Modern British Infantry Battalion
The Modern British Army rose from the Ashes of the defeat
of Cromwell in 1660. Except for the world wars and the empires troubling
decade after 1945, the Army has always been all volunteer. British Army's
largest standing combat formation is the Battalion. It is not uncommon
for a British soldier to spend his entire career in a single company of
a battalion. Tours of Duty are not on the individual level as in the US
Army. Rather the battalion as a whole is givien a new TOD rouglhy
every 3 years. In Modern times traditionally deployments have been in Hong
Kong, Germany, North Ireland, Girbraltar, Belieze, Cyprus, and Brunei .
Units serving in trouble spots usually were given less lengthy TODs. As
the empire shrinks the units will probably be shifted less and less.
The Australians found this system well in Vietnam and it is the opinion
of the author that this system would've been advantageous for the United
Stated to use a similar system as well.
Above the battalion is the traditionally the "regiment"
but the vast majority of "Regiments" merely have a 1st Battalion
with the odd exception like the Royal Fusilers Regiments having a First
and Third Battalions. Even regiments with two battalions rarely finds\
both of them deployed to the same area. By claiming part of a "Regiment"
the British Battalions can trace a lineage often hundreds of years old.
This type of lineage premotes a unit pride or Espirt de Corps on
a scale not seen in any other military. Ofcourse larger brigade, division
organizations exist in the British military but; in sharp contrast to the
Battalions are frequently reorganized. The Strength of the Battalions
themselves has varied greatly in Modern times from 800 in 1945 to 650 in
1983. In 1983 there were 47 Infantry Battalions and a further 5 lablled
"Guards". It should also be noted the term "Royal" is not ceremonial and
is bestowed on a unit for distinction in battle.
The Battalion commander is Lieutenant-Colonel, the
company's have Majors, and the platoons by a Lieutenant, and the sections
by corporals.
An exception to this rule with the Battalions is
the British Cavalry which are "Cavalry Regiments." Since 1917 a British
tank company has traditionally had three platoons each with three or four
tanks . The HQ section has two tanks.
Typical Infantry Battalion, 1983 (Officers/Men)
1x HQ Company
2x Rifle Company
1x Support Company
HQ Company(13/215))
1x Signals Platoon
1x Motor Transport Platoon
Support Company
1x81mm Mortar Platoon
6 Mortars
1xAnti-Tank Platoon
16xMilan Anti-Tank Guided Weapons
Rifle Company(5/100)
2 Rifle Platoons
Rifle Platoon(1/30)
3 Rifle Sections of 10 men
Sources: Salerno by Richard Morris, Strategy and Tactics
Magazine, Some notes I took from a book on Britian's Wars since 1945 the
name of which escapes me.