Everyone has heard of, say, the Irish Fusliliers, the Glorious Glosters, or Royal Scots Greys. But where are these regiments today? What are they called? And what were they called a hundred years ago? The painful and much-resented rationalisation of the British regiments - which meant amalgamation or simply disbandment - has been going on since the first regiments were raised in the 17th century, according to the perceived needs of the nation in war or peacetime. But it accelerated in the mid-1950s and the task has now been completed on General Jackson's watch, in 2007.
Anyone trying to follow the name changes of a particular regiment soon gets caught up in and confused by different histories in different books. By using clear family trees, Gerry Murphy sorts out all the confusion in one indispensable volume. The appendices alone are invaluable, showing the number of regimental antecedents, honours, colours and insignia.
This is the only quick-reference, visual guide available in print showing the name changes and amalgamations of every British Army Regiment.
Contents:
Preface
Acknowledgements
Infantry: Historical Summary
Seventeenth Century
- The Origins of the British Regular Army
- The Monmouth Rebellion
- William III and the Declaration of Rights
- Ireland and the War of the League of Augsburg
Eighteenth Century
- Marlborough's Battles: The War of the Spanish Succession
- Jacobite Rebellion 1715
- War of Jenkins Ear
- Jacobite Rebellion 1745
- The Regimental System: The Reforms of George II
- The Seven Years War
- India: Campaigns against the Nawab of Bengal and Rohilla (First and Second) Wars
- India: The Mysore Wars
- The American War of Independence
- Territorial Titles
- India: Maratha and Gurkha Wars
- Coalitions against France (First and Second)
- Administrative Changes: The Duke of York's Reforms
Nineteenth Century
- Military College Formation
- Coalitions against France (Third, Fourth and Fifth)
- The War of 1812
- The Peninsular War
- The Waterloo Campaign
- Post-Wateroo Changes
- Asia: The First Burma War, the First Afghan War and the First Chinese (Opium) War
- India: Scinde and the First and Second Sikh Wars
- Asia: The Second Burma War, the Persian War, and the Second Chinese (Opium) War
- New Zealand: The Maori Wars
- The Corps of Instructors
- The Crimean War
- The Indian Mutiny
- Africa: The Abyssinian and (First, Second and Third) Ashanti Wars
- Asia: (Second) Afghan and (Third) Burma Wars
- First Amalgamations 1881: Cardwell and Childer's Reforms
- Africa: The Egyptian War and Campaign and the (First and Second) Sudan Wars
- Africa: The Fourth Ashanti War and the War of the Golden Stool
Twentieth Century
- Asia: The Boxer Rebellion
- Africa: The (Second) Boer War
- The Territorial Army, Haldane's Reforms
- World War I
- Asia: The Third Afghan War
- Between the World Wars: Infantry Changes
- World War II
- Port-World War II
- Second Amalgamation: 1957-1961
- Third Amalgamation: 1964-1970
- Fourth Amalgamation: Defence White Paper, July 1991
- The Royal Irish Regiment
- The Royal Gurkha Rifles
- Unmerged Regiments
Twenty-First Century
- Fifth Amalgamation: Defence White Paper, July 2004 'Delivering Security in a Changing World'
- Current Infantry Regiments for the Twenty-First Century
- Lineage Charts of the Infantry
- Disbanded Irish Regiments
- Royal Marines
- Foot Regiments: Where Are They Now?
Cavalry: Historical Summary
Seventeenth Century
- The King's Mounted Bodyguard: His Household Cavalry
- Horse Grenadiers
- Regiments of Horse and Dragoons
Eighteenth Century
- Jacobite Rebellions
- The Regimental System: The Reforms of George II
- Dragoon Guards
- Horse Guards and Horse Grenadier Guards
- Light Dragoons
- Light Dragoons: The Rise and Fall of Regiments
- Life Guards and Royal Horse Artillery
- French Revolutionary Wars
Nineteenth Century
- Hussars
- Wellington's Cavalry
- Lancers
- Balaclava: Two Cavalry Charges and a Thin Red Line
- The Last of the Light Dragoons
Twentieth Century
- The Boer War: The Cavalry's Last Hurrah
- Mechanisation
- First Amalgamation and Title Changes 1921-22
- Royal Armoured Corps
- Second Amalgamation 1958 to 1971: The Last Dragoons
- Third Amalgamation: Defence White Paper, July 1991
Twenty-First Century
- Current Cavalry Regiments for the Twenty-first Century
- Lineage Charts of the Cavalry
- Cavalry Regiments and Where Are They Now?
Appendices
Appendix 1. Stewardship of the British Army
Appendix 2. Infantry Roles and Weapons
Appendix 3. Regimental Identification
Appendix 4. Organisation, Rank and Insignia
Appendix 5. Battle Honours and Colours
Appendix 6. Antecendents of Current Regiments
Appendix 7. Decline of the Regiments
Bibliography
Index
Reviews:
‘What a fascinating and thoroughly worthwhile undertaking … This is the first time I have seen the information in such a complete and clear form.’ Major Colin Gray, Regimental Secretary, Royal Irish Regiment.
