The Volunteer Infantry of the British Army

The Rifle Volunteers from 1859 to 1880

The Consolidation of the Rifle Volunteers in 1880

From the Consolidation of 1880 to the creation of the Territorial Force in 1908

The Volunteer units as parts of the territorial regiments 1881-1914

The Territorial Force Divisions 1910-14

The Battalions of the Territorial Force (TF) in 1914


The Creation of the Territorial Army (TA) from 1921 to 1922

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In 1916 the battalions of The London Regiment were transferred to the regular regiments. Most of them joining the same regiments they were once part of as Volunteer Battalions. This did not change their titles. In 1922 the titles changed to 1st - 7th City of London Regiment and 9th - 28th London Regiment with appropriate secondary titles added. But their affiliation to their parent regiments was not changed. They can be found below in the sections of those parent regiments. The battalions of the other TA only regiments are likewise to be found in the sections of the regiments they were affiliated to.

In 1920 195 pre-war TF battalions, were resurrected. Notable exceptions were most Cyclist battalions. In 1921 the Territorial Army was created from the TF. As reductions became unevitable, twenty-one pairs of battalions were merged. Two battalions were disbanded, one battalion was absorbed by a Royal Engineers unit and one by a Royal Signals unit. Two units became Royal Artillery. This left 166 Battalions in the TA infantry.

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

 
Reconstituted in the TF in 1920 Changes into the TA in 1921/22
 
The Honourable Artillery Company
Infantry Battalion,
 
The Royal Scots (Lothian Regiment) The Royal Scots (The Royal Regiment)
4th (Queen’s Edinburgh Rifles) Battalion, } 4th/5th (Queen’s Edinburgh) Battalion,
5th (Queen’s Edinburgh Rifles) Battalion,
6th Battalion, } 57th (Lowland) Medium Brigade, Royal Garrison Artillery
8th Battalion,
7th Battalion, } 7th/9th (Highlanders) Battalion,
9th (Highlanders) Battalion,
 
The Queen’s (Royal West Surrey Regiment) The Queen’s Royal Regiment (West Surrey)
4th Battalion,
5th Battalion,
22nd (County of London) Battalion, The London Regiment (The Queen’s) 22nd London Regiment (The Queen’s)
24th (County of London) Battalion, The London Regiment (The Queen’s) 24th London Regiment (The Queen’s)
 
The Buffs (East Kent Regiment)
4th Battalion, } 4th Battalion,
5th (The Weald of Kent) Battalion,
 
The King’s Own (Royal Lancaster Regiment) The King’s Own Royal Regiment (Lancaster)
4th Battalion,
5th Battalion,
 
The Northumberland Fusiliers
4th Battalion,
5th Battalion,
6th Battalion,
7th Battalion,
 
The Royal Warwickshire Regiment
5th Battalion,
6th Battalion,
7th Battalion,
8th Battalion,
 
The Royal Fusiliers (City of London Regiment)
1st (City of London) Battalion, The London Regiment (Royal Fusiliers) 1st City of London Regiment (Royal Fusiliers)
2nd (City of London) Battalion, The London Regiment (Royal Fusiliers) 2nd City of London Regiment (Royal Fusiliers)
3rd (City of London) Battalion, The London Regiment (Royal Fusiliers) 3rd City of London Regiment (Royal Fusiliers)
4th (City of London) Battalion, The London Regiment (Royal Fusiliers) 4th City of London Regiment (Royal Fusiliers)
 
The King’s (Liverpool Regiment) The King’s Regiment (Liverpool)
5th Battalion,
6th (Rifle) Battalion,
7th Battalion,
8th (Irish) Battalion, disbanded
9th Battalion, absorbed by 55th Division, Royal Engineers
10th (Scottish) Battalion,
 
The Norfolk Regiment
4th Battalion,
5th Battalion,
 
The Lincolnshire Regiment
4th Battalion,
5th Battalion,
 
The Devonshire Regiment
4th Battalion,
5th (Prince of Wales’s) Battalion,
6th Battalion,
 
The Suffolk Regiment
4th Battalion, } 4th Battalion,
5th Battalion,
1st Battalion, The Cambridgeshire Regiment
 
Prince Albert’s (Somersetshire Light Infantry) The Somerset Light Infantry (Prince Albert’s)
4th Battalion,
5th Battalion,
 
The Prince of Wales’s Own (West Yorkshire Regiment) The West Yorkshire Regiment (Prince of Wales’s Own)
5th Battalion,
6th Battalion,
7th (Leeds Rifles) Battalion, } 7th/8th (Leeds Rifles) Battalion,
8th (Leeds Rifles) Battalion,
 
The East Yorkshire Regiment
4th Battalion,
 
The Bedfordshire Regiment The Bedfordshire and Hertfordshire Regiment
5th Battalion,
1st Battalion, The Hertfordshire Regiment
 
The Leicestershire Regiment
4th Battalion,
5th Battalion,
 
Alexandra, Princess of Wales’s Own (Yorkshire Regiment) The Green Howards
(Alexandra, Princess of Wales’s Own Yorkshire Regiment)
4th Battalion,
5th Battalion,
 
 
The Lancashire Fusiliers
5th Battalion,
6th Battalion,
7th Battalion,
8th Battalion,
 
The Royal Scots Fusiliers
4th Battalion, } 4th/5th Battalion,
5th Battalion,
 
The Cheshire Regiment
4th Battalion, } 4th/5th Battalion,
5th (Earl of Chester’s) Battalion,
6th Battalion, merged into
60th (6th Cheshire and Shropshire) Medium Brigade, Royal Garrison Artillery
7th Battalion,
 
The Royal Welsh Fusiliers The Royal Welch Fusiliers
4th (Denbighshire) Battalion,
5th (Flintshire) Battalion,
6th (Carnarvonshire & Anglesey) Battalion,
7th (Merioneth & Montgomery) Battalion,
 
The South Wales Borderers
1st Battalion, The Monmouthshire Regiment 1929: 1st (Rifle) Battalion, The Monmouthshire Regiment
2nd Battalion, The Monmouthshire Regiment
3rd Battalion, The Monmouthshire Regiment } 3rd (Brecknockshire and Monmouthshire) Battalion,
The Monmouthshire Regiment
The Brecknockshire Battalion,
 
The King’s Own Scottish Borderers
4th (The Border) Battalion,
5th (Dumfries & Galloway) Battalion,
 
The Cameronians (Scottish Rifles)
5th Battalion, } 5th/8th Battalion,
8th Battalion,
6th Battalion,
7th Battalion,
 
The Royal Inniskilling Fusiliers
There was no Territorial Army in Northern Ireland
 
The Gloucestershire Regiment
4th (City of Bristol) Battalion,
5th Battalion,
6th Battalion,
 
The Worcestershire Regiment
7th Battalion,
8th Battalion,
 
The East Lancashire Regiment
4th Battalion, } 4th/5th Battalion,
5th Battalion,
 
The East Surrey Regiment
5th Battalion,
6th Battalion,
21th (County of London) Battalion, The London Regiment (First Surrey Rifles) 21th London Regiment (First Surrey Rifles)
23rd (County of London) Battalion, The London Regiment 23rd London Regiment
 
The Duke of Cornwall’s Light Infantry
4th Battalion, } 4th/5th Battalion,
5th Battalion,
 
The Duke of Wellington’s (West Riding Regiment) The Duke of Wellington’s Regiment (West Riding)
4th Battalion,
5th Battalion,
6th Battalion,
7th Battalion,
 
The Border Regiment
4th (Cumberland and Westmorland) Battalion,
5th (Cumberland) Battalion,
 
The Royal Sussex Regiment
4th Battalion,
5th (Cinque Ports) Battalion,
 
The Hampshire Regiment
4th Battalion,
5th Battalion, } 5th/7th Battalion,
7th Battalion,
6th (Duke of Connaught’s Own) Battalion,
8th (Isle of Wight Rifles, Princess Beatrice’s) Battalion,
 
The South Staffordshire Regiment
5th Battalion,
6th Battalion,
 
The Dorsetshire Regiment
4th Battalion,
 
The Prince of Wales’s Volunteers (South Lancashire)
4th Battalion,
5th Battalion,
 
The Welsh Regiment The Welch Regiment
4th Battalion,
5th Battalion, 5th (Glamorgan) Battalion,
6th (Glamorgan) Battalion,
 
The Black Watch (Royal Highlanders)
4th (City of Dundee) Battalion, } 4th/5th (Dundee and Angus) Battalion,
5th (Angus and Dundee) Battalion,
6th (Perthshire) Battalion, } 6th/7th (Perth and Fife) Battalion,
7th (Fife) Battalion,
 
The Oxfordshire and Buckinghamshire Light Infantry
4th Battalion,
The Buckinghamshire Battalion,
 
The Essex Regiment
4th Battalion,
5th Battalion,
6th Battalion,
7th Battalion,
 
The Sherwood Foresters (Nottinghamshire and Derbyshire Regiment)
5th Battalion,
6th Battalion,
7th (Robin Hood) Battalion,
8th Battalion,
 
The Loyal North Lancashire Regiment The Loyal Regiment (North Lancashire)
4th Battalion,
5th Battalion,
 
The Northamptonshire Regiment
4th Battalion,
5th (Huntingdonshire) Battalion,
 
The Princess Charlotte of Wales’s (Royal Berkshire Regiment) The Royal Berkshire Regiment
(Princess Charlotte of Wales’s)
4th Battalion,
 
The Queen’s Own (Royal West Kent Regiment) The Queen’s Own Royal West Kent Regiment
4th Battalion,
5th Battalion,
20th (County of London) Battalion, The London Regiment (Blackheath and Woolwich) 20th London Regiment (The Queen’s Own)
 
The King’s Own (Yorkshire Light Infantry) The King’s Own Yorkshire Light Infantry
4th Battalion,
5th Battalion,
 
The King’s (Shropshire Light Infantry) The King’s Shropshire Light Infantry
4th Battalion,
1st Battalion, The Herefordshire Regiment
 
The Duke of Cambridge’s Own (Middlesex Regiment) The Middlesex Regiment (Duke of Cambridge’s Own)
7th Battalion,
8th Battalion,
9th Battalion,
10th Battalion, disbanded
7th (City of London) Battalion, The London Regiment } 7th City of London Regiment (Post Office Rifles)
¹ 8th (City of London) Battalion, The London Regiment (Post Office Rifles)
13th (County of London) Princess Louise’s Kensington Battalion, The London Regiment 13th London Regiment (Princess Louise’s Kensington Regiment)
19th (County of London) Battalion, The London Regiment (St. Pancras) 19th London Regiment (St. Pancras)
 
¹ 8th (City of London) Battalion (Post Office Rifles) from The Rifle Brigade to The Middlesex Regiment on it’s merge
 
The King’s Royal Rifle Corps
6th (City of London) Battalion, The London Regiment (Rifles) 6th City of London Regiment (City of London Rifles)
9th (County of London) Battalion, The London Regiment (Queen Victoria’s Rifles) 9th London Regiment (Queen Victoria’s Rifles)
11th (County of London) Battalion, The London Regiment (Finsbury Rifles) 11th London Regiment (Finsbury Rifles)
12th (County of London) Battalion, The London Regiment (The Rangers) 12th London Regiment (The Rangers)
15th (County of London) Battalion, The LR (Prince of Wales’s Own Civil Service Rifles) } 16th London Regiment
(Queen’s Westminster and Civil Service Rifles)
16th (County of London) Battalion, The London Regiment (Queen’s Westminster Rifles)
 
The Wiltshire Regiment (Duke of Edinburgh’s)
4th Battalion,
 
The Manchester Regiment
5th Battalion,
6th Battalion, } 6th/7th Battalion,
7th Battalion,
8th (Ardwick) Battalion,
9th Battalion,
10th Battalion,
 
The North Staffordshire Regiment (The Prince of Wales’s)
5th Battalion,
6th Battalion,
 
The York and Lancaster Regiment
4th (Hallamshire) Battalion, 1924: The Hallamshire Battalion,
5th Battalion,
 
The Durham Light Infantry
5th Battalion,
6th Battalion,
7th Battalion,
8th Battalion,
9th Battalion,
 
The Highland Light Infantry The Highland Light Infantry (City of Glasgow Regiment)
5th (City of Glasgow) Battalion,
6th (City of Glasgow) Battalion,
7th (Blythwood) Battalion,
9th (Glasgow Highland) Battalion,
 
The Seaforth Highlanders (Ross-shire Buffs, The Duke of Albany’s)
4th (Ross Highland) Battalion, } 4th/5th Battalion,
5th (The Sutherland and Caithness) Battalion,
6th (Morayshire) Battalion,
 
The Gordon Highlanders
4th (The City of Aberdeen) Battalion,
5th (Buchan and Formartin) Battalion, } 5th/7th Battalion,
7th (Deeside Highland) Battalion,
6th (Banff and Donside) Battalion,
14th (County of London) Battalion, The London Regiment (London Scottish) 14th London Regiment (London Scottish)
 
The Queen’s Own Cameron Highlanders
4th Battalion,
 
The Royal Irish Rifles The Royal Ulster Rifles
18th (County of London) Battalion, The London Regiment (London Irish Rifles) 18th London Regiment (London Irish Rifles)
There was no Territorial Army in Northern Ireland
 
Princess Victoria’s (Royal Irish Fusiliers) The Royal Irish Fusiliers (Princess Victoria’s)
There was no Territorial Army in Northern Ireland
 
Princess Louise’s (Argyll and Sutherland Highlanders) The Argyll and Sutherland Highlanders (Princess Louise’s)
5th (Renfrewshire) Battalion, } 5th/6th (Renfrewshire) Battalion,
6th (Renfrewshire) Battalion,
7th Battalion,
8th (The Argyllshire) Battalion,
9th (The Dumbartonshire) Battalion,
 
The Prince Consort’s Own (Rifle Brigade) The Rifle Brigade (Prince Consort’s Own)
5th (City of London) Battalion, The London Regiment (London Rifle Brigade) 5th City of London Regiment (London Rifle Brigade)
8th (City of London) Battalion, The London Regiment (Post Office Rifles) ¹
10th (County of London) Battalion, The London Regiment (Hackney Regiment) 10th London Regiment (Hackney) ²
17th (County of London) Battalion, The London Regiment (Poplar and Stepney Rifles) 17th London Regiment (Poplar and Stepney Rifles)
25th (County of London) Cyclist Battalion, The London Regiment absorbed by 47th Divisional Signals, Royal Signals
28th (County of London) Battalion, The London Regiment (Artists’ Rifles) 28th London Regiment (Artists’ Rifles)
 
¹ 8th (City of London) Battalion (Post Office Rifles) from The Rifle Brigade to The Middlesex Regiment on it’s merge
² 1929: transferred to The Royal Berkshire Regiment (Princess Charlotte of Wales’s)
 
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The Inns of Court Officers Training Corps
 

Conversion from 1935 to 1938

The Battalions of the Territorial Army (TA) in 1939

From 1947 to 1961

The Battalions of the Territorial Army (TA) in 1961

The Battalions of the Territorial and Army Volunteer Reserve (TAVR) in 1967

The Volunteer Battalions from 1971 to 1975

The Volunteer Battalions in 1995

The Volunteer Units from 1999 to 2007

The Territorial Army Battalions in 2007

The Army Reserve Battalions in 2023