List of units of the British Army Territorial Force (1908) facts for kids

This article is about the different military units that became part of the Territorial Force in the British Army on April 1, 1908. This happened because of a new law called the Territorial and Reserve Forces Act 1907. The Territorial Force was like a part-time army for ordinary citizens, meant to help defend the country and support the regular army if needed. It was a big change in how Britain organized its military forces.

Many of these units were already volunteer groups, and they were officially transferred to the new Territorial Force. Some new units were also created in 1908. Each unit was managed by a local group called a County Association. For example, the County Association of Rutland didn't have its own units, but it helped support parts of the Leicestershire Yeomanry and the 5th Battalion Leicestershire Regiment. Some unit names, especially those connected to the Royal Garrison Artillery and Royal Engineers, were changed again in 1910.

Yeomanry: The Cavalry Units

The Yeomanry regiments were the cavalry (horseback soldiers) of the Territorial Force. They were usually grouped into mounted brigades, with three regiments in each. These units were important for scouting, quick attacks, and supporting other troops. Many of these units had existed before as "Imperial Yeomanry" and were then transferred to the new Territorial Force.

For example, the Ayrshire (Earl of Carrick's Own) Yeomanry from Ayrshire and The Berkshire Yeomanry from Berkshire were among the many Yeomanry units that joined the Territorial Force.

Royal Horse Artillery: Fast Guns on Horseback

Royal Horse Artillery units provided artillery support for the mounted (horseback) brigades. This meant they had cannons that could move quickly with the cavalry. Most of these artillery batteries were brand new, formed in 1908.

For instance, the Ayrshire Battery and the Berkshire Battery were new units raised in 1908. The Honourable Artillery Company in the City of London also had two Horse Artillery Batteries that joined.

Royal Field Artillery: Mobile Cannons for Divisions

Royal Field Artillery brigades were part of each territorial division. They were equipped with medium-sized cannons that could be moved around easily on the battlefield. These units were crucial for providing fire support to the infantry.

Many existing volunteer artillery units were reorganized into these new brigades. For example, the 1st Cheshire Royal Garrison Artillery (Volunteers) became the 3rd Welsh Brigade (later called the Cheshire Brigade). New units were also created, like the 4th North Midland (Howitzer) Brigade in Derbyshire.

Royal Garrison Artillery: Protecting the Coasts

Royal Garrison Artillery units in the Territorial Force were mainly responsible for defending important coastal areas, like ports and harbours. They operated large, fixed cannons that protected against enemy ships. There was one special unit, the 4th Highland Brigade, which was equipped as mountain artillery, meaning it could operate in difficult, hilly terrain.

Units like the North Scottish Royal Garrison Artillery from the City of Aberdeen and the Devonshire Royal Garrison Artillery from Devonshire were part of this branch, guarding Britain's shores.

Royal Engineers: Building and Communicating

The Royal Engineers units supported each territorial division. They included two field companies, which helped with construction, demolition, and other engineering tasks on the battlefield, and a telegraph company, which handled communications. There were also "fortress units" with works and electric lights companies, which helped with coastal defence by building structures and operating searchlights.

For example, the City of Aberdeen (Fortress) Royal Engineers helped with fortress works, and the Cornwall (Fortress) Royal Engineers focused on electric lights and other works. Many new engineer units were formed in 1908 to meet these needs.

Infantry and Cyclist Battalions: The Main Fighting Force

The infantry battalions were the main fighting units of the Territorial Force. They were foot soldiers, and many were formed from existing volunteer rifle corps. Some special "cyclist" battalions were also created, using bicycles for faster movement and reconnaissance.

These units were spread across the country, with many battalions for each county. For instance, The Bedfordshire Regiment had its 5th Battalion formed from volunteer units in Bedfordshire and Huntingdonshire. In Lancashire, there were many infantry battalions, including the 5th Battalion, King's Regiment (Liverpool) and the 10th (Scottish) Battalion, The King's Regiment (Liverpool).

Cyclist battalions, like the 7th (Cyclist) Bn, The Devonshire Regiment in Devonshire and the Kent Cyclist Battalion in Kent, were new and showed how the army was adapting to new technologies.

Army Service Corps: Keeping the Army Moving

The Army Service Corps (ASC) was responsible for transport and supplies. Each infantry division had a Divisional Transport and Supply Column, which included a headquarters company and three other companies to support the infantry brigades. Mounted brigades also had smaller transport and supply columns. Many ASC companies were newly formed in 1908, though some came from existing volunteer units.

These units were vital for making sure soldiers had food, equipment, and ammunition, and for moving them where they needed to go. Examples include the East Lancashire Mounted Brigade Company and the Highland Mounted Brigade Company, which were formed to support their respective mounted brigades.