Territorial Army and Militia Act 1921 facts for kids
| Act of Parliament | |
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| Long title | An Act to provide for the application of new designations to the territorial force and the special reserve, and to repeal enactments relating to the militia and yeomanry; and for purposes in connection therewith. |
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| Citation | 11 & 12 Geo. 5. c. 37 |
| Territorial extent |
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| Dates | |
| Royal assent | 17 August 1921 |
| Other legislation | |
| Amends | Reserve Forces Act 1900 |
| Repeals/revokes | Many old laws about the Militia and Yeomanry |
| Repealed by | Reserve Forces Act 1980 |
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Status: Repealed
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| History of passage through Parliament | |
| Text of statute as originally enacted | |
The Territorial Army and Militia Act 1921 was an important Act of Parliament in the United Kingdom. It changed how the reserve forces of the British Army were organized. This law updated an earlier act from 1907. It gave new names to two key parts of the army's reserves.
Contents
What Was the Territorial Army and Militia Act?
This law, passed in 1921, was mainly about renaming parts of the British Army's reserve forces. The "Territorial Force" became the "Territorial Army". The "Special Reserve" was renamed the "Militia". The Act also made sure that all old rules and laws were updated to use these new names.
Why Did They Change the Names?
The government had decided to change these names the year before the Act was passed. The renaming caused some debate and confusion. This was especially true for the "Militia" name. The original use of "Militia" had been stopped only fourteen years earlier.
However, supporters of the change argued that the public would understand the role of a "Militia" better. They felt it was clearer than the name "Special Reserve". They believed people would more easily grasp what the "Militia" did.
Clearing Out Old Laws
The Act also got rid of many old laws. These were called "legislative lumber" by Viscount Peel. He was a government official at the time. These old laws about the Militia and Yeomanry were still technically in effect.
What Happened to the Old Laws?
The old system of a local Militia and volunteer Yeomanry had mostly ended in 1907. That's when the Territorial and Reserve Forces Act was passed. All the organized units from the old system had either been closed down or moved into the new system.
But the old legal rules for them were still on the books. The 1921 Act removed these powers. They were no longer needed or suitable for the modern army. This helped to simplify the laws governing the reserve forces.
