124-520: Help for Heroes is a British charity which supports members of the British Armed Forces community with their physical and mental health, as well as their financial, social and welfare needs. The charity was founded in 2007 by Bryn and Emma Parry after they visited soldiers at Selly Oak Hospital in Birmingham. The charity now supports all veterans, serving personnel, those who have served alongside
248-727: A blue-water navy with a fleet of 66 commissioned ships, together with the Royal Marines , a highly specialised amphibious light infantry force; the British Army , the UK's principal land warfare branch; and the Royal Air Force , a technologically sophisticated air force with a diverse operational fleet consisting of both fixed-wing and rotary aircraft. The British Armed Forces include standing forces, Regular Reserve , Volunteer Reserves and Sponsored Reserves . King Charles III , sovereign of
372-721: A football match was held at the Madejski Stadium in Reading, Berkshire , between an England XI team and a Rest of the World XI team, playing for the Heroes Cup. The teams comprised ex-professional footballers, other sportspersons and celebrities, and footballing members of the Armed Forces. The match was broadcast live on ITV4 and British Forces Broadcasting Service (BFBS), and was commentated on by Peter Drury and Joe Royle . The Rest of
496-608: A "statutory liability for service" and are liable to be recalled (under Section 52 of the Reserve Forces Act (RFA) 1996) for duty during wartime, which is known as the Regular Reserve . MoD publications since April 2013 no longer report the entire strength of the Regular Reserve, instead they only give a figure for Regular Reserves who serve under a fixed-term reserve contract. These contracts are similar in nature to those of
620-861: A Royal Air Force outpost at Al Udeid Air Base which serves as the operational headquarters for No. 83 Expeditionary Air Group and its operations across the Middle East. A large Royal Navy Naval Support Facility (NSF) is located in Bahrain, established in 2016 it marks the British return East of Suez. In support of the Five Power Defence Arrangements (FPDA), the United Kingdom retains a naval repair and logistics support facility at Sembawang wharf , Singapore. Other overseas military installations include; British Forces Brunei , British Forces Germany ,
744-655: A base, without repair or refit capabilities, in 1951 and finally closed in 1995, following the Cold War (United States and Canadian bases in Bermuda closed in the same period), leaving only the Royal Bermuda Regiment and the Bermuda Sea Cadet Corps there today. Malta became independent in 1964, and the last British armed forces personnel were removed from the former colony in 1979. Gibraltar continues to be used by
868-634: A colony were generally considered to be separate forces from the Home Militia Force and Volunteer Force in the United Kingdom, and from the militia forces and volunteer forces of other colonies. Where a colony had more than one militia or volunteer unit, they would be grouped as a militia or volunteer force for that colony, such as the Jamaica Volunteer Defence Force , which comprised the St. Andrew Rifle Corps (or Kingston Infantry Volunteers ),
992-574: A dedicated swimming pool for injured veterans at Headley Court Defence Medical Rehabilitation Centre in Surrey. However, within two months they had raised over £2 million, and the charity expanded to support more veterans with their recovery. They also attracted support from national newspapers in the United Kingdom, such as The Sun and The Sunday Times who made the charity one of the beneficiaries of their Christmas appeal in 2007, raising more than £600,000. Bryn and Emma Parry were both appointed OBEs in
1116-717: A dual role of Armoured Cavalry and Mounted Ceremonial on Horse Guards in London, and for state occasions. The Royal Air Force has a large operational fleet that fulfils various roles, consisting of both fixed-wing and rotary aircraft . Frontline aircraft are controlled by Air Command , which is organised into five groups defined by function: 1 Group (Air Combat), 2 Group (Air Support), 11 Group (Air and Space operations), 22 Group (training aircraft and ground facilities) and 38 Group (Royal Air Force's Engineering, Logistics, Communications and Medical Operations units). In addition 83 Expeditionary Air Group directs formations in
1240-892: A field artillery regiment based in Plymouth, and 24 Commando Regiment Royal Engineers . The Commando Logistic Regiment consists of personnel from the Army, Royal Marines, and Royal Navy. The British Army is the land force of the British Armed Forces, and is made up of the Regular Army and the part-time Army Reserve . The Army is commanded by the Chief of the General Staff , a four-star general within Army Headquarters , based at Andover . Deployable combat formations are; The Infantry of
1364-418: A joint force it involves all three armed Services: a land component composed of formations at national brigade level, maritime and air components with their associated Headquarters, together with logistics and support functions. The Royal Navy is a technologically sophisticated naval force, and as of May 2024 consists of 66 commissioned ships with an additional 13 support vessels of various types operated by
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#17328632454741488-711: A long string of Anglo-Spanish and Anglo-Dutch wars, as well as a series of "world wars" with France, such as; the Seven Years' War (1756–1763), the French Revolutionary Wars (1792–1802) and the Napoleonic Wars (1803–1815). During the Napoleonic wars, the Royal Navy victory at Trafalgar (1805) under the command of Horatio Nelson (aboard HMS Victory ) marked the culmination of British maritime supremacy, and left
1612-454: A military satellite communications system, Skynet , initially in large part to support East of Suez bases and deployments. Since 2015 Skynet has offered near global coverage. The British Armed Forces place significant importance in the ability to conduct expeditionary warfare . While the armed forces are expeditionary in nature, it maintains a core of "high readiness" forces trained and equipped to deploy at very short notice, these include;
1736-527: A range of fundraising challenges and events including bike rides in the UK and Europe, Skydives, marathons, walks, and treks to Nepal and Machu Pichu. The Big Battlefield Bike Ride is the charity's largest fundraising event. The first edition of the challenge was held in May 2008 when 300 cyclists biked from HMS Victory at Portsmouth to Northern France, tracing some of the region's most significant First World War and Second World War battle sites, and returned to
1860-523: A single fleet since the abolition of the Eastern and Western fleets in 1971. The recently built Type 45 destroyers are stealthy and technologically advanced air-defence destroyers. The Royal Navy has commissioned two Queen Elizabeth -class aircraft carriers, embarking an air-group including the advanced fifth-generation multi-role fighter, the F-35B Lightning . A submarine service has existed within
1984-681: A strategic competition in what became known as The Great Game for supremacy in Central Asia . Britain feared that Russian expansionism in the region would eventually threaten the Empire in India. In response, Britain undertook a number of pre-emptive actions against perceived Russian ambitions, including the First Anglo-Afghan War (1839–1842), the Second Anglo-Afghan War (1878–1880) and
2108-651: A £178 billion investment over ten years in new equipment and capabilities. On 8 March 2023 Prime Minister Rishi Sunak announced a further £5bn in defence spending with a long-term goal of an increased spending to 2.5% of GDP. The United Kingdom is one of five recognised nuclear weapon states under the Non-Proliferation Treaty and maintains an independent nuclear deterrent , currently consisting of four Vanguard -class ballistic missile submarines , UGM-133 Trident II submarine-launched ballistic missiles , and 160 operational thermonuclear warheads . This
2232-513: Is assisted by the Minister of State for the Armed Forces , Minister for Defence Procurement , and Minister for Veterans' Affairs. Responsibility for the management of the forces is delegated to a number of committees: the Defence Council , Chiefs of Staff Committee , Defence Management Board and three single-service boards. The Defence Council, composed of senior representatives of the services and
2356-689: Is known as Trident in both public and political discourse (with nomenclature taken after the UGM-133 Trident II ballistic missile). Trident is operated by the Royal Navy Submarine Service , charged with delivering a 'Continuous At-Sea Deterrent' (CASD) capability, whereby one of the Vanguard -class strategic submarines is always on patrol. According to the British Government, since the introduction of Polaris (Trident's predecessor) in
2480-550: The Allied Rapid Reaction Corps and other NATO operations. In 2010, the governments of the United Kingdom and France signed the Lancaster House Treaties which committed both governments to the creation of a Franco-British Combined Joint Expeditionary Force . It is envisaged as a deployable joint force, for use in a wide range of crisis scenarios, up to and including high intensity combat operations. As
2604-826: The British Army Training Unit Kenya , British Army Training Unit Suffield in Canada, British Army Training and Support Unit Belize , and British Gurkhas Nepal . Some British Overseas Territories also maintain locally raised units and regiments; The Royal Bermuda Regiment , the Falkland Islands Defence Force , the Royal Gibraltar Regiment , the Royal Montserrat Defence Force , the Cayman Islands Regiment , and
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#17328632454742728-530: The British Expeditionary Force , or of a mixture of British Army, Indian Army, or Imperial auxiliary units, such as the Malakand Field Force (this is similarly to the naval use of the term task force ). In this usage, force is used to describe a self-reliant body able to act without external support, at least within the parameters of the task or objective for which it is employed. During
2852-667: The British expedition to Tibet (1903–1904). During this period, Britain also sought to maintain the balance of power in Europe, particularly against Russian expansionism, who at the expense of the waning Ottoman Empire had ambitions to "carve up the European part of Turkey". This ultimately led to British involvement in the Crimean War (1854–1856) against the Russian Empire. The beginning of
2976-602: The COVID-19 pandemic ; the armed forces' support to the latter falls under Operation Rescript , described as the UK's "biggest ever homeland military operation in peacetime" by the Ministry of Defence. Figures released by the Ministry of Defence on 31 March 2016 show that 7,185 British Armed Forces personnel have lost their lives in medal earning theatres since the end of the Second World War. King Charles III , sovereign of
3100-553: The Crown Dependencies . They also promote the UK's wider interests, support international peacekeeping efforts and provide humanitarian aid . Since the formation of the united Kingdom of Great Britain in 1707 (later succeeded by the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland , and finally by the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland ), the British Armed Forces have seen action in most major wars involving
3224-567: The Defence Council . The United Kingdom is one of five recognised nuclear powers , a permanent member on the United Nations Security Council , a founding and leading member of NATO and party to the AUKUS security pact and the Five Power Defence Arrangements . Overseas garrisons and training facilities are maintained at Ascension Island , Bahrain , Belize , Bermuda , British Indian Ocean Territory , Brunei , Canada , Cyprus ,
3348-613: The Falkland Islands , Germany , Gibraltar , Kenya , Montserrat , Nepal , Qatar , Singapore and the United States . With the Acts of Union 1707 , the armed forces of England and Scotland were merged into the armed forces of the Kingdom of Great Britain . There were originally several naval and several military regular and reserve forces , although most of these were consolidated into
3472-675: The Jamaica Corps of Scouts , and the Jamaica Reserve Regiment , but not the Jamaica Militia Artillery . In smaller colonies with a single militia or volunteer unit, that single unit would still be considered to be listed within a force, or in some case might be named a force rather than a regiment or corps, such as is the case for the Falkland Islands Defence Force and the Royal Montserrat Defence Force . The militia, yeomanry and volunteer forces collectively were known as
3596-519: The Joint Expeditionary Force (Maritime) (Royal Navy), UK Commando Force (Royal Marines), and 16 Air Assault Brigade (British Army). Frequently, these forces will act as part of a larger tri-service effort, under the direction of Permanent Joint Headquarters , or along with like-minded allies under the Joint Expeditionary Force . Similarly, under the auspices of NATO , such expeditionary forces are designed to meet Britain's obligations to
3720-638: The Military intervention against ISIL (2014–present). Britain's military intervention against Islamic State was expanded following a parliamentary vote to launch a bombing campaign over Syria ; an extension of the bombing campaign requested by the Iraqi government against the same group. In addition to the aerial campaign, the British Army has trained and supplied allies on the ground and the Special Air Service ,
3844-704: The Queen's Birthday Honours for their services to charity on 25 November 2010, and Bryn was awarded the CBE in February 2023. In May 2013, Help for Heroes experienced a sharp rise in donations following the murder of Fusilier Lee Rigby in Woolwich , London. Rigby had been wearing a Help for Heroes sweatshirt when he was attacked. The charity received over £600,000 in donations in the week following his death. In November 2016, Melanie Waters, former chief executive of The Poppy Factory , became
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3968-693: The Reserve Force Act 1867 ) were increasingly integrated with the British Army through a succession of reforms over the last two decades of the 19th century (in 1871, command of the Auxiliary Forces in the British Isles was taken from the Lords-Lieutenant of counties and transferred to the War Office , though colonial governors retained control of their militia and volunteer forces, and by the end of
4092-662: The Royal Dragoon Guards , currently operate the Warrior IFV on an interim basis, until Ajax reaches full operating capability . There are six Light Cavalry regiments (three Regular + three Reserve) equipped with the Jackal 2 and Coyote TSV , tasked with providing reconnaissance and fire support. The Household Cavalry , made up of the Life Guards and the Blues and Royals , operate in
4216-507: The Royal Fleet Auxiliary . Command of deployable assets is exercised by the Fleet Commander of the Naval Service . Personnel matters are the responsibility of the Second Sea Lord /Commander-in-Chief Naval Home Command, an appointment usually held by a vice-admiral. The Surface Fleet consists of aircraft carriers , amphibious warfare ships , destroyers , frigates , patrol vessels , mine-countermeasure vessels , and other miscellaneous vessels. The Surface Fleet has been structured around
4340-402: The Royal Navy , the Waterguard (subsequently HM Coastguard ), and Sea Fencibles and River Fencibles formed as and when required for the duration of emergencies. The Merchant Navy and offshore fishing boat crews were also important manpower reserves to the armed naval forces (any seaman was liable to impressment , with many so conscripted especially during the two decades of conflict from
4464-491: The Special Boat Service , and the Special Reconnaissance Regiment (British special forces) has carried out various missions on the ground in both Syria and Iraq. The armed forces have also been called upon to assist with national emergencies through the provisions of the military aid to the civil authorities (MACA) mechanism. This has seen the armed forces assist government departments and civil authorities responding to flooding, food shortages, wildfires, terrorist attacks and
4588-489: The Stockholm International Peace Research Institute , the United Kingdom is in sixth place in the world's military spending list in 2023. For comparison: Great Britain spends more in absolute terms than Germany, Ukraine, France or Japan, similar to Saudi Arabia, but less than India, Russia, China or the United States. In September 2011, according to Professor Malcolm Chalmers of the Royal United Services Institute , current "planned levels of defence spending should be enough for
4712-431: The Suez Crisis (1956). Reflecting Britain's new role in the world and the escalation of the Cold War (1947–1991), the country became a founding member of the NATO military alliance in 1949. Defence Reviews , such as those in 1957 and 1966 , announced significant reductions in conventional forces, the pursuement of a doctrine based on nuclear deterrence , and a permanent military withdrawal east of Suez . By
4836-451: The Turks and Caicos Regiment . Though their primary mission is "home defence", individuals have volunteered for operational duties. The Royal Bermuda Regiment is an amalgam of the Bermuda Militia Artillery (which had been part of the Royal Regiment of Artillery ) and the Bermuda Volunteer Rifle Corps , raised in the 1890s as Imperial forces funded by the War Office as part of the British Army, and both antecedent units sent contingents to
4960-453: The Yeomen Warders and the Yeomen of the Guard , with armies raised only temporarily for expeditions overseas), made up of civilians embodied for annual training or emergencies, and had used various schemes of compulsory service during different periods of its long existence. The Militia was originally an all infantry force, organised at the city or county level, and members were not required to serve outside of their recruitment area, although
5084-416: The reserve forces , auxiliary forces , or local forces . Officers of these forces could not sit on courts martial of regular forces personnel. The Mutiny Act did not apply to members of the Reserve Forces. The other regular military force that existed alongside the British Army was the Board of Ordnance , which included the Ordnance Military Corps (made up of the Royal Artillery, Royal Engineers, and
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5208-443: The 1960s, from April 1969 "the Royal Navy's ballistic missile boats have not missed a single day on patrol", giving what the Defence Council described in 1980 as a deterrent "effectively invulnerable to pre-emptive attack". As of 2015, it has been British Government policy for the Vanguard -class strategic submarines to carry no more than 40 nuclear warheads, delivered by eight UGM-133 Trident II ballistic missiles. In contrast with
5332-426: The 1st Battalion Royal Yorkshire Regiment , within the 7th Light Mechanised Brigade Combat Team , operate the Foxhound protected mobility vehicle; Armoured Infantry (to become Heavy Mechanised Infantry under Future Soldier ), such as the 1st Battalion Royal Regiment of Fusiliers , within the 20th Armoured Infantry Brigade Combat Team , operate the Warrior infantry fighting vehicle (IFV), but will be equipped with
5456-442: The Army List. Confusingly, and similarly to the dual meaning of the word Corps in the British Army (by example, the 1st Battalion of the King's Royal Rifle Corps was in 1914 part of the 6th Brigade that was part of the 2nd Infantry Division , which was itself part of 1st Army Corps ), the British Army sometimes also used the term expeditionary force or field force to describe a body made up of British Army units, most notably
5580-431: The Atlantic and its connected seas. As, until the end of the First World War, it was presumed the only navies that might prove a threat were all of countries on, or off, the Atlantic, no Imperial fortress was established in the Pacific or Indian Oceans, to which power would be extended from Bermuda and Malta following the completion of the Panama and Suez canals. Local-service military reserve units were raised in some of
5704-488: The BBC's Editorial Complaints Unit into the original Newsnight report upheld the charity's complaint about the programme and concluded that "there was no evidence to back Newsnight' s claim about Help for Heroes". The BBC issued an official apology in May 2013, but the BBC journalist who compiled the report stood by his findings and the source's legitimacy. A review by the Charity Commission in 2016 found that Help For Heroes had paid £158,000 to settle employment claims over
5828-423: The British Army has a strength of 48 battalions (32 regular and 16 reserve), structured under 17 unique regiments. These battalions are trained and equipped for specific roles within their respective Brigade Combat Teams (BCT); Light Infantry , such as the famous 1st Battalion Grenadier Guards , within the 4th Light Brigade Combat Team , fight on foot without armoured vehicles; Light Mechanised Infantry , such as
5952-399: The British Army." The Royal Armoured Corps provides the armoured capability of the British Army. The Royal Tank Regiment , Queen's Royal Hussars and Royal Wessex Yeomanry (of the Army Reserve ) operate Challenger 2 main battle tanks, which are being upgraded to Challenger 3 , and are part of 3rd (UK) Division 's Armoured Brigade Combat Teams. Armoured Cavalry regiments, such as
6076-408: The Cenotaph in London. There have been 11 further bike rides, cycling a total of 3,000 miles and raising around £10 million for the charity. On 5 September 2008, H4H held a Heroes Ball to raise funds. A charity auction included a Royal Air Force (RAF) donated prize to fly with the Red Arrows , the RAF's aerobatics team. The winning bid was £1.5 million which gave the winner, Julie Heselden,
6200-423: The Cold War, at least in the context of British defence policy, was the Falklands War (1982). Since the end of the Cold War , an increasingly international role for the armed forces has been pursued, with re-structuring to deliver a greater focus on expeditionary warfare and power projection . This entailed the armed forces often constituting a major component in peacekeeping and humanitarian missions under
6324-418: The Eastern Atlantic and North Sea . While NATO obligations took increased prominence, Britain nonetheless found itself engaged in a number of low-intensity conflicts, including a spate of insurgencies against colonial occupation. However the Dhofar Rebellion (1962–1976) and The Troubles (1969–1998) emerged as the primary operational concerns of the armed forces. Perhaps the most important conflict during
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#17328632454746448-413: The Falkland Islands ( British Forces South Atlantic Islands ) and Diego Garcia ( British Forces British Indian Ocean Territories ). While not a PJOB, Ascension Island (another BOT) is home to the airbase RAF Ascension Island , notable for use as a staging post during the 1982 Falklands War , the territory is also the site of a joint UK-US signals intelligence facility. Qatar is home to RAF Al Udeid ,
6572-495: The First World War, by 1933 fascism had given rise to Nazi Germany , which under the leadership of Adolf Hitler re-militarised in defiance of the Treaty of Versailles. Once again tensions accumulated in European relations, and following Germany's invasion of Poland in September 1939, the Second World War began (1939–1945). The conflict was the most widespread in British history, with British Empire and Commonwealth troops fighting in campaigns from Europe and North Africa, to
6696-434: The French Revolution until the end of the Napoleonic Wars, and from 1835 registered on the Register of Seamen to identify them as a potential resource), and many of their seamen would serve part time in the Royal Navy Reserve (created under the Naval Reserve Act 1859 ) and Royal Naval Volunteer Reserve (created in 1903). The British military (those parts of the British Armed Forces tasked with land warfare, as opposed to
6820-418: The General Staff , the then professional head of the British Army . Bryn had served with the Royal Green Jackets for 10 years, before leaving to become a cartoonist . The couple visited Selly Oak Hospital in July 2007, where they met servicemen and women who had been injured in the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan. They decided they needed to do something to help. Initially the couple wanted to raise funds for
6944-453: The Help for Heroes XV, with Welsh rugby players Ieuan Evans and Scott Gibbs filling the same roles for the International Select XV. The teams included players from the Guinness Premiership , National Division One , the Celtic League , overseas players, and players from the Armed Forces . The Help for Heroes XV won the match 29–10 in front of a crowd of 52,254, which included The Prince of Wales and The Duchess of Cornwall . Performing at
7068-523: The Hidden Wounds service offers assessment and treatment for mental health difficulties. The team of trained clinicians provide a range of treatments including cognitive behavioural therapy and counselling. · Welfare Support – the case management team works with individuals and families with several or complex needs. They offer advice and guidance on a range of welfare issues, such as money, health, housing, and benefits. · Veterans Clinical Liaison Team –
7192-426: The Imperial fortresses (notably Bermuda and Malta), which could be embodied for full time service in war time to reinforce the regular garrisons, and these were funded by the War Office as part of the British Army. After the First World War, the growing belligerence and naval power of the Japanese Empire led to the construction of the Singapore Naval Base. The regular British Armed Forces otherwise were distributed around
7316-628: The Middle East and the 38 Group combines the expeditionary combat support and combat service support units of the RAF. Deployable formations consist of Expeditionary Air Wings and squadrons —the basic unit of the Air Force. Independent flights are deployed to facilities in Brunei, the Falkland Islands, Iraq, and the United States. The Royal Air Force operates multi-role and single-role fighters, reconnaissance and patrol aircraft, tankers, transports, helicopters, unmanned aerial vehicles, and various types of training aircraft. Virtual education Too Many Requests If you report this error to
7440-481: The Middle East and the Far East . Approximately 390,000 British Empire and Commonwealth troops died. Allied victory resulted in the defeat of the Axis powers and the establishment of the United Nations (replacing the League of nations). Post–Second World War economic and political decline, as well as changing attitudes in British society and government, were reflected by the armed forces' contracting global role, and later epitomised by its political defeat during
7564-423: The Militia Artillery integrating within Royal Artillery territorial divisions in 1882 and 1889, and becoming parts of the Royal Field Artillery or Royal Garrison Artillery in 1902 (though retaining their traditional corps names), but was not merged into the Territorial Force when it was created in 1908 (by the merger of the Yeomanry and Volunteer Force). The Militia was instead renamed the Special Reserve , and
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#17328632454747688-445: The Militia. These were seen as a useful way to add to military strength economically during wartime, but otherwise as a drain on the Militia and so were not normally maintained in peacetime, although in Bermuda prominent propertied men were still appointed Captains of Forts , taking charge of maintaining and commanding fortified coastal artillery batteries and manned by volunteers (reinforced in wartime by embodied militiamen), defending
7812-411: The Ministry of Defence (MOD). The charity was alleged to have used funds to subsidise expensive MOD buildings, rather than for soldiers' everyday care. The charity had agreed to spend £153 million on constructing and running five regional MOD Personnel Recovery Centres, primarily for serving military personnel, which discharged servicemen could only use on a case-by-case basis. A subsequent investigation by
7936-458: The Ministry of Defence accepted a proposal from the Royal British Legion to lead the end-to-end delivery of Team UK for the following five years, ending Help for Heroes’ involvement with the Invictus Games. In September 2022, chief executive Melanie Waters announced that she was leaving the charity after more than five years in charge. The charity's deputy CEO James Needham was appointed chief executive on an interim basis, before being appointed as
8060-401: The Ministry of Defence and the Royal British Legion to support the UK team. The charity was to deliver and train the 65-strong team at the 2020 Invictus Games in the Hague , which was postponed to 2022 due to the COVID-19 pandemic . In May 2022, it was announced that the Ministry of Defence had accepted a proposal from the Royal British Legion to lead the end-to-end delivery of Team UK for
8184-426: The Ministry of Defence, provides the "formal legal basis for the conduct of defence". The three constituent single-service committees ( Admiralty Board , Army Board and Air Force Board ) are chaired by the secretary of state for defence. The chief of the defence staff (CDS) is the senior-most officer of the armed forces and is an appointment that can be held by an admiral , air chief marshal or general . Before
8308-403: The Navy in a position of uncontested hegemony at sea. By 1815 and the conclusion of the Napoleonic Wars, Britain had risen to become the world's dominant great power and the British Empire subsequently presided over a period of relative peace, known as Pax Britannica . With Britain's old rivals no-longer a threat, the 19th century saw the emergence of a new rival, the Russian Empire , and
8432-483: The Royal Navy and will maintain Britain's nuclear-powered submarine fleet capabilities for decades to come. The Royal Marines are the Royal Navy's amphibious troops. Consisting of a single manoeuvre brigade (UK Commando Force) and various independent units, the Royal Marines specialise in amphibious , arctic , and mountain warfare . Contained within UK Commando Force are three attached army units; 383 Commando Petroleum Troop RLC, 29th Commando Regiment Royal Artillery ,
8556-422: The Royal Navy for more than 100 years. The Submarine Service 's four Vanguard -class nuclear-powered submarines carry Trident II ballistic missiles , forming the United Kingdom's nuclear deterrent . Seven Astute -class nuclear-powered fleet (attack) submarines have been ordered, with five completed and two under construction. The Astute class are the most advanced and largest fleet submarines ever built for
8680-412: The Royal Navy or the British Army during the 19th and 20th Centuries (the Royal Naval Air Service and the Royal Flying Corps of the British Army, by contrast, were separated from their parent forces in 1918 and amalgamated to form a new force, the Royal Air Force , which would have complete responsibility for naval, military and strategic aviation until the Second World War ). Naval forces included
8804-413: The Royal Sappers and Miners), as well as the originally-civilian Commissariat Stores and transport departments, as well as barracks departments, ordnance factories and various other functions supporting the various naval and military forces. The English Army, subsequently the British Army once Scottish regiments were moved onto its establishment following the Union of the Kingdoms of Scotland and England,
8928-731: The UGM-133 Trident II ballistic missiles and modernise the infrastructure associated with the CASD. Former weapons of mass destruction possessed by the United Kingdom include both biological and chemical weapons . These were renounced in 1956 and subsequently destroyed. The British Armed Forces historically relied on four Imperial fortress colonies (Bermuda, Gibraltar, Halifax and its environs in Nova Scotia, and Malta), where dockyards were established, naval squadrons based, soldiers garrisoned, and naval and military stores stockpiled. These acted as lynchpins in maintaining British naval supremacy on
9052-488: The UK military, and their families. Help for Heroes has supported more than 28,500 individuals since 2007 through its physical, psychological, financial, educational, sports, fellowship, and welfare support services. The charity's work is almost entirely funded by public donations. Help for Heroes was co-founded by husband and wife, Bryn and Emma Parry, in October 2007 after a meeting with General Sir Richard Dannatt , Chief of
9176-470: The UK to help people improve their wellbeing and to reduce isolation. They also provide bespoke physical fitness support. In September 2020, the charity launched its virtual Recovery College, the first of its kind specially designed for and by veterans and their families. All educational modules are designed to enable veterans to take ownership of their recovery. Help for Heroes has been involved with sport recovery since 2008, giving those supported by
9300-496: The United Kingdom , is the Head of the Armed Forces , with officers and personnel swearing allegiance to him. Long-standing constitutional convention, however, has de facto vested military authority and associated royal prerogative powers in the prime minister and the secretary of state for defence , with the former (acting with the support of the Cabinet ) making the key decisions on
9424-455: The United Kingdom , is the Head of the Armed Forces , with officers and personnel swearing allegiance to him. Long-standing constitutional convention, however, has vested de facto executive authority, by the exercise of royal prerogative , in the Prime Minister and the secretary of state for defence . The Prime Minister (acting with the Cabinet ) makes the key decisions on the use of
9548-422: The United Kingdom to maintain its position as one of the world's top military powers, as well as being one of NATO-Europe's top military powers. Its edge – not least its qualitative edge – in relation to rising Asian powers seems set to erode, but will remain significant well into the 2020s, and possibly beyond." The Strategic Defence and Security Review 2015 committed to spending 2% of GDP on defence and announced
9672-1058: The Volunteer Reserve. The distribution of personnel between the services and categories of service on 1 July 2023 was as follows: On 1 April 2024, most personnel in the UK Regular Forces were stationed in the United Kingdom (around 96%). Of the 5,700 personnel stationed overseas, around two thirds were in Europe (66%), while 14% were stationed in North America, 6% in North Africa and the Middle East, 6% in Asia and 5% in Sub-Saharan Africa. 1,230 personnel were distributed across several regions in Germany, primarily North Rhine-Westphalia as part of British Army Germany . However, up to 750 of these were Locally Engaged Civilians. According to
9796-738: The Western Front during the First World War. They also sent contingents that served in North-Western Europe, and Italy and North Africa during the Second World War. The Royal Gibraltar Regiment mobilised section-sized units for attachment to British regiments deployed during the Iraq War . The Isle of Man , a Crown dependency hosts a multi-capability recruiting and training unit of the British Army Reserve . Since 1969 Britain has had
9920-562: The World beat England 4–1. In October 2010, it was announced that the finalists of the seventh series of The X Factor would be recording a version of David Bowie 's 1977 song Heroes . The song was released in aid of H4H and the Royal British Legion. All sixteen finalists of Series 7 performed the song on 20 November 2010's results show. In the first week of its release, it went straight to number 1, and sold 313,244 copies, more than
10044-523: The area within which militia units in Britain could be posted was increased to anywhere in the Britain during the 18th century, and Militia coastal artillery , field artillery, and engineers units were introduced from the 1850s. The Yeomanry was a mounted force that could be mobilised in times of war or emergency. Volunteer Force units were also frequently raised during wartime, which did not rely on compulsory service and hence attracted recruits keen to avoid
10168-503: The armed forces. The UK Parliament approves the continued existence of the British Army by passing an Armed Forces Act at least once every five years, as required by the Bill of Rights 1689 . Only a "standing army" requires reapproval by Parliament; the Royal Navy, Royal Air Force and the Royal Marines and any other forces are not included in the requirement. The armed forces are managed by
10292-772: The auspices of the United Nations, NATO, and other multinational operations, including: peacekeeping responsibilities in the Balkans and Cyprus , the 2000 intervention in Sierra Leone and participation in the UN-mandated no-fly zone over Libya (2011). Post- 9/11 , the armed forces became heavily committed to the War on Terror (2001–present), with lengthy campaigns in Afghanistan (2001–2021) and Iraq (2003–2009), and more recently as part of
10416-678: The century, at the latest, any unit wholly or partly funded from Army funds was considered part of the British Army) and the early years of the 20th century, whereby the Reserve Forces units mostly lost their own identities and became numbered Territorial Force sub-units of regular British Army corps or regiments (the Home Militia had followed this path, with the Militia Infantry units becoming numbered battalions of British Army regiments, and
10540-455: The chance for her and eight family members to fly in the team's Hawk jets . The RAF said of the bid, "We know it is a special prize – a once in a lifetime opportunity – but we are all astounded that someone could be so generous. The RAF is genuinely delighted to have helped in raising such a fantastic amount of money for such a worthwhile charity." The charity was a joint beneficiary of a pageant held on 8 May 2008 in London, hosted by patron of
10664-506: The charity Jeremy Clarkson , and attended by Princes William and Harry , who were both members of the British Armed Forces . On 20 September 2008, Twickenham Stadium hosted a rugby union challenge match, featuring rugby players from around the world which raised £1.1 million, and was televised live. The match featured a Help for Heroes XV and an International Select XV. Former England captains Phil de Glanville and Lawrence Dallaglio acted as team manager and captain respectively for
10788-706: The charity access to a number of different sports, enabling wounded, injured, and sick service personnel, and veterans to take part in adaptive sports. Its sport services offer a broad range of activities out in the community and at all ability levels, from recreational to competitive. Help for Heroes has worked in partnership with the British Paralympic Association , UK Sport , the English Institute of Sport to introduce military personnel and veterans to Paralympic sport through its ‘Front Line to Start Line’ programme. In collaboration with UK Coaching ,
10912-472: The charity awarded 819 such grants, totalling £703,000, and taking the life-to-date awards total to 12,969. In 2022, the charity introduced immediate needs grants to help individuals with food and energy bills in response to the cost-of-living crisis. The oldest person to receive support from the charity was Second World War veteran Robbie Clarke, who was 96 when he received an emergency grant in 2015, to ensure he could remain living at home. Over 90 per cent of
11036-443: The charity helps them gain access to support such as speech and language therapy, financial assistance with carer costs, and specialist equipment. · Grants Team – grants can be awarded to those in need of urgent financial support for their recovery. · Sport, Activity and Fellowship Team – the team offers a wide range of free sporting, recreational and social activities across
11160-525: The charity launched a pilot Coaching Academy programme in 2022, giving veterans the chance to train for a sport coaching qualification and build on their skills in civilian life. Help for Heroes was responsible for the training, selection, and development of Team UK in the first four editions of the Invictus Games : 2014 ( London ), 2016 ( Orlando , Florida, USA), 2017 ( Toronto , Ontario, Canada), and 2018 ( Sydney ). Help for Heroes worked in partnership with
11284-597: The charity's income is from public donations. Its main sources of income are legacies, regular giving, grants, trading, and fundraising events and challenges. In September 2020, the charity announced that its income was falling due to the COVID-19 pandemic. In response, it launched an urgent appeal in October 2020, raising more than £150,000 in donations. In the 2020/21 financial year, Help for Heroes reported an income of £18.5 million (higher than its target of £17.3 million) and expenditure of £36.3 million. Help for Heroes offers
11408-617: The charity's permanent CEO in March 2023. In partnership with the Ministry of Defence (MoD) and The Royal British Legion (RBL), Help for Heroes runs four recovery centres: Tedworth House (Tidworth, Wiltshire), Chavasse VC House ( Colchester , Essex), Naval Service Recovery Centre ( Plymouth , Devon), and Phoenix House ( Catterick, North Yorkshire ). Each centre is a location for the Defence Recovery Capability programme. Participants in
11532-452: The charity. Starting in England, it covers 2,000 miles and seven countries in twelve days, visiting World War I and II battlefields and museums. It is open to 45 teams of road-legal off-road-capable vehicles, with at least two drivers per team. The Help for Heroes Board of Trustees, who work in an unpaid, voluntary capacity, are responsible for the overall control and strategic direction of
11656-418: The charity. The chair of the trustees is Nigel Boardman, a former partner at corporate law firm Slaughter and May . The charity's ambassadors include a range of veterans, serving personnel, and family members who speak on behalf of the charity. Its patrons include: In August 2012, a group of wounded ex-servicemen, featured in a report for BBC's Newsnight , criticised Help for Heroes for its relationship to
11780-483: The chief executive of the charity when Bryn Parry stood down after nine years in charge. In 2020, the charity was forced to make 110 redundancies due to a rise in demand and a sharp fall in donations as a result of the Covid-19 pandemic. The charity helped train, select and deliver Team UK to the first Invictus Games held in London in 2014. It continued to support Team UK at the following four Invictus Games. In May 2022,
11904-534: The colonial Governors as defence is not a competency that has been delegated to local governments). Under the North Atlantic Treaty Organisation alliance, and with the steady reduction of both the British Empire and the British Armed Forces over the decades that followed the Second World War, the significance of the three remaining Imperial fortresses (military control of Halifax having passed to
12028-458: The colony's coast from the 17th century to the 19th century (when all of the batteries were taken over by the regular Royal Artillery). The militia system was extended to a number of English (subsequently British ) colonies, beginning with Virginia and Bermuda . In some colonies, Troops of Horse or other mounted units similar to the Yeomanry were also created. The militia and volunteer units of
12152-483: The country to conduct operations worldwide. The majority of Britain's permanent military installations are located on British Overseas Territories (BOTs) or former colonies which retain close diplomatic ties with the United Kingdom, and located in areas of strategic importance. The most significant of these are the "Permanent Joint Operating Bases" (PJOBs), located on the four overseas territories of Cyprus ( British Forces Cyprus ), Gibraltar ( British Forces Gibraltar ),
12276-737: The event were the Band of the Royal Hospital School , Blake , Escala , and the Royal Marines Commandos abseil team . A second rugby match, 'The Heroes Rugby Challenge' was played on 3 December 2011 at Twickenham Stadium . The match featured Lawrence Dallaglio, Jason Leonard , and Ieuan Evans managing the Northern Hemisphere XV against a Southern Hemisphere team, coached by Wayne Smith and Nick Mallett and overseen by Michael Lynagh and Sean Fitzpatrick . On 12 November 2009,
12400-461: The following five years, ending Help for Heroes' eight-year association with the Invictus Games. Help for Heroes previously grant funded more than 90 specialist charities and organisations; including Winston's Wish , The Poppy Factory , Blesma and Combat Stress . The charity now focuses its financial support in the form of individual grants to wounded personnel, veterans and families. In 2019,
12524-538: The form of a world-record breaking convoy of 348 Land Rovers, including SAS 'Pink Panther' Land Rovers, and several SAS troops themselves. A second Convoy for Heroes event was held over Easter 2012, this time at the larger Prestwold Hall site in Leicestershire . The Help for Heroes 4x4 European Rally is an annual non-speed battlefield touring assembly that takes place in June. The event has raised over £1 million for
12648-570: The general staff for the Army and the chief of the air staff for the Royal Air Force . As of 1 July 2023 the British Armed Forces are a professional force with a total strength of 185,980 personnel, consisting of 140,300 UK Regulars and 4,140 Gurkhas , 33,210 Volunteer Reserves and 8,330 "Other Personnel". As a percentage breakdown of UK Service Personnel, 77.1% are UK Regulars and Gurkhas, 18.8% are Volunteer Reserves and 4.1% are composed of Other Personnel. In addition, all ex-Regular personnel retain
12772-685: The hostilities of the First World War (1914–1918), in what is recognised today, as the most devastating war in British military history, with nearly 800,000 men killed and over 2 million wounded. Allied victory resulted in the defeat of the Central Powers , the end of the German Empire, the Treaty of Versailles and the establishment of the League of Nations . Although Germany had been defeated during
12896-455: The later half of the 17th century, and in particular, throughout the 18th century, British foreign policy sought to contain the expansion of rival European powers through military, diplomatic and commercial means, especially of its chief competitors Spain , the Netherlands , and France . This saw Britain engage in a number of intense conflicts over colonial possessions and world trade, including
13020-469: The mid-1970s, the armed forces had reconfigured to focus on the responsibilities allocated to them by NATO. The British Army of the Rhine and RAF Germany consequently represented the largest and most important overseas commitments that the armed forces had during this period, while the Royal Navy developed an anti-submarine warfare specialisation, with a particular focus on countering Soviet submarines in
13144-579: The naval forces) historically was divided into a number of military forces , of which the British Army (also referred to historically as the 'Regular Army' and the 'Regular Force') was only one. The oldest of these organisations was the Militia Force (also referred to as the Constitutional Force ), which (in the Kingdom of England ) was originally the main military defensive force (there otherwise were originally only royal bodyguards, including
13268-484: The new Boxer mechanised infantry vehicle from 2024. The four battalions of the Parachute Regiment , forming 16 Air Assault Brigade Combat Team and part of Special Forces Support Group , are the British Army's elite airborne infanteers, held at high readiness and specialising in rapid deployment by parachute and helicopter, widely regarded as the "fittest, most aggressive, resilient and disciplined regiment in
13392-538: The new Dominion government following the 1867 Confederation of Canada , and naval control transferred in 1905 to what was to become the Royal Canadian Navy ) rapidly faded. The Bermuda-based North America and West Indies Station was abolished in 1956, and the last regular army units removed from the Bermuda Command in 1957 (leaving only two part-time reserve units), with the naval dockyard in Bermuda reduced to
13516-402: The other recognised nuclear weapon states, the United Kingdom operates only a submarine-based delivery system, having decommissioned its tactical WE.177 free-fall bombs in 1998. The House of Commons voted on 18 July 2016 in favour of replacing the Vanguard -class submarines with a new generation of Dreadnought -class submarines . The programme will also contribute to extending the life of
13640-510: The practice was discontinued in the 1990s, those who were appointed to the position of CDS had been elevated to the most senior rank in their respective service. The CDS, along with the permanent under secretary, are the principal military advisers to the secretary of state. All three services have their own respective professional chiefs; the First Sea Lord for the Royal Navy , the chief of
13764-510: The previous four years. The review was launched after bullying allegations emerged at the Tedworth House recovery centre in Wiltshire . The Commission concluded that proper procedures were followed, and funds were used correctly. British Armed Forces The British Armed Forces are the military forces responsible for the defence of the United Kingdom , its Overseas Territories and
13888-618: The programme receive coordinated medical, psychological, and welfare support, designed to help them overcome sickness and injury, and ultimately return to active duty, or transition to civilian life. In September 2020, due to the financial strain of the COVID-19 pandemic, Help for Heroes announced that it was closing three of its recovery centres for the foreseeable future (Catterick, Plymouth and Colchester), and would instead be focusing on digital and community recovery delivery. Help for Heroes delivers its one-to-one recovery support as follows: · Psychological support –
14012-406: The regular British Armed Forces, though the naval and military establishment in the colony (now termed a British Overseas Territory ) has been reduced to several Royal Naval patrol craft, the locally raised Royal Gibraltar Regiment , and a Royal Air Force Station without aircraft based on it. The British Armed Forces today maintain a number of overseas garrisons and military facilities which enable
14136-495: The regular army and the forces it absorbed, though British military units organised on Territorial lines remain in British Overseas Territories that are still not considered formally part of the British Army, with only the Royal Gibraltar Regiment and the Royal Bermuda Regiment (an amalgam of the old Bermuda Militia Artillery and Bermuda Volunteer Rifle Corps) appearing on the British Army order of precedence and in
14260-627: The rest of the top ten at the time combined. British Chancellor of the Exchequer Alistair Darling announced he would effectively waive VAT on the single, by donating the value of the VAT paid on the single to the charity. He said "I very much support the Help for Heroes campaign and I support too the efforts being made by the X Factor contestants, and in recognition of that I am proposing effectively to waive VAT on this sale of these singles." This
14384-421: The team is made up of registered nurses, occupational therapists and medical advisors. They work with men and women with physical health challenges, helping them access specialist therapies, get clinical equipment and to re-engage with the community. · Very Seriously Injured Programme – the programme supports men and women living with catastrophic injuries who need round-the-clock care;
14508-476: The twentieth century served to reduce tensions between Britain and the Russian Empire, partly due to the emergence of a unified German Empire . The era brought about an Anglo-German naval arms race which encouraged significant advancements in maritime technology (e.g. Dreadnoughts , torpedoes and submarines ), and in 1906, Britain had determined that its only likely naval enemy was Germany. The accumulated tensions in European relations finally broke out into
14632-419: The use of the armed forces. The sovereign retains the power to prevent the unconstitutional use of the armed forces, including that of its nuclear arsenal . The Ministry of Defence is the government department charged with formulating and executing defence policy. It currently employs 56,860 civilian staff members as of 1 October 2015. The department is administered by the secretary of state for defence who
14756-436: The world where required to guard against invasion or rebellion, reinforced in some colonies by locally raised reserve forces. In colonies where there was no strategic requirement, regular forces were rarely stationed, with local governments encouraged to maintain and fund military reserve units as contributions to their own defence (although these units were ultimately under the control of the national, i.e. British, Government via
14880-519: The world's great powers , including the Seven Years' War , the American War of Independence , the Napoleonic Wars , the Crimean War , the First World War and the Second World War . Britain's victories in most of these wars allowed it to influence world events and establish itself as one of the world's leading military and economic powers. The British Armed Forces consist of: the Royal Navy ,
15004-493: Was held on 12 September 2010 at Twickenham Stadium in London, and featured, among others, Robbie Williams , Gary Barlow , Peter Kay , Tom Jones , and Pixie Lott . The concert was shown live on BBC One , and was presented by Cat Deeley . At Easter 2011, the first Convoy for Heroes event took place at Gaydon in Warwickshire, to raise money for Help for Heroes. Organised by Land Rover enthusiasts, Convoy for Heroes took
15128-647: Was originally a separate force from these, but absorbed the Ordnance Military Corps and various previously civilian departments after the Board of Ordnance was abolished in 1855. The Reserve Forces (which referred to the Home Yeomanry, Militia and Volunteer Forces before the 1859 creation of the British Army Regular Reserve by Secretary of State for War Sidney Herbert , and re-organised under
15252-548: Was permanently suspended after the First World War (although a handful of Militia units survived in the United Kingdom, its colonies, and the Crown Dependencies). Unlike the Home, Imperial Fortress and Crown Dependency Militia and Volunteer units and forces that continued to exist after the First World War, although parts of the British military, most were not considered parts of the British Army unless they received Army funds (as
15376-809: Was the case for the Bermuda Militia Artillery and the Bermuda Volunteer Rifle Corps ), which was generally only the case for those in the Channel Islands or the Imperial Fortress colonies (Nova Scotia, before Canadian confederation , Bermuda, Gibraltar, and Malta). Today, the British Army is the only Home British military force (unless the Army Cadet Force and the Combined Cadet Force are considered), including both
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