The Militia Infantry of the British Army

From the Militia to the Special Reserve (1881-1908) and beyond

In 1881, on the creation of the two battalion, territorial connected, regular regiments, the Militia battalions of such a recruting territory were added to those regiments as battalions numbered after the regular battalions.

In 1908 the Militia was transferred to the Special Reserve. There was to be one (Reserve) battalion per pair of regular battalions. This counts for 74 battalions. Of the surplus, 23 battalions were disbanded and 27 battalions were kept as (Extra Reserve) battalions.

In 1921 the Special Reserve was redesignated Militia, but all units were placed in suspended animation. In 1922 the battalions belonging to the regiments that were disbanded at the creation of the Irish Free State were disbanded with them. In 1924 the Militia was redesignated Supplementary Reserve. There was no role for them in the Second World War and in 1953 all battalions were disbanded.

The notation ⁓ is short for the regimental title that forms the heading of a section.


Militia Regiments pre 1881		Militia Battalions from 1881				Special Reserve in 1908

		The Royal Scots (Lothian Regiment)
The Edinburgh (or Queen’s) Light Infantry Militia	→	3^rd Battalion, ⁓			→	3^rd (Reserve) Battalion, ⁓

		The Queen’s (Royal West Surrey Regiment)
2^nd Royal Surrey Militia	→	3^rd Battalion, ⁓			→	3^rd (Reserve) Battalion, ⁓

		The Buffs (East Kent Regiment)
1^st Bⁿ, The East Kent Militia	→	3^rd Battalion, ⁓	} 1888: 3^rd Battalion, ⁓		→	3^rd (Reserve) Battalion, ⁓
2^nd Bⁿ, The East Kent Militia	→	4^th Battalion, ⁓	} 1888: 3^rd Battalion, ⁓		→	3^rd (Reserve) Battalion, ⁓

		The King’s Own (Royal Lancaster Regiment)
1^st Bⁿ, 1^st Royal Lancashire Militia (The Duke of Lancaster’s Own)	→	3^rd Battalion, ⁓			→	3^rd (Reserve) Battalion, ⁓
2^nd Bⁿ, 1^st Royal Lancashire Militia (The Duke of Lancaster’s Own)	→	4^th Battalion, ⁓			→	disbanded

		The Northumberland Fusiliers
The Northumberland Light Infantry Militia	→	3^rd Battalion, ⁓	→ 1900: 5^th Battalion, ⁓		→	3^rd (Reserve) Battalion, ⁓

		The Royal Warwickshire Regiment
1^st Warwickshire Militia	→	3^rd Battalion, ⁓	→ 1898: 5^th Battalion, ⁓		→	3^rd (Reserve) Battalion, ⁓
2^nd Warwickshire Militia	→	4^th Battalion, ⁓	→ 1898: 6^th Battalion, ⁓		→	4^th (Extra Reserve) Battalion, ⁓

		The Royal Fusiliers (City of London Regiment)
3^rd or Royal Westminster Middlesex Light Infantry Militia	→	3^th Battalion, ⁓	→ 1898: 5^th Battalion, ⁓		→	5^th (Reserve) Battalion, ⁓
The Royal London Militia	→	4^th Battalion, ⁓	→ 1898: 6^th Battalion, ⁓		→	7^th (Extra Reserve) Battalion, ⁓
4^th or Royal South Middlesex Militia	→	5^th Battalion, ⁓	→ 1898: 7^th Battalion, ⁓		→	6^th (Reserve) Battalion, ⁓

		The King’s (Liverpool Regiment)
1^st Bⁿ, 2nd Royal Lancashire Militia (The Duke of Lancaster’s Own Rifles)	→	3^rd Battalion, ⁓	→ 1900: 5^th Battalion, ⁓	→ 1901: 3^rd Battalion, ⁓	→	3^rd (Reserve) Battalion, ⁓
2^nd Bⁿ, 2nd Royal Lancashire Militia (The Duke of Lancaster’s Own Rifles)	→	4^th Battalion, ⁓	→ 1900: 6^th Battalion, ⁓	→ 1901: 4^th Battalion, ⁓	→	4^th (Extra Reserve) Battalion, ⁓

		The Norfolk Regiment
1^st or West Norfolk Militia	→	3^rd Battalion, ⁓			→	3^rd (Reserve) Battalion, ⁓
2^nd or East Norfolk Militia	→	4^th Battalion, ⁓			→	disbanded

		The Lincolnshire Regiment
The Royal North Lincolnshire Militia	→	3^rd Battalion, ⁓			→	3^rd (Reserve) Battalion, ⁓
The Royal South Lincolnshire Militia	→	4^th Battalion, ⁓			→	disbanded

		The Devonshire Regiment
2^nd Devon Militia	→	3^rd Battalion, ⁓			→	disbanded
1^st Devon Militia	→	4^th Battalion, ⁓			→	3^rd (Reserve) Battalion, ⁓

		The Suffolk Regiment
The West Suffolk Militia	→	3^rd Battalion, ⁓			→	3^rd (Reserve) Battalion, ⁓
The Cambridgeshire Militia	→	4^th Battalion, ⁓			→	disbanded

		Prince Albert’s (Somersetshire Light Infantry)
1^st Somersetshire Light Infantry Militia	→	3^rd Battalion, ⁓			→	3^rd (Reserve) Battalion, ⁓
2^nd Somersetshire Light Infantry Militia	→	4^th Battalion, ⁓			→	disbanded

		The Prince of Wales’s Own (West Yorkshire Regiment)
2^nd West York Light Infantry Militia	→	3^rd Battalion, ⁓			→	3^rd (Reserve) Battalion, ⁓
4^th West York Militia	→	4^th Battalion, ⁓			→	4^th (Extra Reserve) Battalion, ⁓

		The East Yorkshire Regiment
The East York Militia	→	3^rd Battalion, ⁓			→	3^rd (Reserve) Battalion, ⁓

		The Bedfordshire Regiment
The Bedfordshire Light Infantry Militia	→	3^rd Battalion, ⁓			→	3^rd (Reserve) Battalion, ⁓
The Hertfordshire Militia	→	4^th Battalion, ⁓			→	4^th (Extra Reserve) Battalion, ⁓

		The Leicestershire Regiment
The Leicestershire Militia	→	3^rd Battalion, ⁓			→	3^rd (Reserve) Battalion, ⁓

		The Royal Irish Regiment
The Wexford Militia	→	3^rd Battalion, ⁓			→	disbanded
North Tipperary Light Infantry Militia	→	4^th Battalion, ⁓			→	3^rd (Reserve) Battalion, ⁓
The Kilkenny Fusiliers Militia	→	5^th Battalion, ⁓			→	4^th (Extra Reserve) Battalion, ⁓

		The Princess of Wales’s Own (Yorkshire Regiment) ↲
			↳ 1902: Alexandra, Princess of Wales’s Own (Yorkshire Regiment)
5^th West York Militia	→	3^rd Battalion, ⁓			→	3^rd (Reserve) Battalion, ⁓
The North York Rifle Militia	→	4^th Battalion, ⁓			→	disbanded

		The Lancashire Fusiliers
7^th Royal Lancashire Rifle Militia	→	3^rd Battalion, ⁓		→ 1898: 5^th Battalion, ⁓	→	3^rd (Reserve) Battalion, ⁓
			1891: 4^th Battalion, ⁓	→ 1898: 6^th Battalion, ⁓	→	4^th (Extra Reserve) Battalion, ⁓

		The Royal Scots Fusiliers
The Dumfries, Roxburgh, Kirkcudbright and Selkirk (Scottish Borderers) Militia	→	3^rd Battalion, ⁓	→ 1887: transferred to The King’s Own Borderers
The Royal Ayrshire and Wigton Rifles (The Prince Regent’s Own)	→	4^th Battalion, ⁓	→ 1887: 3^rd Battalion, ⁓		→	3^rd (Reserve) Battalion, ⁓

		The Cheshire Regiment
1^st Royal Cheshire Militia	→	3^rd Battalion, ⁓			→	3^rd (Reserve) Battalion, ⁓
2^nd Royal Cheshire Militia	→	4^th Battalion, ⁓			→	disbanded

		The Royal Welsh Fusiliers
The Royal Denbigh and Merioneth Rifle Militia	→	3^rd Battalion, ⁓			→	3^rd (Reserve) Battalion, ⁓
The Royal Carnarvon Rifle Militia	→	4^th Battalion, ⁓			→	disbanded

		The South Wales Borderers
The Royal South Wales Borderers Militia (Royal Radnor and Brecknock Rifles)	→	3^rd Battalion, ⁓			→	3^rd (Reserve) Battalion, ⁓
The Royal Montgomery Rifle Militia	→	4^th Battalion, ⁓			→	disbanded

		The King’s Own Borderers ↲
			↳ 1887: The King’s Own Scottish Borderers
transferred from The Royal Scots Fusiliers			→ 1887: 3^rd Battalion, ⁓		→	3^rd (Reserve) Battalion, ⁓

		The Cameronians (Scottish Rifles)
2^nd Royal Lanarkshire Militia	{	3^rd Battalion, ⁓			→	3^rd (Reserve) Battalion, ⁓
2^nd Royal Lanarkshire Militia	{	4^th Battalion, ⁓			→	4^th (Extra Reserve) Battalion, ⁓

		The Royal Inniskilling Fusiliers
The Fermanagh Light Infantry Militia	→	3^rd Battalion, ⁓			→	4^th (Extra Reserve) Battalion, ⁓
The Londonderry Light Infantry Militia	→	4^th Battalion, ⁓	→ 1882: 9^th Brigade, North Irish Division, Royal Artillery
The Royal Tyrone Fusiliers Militia	→	5^th Battalion, ⁓	→ 1882: 4^th Battalion, ⁓		→	3^rd (Reserve) Battalion, ⁓
The Prince of Wales’s Own Donegal Militia	→	6^th Battalion, ⁓	→ 1882: 5^th Battalion, ⁓		→	disbanded

		The Gloucestershire Regiment
The Royal South Gloucestershire Light Infantry Militia	→	3^rd Battalion, ⁓			→	3^rd (Reserve) Battalion, ⁓
The Royal North Gloucestershire Militia	→	4^th Battalion, ⁓			→	disbanded

		The Worcestershire Regiment
1^st Bⁿ, The Worcestershire Militia	→	3^rd Battalion, ⁓	→ 1900: 5^th Battalion, ⁓		→	5^th (Reserve) Battalion, ⁓
2^nd Bⁿ, The Worcestershire Militia	→	4^th Battalion, ⁓	→ 1900: 6^th Battalion, ⁓		→	6^th (Reserve) Battalion, ⁓

		The East Lancashire Regiment
5^th Royal Lancashire Militia	→	3^rd Battalion, ⁓			→	3^rd (Reserve) Battalion, ⁓

		The East Surrey Regiment
1^st Royal Surrey Militia	→	3^rd Battalion, ⁓			→	3^rd (Reserve) Battalion, ⁓
3^rd Royal Surrey Militia	→	4^th Battalion, ⁓			→	4^th (Extra Reserve) Battalion, ⁓

		The Duke of Cornwall’s Light Infantry
The Royal Cornwall Rangers, Duke of Cornwall’s Own Rifle Militia	→	3^rd Battalion, ⁓			→	3^rd (Reserve) Battalion, ⁓

		The Duke of Wellington’s (West Riding Regiment)
1^st Bⁿ, 6^th West York Militia	→	3^rd Battalion, ⁓			→	3^rd (Reserve) Battalion, ⁓
2^nd Bⁿ, 6^th West York Militia	→	4^th Battalion, ⁓			→	disbanded

		The Border Regiment
The Royal Cumberland Militia	→	3^rd Battalion, ⁓			→	3^rd (Reserve) Battalion, ⁓
The Royal Westmoreland Light Infantry Militia	→	4^th Battalion, ⁓			→	disbanded

		The Royal Sussex Regiment
1^st Bⁿ, The Royal Sussex Light Infantry Militia	→	3^rd Battalion, ⁓			→	3^rd (Reserve) Battalion, ⁓
2^nd Bⁿ, The Royal Sussex Light Infantry Militia	→	4^th Battalion, ⁓	→ 1890: disbanded

		The Hampshire Regiment
The Hampshire Militia	→	3^rd Battalion, ⁓			→	3^rd (Reserve) Battalion, ⁓

		The South Staffordshire Regiment
1^st Bⁿ, (The King’s Own) 1^st Staffordshire Militia	→	3^rd Battalion, ⁓			→	3^rd (Reserve) Battalion, ⁓
2^nd Bⁿ, (The King’s Own) 1^st Staffordshire Militia	→	4^th Battalion, ⁓			→	4^th (Extra Reserve) Battalion, ⁓

		The Dorsetshire Regiment
The Dorsetshire Militia	→	3^rd Battalion, ⁓			→	3^rd (Reserve) Battalion, ⁓

		The Prince of Wales’s Volunteers (South Lancashire Regiment)
4^th Royal Lancashire Militia (The Duke of Lancaster’s Own Light Infantry)	→	3^rd Battalion, ⁓			→	3^rd (Reserve) Battalion, ⁓

		The Welsh Regiment
The Royal Glamorganshire Light Infantry Militia	→	3^rd Battalion, ⁓			→	3^rd (Reserve) Battalion, ⁓

		The Black Watch (Royal Highlanders)
The Royal Perthshire Rifle Militia	→	3^rd Battalion, ⁓			→	3^rd (Reserve) Battalion, ⁓

		The Oxfordshire Light Infantry			→	The Oxfordshire and Buckinghamshire Light Infantry
The Royal Buckinghamshire (King’s Own) Militia	→	3^rd Battalion, ⁓			→	disbanded
The Oxfordshire Militia	→	4^th Battalion, ⁓			→	3^rd (Reserve) Battalion, ⁓

		The Essex Regiment
The East Essex Rifle Militia	→	3^rd Battalion, ⁓			→	3^rd (Reserve) Battalion, ⁓
1^st or West Essex Militia	→	4^th Battalion, ⁓			→	disbanded

		The Sherwood Foresters (Derbyshire Regiment)			→	The Sherwood Foresters (Nottinghamshire and Derbyshire Regiment)
2^nd Derbyshire Militia (The Chatsworth Rifles)	→	3^rd Battalion, ⁓			→	3^rd (Reserve) Battalion, ⁓
The Royal Sherwood Foresters or Nottinghamshire Militia	→	4^th Battalion, ⁓			→	4^th (Extra Reserve) Battalion, ⁓
1^st Derbyshire Militia	→	5^th Battalion, ⁓	→ 1891: disbanded

		The Loyal North Lancashire Regiment
3^rd Royal Lancashire Militia (The Duke of Lancaster’s Own)	{	3^rd Battalion, ⁓	} 1896: 3^rd Battalion, ⁓		→	3^rd (Reserve) Battalion, ⁓
3^rd Royal Lancashire Militia (The Duke of Lancaster’s Own)	{	4^th Battalion, ⁓	} 1896: 3^rd Battalion, ⁓		→	3^rd (Reserve) Battalion, ⁓

		The Northamptonshire Regiment
1^st Bⁿ, Northamptonshire and Rutlandshire Militia	→	3^rd Battalion, ⁓	} 1899: 3^rd Battalion, ⁓		→	3^rd (Reserve) Battalion, ⁓
2^nd Bⁿ, Northamptonshire and Rutlandshire Militia	→	4^th Battalion, ⁓	} 1899: 3^rd Battalion, ⁓		→	3^rd (Reserve) Battalion, ⁓


		The Princess Charlotte of Wales’s (Berkshire Regiment) ↲
			↳ 1884: The Princess Charlotte of Wales’s (Royal Berkshire Regiment)
The Royal Berkshire Militia	→	3^rd Battalion, ⁓			→	3^rd (Reserve) Battalion, ⁓

		The Queen’s Own (Royal West Kent Regiment)
1^st Bⁿ, West Kent Light Infantry Militia	→	3^rd Battalion, ⁓	} 1894: 3^rd Battalion, ⁓		→	3^rd (Reserve) Battalion, ⁓
2^nd Bⁿ, West Kent Light Infantry Militia	→	4^th Battalion, ⁓	} 1894: 3^rd Battalion, ⁓		→	3^rd (Reserve) Battalion, ⁓

		The King’s Own Light Infantry (South Yorkshire Regiment) ↲
			↳ 1887: The King’s Own (Yorkshire Light Infantry)
1^st West York Rifle Militia	→	3^rd Battalion, ⁓			→	3^rd (Reserve) Battalion, ⁓

		The King’s Light Infantry (Shropshire Regiment) ↲
			↳ 1882: The King’s (Shropshire Light Infantry)
The Shropshire Militia	→	3^rd Battalion, ⁓			→	3^rd (Reserve) Battalion, ⁓
The Royal Herefordshire Militia	→	4^th Battalion, ⁓			→	disbanded

		The Duke of Cambridge’s Own (Middlesex Regiment)
Royal Elthorne or 5^th Middlesex Light Infantry Militia	→	3^rd Battalion, ⁓	→ 1900: 5^th Battalion, ⁓		→	5^th (Reserve) Battalion, ⁓
1^st or Royal East Middlesex Militia	→	4^th Battalion, ⁓	→ 1900: 6^th Battalion, ⁓		→	6^th (Reserve) Battalion, ⁓

		The King’s Royal Rifle Corps
The Huntingdonshire Rifle Militia	→	5^th Battalion, ⁓			→	5^th (Reserve) Battalion, ⁓
The Royal Flint Rifle Militia	→	6^th Battalion, ⁓	→ 1889: disbanded
Edmonton Royal Rifles or 2^nd Middlesex Militia	→	7^th Battalion, ⁓			→	6^th (Reserve) Battalion, ⁓
The Carlow Rifle Militia	→	8^th Battalion, ⁓			→	disbanded
The North Cork Rifle Militia	→	9^th Battalion, ⁓			→	disbanded

		The Duke of Edinburgh’s (Wiltshire Regiment)
The Royal Wiltshire Militia	→	3^rd Battalion, ⁓			→	3^rd (Reserve) Battalion, ⁓

		The Manchester Regiment
1^st Bⁿ, 6^th Royal Lancashire Militia	→	3^rd Battalion, ⁓	→ 1900: 5^th Battalion, ⁓		→	3^rd (Reserve) Battalion, ⁓
2^nd Bⁿ, 6^th Royal Lancashire Militia	→	4^th Battalion, ⁓	→ 1900: 6^th Battalion, ⁓		→	4^th (Extra Reserve) Battalion, ⁓

		The Prince of Wales’s (North Staffordshire Regiment)
(The King’s Own) 2^nd Staffordshire Light Infantry Militia	→	3^rd Battalion, ⁓			→	3^rd (Reserve) Battalion, ⁓
(The King’s Own) 3^rd Staffordshire Rifle Militia	→	4^th Battalion, ⁓			→	4^th (Extra Reserve) Battalion, ⁓

		The York and Lancaster Regiment
3^rd West York Light Infantry Militia	→	3^rd Battalion, ⁓			→	3^rd (Reserve) Battalion, ⁓

		The Durham Light Infantry
1^st South Durham Fusiliers Militia	→	3^rd Battalion, ⁓			→	4^th (Extra Reserve) Battalion, ⁓
2^nd North Durham Militia	→	4^th Battalion, ⁓			→	3^rd (Reserve) Battalion, ⁓

		The Highland Light Infantry
1^st Royal Lanarkshire Militia	→	3^rd Battalion, ⁓			→	3^rd (Reserve) Battalion, ⁓
			1883: 4^th Battalion, ⁓		→	4^th (Extra Reserve) Battalion, ⁓

		The Seaforth Highlanders (Ross-shire Buffs, The Duke of Albany’s)
The Highland Rifle Militia	→	3^rd Battalion, ⁓			→	3^rd (Reserve) Battalion, ⁓

		The Gordon Highlanders
The Royal Aberdeenshire Highlanders Militia	→	3^rd Battalion, ⁓			→	3^rd (Reserve) Battalion, ⁓

		The Queen’s Own Cameron Highlanders
The Inverness, Banff, Elgin and Nairn Militia (Highland Light Infantry)	→	2^nd Battalion, ⁓	→ 1897: 3^rd Battalion, ⁓		→	3^rd (Reserve) Battalion, ⁓

		The Royal Irish Rifles
The Royal North Down Rifle Militia	→	3^rd Battalion, ⁓			→	4^th (Extra Reserve) Battalion, ⁓
The Antrim Rifle Militia (Queen’s Own Royal Rifles)	→	4^th Battalion, ⁓			→	3^rd (Reserve) Battalion, ⁓
The Royal South Down Light Infantry Militia	→	5^th Battalion, ⁓			→	5^th (Extra Reserve) Battalion, ⁓
The Louth Rifle Militia	→	6^th Battalion, ⁓			→	disbanded

		Princess Victoria’s (Royal Irish Fusiliers)
The Armagh Light Infantry Militia	→	3^rd Battalion, ⁓			→	3^rd (Reserve) Battalion, ⁓
The Cavan Light Infantry Militia	→	4^th Battalion, ⁓			→	4^th (Extra Reserve) Battalion, ⁓
The Monaghan Militia	→	5^th Battalion, ⁓			→	disbanded

		The Connaught Rangers
The South Mayo Rifle Militia	→	3^rd Battalion, ⁓			→	disbanded
The Galway Militia	→	4^th Battalion, ⁓			→	3^rd (Reserve) Battalion, ⁓
The Roscommon Militia	→	5^th Battalion, ⁓			→	4^th (Extra Reserve) Battalion, ⁓
The North Mayo Fusilers Militia	→	6^th Battalion, ⁓	→ 1889: disbanded

		Princess Louise’s (Sutherland and Argyll Highlanders) ↲
			↳ 1884: Princess Louise’s (Argyll and Sutherland Highlanders)
The Highland Borderers Light Infantry Militia	→	3^rd Battalion, ⁓			→	3^rd (Reserve) Battalion, ⁓
The Prince of Wales’s Royal Renfrew Militia	→	4^th Battalion, ⁓			→	4^th (Extra Reserve) Battalion, ⁓

		The Prince of Wales’s Leinster Regiment (Royal Canadians)
The King’s County Royal Rifle Militia	→	3^rd Battalion, ⁓			→	3^rd (Reserve) Battalion, ⁓
The Queen’s County Royal Rifle Militia	→	4^th Battalion, ⁓			→	4^th (Extra Reserve) Battalion, ⁓
The Royal Meath Militia	→	5^th Battalion, ⁓			→	5^th (Extra Reserve) Battalion, ⁓

		The Royal Munster Fusiliers
The Clare Militia	→	3^rd Battalion, ⁓	→ 1882: 7^th Brigade, South Irish Division, Royal Artillery
The South Cork Light Infantry Militia	→	4^th Battalion, ⁓	→ 1882: 3^rd Battalion, ⁓		→	4^th (Extra Reserve) Battalion, ⁓
The Kerry Militia	→	5^th Battalion, ⁓	→ 1882: 4^th Battalion, ⁓		→	3^rd (Reserve) Battalion, ⁓
The Royal Limerick County Fusiliers Militia	→	6^th Battalion, ⁓	→ 1882: 5^th Battalion, ⁓		→	5^th (Extra Reserve) Battalion, ⁓

		The Royal Dublin Fusiliers
The Kildare Rifle Militia	→	3^rd Battalion, ⁓			→	3^rd (Reserve) Battalion, ⁓
The Queen’s Own Royal Dublin City Militia	→	4^th Battalion, ⁓			→	4^th (Extra Reserve) Battalion, ⁓
The Dublin County Light Infantry Militia	→	5^th Battalion, ⁓			→	5^th (Extra Reserve) Battalion, ⁓

		The Prince Consort’s Own (Rifle Brigade)
The Queen’s Own Royal Tower Hamlets Light Infantry Militia	→	5^th Battalion, ⁓			→	5^th (Reserve) Battalion, ⁓
The Prince of Wales’s Royal Longford Light Infantry Militia	→	6^th Battalion, ⁓			→	disbanded
The King’s Own Royal Tower Hamlets Light Infantry Militia	→	7^th Battalion, ⁓			→	6^th (Reserve) Battalion, ⁓
The Leitrim Rifle Militia	→	8^th Battalion, ⁓	→ 1889: disbanded
The Westmeath Rifle Militia	→	9^th Battalion, ⁓	→ 1899: merged into 6^th Bⁿ

The Special Reserve Battalions in 1914