132:. Prior to this, a soldier was generally enlisted into the British Army for a 21 year engagement, following which (should he survive so long) he was discharged as a Pensioner. Pensioners were sometimes still employed on garrison duties, as were younger soldiers no longer deemed fit for expeditionary service who were generally organised in invalid units or returned to the regimental depot for home service. The cost of paying pensioners, and the obligation the government was under to continue to employ invalids as well as soldiers deemed by their commanding officers as detriments to their units were motivations to change this system. The long period of engagement also discouraged many potential recruits. The long service enlistments were consequently replaced with short service enlistments, with undesirable soldiers not permitted to re-engage on the completion of their first engagement. The size of the army also fluctuated greatly, increasing in war time, and drastically shrinking with peace. Battalions posted on garrison duty overseas were allowed an increase on their normal peacetime establishment, which resulted in their having surplus men on their return to a
189:
released from active service who had not completed their terms of service, to have an establishment of 20,000 men in theory. In practice, as of 1868, only 2,033 were in this body of men. The "Second Class Army
Reserve" was to consist of army pensioners and of discharged soldiers having at least five years regular service. The First Class Army Reserve was liable for overseas service in the event of war, whereas the Second Class Army Reserve was for home service to defend against invasion. Cardwell therefore brought before Parliament the idea of "short service". The Act of 1870 allowed a soldier to choose to spend time in the reserves after service with the colours. As to the proportion of time spent on active service with the colours versus the balance in the reserve, this was to be laid down from time to time by the Secretary of State for War.
51:.) The Regular Reserve largely consists of ex-Regular personnel who retain a statutory liability for service and are liable to be recalled for active military duty "in case of imminent national danger or great emergency". It also consists of a smaller number of ex-Regulars who serve under a fixed-term reserve contract (similar in nature to the Volunteer Reserves) and are liable for reporting, training and deploying on operations.
136:
station. Consequently, soldiers engaging on short term enlistments were enabled to serve several years with the colours and the remainder in the
Regular Reserve, remaining liable to recall to the colours if required. Among the other benefits, this thereby enabled the British Army to have a ready pool
58:
publications no longer report the entire strength of the
Regular Reserve, instead, only Regular Reserves serving under the fixed-term reserve contract are counted. As of 2014, they had a strength of 45,110 personnel. Of those, approximately 2,450 were serving alongside the Regular military in active
640:
Lord
Childers: 'The Bill is a very simple one, and it has been in print for some time. It contains certainly two important clauses — one to enable the Chelsea Commissioners to grant certain pensions... and the other to enable the Crown to increase the Reserve by allowing men, after their 12 years'
241:
consists of
Regular Reserves serving under a fixed-term reserve contract and are by far the largest of the armed forces Regular Reserves. As of 2014 they numbered 30,030 personnel and are divided into two categories. Category A is mandatory, with ex-Regulars automatically falling into this category
277:
British Army – "All male (but not female) soldiers who enlisted before 1 Apr 97 have a statutory liability for service in the Long Term
Reserve until their 45th birthday. Men and women who enlisted on or after 1 Apr 97 serve for a total of 18 years or until age 55, in the Regular Reserve and Long
228:
was formed and recruited, following the outbreak of war. It required six months of training, and in theory, would be ready by late
February 1915 at the very earliest. The challenge for the Special Reserve was to provide sufficient numbers of trained Reserves to offset casualties suffered by the
192:
Upon transferring to the Army
Reserve, for the remainder of their 12 years, the soldier would be transferred to Section A or Section B, with Section C being subsumed into Section B in 1904. Section A was voluntary and limited, each infantry regiment being permitted about 50 men on their books.
188:
The Army's existing system of enlistment therefore produced an army of experienced or even veteran soldiers, but no class of reserves that could be recalled to serve in case of a national emergency. Under the Army
Reserve Act of 1867, a "First Class Army Reserve" had been created, of soldiers
220:
second in precedence. Sixty percent of the infantry consisted of men recalled from the reserve. The
Official History notes that Special Reserve drafts were despatched a month into the fighting, with the Army Reserve component having already being depleted. To help remedy this, Army Council
208:
had introduced. This also introduced the ability for time-served soldiers to extend service in the reserve by four years, albeit classed as the second division, or Section D, of the First Class Army Reserve. By 1900 the reservists numbered about 80,000 trained men, still relatively young and
360:‘It is significant of the heavy and unexpected wastage that within a month of firing the first shot, the supply of Regular Reservists for many regiments had been exhausted, and that men of the Special Reserve – the Militia of old days – were beginning to take their place.
278:
Term Reserve combined from the date of completion of their full time Colour service. Long Term Reservists may only be recalled under Section 52 of the Reserve Forces Act (RFA) 1996, for home or overseas service, in case of imminent national danger or great emergency."
286:
British Army – "Until age 60 those in receipt of an Army pension may be recalled under Section 52 of the RFA 96 for home or overseas service, in case of imminent national danger or great emergency. Present policy is not to recall a pensioner who is over the age of
242:
upon leaving Regular service. Category D is voluntary, for ex-Regulars who are no longer required to serve in category A, but wish to continue, this normally lasts until the age of 55. Ex-Regulars in both categories serve under the fixed-term reserve contract.
654:
Lord Childers: 'The only clause of importance was the 5th, which related to the Reserves, and which enabled a second Reserve to be formed for four years of men who had completed their 12 years' engagement. The remainder of the Bill would not require much
515:
George Bellinger... had enrolled into the Royal Navy in 1907 and served full time until his transfer to Royal Fleet Reserve . At the start of the Great War he was recalled and allocated on 17 September 1914 to the new Drake Battalion of the
104:. The successor to the Royal Fleet Reserve consists of ex-Regulars, having enlisted since 1 April 1997, serving under a fixed-term reserve contract. As of 2014, they have a strength of 7,960 personnel.
627:
Lord Childers: 'In the second place, we propose that the terms of enlistment should remain 12 years, as now, but that the period with the colours should be seven instead of six years...'.
229:
regular battalions of the British Expeditionary Force, during this time. By the end of March 1915 more than thirty infantry regiments would see their trained reserves drop below 100 men.
351:'Altogether, the circumstances were very trying for the reservists, who formed 60 per cent of the infantry, and were for the most part still out of condition.'
269:
The following elements of the Regular Reserve are no longer included or counted in Ministry of Defence publications and statistics on Reserve Forces and Cadets.
78:
968:
455:
957:
437:
412:
261:
The Air Force Reserve consists of ex-Regulars serving under a fixed-term reserve contract. As of 2014, they have a strength of 7,120 personnel.
201:
1000:
77:
The Royal Fleet Reserve Class B came into existence in 1900. The Royal Fleet Reserve Class C came into existence in 1903. There was a
125:
88:
When war broke out in 1914, there was a surplus of men. As a consequence, some men of the Royal Fleet Reserve were posted to the
17:
100:
The RFR, in its original form as a separate grouping of trained ratings/ORs, ceased to be under the amended regulations of the
502:
932:
830:
856:
137:
of recently-trained men to draw upon in an emergency. The name of the Regular Reserve (which for a time was divided into a
55:
666:
819:
Military Operations France and Belgium, 1914: Mons, the Retreat to the Seine, the Marne and the Aisne August–October 1914
339:
1903, the Special Service Engagements (SS) was introduced for 5 years service in the RN and 7 in the Royal Fleet Reserve
300:
246:
44:
913:
804:
221:
Instruction 118 dated 16 January 1915 was requesting TF men volunteering to transfer to the Army Reserve battalions.
216:, in addition to the Special Reserve. The Army Reserve soldiers were the first to be sent as drafts, with the
250:
150:
651:
637:
624:
200:
short service was increased to seven years with the colours, and five with the reserve, of the twelve-year
158:
89:
487:
205:
122:
925:
The Victorian army at home: the recruitment and terms and conditions of the British regular, 1859-1899
822:
166:
310:
101:
777:
305:
245:
The Army Reserve (Regular) is distinct from and should not be confused with the British Army's
32:
209:
available to be recalled to their units at short notice in the event of general mobilisation.
814:
36:
8:
225:
82:
761:
315:
48:
928:
909:
862:
826:
800:
783:
40:
891:
876:
842:
197:
825:. Vol. I (3rd ed.). Uckfield, East Sussex: Naval & Military Press.
473:
217:
193:
Section B was the normal destination for the balance of the 12 years enlistment.
174:
670:. UK Parliament. 1881. Provision for Supplemental Reserve – via JustisOne.
985:
866:
994:
906:
The Victorians at War, 1815-1914: An Encyclopedia of British Military History
787:
942:
779:
Lord Cardwell at the War Office: a History of his Administration 1868 – 1874
388:
43:" (full-time professional) forces. (Other components of the Reserve are the
238:
118:
759:
340:
264:
212:
In August 1914, the line infantry could call upon 80,688 men of the
149:, which were the pre-existing part-time, local-service home-defence
641:
engagement, to volunteer for four years more into a second Reserve.
162:
762:"Service Engagements - A Commitment to Serve for Specific Periods"
545:
81:
in place from 1922 onwards, in tandem with similar awards to the
533:
892:"British Line Infantry Reserves for the Great War - Part 2"
877:"British Line Infantry Reserves for the Great War - Part 1"
843:"British Line Infantry Reserves for the Great War - Part 3"
521:
969:"UK Armed Forces Quarterly Personnel Report October 2014"
658:
557:
456:"UK Armed Forces Quarterly Personnel Report October 2014"
691:
689:
674:
83:
Royal Naval Reserve & Royal Naval Volunteer Reserve
79:
Royal Fleet Reserve Long Service and Good Conduct Medal
725:
605:
569:
488:"Long Service Medals to the Naval Reserve 1909 - 1957"
272:
265:
Other Regular Reserves and the Reserve Forces Act 1996
713:
701:
686:
581:
593:
503:"How to research a man of the Royal Naval Division"
890:
875:
841:
665:
407:
405:
992:
854:
551:
539:
527:
956:
436:
432:
430:
428:
426:
411:
281:
927:(illustrated ed.). Taylor & Francis.
402:
177:. These were consequently also referred to as
341:Engagements & Time to Serve in Royal Navy
899:(101). The Western Front Association: 27–31.
888:
884:(100). The Western Front Association: 23–27.
850:(102). The Western Front Association: 14–20.
743:
644:
630:
617:
474:"The Royal Fleet Reserve and How to Join It"
423:
153:that were auxiliary to the British Army (or
39:whose members have formerly served in the "
958:"MoD – reserves and cadet strengths 2014"
855:Goodenough, W. H.; Dalton, J. G. (1893).
438:"MoD – reserves and cadet strengths 2014"
413:"MoD – reserves and cadet strengths 2014"
383:
381:
379:
377:
237:Today, the Army Reserve (Regular) of the
107:
967:
794:
775:
680:
575:
563:
454:
420:table 4 page 13. See note 2. April 2014.
922:
873:
839:
813:
731:
719:
707:
695:
611:
587:
14:
993:
797:The Oxford History of the British Army
494:
374:
321:
157:), but not originally part of it: the
67:
903:
776:Biddulph, General Sir Robert (1904).
599:
463:gov.uk, table 1 page 6, October 2014.
145:) has resulted in confusion with the
1001:Reserve forces of the United Kingdom
858:The Army Book for the British Empire
476:. January 1914 – via RootsWeb.
256:
941:
799:. Oxford: Oxford University Press.
387:
273:Regular Reserve – Long Term Reserve
62:
24:
908:(illustrated ed.). ABC-CLIO.
638:HC Deb, 1 August 1881 vol 264 c435
513:– via The long, long trail.
121:was originally created in 1859 by
25:
1012:
979:
889:Langley, David (September 2014).
652:HC Deb, 11 July 1881 vol 263 c620
625:HC Deb, 3 March 1881 vol 259 c200
500:
112:
943:"British Army - Regular Reserve"
840:Gillott, Martin (January 2015).
389:"British Army - Regular Reserve"
232:
737:
354:
345:
72:
667:"Regulation of the Forces Act"
480:
466:
448:
333:
95:
13:
1:
923:Skelley, Alan Ramsay (1977).
861:. London: Harrison and Sons.
753:
445:table 1a-page 10. April 2014.
128:, and re-organised under the
874:Langley, David (June 2014).
552:Goodenough & Dalton 1893
540:Goodenough & Dalton 1893
528:Goodenough & Dalton 1893
282:Regular Reserve – Pensioners
249:force of the same name, the
159:Honourable Artillery Company
7:
795:Chandler, David G. (1996).
294:
117:The Regular Reserve of the
10:
1017:
760:Benyon, Paul (July 2002).
123:Secretary of State for War
904:Raugh, Harold E. (2004).
952:– via army.mod.uk.
823:History of the Great War
398:– via army.mod.uk.
31:is the component of the
986:Reserve Forces Act 1996
782:. London: John Murray.
311:Reserve Forces Act 1996
130:Reserve Force Act, 1867
102:Reserve Forces Act 1996
18:Royal Air Force Reserve
306:Military reserve force
108:Army Reserve (Regular)
771:– via RootsWeb.
505:. Royal Naval records
171:Constitutional Force
90:Royal Naval Division
37:British Armed Forces
322:Notes and citations
196:In 1881, under the
68:Royal Fleet Reserve
56:Ministry of Defence
316:Sponsored Reserves
54:Since April 2013,
49:Sponsored Reserves
45:Volunteer Reserves
934:978-0-85664-335-4
832:978-1-78-331611-3
566:, pp. 32–33.
554:, pp. 49–50.
301:Volunteer Reserve
257:Air Force Reserve
247:Volunteer Reserve
202:enlistment period
16:(Redirected from
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206:Cardwell Reforms
198:Childers Reforms
179:Auxiliary Forces
63:Regular Reserves
33:military reserve
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218:Special Reserve
175:Volunteer Force
115:
110:
98:
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29:Regular Reserve
23:
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980:External links
978:
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734:, p. 440.
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697:
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681:Chandler 1996
677:
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655:discussion.'.
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765:. Retrieved
746:, p. 29
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732:Edmonds 2021
727:
720:Gillott 2015
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708:Edmonds 2021
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696:Gillott 2015
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612:Skelley 1977
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588:Langley 2014
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507:. Retrieved
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392:. Retrieved
367:
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251:Army Reserve
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183:Local Forces
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143:Second Class
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119:British Army
116:
113:Historically
99:
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73:Historically
53:
28:
26:
948:11 December
394:11 December
233:Present Day
139:First Class
96:Present Day
867:1013373372
754:References
600:Raugh 2004
897:Stand To!
882:Stand To!
848:Stand To!
817:(2021) .
788:316005611
368:Citations
204:that the
59:service.
995:Category
767:17 March
509:24 March
295:See also
226:New Army
163:Yeomanry
47:and the
167:Militia
41:Regular
35:of the
931:
912:
865:
829:
803:
786:
173:) and
151:forces
141:and a
972:(PDF)
961:(PDF)
459:(PDF)
441:(PDF)
416:(PDF)
327:Notes
950:2014
929:ISBN
910:ISBN
863:OCLC
827:ISBN
801:ISBN
784:OCLC
769:2024
650:See
636:See
623:See
516:RND.
511:2024
396:2014
224:The
169:(or
134:Home
27:The
181:or
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20:)
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