The British Army: History & Present

By Toby Carrington-Woods

Military Buffs, History Students, Historical Trivia Lovers and Even Students of Politics...

Nowhere else in just one edition will you find such complete information!

* The Campaigns - Dozens of Battles from Around the World.
* The Reforms it Underwent from Early History to Modern Day.
* The Undisputed Influence It Has Had on the World Today.

A Complete Resource Under One Cover!

The British Army History and Present.

The British Army Has Long Been One of the Largest - Most Far Reaching and Certainly One of the Most Important Influences in The Shaping of Not only the United Kingdom......But The Entire World!

Now Find out Why!

Put yourself in the shoes of these soldiers!

* In the 1400's would you have been "recruited" into the infantry or the cavalry?

Would you have had a choice?

* How would you have felt...imagine the lump in your throat...when you were handed 14 days of supplies because that was your life expectancy in this unit?

* Imagine being shipped off to a distant land where the most dangerous enemy was not an opposing army - but a simple disease that decimated the troops and the odds of your return were slim or none!

In His New eBook, The British Army History and Present, Toby Carrington-Woods Will Put You Inside the Battles So Closely You'll Almost Hear the Guns and Smell the Gunpowder!

Read how a double line of red coated soldiers made an enemy that had the British drastically outnumbered hastily retreat without a shot being fired!

And find out more about military conquests...and defeats!

* What war was the longest, most expensive and most disastrous of all for the British army?

* Which war was known for gross tactical and logistic errors?

But we said this was a comprehensive guide, and it would be incomplete if it didn't carry you right up to the present day conflicts in Iraq and Afghanistan.

Discover how all through history, and even today, the British army quickly adapted...or failed to change with the times...and how those changes helped or hurt its ability to respond and protect!

No other army in the world has had as much impact on the world as had the British Army. While it has often been the third largest in the world there is no doubt...

The British Army Has Always Been #1 In Terms of Historical, Political and Cultural Impact!

* More Nations Have Adopted The British Style of Government Than Any Other Model!

* More People Around the World Speak English As Their First or Second Language!

All Because of the Ever Powerful Influence of the British Army!

The British Army History and Present Puts You in the Action from The Early 1400's to Present Day...

There is so much packed into this new eBook by Toby Carrington-Woods!

The British Army History and Present

It's sure to become a "go to" reference for every student, history buff and political & military expert for decades to come!

• Language: English
• Publisher: M&S Direct Publishing
• Release date: Nov 1, 2011
• ISBN: 9781466064713

Toby Carrington-Woods

Toby Carrington-Woods read history at Oxford University in the 1960s. His real passion is the armed forces, especially the military, learn about how the army has changed the world we live in, from someone in the know!

Book preview

The British Army – History & Present

By Toby Carrington-Woods

Published by M&S Direct Publishing at Smashwords

Copyright © 2011 Toby Carrington-Woods

Smashwords Edition, License Notes

this eBook is licensed for your personal enjoyment only. This eBook may not be re-sold or given away to other people. If you would like to share this book with another person, please purchase an additional copy for each recipient. If you’re reading this book and did not purchase it, or it was not purchased for your use only, then please return to Smashwords.com and purchase your own copy. Thank you for respecting the hard work of this author.

Foreword

Firstly, can I just thank you, from the bottom of my heart, for purchasing a copy of my pride and joy.

10 years in the making, this is the most comprehensive guide to the history of the British Army anywhere in the world, today.

....And you own a copy!

This book has really been a labour of love for me, and all those sleepless nights along the way, have undoubtedly been worth it.

My inspiration behind this book, has to be my old history teacher at school. He was an avid believer in the quote:-

"Those who do not read and understand history are doomed to repeat it."

Harry Truman.

This guide is dedicated to our injured servicemen and women.

Well, without further ado...I proudly present THE BRITISH ARMY.

.....Enjoy!

Table of Contents

Introduction

The Origin of the British Army

The English Army Until 1485

The Start of the Tudor Years, 1485-1644

The New Model Army, 1645-1660

The Restoration, 1661-1706

1707: The Formation of the British Army

The Commonwealth & The British Army

The First British Empire

The Americas

The Caribbean

Canada and America

Scottish Colonisation of the Americas

Africa and the Slave Trade

Asia

The Second British Empire

The Americas

India

The Pacific and the Discovery of New Lands

Australia

New Zealand

Other Events

The Napoleonic Wars

The End of the Slave Trade

The Height of the British Empire

Africa

Asia

Independence of the Major Settlements

Canada

Australia and New Zealand

South Africa

The First and Second World Wars

Between the First and Second World Wars

The Second World War

Decolonisation

The Empire Today

How the Empire Shaped the World

Quick History of modern Britain, Africa, India and Ireland

India

The Africas

The Irish

Social Impact

Political Impact

Economic Impact

Weapons and Tactics: Artillery/Infantry

Artillery

The Structure of the British Army

Regiments

Battles

The Seven Years War

Ponitac’s War

The Napoleonic Wars

American Revolutionary War

The Opium Wars

The Boxer Rebellion

The New Zealand Wars

The Indian Rebellion, 1857

The Boer Wars

The Fenian Raids

The Irish War of Independence

Crimean War

Holy Land Conflicts

World War I

World War II

The Cold War

The Falklands War

Lead up to the Conflict

WAR

First British Response to the Invasion

Afghanistan

Iraq

Reforms

Cardwell Reforms

Army Enlistment Act

Localisation Scheme

Childers Reforms

Standardisation of Uniforms and Colours

Even more Changes to Standardisation

Haldane Reforms

Formation of NATO

History

Cold War

French Withdrawal

Détente

Escalation

Post Cold War

Balkans Interventions

After the 9/11 Attacks

Formation of the EU

The Formation of the European Union

The Benefits of the European Union

The Detriments of the European Union

The Enlargement

Final Words

Modern Day British Army

Formation and Structure

Special Forces

Equipment & Tactics

British Army Presence Worldwide

Recent / Current Conflicts

Epilogue

Resources

Introduction

From its official formation in 1707 to its present-day form, the British army has gone through many changes, faced a lot of challenges and endured dozens of great battles. The British army has long had a worldwide presence and much imagery is conjured for most people when they think about what exactly the British army means to them.

The British army is one branch of the armed forces of the United Kingdom and is responsible for land-base defence. In 1707, it was formed when Scotland and England became unified into the United Kingdom. At this time, the War Office controlled the army; a London-based department of the government created to manage the army.

These days, the Ministry of Defence controls the army – however such detail doesn’t so much as dent the surface of the story about how the modern-day army came to be!

The British army has changed in many ways over the years, from changes in the specific regiments to changes in the weaponry that is used. The ways in which the British army has evolved stretch far and wide. The British army has a long and complex history, and such a history was doubtless to bring with it many changes.

Despite the size of the United Kingdom, the British army is the third largest in the world, only coming behind the US army and the Turkish army. The British government devotes a large budget to the military and the British army therefore has some of the most advanced weaponry and technology around. It also has a noticeable worldwide presence even in these modern times without the British Empire. British soldiers are currently stationed in many different countries (such as Cyprus, Kosovo and Germany) and are involved in the war in Afghanistan as well as having previously been involved in the war in Iraq.

It is inarguable that the British army has played a huge role in the world as a whole. This role is most apparent today due to the army’s presence in war and non-war zones; however, the British army has shaped a lot of aspects of how people live their lives throughout the world.

From altering history through the outcome of great battles and wars to creating the British Empire, the British army could be seen as the most influential army in existence. In the chapters of this book, we present to you the entire story of the British army, covering all the great battles, the set-up of the army, how it came to be and what it is like today.

The story of the British Army is fascinating, exciting and even endearing and has far more to it than simply being a tale of times of war and of peace.

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The Origin of the British Army

One of the earliest examples of defence in the United Kingdom dates back to how the ancient Britons fought against the invading Roman army. Of course, back in those days the United Kingdom had yet to form, but nevertheless, an army, in essence, is what was created in order to attempt to halt the Romans’ efforts of invasion.

Of course, the ‘army’ in question here was nothing like what an army is these days, or what the British army was when it was officially formed. Males of a certain age were provided with armour and weaponry, and their aim was to protect their area from the disruption of peace. If one starts from the beginning of civilization, the story becomes far too long to attempt, however when looking at how the British army came to be, the important events lie in medieval times, which is where we shall start this tale…

The English Army Until 1485

Up until about 1485, there was a strong presence of an English army. The king controlled this army and soldiers fought for many different reasons and came to be part of the army in a variety of ways. In these times, recruitment was far from straightforward. Some men were warriors or knights and others were part of the royal household whom the king had selected to be part of the army. It was also common for landowners to be required to provide military services as a condition of the agreement they had for owning land.

The English army was so diverse that even some foreign mercenaries were recruited. Many men were willing to be part of the English army, although there were some less-willing members of it – mostly in the infantry. These men were recruited by royal commissioners and were paid, but desertion was commonplace and was a daily occurrence. In contrast to the infantry, the cavalry was seen as the elite part of the army, most of which would come from the royal household.

Because the king was in total command of the army, he would often take to the field and be in direct command of the army. Many kings took to this role naturally, such as Edward I, but others lacked the skills of Edward I and struggled to address their army in the most ideal way.

Edward II is a good example of this, since he displayed serious incompetence at directing the army during the battle of Bannockburn in 1314, which lead to a heavy defeat by the Scottish. Similarly, King Stephen suffered from the same kind of problems and the result was that he was captured while Empress Matilda unofficially took over as reigning monarch. Putting these examples aside, most of the time the king took on his role of command well and handled the military with great competence.

If the king or any other member of the royal family was not present in the field, a great noble would normally be given command over the army. It was essential that whoever was put in charge had the utmost respect from the soldiers, and therefore a man with a distinguished social position was an ideal replacement for a member of the royal family. Earls who either held the title of Constable or Marshal had the right to military command, as did Knights belonging to the royal household.

Such knights almost always had a great deal of experience in battle, and often they were given control of large proportions of the army. Indeed, many knights have proven themselves to be worthy commanders in battle. Odo Borleng was a Knight who was part of the royal household of King Henry I and brought the English army to victory in 1124 against the Normans.

The English army in these times was strong and operations the army performed were on a relatively large scale. Men were well equipped with everything they needed and huge effort was put into recruiting for both the infantry and the cavalry. The English army was seen as a force not to be reckoned with, and considering the number of battles it won, it is no surprise why this was this case.

The Start of the Tudor Years, 1485-1644

From the end of the 15th century, the image of the English army changed significantly. No longer was it viewed a great military power. England lost control of most of France, which it had previously seized, and the country became more apathetic towards war, with houses being built for comfort rather than as castles built to protect from invasion.

With warfare currently changing, many Europeans started to view England as somewhat backward and stuck in the past. Gunpowder was becoming more and more frequently used, however the English army still largely relied on more traditional weaponry, such as the longbow.

A number of noble families played a big role in the Wars of the Roses, although the role of these families decreases as the wars went on. By the time the wars ended, the winning army was small and most of the recruits were, in fact, foreign.

Because of the final battle in the War of the Roses (the Battle of Bosworth), the Tudors were placed into the throne and therefore in command of the military. The military at this time was severely limited, and the English simply did not know enough about the latest weaponry or tactics available for battles. The English army here seriously lacked in defence as well as offense, and large population areas were not well defended at all.

Henry VII was the first Tudor king and he was very cautious about military action. He proceeded by threatening other countries while making sure that war would not occur; he would be diplomatic and make deals to avoid taking military action. Boulogne in 1492 is a classic example of this tactic, where Henry VII managed to proceed with very little action on behalf of the military.

Because the army was in such a poor state at this time, most soldiers came from noblemen, who made agreements to provide troops. Recruitment lacked the effort that was once put into it, although many militia acts were put in place in order to direct that all males owning property over a certain value threshold were required to both keep arms within their home and to regularly train for battle, or to report to ‘musters’, which were, in theory, supposed to be used to assess the extent of the local militia availability. In reality however, musters were not used as they were supposed to and instead were used for more recreational purposes.

The New Model Army, 1645-1660

The New Model Army was formed in 1645 and was a significant milestone in the history of the British army as it was the first official army in British history. The New Model Army was different from the previous armies significantly as its troops were full-time professionals rather than part time soldiers drafted for one of the many possible reasons as described previously.

An additional difference between this army and previous armies was that the commanders were intended to not have any political afflictions (in other word, not having a seat in either the House of Commons or the House of Lords).

In fact, the New Model Army became increasingly distant both socially and religiously from parliament, having vastly differing policies. A faction (dubbed, the ‘grandees’) was even created within the army, which strongly opposed parliament.

Eventually, after the English civil war, parliament made efforts to regain control of the army – efforts which were in vain. Eventually, because parliament could not control the army, the second English civil war broke out in the year 1648.

Once the second English civil war was over, the Army Council had control over parliament. Oliver Cromwell was the leading figure of the Army Council at the time and was therefore in command.

Understandably, the army was very powerful in parliament at this time. At the end of 1648, what was called ‘Pride’s Purge’ occurred, whereby the army stopped members of the House of Commons who were known to be against the Army Council from attending parliamentary meetings. The result of this was that legislation was passed that caused King Charles I to be tried and then executed while England was declared as a commonwealth.

Not long after these events, Scotland declared a new king, King Charles, and the New Model Army invaded Scotland. The Scottish were beaten and King Charles left for refuge in France after living in England as a fugitive for a few weeks. Here, Scotland became part of the English Commonwealth under the Tender of Union act. This act declared that Scotland would no longer have a functioning parliament and would instead be under control of English command.

In 1653, Oliver Cromwell ended the English Commonwealth, although Scotland (as well as Ireland) was still under control of English military. From 1655 until 1657, the Rule of the Major Generals was enforced, which made it such that England was divided into ten separate regions, each with a Major General in control of it. Scotland and Ireland each had one Major General in control. The reforms that took place under this new set-up were widely unpopular, and when Cromwell died, Charles II was restored while Scotland, Ireland and England became separate yet again, although all ruled by the same king.

The New Model Army was disbanded when Charles II was restored and parliament was filled with a sense of distrust and fear over the ideal of an official standing army. Most agreed at this time that there was, in fact, no need for a standing army, since the Royal Navy could provide the first line of defence against invasion.

The Restoration, 1661-1706

Despite the hostility to the idea of a standing army, it wasn’t long until a professional army started to reappear. At the beginning of 1661, the first units of what eventually was going to become the British army were formed. These units were created via a Royal Warrant that Charles II issued.

This warrant covered the armies in Scotland and England, although both were separate. Here, the Royal Scots regiment was created, which consisted of Scottish soldiers who had been in service with the French and the Swedish armies. The Royal Scots has since become the oldest infantry regiment in the British army.

Charles II died in 1685 and was followed to the throne by his brother, James. James increased the size of the army and used it to defeat the Monmouth Rebellion, which was a rebellion against him due to the fact he was a Roman Catholic.

Many saw the increase in the size of the army as an attempt to keep control of parliament, while others even feared that he intended to impose his religious beliefs on the population. The army ended up siding with the public on this matter, and when William of Orange posed a threat to James, the army did not stop him.

After this the Bill of Rights 1689 was passed. This bill was created in order to stop the presence of a standing army outside of wartime without the consent of parliament. The Bill of Rights 1689 still has its effects today, with an annual notice of continuation needing to be issued to allow the British army to continue operating legally. The main purpose of this bill at the time was to ensure the army stayed under control of the government, for the sake of avoiding what happened with the New Model Army occurring again. Additionally, the bill was also created to stop any Monarch from having full control of the army.

1707: The Formation of the British Army

Although armies had existed within what is now known as the United Kingdom before, they were either a Scottish or English army rather than a British army. It wasn’t until the countries became unified in 1707 that a full British army could be formed.

In 1707, both the English and the Scottish parliaments passed the Acts of Union, agreeing to put the terms within the Treaty of Union, which had been drafted the previous year, into effect. From here, Scotland and England were joined into a single parliament as the United Kingdom of Great Britain.

Now the British army was able to form. The army was created using the regiments from the individual armies that were already in existence in both countries. Overall control was given to the War Office, a section of the government, based in London, devoted to control of the military. The War Office was in control until 1964, when the role was handed over to the Ministry of Defence.

The British army has existed in a full-army form since 1707 and has only gained in strength since then. Once united, the British army went on to make its mark on the world, and it doubtlessly would have become so strong without the formation of a United Kingdom.

The Commonwealth & The British Army

The British army reached great heights when it aided in the formation of the British Empire. The British Empire was huge at its largest size and it consisted of a quarter of the world’s population (458 million people). The British army was, at one point, a completely domineering force and was the most powerful army in the world with Great Britain being the most powerful country in the world. The saying ‘The sun never sets on the British Empire’ tells it all. The meaning here is that no matter what time of day it was, there was always part of the British Empire where the sun was shining – and most likely this was true, since the British Empire spanned all around the globe.

The effects of the British Empire were huge. Despite its size, the United Kingdom plays an important role even today in the world - politically, culturally and with regards to language too (with English being, arguably, the most important language in the world).

The story of the British Empire is long and convoluted. There are multiple eras within which different