location. In order that officers and soldiers can keep up the various skills gained through each of the distinct roles, all single battalion regiments (with the exception of the Guards regiments and the Royal Irish Regiment) will be amalgamated into large regiments. It is planned that each division will have a total of five battalions - of these, one will be armoured infantry, one will be mechanised infantry and the remainder light infantry.

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Guards Division

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Scottish Division

  • Royal Scots and King's Own Scottish Borderers to amalgamate into a single battalion. The combined Royal Scots/KOSB to merge with the Royal Highland Fusiliers, Black Watch, Argyll and Sutherland Highlanders and The Highlanders into the Royal Regiment of Scotland.
    • The Royal Scots Borderers (1st Bn, Royal Regiment of Scotland)
    • The Royal Highland Fusiliers (2nd Bn, Royal Regiment of Scotland)
    • The Black Watch (3rd Bn, Royal Regiment of Scotland)
    • The Highlanders (4th Bn, Royal Regiment of Scotland)
    • The Argyll and Sutherland Highlanders (5th Bn, Royal Regiment of Scotland)
  • The 52nd Lowland Regiment with form the 6th Bn, and the 51st Highland the 7th.
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Prince of Wales's Division

  • The breakup of the Royal Gloucestershire, Berkshire and Wiltshire Regiment has been cancelled. It will merge directly with the Devonshire and Dorset Regiment to form 1st Battalion, The Light Infantry.
  • The Staffordshire Regiment, 22nd (Cheshire) Regiment and Worcestershire and Sherwood Foresters Regiment to merge into the Mercian Regiment.
    • 1st Bn, Mercian Regiment (Cheshires)
    • 2nd Bn, Mercian Regiment (Worcesters and Foresters)
    • 3rd Bn, Mercian Regiment (Staffords)
  • A 4th Bn will be formed from the TA West Midlands Regiment and the Cheshires element of the Kings and Cheshire Regiment
  • The Royal Welch Fusiliers and Royal Regiment of Wales to merge into the Royal Welsh.
    • 1st Bn, Royal Welsh (Royal Welch Fusiliers)
    • 2nd Bn, Royal Welsh (Royal Regiment of Wales)
  • The TA Royal Welsh Regiment will become 3rd Battalion, Royal Welsh
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King's Division

  • The King's Own Royal Border Regiment, King's Regiment and Queen's Lancashire Regiment to merge into the Duke of Lancaster's Regiment (King's Lancashire and Border).
    • 1st Bn, Duke of Lancaster's Regiment
    • 2nd Bn, Duke of Lancaster's Regiment
  • 4th Bn, Duke of Lancaster's Regiment will be formed from the Kings Regiment elements of the TA Kings and Cheshire Regiment and Lancastrian and Cumbrian Volunteers Regiment.
  • The Duke of Wellington's Regiment, Prince of Wales's Own Regiment of Yorkshire and the Green Howards to merge into the Yorkshire Regiment (14th/15th, 19th and 33rd/76th Foot).
    • 1st Bn, Yorkshire Regiment (Prince of Wales's Own)
    • 2nd Bn, Yorkshire Regiment (Green Howards)
    • 3rd Bn, Yorkshire Regiment (Duke of Wellington's)
  • 4th Bn, Yorkshire Regiment will be formed from the TA East and West Riding Regiment and the Green Howards elements of the Tyne Tees Regiment.
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Queen's Division

  • The Princess of Wales's Royal Regiment (Queen's and Royal Hampshires), Royal Regiment of Fusiliers and the Royal Anglian Regiment are unaffected.
  • The RRF and R ANGLIAN gain a Territorial Army Battalion (this will be the 5th Bn for the RRF and the 3rd Bn for the R ANGLIAN).
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Light Division

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The Parachute Regiment

  • 1st Battalion, the Parachute Regiment will stay in the infantry order of battle. It will be roled to form part of the new tri-service Joint Special Forces Support Group, to serve as support to the SAS - this will involve it being reduced to 450 men, with the remainder distributed among the remaining two battalions.
  • 2nd and 3rd Battalions, the Parachute Regiment remain unaffected.
  • 4th Battalion will conform it the new TA infantry structure but is otherwise unaffected.
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Royal Irish Regiment

  • In order to retain an 'infantry footprint' in Northern Ireland, the Royal Irish Regiment will retain its single general service battalion.
  • The Royal Irish Rangers will become the 2nd Bn, Royal Irish Regiment.
  • With the announcement by the Provisional IRA that they will cease armed conflict, the three home service battalions will be disbanded.
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Royal Gurkha Rifles

  • The Royal Gurkha Rifles remain unaffected by the changes to the infantry structure.
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Special Forces

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Territorial Army

  • With the exception of the Royal Gurkha Rifles, every infantry regiment will receive one Territorial Army battalion, with the exception of the Royal Regiment of Scotland and The Rifles, which will receive two. The Guards Division will gain an affiliated TA battalion.
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Bands

  • The British Army has 29 military bands of varying strength. The seven bands of the Household Division each have 49 musicians, whereas the other bands each have 35 musicians. All bands can play in many different formats, but primarily as a marching band or a concert band.
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Brief comment

While the Government maintains that regimental traditions will remain through the addition of subtitles to battalions, it should be noted that in the reforms of the 1960s, which brought the likes of the Queen's Regiment, Royal Regiment of Fusiliers, Royal Green Jackets and Light Infantry, the individual regiments that made them up also retained their individual titles for only a brief period, before these were removed to promote the harmonisation of the new regiments.

The government has also announced that the concept of arms plotting will be ended; however, since the announcement of reorganisation, it has been revealed that light infantry battalions will continue to be rotated, to prevent units staying in unpopular postings (Cyprus, Northern Ireland, public duties etc) for too long.

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New Infantry Structure and Order of Precedence

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Regular Army

Guards DivisionScottish DivisionKing's DivisionPrince of Wales' DivisionQueen's DivisionLight Division
1st Bn, Grenadier Guards1st, 2nd, 3rd, 4th & 5th Bn, Royal Regiment of Scotland1st & 2nd Bn, Duke of Lancaster's Regiment1st & 2nd Bn, Royal Welsh1st & 2nd Bn, Princess of Wales's Royal Regiment1st, 2nd, 3rd, 4th & 5th Bn, The Rifles
1st Bn, Coldstream Guards 1st, 2nd & 3rd Bn, Yorkshire Regiment1st, 2nd & 3rd Bn, Mercian Regiment1st & 2nd Bn, Royal Regiment of Fusiliers
1st Bn, Scots Guards 1st & 2nd Bn, Royal Anglian Regiment
1st Bn, Irish Guards
1st Bn, Welsh Guards
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Territorial Army

Guards DivisionScottish DivisionKing's DivisionPrince of Wales' DivisionQueen's DivisionLight Division
London Regiment6th & 7th Bn, Royal Regiment of Scotland3rd Bn, King's Lancashire and Border Regiment3rd Bn, Royal Welsh3rd Bn, Princess of Wales's Royal Regiment6th & 7th Bn, The Rifles
4th Bn, Yorkshire Regiment4th Bn, Mercian Regiment5th Bn, Royal Regiment of Fusiliers
3rd Bn, Royal Anglian Regiment
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See also

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Other Corps of the British Armed Forces

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British Army Restructuring

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The British Army

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Traditions

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External links

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