A regiment is a military unit . Its role and size varies markedly, depending on the country, service , or specialisation .
101-1059: The Fencibles (from the word defencible ) were British regiments raised in the United Kingdom , Isle of Man and in the colonies for defence against the threat of invasion during the Seven Years' War , the American War of Independence , the French Revolutionary Wars , the Napoleonic Wars and the War of 1812 in the late 18th and early 19th centuries. Usually temporary units, composed of local recruits and commanded by Regular Army officers, they were most often confined to garrison and patrol duties, freeing Regular Army units to perform offensive operations. Most fencible regiments had no liability for overseas service. They included naval forces known as "River Fencibles", made up of sailors on
202-681: A company or battalion from their manorial estate. By the end of the 17th century, infantry regiments in most European armies were permanent units, with approximately 800 men and commanded by a colonel . During the modern era, the word "regiment" – much like " corps " – may have two somewhat divergent meanings, which refer to two distinct roles: In many armies, the first role has been assumed by independent battalions , battlegroups , task forces , brigades and other, similarly sized operational units. However, these non-regimental units tend to be short-lived; and regiments have tended to retain their traditional responsibilities for ceremonial duties,
303-433: A prize and returned to Halifax; she was then sent out again to accompany a supply ship to Fort Cumberland. In the meantime, Vulture fortuitously arrived at Windsor, where she took on some marines and Fencibles. Lacking artillery, the rebels attempted to storm the fort on the night of November 12, attempting a feint to draw Goreham's strength away from the weak points of the defenses. The experienced Goreham saw through
404-468: A chain of command. Soldiers and officers are transferred in and out of divisions as required. Some regiments recruited from specific geographical areas, and usually incorporated the place name into the regimental name (e.g. Bangladesh Infantry Regiment ). In other cases, regiments would recruit from a given age group within a nation (e.g. Zulu Impis ), an ethnic group (e.g. the Gurkhas ), or foreigners (e.g.
505-899: A consequence of this. Goreham, a veteran of the French and Indian War , was also able to blunt Patriot inroads in the native communities, where the Mi'kmaq refused to take sides, and the Maliseet and Passamaquoddy, at first supportive of the Patriots, ultimately did not turn out in the numbers Eddy had hoped for or been promised. Eddy returned to Massachusetts in August. While the Second Continental Congress and George Washington would not authorize, fund, or otherwise support military activities in Nova Scotia, Eddy
606-500: A former Lieutenant Governor of Nova Scotia and a vocal Loyalist. Eddy returned empty-handed to Nova Scotia in June 1776, only to learn that Goreham had put a price on his head. The activities of Goreham's Fencibles in the Cumberland area were successful enough that Patriot activities there were effectively forced underground; the center of these activities was shifted to Maugerville in part as
707-621: A legacy of the British Indian army during the years when the British ruled India before 15 August 1947. Each infantry regiment may have one or more battalions, while cavalry, armour and artillery regiments are single-battalion formations. There are regimental headquarters (called as a centre) for each regiment. Each regiment of infantry is commanded by a colonel and assisted by a lieutenant colonel. The Irish Army field artillery units are called regiments. They are divided into batteries and together
808-499: A lenient approach toward captured rebels, including Richard John Uniacke , who went on to become Attorney General of Nova Scotia. Goreham issued an offer of pardon for those who would surrender their arms, which more than 100 locals accepted. This prompted Major Batt to file charges against Goreham for neglect of duty; Goreham was exonerated. The victory at Fort Cumberland strengthened the British presence in Nova Scotia, in part by driving Patriot sympathizers like Allan and Eddy out of
909-455: A patrol of Goreham's Fencibles on October 25, killing one and wounding another. The prisoners were shipped back to Machias, and Eddy sent some of his men to Cocagne in a largely fruitless effort to enlist Miꞌkmaqs in the cause. Eddy himself continued on to Memramcook , where about two dozen of the Acadian locals joined him. This enlarged force marched to Sackville , where more settlers joined
1010-568: A previous visit to the area. With a force now numbering about 72, Eddy sailed up the Bay of Fundy to Shepody Outpost. The exact location of this outpost, established probably by Joseph Goreham in September, is subject to debate. It may have been present-day Hopewell Cape, New Brunswick on the Bay's western side, or it may have been Fort Folly Point on its eastern side. In any case, it was there that Eddy captured
1111-485: A previously existing continental system usually do not succeed. The system presents difficulties for military planners, who must deal with the problems of trying to keep soldiers of a regiment together throughout their careers and of administering separate garrisons, training and mess facilities. The regimental community of serving and retired members often makes it very difficult for planners to restructure forces by moving, merging or re-purposing units. In those armies where
SECTION 10
#17328522704621212-419: A single entity of up to 1,000 troopers. A notable exception to this practice was the British line infantry system where the two regular battalions constituting a regiment alternated between "home" and "foreign" service and seldom came together as a single unit. In the regimental system, each regiment is responsible for recruiting, training, and administration; each regiment is permanently maintained and therefore
1313-403: A situation, co-ordination between regiments is rarely necessary, and the esprit de corps of the regiment provides an emotional substitute for the sense of public approval that an army receives at home. This is particularly relevant to British experience during the days of the empire , where the army was virtually continuously engaged in low-intensity conflict with insurgents, and full-scale warfare
1414-413: A small number of forces were raised for this effort at Saint John , and a British show of force put an end to the attempt. Eddy appears to have been involved with Allan's work, but his movements prior to August 1777 are uncertain. Commodore Collier followed up by attacking Machias , intending to break Allan's plans. Eddy led the defense of Machias during the battle on August 13–15, 1777. (Collier's action
1515-477: A symbolic colonel-in-chief (often a member of the royal family), a colonel of the regiment or "honorary colonel" who protects the traditions and interests of the regimental family and insists on the maintenance of high standards, battle honours (honours earned by one unit of an administrative regiment are credited to the regiment), ceremonial uniforms, cap badges , peculiarities of insignia, stable belts , and regimental marches and songs. The regiment usually has
1616-452: A traditional "home station" or regimental depot , which is often a historic garrison that houses the regimental museum and regimental headquarters. The latter has a modest staff to support regimental committees and administer both the regular members and the association(s) of retired members. The regimental system is generally admired for the esprit de corps it engenders in its units' members, but efforts to implement it in countries with
1717-550: Is but one administrative infantry regiment in the regular army: the Royal Australian Regiment , consisting of all seven regular infantry battalions in the Army. The Australian Army Reserve also has state-based infantry regiments which administer the reserve infantry battalions. In Pakistan, the word regiment is an administrative grouping. While individual battalions may have different roles (for example different battalions of
1818-530: Is changed to meet the tasks at hand. Because of their permanent nature, many regiments have long histories, often going back for centuries: the oldest British regiment still in existence is the Royal Jersey Militia , established in 1337 although historically the Jersey Militia are referred to as a regiment it is disputed that they are in fact a corps. The Buffs (Royal East Kent Regiment) , formed in 1572,
1919-658: Is recruited. This sense of community 'ownership' over local regiments can be seen in the public outcry over recent regimental amalgamations in the United Kingdom. On the other hand, recruitment from a single community can lead to a concentrated and potentially devastating local impact if the regiment takes heavy casualties. Further, the regimental system offers the advantage of grouping like units together for centralized administrative, training, and logistical purposes, thereby creating an " economies of scale " effect and its ensuing increased efficiency. An illustrative example of this
2020-590: Is the modular integration employed by the United States Marine Corps , which can take elements from its regimentally grouped forces and specifically tailor combined arms task forces for a particular mission or the deployed Marine Expeditionary Units (MEU). This is achievable partially because of the Marines mission adaptability, flexibility, philosophy, shared culture, history and overall esprit de corps, which allows for near seamless interoperability. In
2121-722: The Assam Regiment ), caste/community ( Jat Regiment ), or religion ( Sikh Regiment ). Most regiments continue the heritage of regiments raised under the British Raj, but some have been raised after independence, some of which have specialised in border defence, in particular the Ladakh Scouts , the Arunachal Scouts , and the Sikkim Scouts . Over the years there have been fears that troops' allegiance lay more with their regiments and
SECTION 20
#17328522704622222-723: The British Army and armies modelled on it (such as the Australian , the New Zealand , the Canadian , the Pakistani , Bangladeshi , Myanmar and the Indian armies), the term regiment is used in two different ways: it can mean an administrative identity and grouping, or a tactical unit. In the former Dominion of Newfoundland , "Regiment" was used to describe the entirety of the fighting armed forces,
2323-417: The British Army consisted of more than one tactical regiment. The Royal Tank Regiment until 2014 had two (1 and 2 RTR), and once had many more. They were all amalgamated into a single regiment. All of a nation's artillery units are considered part of a single administrative regiment, but there are typically several tactical artillery regiments. They are designated by numbers, names or both. For example,
2424-644: The Eddy Rebellion ) was an attempt by a small number of militia commanded by Jonathan Eddy to bring the American Revolutionary War to Nova Scotia in late 1776. With minimal logistical support from Massachusetts and four to five hundred volunteer militia and Natives , Eddy attempted to besiege and storm Fort Cumberland in central Nova Scotia (near the present-day border between Nova Scotia and New Brunswick ) in November 1776. The fort's defenders,
2525-691: The French Foreign Legion ). In other cases, new regiments were raised for new functions within an army; e.g. the Fusiliers , the Parachute Regiment (British Army), U.S. Army 75th Ranger Regiment , and the Light Reaction Regiment ( Philippine Army ) . Disadvantages of the regimental system are hazardous regimental competition, a lack of interchangeability between units of different regiments, and more pronounced " old boy networks " within
2626-464: The Frontier Force Regiment may be mechanized infantry, paratroop infantry, or mountain troops), the regiment is considered to encompass all of them. The modern British regimental system came about as a result of the 19th century Cardwell Reforms . In the British Army , for most purposes, the regiment is the largest "permanent" organisational unit. Above regimental level, the organisation
2727-572: The Pakistan Army , several regiments have over 50 battalions. In Canada, the regiment is a formation of one or more units; existing almost exclusively for reasons of heritage, the continuance of battle honors and esprit de corps . The three regular force infantry regiments each consist of three regular force battalions of approximately 600 soldiers, in addition to one or more reserve battalions. Canadian battalions are employed tactically and administratively within brigade groups . In Australia, there
2828-523: The Passamaquoddy Bay area, which separates present-day Maine and New Brunswick. Patriots in these communities were in contact with each other, and those of Cumberland and Maugerville were active in trying to interest nearby natives ( Passamaquoddy , Maliseet , and Mi'kmaq ) in their cause. Eddy believed that with military assistance from the Thirteen Colonies , he might be able to bring down
2929-611: The Polly before her seizure. His defenses consisted of a hastily constructed palisade that encompassed most of the fort, and six cannon , for which his men had only completed three mounts. The fort's military complement was 176 men, including officers and artillerymen. Over the next few days, local militia arrived to raise the garrison's size to about 200, although this included individuals not effective for combat due to illness. On both November 7 and 8 he again attempted to get messengers out of Eddy's cordon, without success. On November 8 Eddy
3030-738: The Rebellion of 1798 where they fought in some pitched battles. The 3rd Argyllshire Regiment , who like some other fencible regiments had terms of service that extended to any part of Europe, garrisoned Gibraltar (as did Banffshire Fencibles , 2nd Argyllshire Fencibles , and the Prince of Wales Own Fencibles ) The Dumbarton Fencibles Regiment was raised in Scotland, garrisoned Guernsey , fought in Ireland, and detachment escorted prisoners to Prussia. The Ancient Irish Fencibles were sent to Egypt where they took part in
3131-846: The Royal 22nd Regiment ), the Royal Newfoundland Fencibles (perpetuated by the Royal Newfoundland Regiment ), and the New Brunswick Regiment of Fencible Infantry (perpetuated by the Royal New Brunswick Regiment ). The Glengarry Light Infantry Fencibles (perpetuated by the Stormont, Dundas and Glengarry Highlanders ) was formed in February 1812, several months prior to the war. In addition to these Canadian units,
Fencibles - Misplaced Pages Continue
3232-583: The Royal Engineers , Royal Corps of Signals , Army Air Corps , Royal Logistic Corps , and Royal Military Police . Upon its inception, the Indian Army inherited the British Army's organisational structure, which is still maintained today. Therefore, like its predecessor, an Indian infantry regiment's responsibility is not to undertake field operations but to provide battalions and well-trained personnel to
3333-571: The Royal Fencible American Regiment led by Joseph Goreham , a veteran of the French and Indian War , successfully repelled several attempts by Eddy's militia to storm the fort, and the siege was ultimately relieved when the RFA plus marine reinforcements drove off the besiegers on November 29. In retaliation for the role of locals who supported the siege, numerous homes and farms were destroyed, and Patriot sympathizers were driven out of
3434-621: The Royal Malta Fencible Artillery until 1881. The term 'Fencible' was dropped in 1889 and it became the Royal Malta Artillery . In 1847 the Royal New Zealand Fencible Corps were raised and sent to New Zealand for the defence of the early settlers there. They were settled in four new outlying villages around Auckland, (then the capital), at Onehunga , Otahuhu , Panmure , and Howick , the largest of
3535-658: The Royal Manx Fencibles (third corps, 1803–1811) no more fencible regiments were raised for home defence. In the early years of the 19th Century, regiments of Fencibles were raised in the Canadas , New Brunswick , Newfoundland , and Nova Scotia. The regiments were liable for service in North America only (although the New Brunswick Fencibles volunteered for general service and became the 104th Regiment of Foot in
3636-610: The Royal Newfoundland Regiment . In the Commonwealth countries listed above, the large administrative regiment has been the normal practice for many years. In the case of India, "large regiments" of four to five battalions date from 1923 and, since the 1950s, many of these have expanded even further. As an example, the Punjab Regiment of the Indian Army has expanded from four battalions in 1956 to its present strength of 20, while, in
3737-628: The Sea Fencibles (raised in 1798 and disbanded in 1810). By the Peace of Amiens in 1802, all Fencible Regiments had been disbanded and those members willing to continue serving had been transferred to regular army regiments. When the Napoleonic Wars resumed the British used alternative methods to defend the Home Nations (see for example the Additional Forces Acts 1803 ) and with the exception of
3838-783: The Swedish Life Guards (1521), the British Honourable Artillery Company (1537) and the King's Own Immemorial Regiment of Spain, first established in 1248 during the conquest of Seville by King Ferdinand the Saint . In the 17th century, brigades were formed as units combining infantry, cavalry, and artillery that were more effective than the older, single-arms regiments; in many armies, brigades replaced regiments. Organisation and numbers did not follow any standardised pattern between or within armies during this period, with
3939-450: The Thames and other southern English towns and cities, as well as Sea Fencibles , who, among their other duties, crewed small commercial vessels converted to coastal defence. The first regiments were raised in Scotland in 1759. In England county militia regiments were raised for internal defence in the absence of the regular army; but it was not deemed prudent to extend the system to Scotland,
4040-493: The frigate Juno escorted the supply sloop Polly to Fort Cumberland, where she docked below the fort on the Aulac River . Polly was laden with supplies to last the fort through the winter, and work began immediately to unload those supplies. Juno , easily visible from Sackville, was a concern to Eddy, since her presence added to the fort's defenses. Fortunately for Eddy, she sailed on November 3, leaving Polly docked below
4141-573: The * pay to each private of 5 rupees 2 quarters per month, besides clothing: which last they will receive from the honorable company ". The 5th battalion of the Maratha Light Infantry was raised in December 1800 from the Bombay Fencibles as the 1st Battalion, the 9th Regiment of Bombay Native Infantry. The Royal Malta Fencible Regiment was in existence from 1815 to 1861 when it became
Fencibles - Misplaced Pages Continue
4242-570: The Armoured Corps, the traditional administrative "regiment" tends to play more of a ceremonial role, while in practice, its members are administered by their corps or "branch" as in the Artillery. Thus soldiers and officers can serve in many different "regiments", changing hat badges without too much concern during their career. Indeed, in the artillery, all regiments wear the same badge. The British Army also has battalion-sized tactical regiments of
4343-872: The Basic Airborne Course. They, later-on, undergo the Special Forces Operations Course - an eight-month course that equips each SF soldier in the basics of Special Forces and unconventional warfare operations. Each member of the SF Regiment may opt to undergo specialty courses as well after finishing the Special Forces basic course. These include, but is not limited to, training in demolitions and bomb disposal (EOD), psychological warfare operations (PSYOPS), riverine operations including combat diving, intelligence operations, weapons, medics, as well as VIP security training in preparation for reassignment with
4444-514: The Fencibles were to be raised by the ordinary mode of recruiting, and like the regiments of the line, the officers were to be appointed, and their commissions signed by the king. Most fencible regiments had no liability for overseas service however there were exceptions. Ireland while not united with the Kingdom of Great Britain until 1801 was the destination for several British fencible regiments during
4545-515: The French in the Battle of Fort Beauséjour in 1755, the fortifications had been minimally garrisoned by the British after the Seven Years' War and abandoned in 1768. As early as June 1775, Colonel Joseph Goreham had been ordered by General Thomas Gage to raise the Royal Fencible American Regiment of Foot and natives in Nova Scotia for the defense of the province against Patriot activity. Arriving at
4646-437: The Machias council learned of how little native support there was, they sent a letter to Eddy urging him to give up the effort. Eddy persisted, and left Campobello, having added nine Passamaquoddy recruits to his band. From Campobello, Eddy sailed up the Saint John River to Maugerville, where 27 men were recruited, and then up to the Maliseet settlement at Aukpaque (just upriver from present-day Fredericton ). There he learned
4747-418: The Michigan Fencibles, a small unit of 45 troops, was raised at Fort Mackinac in 1813. The Bombay Fencibles were raised in 1799 by the following order of the Bombay Army: "A regiment consisting of two battalions of natives to be, under the denomination of the 'Bombay fencibles,' raised from the inhabitants of Bombay, Salsette, and Caranjah, on condition of not being liable to serve out of the said bounds; at
4848-447: The Presidential Security Group. The basic combat organization of the Special Forces is the 12-man Special Forces Team. An SF Team will have at least one of each SF MOS present in the team. The Light Reaction Regiment is the premier counter-terrorist unit of the Philippine Army. It was formerly known as the Light Reaction Battalion and Light Reaction Company. Due to its specialization in counter-terrorism operations and its formation with
4949-426: The area. The successful defense of Fort Cumberland preserved the territorial integrity of the British Maritime possessions, and Nova Scotia remained loyal throughout the war. Nova Scotia was generally poorly defended in the early stages of the American Revolutionary War , and unrest in the eastern regions provoked fears of an American-led uprising. Although some reinforcements had reached Halifax by early 1776,
5050-453: The assistance of American advisers, the Light Reaction Regiment has been sometimes referred to as the Philippines' Delta Force . It traces its origins back to the year 2000 when non-commissioned officers from the Scout Rangers and 1st Special Forces Regiment (Airborne) were trained by American military advisers from the 1st Battalion, 1st Special Forces Group . Battle of Fort Cumberland The Battle of Fort Cumberland (also known as
5151-428: The bad news that Pierre Tomah, the main Maliseet chief, was not interested in taking up the hatchet. Eddy was able to convince Ambroise St. Aubin, one of Tomah's competitors, and 15 men to join the expedition in exchange for an agreement with the Maugerville community to support the families of those men. In another disappointment, none of the local Acadians joined, contrary to assertions St. Aubin had made to Eddy during
SECTION 50
#17328522704625252-438: The continental system exists, the regimental system is criticised as parochial and as creating unnecessary rivalry between different regiments. The question is also raised as to whether it is healthy to develop soldiers more loyal to their regiment than to the military in general. Regiments recruited from areas of political ferment (such as Scotland, Wales, Ireland, Quebec , India, etc.), tend to perform particularly well because of
5353-422: The continental system, the division is the functional army unit, and its commander is the administrator of every aspect of the formation : his staff train and administer the soldiers, officers, and commanders of the division's subordinate units. Generally, divisions are garrisoned together and share the same installations: thus, in divisional administration, a battalion commanding officer is just another officer in
5454-401: The cost of two dead and three wounded. Batt's men chased Eddy's, but bad weather and the lack of adequate footwear eventually caused him to call off the pursuit. Eddy's forces scattered, with many retreating overland to Maugerville. Some of the Massachusetts men took more than two months to reach Machias. Homes and farms of rebel supporters were burned in reprisal but British authorities took
5555-454: The day-to-day functioning of a battalion – they can replace the commanding officer but will not micro-manage the unit. The regimental sergeant major is another key figure, responsible to the CO for unit discipline and the behaviour of the NCOs. It should, however, be noted that amalgamations beginning in the late 1950s and ending in 2006 have diluted the British regimental system through the now almost universal adoption of "large regiments" for
5656-486: The end of the Second World War have usually consisted of a single tactical regiment. During the 1960s, three Canadian regiments had both regular and militia components, which were disbanded shortly after unification in 1968. Currently, one regiment is organised with two tactical regiments, 12 Régiment blindé du Canada and 12 Régiment blindé du Canada (Milice) are both part of the administrative regiment 12 Régiment blindé du Canada . One administrative armoured regiment of
5757-486: The end of the campaign or war; the colonel and his regiment might recruit from and serve several monarchs or countries. Later, it was customary to name the regiment by its precedence in the line of battle , and to recruit from specific places, called cantons . The oldest regiments which still exist, and their dates of establishment, include the French 1st Infantry Regiment (1479), the Spanish 9th Infantry Regiment “Soria” (1505), originally called Tercio de Nápoles ),
5858-490: The exception of The Irish Regiment of Canada , which has a 2nd Battalion only). Until after the Second World War , every regiment had at least two battalions. Traditionally, the regular battalions were the 1st and 2nd Battalions, the militia (later Special Reserve) battalion was the 3rd Battalion, and the Army Reserve battalions were the 4th Battalion, the 5th Battalion and up. A few regiments had up to four regular battalions and more than one militia battalion, which disrupted
5959-431: The feint and repulsed the attack. One of Eddy's Maliseet warriors sneaked into the fort and very nearly opened a gate but was stopped at the last moment. Following the failed attack, Eddy effectively lost control of the expedition, as a council of leaders formed against him. Night attacks ordered by the council on November 22 and 23 succeeded in capturing and burning several buildings, but Goreham grimly held his ground, and
6060-501: The field formations. As such, it is common to find battalions of the same regiment spread across several brigades, divisions, corps, commands, and even theatres. Like its British and Commonwealth counterparts, troops enlisted within the regiment are immensely loyal, take great pride in the regiment to which they are assigned, and generally spend their entire career within the regiment. Most Indian Army infantry regiments recruit based on certain selection criteria, such as region (for example,
6161-433: The force, swelling it (by Eddy's account) to about 180 men. Goreham was finally alerted to Eddy's actions on November 4, when a boat sent with supplies for the Shepody patrol was informed of Eddy's activities by locals. Goreham heightened the guard on the fort, but did not immediately attempt to notify Halifax or Windsor , since he was uncertain what routes away from the fort might have been blocked by Eddy. On October 31,
SECTION 60
#17328522704626262-437: The fort in the summer of 1776, Colonel Goreham and a garrison of 200 Loyalist troops of the RFA did what they could to restore the premises to a defensible condition. But Goreham had not been adequately provisioned and his men lacked everything from victuals to uniforms. Furthermore, the locals were generally sympathetic to the Patriot cause, and refused to assist in rehabilitating the fort, even trying to induce members of
6363-449: The fort. On November 6, Eddy's patrols began ranging closer to the fort, alerting Goreham to the approaching force. Goreham took no additional steps to protect Polly , and any attempts to get word of his predicament out were again delayed by his decision to await the return of scouts he had dispatched earlier. (The fate of the scouts is uncertain; they did not return before the fort was invested .) That evening, thirty of Eddy's men surprised
6464-423: The four. About 75 fencibles and their sons took part as militia in the 1860s New Zealand Wars . Attribution: Regiment In Medieval Europe , the term "regiment" denoted any large body of front-line soldiers, recruited or conscripted in one geographical area, by a leader who was often also the feudal lord in capite of the soldiers. Lesser barons of knightly rank could be expected to muster or hire
6565-433: The frontiers of the province were only lightly defended. Fort Cumberland was located on the Isthmus of Chignecto , which connects modern mainland Nova Scotia with New Brunswick . The area was strategically important in earlier conflicts between the French colony of Acadia and British-controlled Nova Scotia. Originally built by the French in 1750 as Fort Beauséjour, Fort Cumberland was in deplorable condition. Won from
6666-548: The garrison to defect. Jonathan Eddy was a Massachusetts -born resident of Cumberland County, Nova Scotia , where the fort was located. He and John Allan , both of whom served in the provincial assembly, were the prime movers of Patriot activity in the area, which was one of several hotbeds of agitation in Nova Scotia. The other major areas of Patriot activity were Maugerville in the St. John River valley of Sunbury County (present-day New Brunswick ), and Cobequid , and there were also pockets of activity in Pictou and
6767-420: The infantry of the Army. As of 2014, only thirteen line infantry regiments survive, each comprising up to six of the former battalions that previously had separate regimental status. Only the five Guards regiments retain their historic separate identities. Similarly, as of 2015, only eight of the regiments of the Royal Armoured Corps (cavalry plus Royal Tank Regiments) survive. Armoured regiments in Canada since
6868-446: The inhabitants of which, it was supposed, could not yet be safely entrusted with arms because of The 'Fifteen' and The 'Forty-Five' rebellions . Groundless as the reasons for this caution undoubtedly were in regard to the Lowlands, it would certainly have been hazardous at a time when the Stuarts and their adherents were still plotting a restoration to have armed the clans . Unlike the militia regiments which were raised by ballot,
6969-426: The intelligence gathering American Alamo Scouts and the combat ready US Army Rangers . It was also formed to combat insurgencies such as the Communist and Moro Rebellions. It currently have more than 2500 Members. The Special Forces Regiment (Airborne) is a special forces unit of the Philippine Army. It is based on and continually trains with its American counterpart, the U.S. Army Special Forces (Green Berets) . It
7070-452: The invaders were again repulsed. On November 27, Vulture arrived. Rather than retreat in the face of arriving relief, the rebels increased their guard; Goreham, with some intelligence about the size of the force opposing him, planned a sortie . Early on the morning of November 29, Major Thomas Batt led 150 men from Vulture ' s marine contingent and the Royal Fencible Americans, and scattered Eddy's men, killing and wounding several, at
7171-404: The late 1950s and concluded in 2006 has resulted in a system of administrative regiments each with several battalions, a band, a common badge and uniform etc. In the British regimental system, the tactical regiment or battalion is the basic functional unit and its commanding officer more autonomous than in continental systems. Divisional and brigade commanders generally do not immerse themselves in
7272-478: The loyalty their members exhibit to the regiments. Generally, the regimental system is found to function best in countries with small-to medium-sized military forces where the problems of administering vast numbers of personnel are not as prevalent. The regimental system works particularly well in an environment in which the prime role of the army consists of small-scale police actions and counterinsurgency operations, requiring prolonged deployment away from home. In such
7373-496: The military that may hamper efficiency and fairness. A key aspect of the regimental system is that the regiment or battalion is the fundamental tactical building block. This flows historically from the colonial period, when battalions were widely dispersed and virtually autonomous, but is easily adapted to a number of different purposes. For example, a regiment might include different types of battalions (e.g. infantry or artillery) of different origins (e.g. regular or reserve). Within
7474-472: The numbering, but this was rare. For this reason, although the regular battalion today (if there is only one) will always be the 1st Battalion, the TA battalions may have non-consecutive numbers. In practice, it is impossible to exercise all the administrative functions of a true regiment when the regiment consists of a single unit. Soldiers, and particularly officers, cannot spend a full career in one battalion. Thus in
7575-454: The only common factor being that each regiment had a single commander. By the beginning of the 18th century, regiments in most European continental armies had evolved into permanent units with distinctive titles and uniforms, each under the command of a colonel. When at full strength, an infantry regiment normally comprised two field battalions of about 800 men each or 8–10 companies . In some armies, an independent regiment with fewer companies
7676-441: The operations against the French in 1801. Fencible regiments tended to be less effective than regular troops for military duties; with problems of lack of education and vulnerability to disease. In Ireland, fencibles would take part in inter-regimental brawls and attacks on regular army soldiers. Some regiments of fencibles, however, were noted for exceptional service. The Scottish Highlands supplied fencible regiments for most of
7777-501: The province, but also by cowing those that remained, often by requiring people to make pledges to the Crown. Some unrest continued for the remainder of the war (e.g., the Battle at Miramichi ), although no further large scale military threat occurred. The most significant attempt occurred in the summer of 1777, when John Allan was authorized by Congress to take actions in Nova Scotia; however, only
7878-581: The recruitment of volunteers, induction of new recruits, individual morale and esprit de corps , and administrative roles (such as pay ). A regiment may consequently be a variety of sizes: The French term régiment is considered to have entered military usage in Europe at the end of the 16th century, when armies evolved from collections of retinues who followed knights , to formally organised, permanent military forces. At that time, regiments were usually named after their commanding colonels, and disbanded at
7979-414: The regiment will develop its unique esprit de corps because of its unitary history, traditions, recruitment, and function. Usually, the regiment is responsible for recruiting and administering all of a soldier's military career. Depending upon the country, regiments can be either combat units or administrative units or both. This is often contrasted to the "continental system" adopted by many armies. In
8080-471: The regimental system underwent modification. Prior to World War I, an infantry regiment in the French, German, Russian, and other smaller armies would comprise four battalions, each with a full strength on mobilization of about 1,000 men. As far as possible, the separate battalions would be garrisoned in the same military district, so that the regiment could be mobilized and campaign as a 4,000 strong linked group of sub-units. A cavalry regiment by contrast made up
8181-461: The regimental system, soldiers, and usually officers, are always posted to a tactical unit of their own regiment whenever posted to field duty. In addition to combat units, other organizations are very much part of the regimental family: regimental training schools, serving members on "extra-regimental employment", regimental associations (retirees), bands and associated cadet groups. The aspects that an administrative regiment might have in common include
8282-632: The regiments form the Artillery Corps. Air Defence units are organised as a single regiment with individual batteries stationed around the country. The Philippine Army currently has 3 regiments dedicated to special operations under the AFP Special Operations Command . They specialized in direct action, jungle warfare, urban warfare, special reconnaissance, unconventional warfare, psychological warfare, counter-terrorism, mass base and sniping operations against hostile positions depending on
8383-678: The regions/castes/communities/religions from which they were recruited, as opposed to the Indian union as a whole. Thus some "all India" or "all class" regiments have been created, which recruit troops from all over India, regardless of region, caste, community, or religion: such as the Brigade of the Guards (which later converted to the mechanised infantry profile) and the Parachute Regiment . The Indian Army has many regiments, majority of them infantry, with single-battalion cavalry and artillery regiments. These are
8484-683: The regular army). All but one of these regiments saw action in the War of 1812 . The regiments were disbanded in 1816 and 1817, after the War of 1812. Although the units were disbanded, several regiments in Canada continue to perpetuate their historic lineage. Most of the Fencible regiments were formed in 1803, including the Nova Scotia Fencibles , the Canadian Regiment of Fencible Infantry (perpetuated by
8585-405: The same name as the regiment. For example, The North Saskatchewan Regiment is the only battalion in the administrative regiment of the same name. When there is more than one battalion, they are distinguished by numbers, subsidiary titles or both. In Britain, every infantry battalion bears a number, even if it is the only remaining battalion in the regiment (in that case it is the 1st Battalion, with
8686-744: The second half of the 18th century. The first regiment raised was the Argyle Fencibles in 1759 and the last was the MacLeod Fencibles in 1779. In all over 20 regiments were created, although they were not all in existence at the same time. Some Highland fencibles regiments saw action in the Irish Rebellion of 1798 , while other performed garrison and policing duties in Britain, Ireland, the Channel Islands and Gibraltar. The Royal Fencible Americans
8787-451: The ship. Polly was then sailed to Fort Lawrence , to the east of Fort Cumberland, where the supplies were landed. Sentries in the fort spotted the move, and Goreham, realizing Eddy had taken the ship, fired an ineffectual cannonade against the ship. Goreham took stock of his situation. Nearly one quarter of his garrison (more than 60 men) had been captured by Eddy, along with critical fuel and other supplies that had not been unloaded from
8888-473: The situation of a certain place. The Scout Rangers, known officially as the First Scout Ranger Regiment, specializes in anti-guerrilla jungle warfare, raids, ambushes, close quarters combat, urban warfare and sabotage. It was formed on November 25, 1950, under the command of former AFP Vice Chief of Staff and Defense Secretary Rafael M. Ileto . It was modelled after two legendary fighting groups,
8989-450: The sleepy guards aboard Polly , taking thirteen prisoners. They also seized another ship, owned by a Patriot sympathizer, that happened to be anchored nearby. On the morning of November 7 Goreham decided that it was time to get a message to Windsor. He sent a party of men down to the dock that morning. These men, numbering about 30, were taken prisoner by Eddy's men as rapidly as they arrived due to their unawareness that Eddy had control of
9090-410: The strongly Loyalist administration of Nova Scotia. Early in 1776, Eddy went to Massachusetts in an attempt to interest political and military leaders there in supporting action in Nova Scotia, while Allan worked to raise interest in Nova Scotia. Allan's work was made more difficult by the arrival of Colonel Goreham and his troops to refortify Fort Cumberland, and by the activities of Michael Francklin ,
9191-479: The tactical regiments 1st Regiment, Royal Canadian Horse Artillery , 7th Toronto Regiment, RCA and many others are part of the single administrative regiment The Royal Regiment of Canadian Artillery . In Britain, the Royal Regiment of Artillery works in the same way. Administrative infantry regiments are composed of one or more battalions . When a regiment has only one battalion, the battalion may have exactly
9292-456: Was a Loyalist unit raised by the British in Nova Scotia in 1775, that successfully withstood an attack by Patriot forces under Jonathan Eddy at the Battle of Fort Cumberland . Fencibles were raised for the entirety of the Irish Rebellion . Fencible units were raised in the United Kingdom and Isle of Man during the early years of the war. This included not only land regiments but also
9393-592: Was able to convince the Massachusetts Provincial Congress to provide some material support (primarily muskets , ammunition, powder, and other military supplies) for an attempt on Fort Cumberland. It also allowed Eddy to engage in recruiting in the District of Maine . Eddy left Boston in September and sailed to Machias , where he recruited about 20 men. On October 13, this party sailed from Machias for Passamaquoddy Bay . Coincidentally, John Allan, who
9494-569: Was active. When the news reached Halifax through the efforts of Thomas Dixson , Lieutenant Governor Marriot Arbuthnot responded by dispatching orders on the 15th for any available ship based at Annapolis to go to Fort Edward in Windsor, to convoy troops to relieve the siege. Commodore Sir George Collier had previously dispatched HMS Vulture into the Bay of Fundy on rumors of privateering activity there, so he ordered HMS Hope to locate Vulture so that she could assist. However, Hope captured
9595-694: Was established in 1962 by then Captain Fidel V. Ramos PA (INF) (first commanding officer of the SFR-A), primarily trained in both unconventional warfare operations and psychological warfare operations. Like the Scout Rangers, members of the Special Forces Regiment of the Philippine Army are also highly trained in counter-insurgency operations. Upon assignment to the Special Forces, soldiers are made to undergo
9696-479: Was in fact unnecessary; the Massachusetts Provincial Congress had in early August voted to disband forces recruited for Allan's expedition, because of the imminent threat posed by the army of General John Burgoyne in upstate New York .) The Battle of Fort Cumberland was poorly documented in 19th-century histories of Nova Scotia and New Brunswick, often receiving only minimal mention. The involvement of local inhabitants (natives, Acadians, and English-speakers) in
9797-451: Was joined by about 200 men from Cobequid and Pictou, and he finally felt ready to act on November 10. Eddy sent a letter demanding that Goreham surrender his garrison. Goreham refused, suggesting in retort that Eddy surrender. The next day authorities outside the area learned of Eddy's activities. Michael Francklin, patrolling in the Bay of Fundy for privateers , recovered a ferry that had been taken, and learned from its passengers that Eddy
9898-462: Was labelled a demi-regiment . A cavalry regiment numbered 600 to 900 troopers, making up a single entity. On campaign, these numbers were soon reduced by casualties and detachments and it was sometimes necessary to amalgamate regiments or to withdraw them to a depot while recruits were obtained and trained. With the widespread adoption of conscription in European armies during the nineteenth century,
9999-475: Was the exception rather than the rule. A regimental system, since it is decentralized and the regiments are independent from each other, prevents the army from staging a coup d'état . This is best exemplified by the British Army: since the formation of the United Kingdom, there have been no military takeovers. A regimental system can also foster close links between the regiment and the community from which it
10100-650: Was the oldest infantry regiment. It now forms part of the Princess of Wales Royal Regiment . In the United Kingdom, there existed until recently a number of administrative "divisions" in the infantry that encompassed several regiments, such as the Guards Division, the former Scottish Division (now a single regiment), or the Light Division (now also compressed into a multi-battalion single regiment). The reduction and consolidation of British infantry regiments that began in
10201-454: Was working on a longer-term plan for military action, sailed from Campobello Island for Machias the same day. The two parties met at sea, where Allan attempted to dissuade Eddy from his plan, informing him that the Mi'kmaq (the largest tribe in Nova Scotia) would not help him. Allan extracted a promise from Eddy to wait at Campobello while he went to Machias to meet with the council there. When
#461538