Royal Monmouthshire Royal Engineers (Militia) | |
---|---|
Active | 1539–present |
Country | United Kingdom |
Branch | British Army |
Type | Field Engineers |
Size | Regiment 515 personnel [1] |
Part of | 25 (Close Support) Engineer Group |
Regimental HQ | Monmouth Castle, Monmouth |
March | Ap Jenkyn (Regimental Quick March) |
Engagements | |
Commanders | |
Royal Honorary Colonel | The Duke of Gloucester |
Insignia | |
Arm Badge | Militia Flash |
The Royal Monmouthshire Royal Engineers (Militia) is the most senior regiment of the British Army Reserve. [2] The regiment was formed in 1539 during the reign of by King Henry VIII, making it the second oldest regiment of the British Army (The Honourable Artillery Company was formed in 1537). The R Mon RE (M) became a militia unit in 1660 and then became a part of the Royal Engineers in 1877. [3]
The regiment was formed as a posse comitatus in 1539 during the reign of by King Henry VIII; it went on to become a trained band and then a militia unit in 1660. [4] It is unique in having the word 'Royal' appear twice in its name. It gained the first Royal in 1804 when it was the Monmouth and Brecon Militia. The second was acquired in 1877 when the regiment transferred from an infantry unit into a Special Reserve section of the expanding Royal Engineers. [5]
On 1 April 1967, the existing regiment absorbed 43rd Wessex Division RE (TA), 48th South Midland Division RE (TA) and 53rd Welsh Division RE (TA). [6]
The records of the Honorable Artillery Company (HAC) indicate that it was formed two years prior to the Royal Monmouthshire Royal Engineers (Militia). However, in 1930 the Army Council (Army Board from 1964) reviewed the Army's precedence table and King George V agreed that, on account of its status as a militia unit, the Royal Monmouthshire Royal Engineers (Militia) were the senior regiment. [2] In 1957 the matter was investigated further and Queen Elizabeth II also agreed that the Royal Monmouthshire Royal Engineers (Militia) were the senior regiment: [2]
From:-Lieut.-Colonel The Rt. Hon. Sir Michael Adeane, K.C.B., K.C.V.O . Private Secretary to the Queen,Buckingham Palace, S.W.1.12th March, 1957.
My dear Playfair,Thank you for your letter of 8th March which I have laid before The Queen and which Her Majesty has read with interest.I am to say that the recommendation of the Honours and Distinctions Committee with regard to the relative precedence of the Royal Monmouthshire Royal Engineers and the Honourable ArtiIlery Company meets with the Queen's approval.
Yours sincerely,
The Jersey Militia were brought under the command of the R Mon RE (M) in 2007. The Jersey Militia was formed in 1337 when Edward III ordered "all his faithful peoples of the islands" to be prepared - by forming a militia - for possible war with France. [7] The militia defended the island against several pirate raids, and in 1549 against a French invasion attempt. [8] The militia played a role in the Battle of Jersey, for which its actions gained it the 'Royal' title. [9]
Militia historically were regarded as light infantry regiments. [10] In recognition of its Light Infantry ancestry the regiment was afforded the right to wear the militia flash in 1943. [11] A small, light infantry green rectangle, often referred to as the snooker table; worn at the top of the left arm. Soldiers of the regiment are Sappers but also militiamen and wear the militia flash in perpetuity, as observed by Brigadier John Henry Ridge CBE when inspecting troops in 2017. [12]
The current organisation of the regiment is as follows: [13]
The regimental museum of the Royal Monmouthshire Royal Engineers is in Monmouth Castle. [21]
The Royal Regiment of Artillery, commonly referred to as the Royal Artillery (RA) and colloquially known as "The Gunners", is one of two regiments that make up the artillery arm of the British Army. The Royal Regiment of Artillery comprises thirteen Regular Army regiments, the King's Troop Royal Horse Artillery and five Army Reserve regiments.
The Honourable Artillery Company (HAC) is a reserve regiment in the British Army. Incorporated by royal charter in 1537 by King Henry VIII, it is the oldest regiment in the British Army and is considered the second-oldest military unit in the world. Today, it is also a charity whose purpose is to attend to the "better defence of the realm", primarily through supporting the HAC regiment and a detachment of City of London Special Constabulary. The word "artillery" in "Honourable Artillery Company" does not have the current meaning that is generally associated with it, but dates from a time when in the English language that word meant any projectile, for example arrows shot from a bow. The equivalent form of words in modern English would be either "Honourable Infantry Company" or "Honourable Military Company".
Monmouth Castle is a castle close to the centre of the town of Monmouth, the county town of Monmouthshire, on a hill above the River Monnow in south-east Wales.
The British Militia was the principle military reserve force of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland. Militia units were repeatedly raised in Great Britain during the Victorian and Edwardian eras for internal security duties and to defend against external invasions. The British Militia was transformed into the Special Reserve under the Territorial and Reserve Forces Act 1907, which integrated all militia formations into the British Army.
In countries whose armies are organised on a regimental basis, such as the army of the United Kingdom, a regimental museum is a military museum dedicated to the history of a specific army regiment.
{{Infobox military unit |unit_name=Glamorgan Yeomanry |abbreviation= |image= |caption=Glamorgan Yeomanry cap badge |dates= 1797–1831
1861–1873
1901–present |country = Kingdom of Great Britain (1794–1800)
United Kingdom (1801–Present) |allegiance= |branch= Territorial Army |type=Yeomanry |role= |size= Regiment |command_structure= |equipment= |Past Commanders= |ceremonial_chief= |colonel_of_the_regiment= |notable_commanders=Col Windham Wyndham-Quin |identification_symbol= |identification_symbol_2= |nickname= |patron= |motto= |colors= |march= |mascot= |battles=* Merthyr Rising
The 2nd/10th Dragoons was a militia regiment of the Canadian Army, based in the Niagara, Wentworth, and Brant regions of southern Ontario. It was formed in 1936 by amalgamating the 2nd and 10th Dragoons, both of which had served previously as cavalry units in the Canadian militia. After World War II the regiment was converted into an anti-aircraft artillery unit. In 1962 the regiment was converted into a field howitzer unit and in 1968 amid a downsizing of the Canadian Armed Forces the regiment was reduced drastically before eventually being completely disbanded in the mid-1990s. The regiment is currently on the Supplementary Order of Battle.
Formed in 1337, the Royal Militia of the Island of Jersey can claim to be the oldest sub-unit of the British Army, although, because it is not a regiment, and was disbanded for decades in the late 20th century, it is not the most senior.
Great Castle House is a former town house built on the site of part of Monmouth Castle in Wales. Amongst the town's most significant buildings, it has a Grade I listing and is one of 24 sites on the Monmouth Heritage Trail. The house is located on Castle Hill, off Agincourt Square in Monmouth town centre.
The War Memorial of the Royal Monmouthshire Royal Engineers commemorates the soldiers who died in World War I and World War II.
The Monmouth Regimental Museum is located on Castle Hill in Monmouth, Monmouthshire, Wales. The museum is in a wing of Great Castle House, a listed building on the Monmouth Heritage Trail. The focus of most of the museum's exhibits is the most senior regiment in the British Territorial Army, the Royal Monmouthshire Royal Engineers. Great Castle House is home to the Royal Monmouthshire Royal Engineers, and the museum maintains the records of the regiment.
The Monmouthshire Regiment was a Territorial infantry regiment of the British Army. Originating in units of rifle volunteers formed in Monmouthshire in 1859, the regiment served in the Second Anglo-Boer War and both World War I and World War II before losing its separate identity in 1967.
The structure of the British Army is being reorganised to the Future Soldier structure. The Army is commanded by the Chief of the General Staff (CGS), with Army Headquarters which is located in Andover, Hampshire. Subordinate to that post, there is a Commander Field Army, and a personnel and UK operations command, Home Command.
This is a list of units of the British Army's Royal Engineers.
The following is a hierarchical outline for the structure of the British Army in 1989. The most authoritative source for this type of information available is Ministry of Defence, Master Order of Battle, and United Kingdom Land Forces, HQ UKLF, UKLF ORBAT Review Action Plan, HQ UKLF, 1990.
The 74th Engineer Regiment was a former Territorial Army regiment of the Royal Engineers, British Army. Initially the 74th Engineer Regiment was a reserve engineer regiment, but was then disbanded in 1994. An independent squadron remained. As part of Army 2020 the squadron moves to become part of the 71st Engineer Regiment.
85 (Ulster) Signal Squadron was a military communications unit of the British Territorial Army, which formed part of the Royal Corps of Signals. The squadron was one of four signal squadrons which formed part of 40th (Ulster) Signal Regiment until its disbandment in 2009.