The Volunteer Infantry of the British Army

Conversion from 1935 to 1938

The 166 battalions that were the result of the reorganisations of the 1920s did not change much until 1935. Between 1935 and the doubling of the TA in 1939 changes to a more modern army were made. Seventeen battalions were transferred to the Royal Engineers and ten to the Royal Artillery in an Anti-Aircraft role. Six became TA battalions of the Royal Tank Corps. Four got an Anti-Tank role in the Royal Artillery. Including a few other changes, the result, just before the doubling of the TA was ordered in April 1939, was 129 TA infantry battalions left. This includes thirteen battalions that were reroled as Searchlight Regiments, but were still part of their infantry parent regiments.

The former battalions of The London Regiment were again retitled in 1937. Either they were numbered in the sequence after the existing battalions of their regiment, or they got a special to battalion title.

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


		Changes in 1935/38

The Honourable Artillery Company
Infantry Battalion, ⁓	→	→	→

The Royal Scots (The Royal Regiment)
4^th/5^th (Queen’s Edinburgh) Battalion, ⁓	→	4^th/5^th (Queen’s Edinburgh) Battalion, ⁓ (52^nd Searchlight Regiment)	→
7^th/9^th (Highlanders) Battalion, ⁓	→	→	→

The Queen’s Royal Regiment (West Surrey)
4^th Battalion, ⁓	→	4^th Battalion, ⁓ (63^rd Searchlight Regiment)	→
5^th Battalion, ⁓	→	→	→
22^nd London Regiment (The Queen’s)	→	6^th (Bermondsey) Battalion, ⁓	→
24^th London Regiment (The Queen’s)	→	7^th (Southwark) Battalion, ⁓	→

The Buffs (East Kent Regiment)		The Buffs (Royal East Kent Regiment)
4^th Battalion, ⁓	→	4^th/5^th Battalion, ⁓	→

The King’s Own Royal Regiment (Lancaster)
4^th Battalion, ⁓	→	56^th Anti-Tank Regiment, Royal Artillery
5^th Battalion, ⁓	→	→	→

The Northumberland Fusiliers		The Royal Northumberland Fusiliers
4^th Battalion, ⁓	→	→	→
5^th Battalion, ⁓	→	5^th Battalion, ⁓ (53^rd Searchlight Regiment)	→
6^th Battalion, ⁓	→	43^rd Battalion, The Royal Tank Corps
7^th Battalion, ⁓	→	→	→

The Royal Warwickshire Regiment
5^th Battalion, ⁓	→	45^th Anti-Aircraft Battalion, Royal Engineers
6^th Battalion, ⁓	→	68^th Anti-Aircraft Brigade, Royal Artillery
7^th Battalion, ⁓	→	→	→
8^th Battalion, ⁓	→	→	→

The Royal Fusiliers (City of London Regiment)
1^st City of London Regiment (Royal Fusiliers)	→	8^th (1^st City of London) Battalion, ⁓	→
2^nd City of London Regiment (Royal Fusiliers)	→	9^th (2^nd City of London) Battalion, ⁓	→
3^rd City of London Regiment (Royal Fusiliers)	→	10^th (3^rd City of London) Battalion, ⁓ (69^th Searchlight Regiment)	→
4^th City of London Regiment (Royal Fusiliers)	→	60^th Anti-Aircraft Brigade, Royal Artillery

The King’s Regiment (Liverpool)
5^th Battalion, ⁓	→	→	→
6^th (Rifle) Battalion, ⁓	→	38^th Anti-Aircraft Battalion, Royal Engineers
7^th Battalion, ⁓	→	40^th Battalion, The Royal Tank Corps
10^th (Scottish) Battalion, ⁓	→	transferred to The Queen’s Own Cameron Highlanders ↴

The Norfolk Regiment		The Royal Norfolk Regiment
4^th Battalion, ⁓	→	→	→
5^th Battalion, ⁓	→	→	→

The Lincolnshire Regiment
4^th Battalion, ⁓	→	→	→
5^th Battalion, ⁓	→	46^th Anti-Aircraft Battalion, Royal Engineers

The Devonshire Regiment
4^th Battalion, ⁓	→	→	→
5^th (Prince of Wales’s) Battalion, ⁓	→	→	→
6^th Battalion, ⁓	→	→	→

The Suffolk Regiment
4^th Battalion, ⁓	→	→	→
1^st Battalion, The Cambridgeshire Regiment	→	→	→

The Somerset Light Infantry (Prince Albert’s)
4^th Battalion, ⁓	→	→	→
5^th Battalion, ⁓	→	→	→

The West Yorkshire Regiment (Prince of Wales’s Own)
5^th Battalion, ⁓	→	→	→
6^th Battalion, ⁓	→	49^th Anti-Aircraft Battalion, Royal Engineers
7^th/8^th (Leeds Rifles) Battalion, ⁓	{	45^th Battalion, The Royal Tank Corps
7^th/8^th (Leeds Rifles) Battalion, ⁓	{	66^th Anti-Aircraft Brigade, Royal Artillery

The East Yorkshire Regiment		The East Yorkshire Regiment (The Duke of York’s Own)
4^th Battalion, ⁓	→	→	→

The Bedfordshire and Hertfordshire Regiment
5^th Battalion, ⁓	→	→	→
1^st Battalion, The Hertfordshire Regiment	→	→	→

The Leicestershire Regiment
4^th Battalion, ⁓	→	44^th Anti-Aircraft Battalion, Royal Engineers
5^th Battalion, ⁓	→	→	→

The Green Howards (Alexandra, Princess of Wales’s Own Yorkshire Regiment)
4^th Battalion, ⁓	→	→	→
5^th Battalion, ⁓	→	→	→

The Lancashire Fusiliers
5^th Battalion, ⁓	→	→	→
6^th Battalion, ⁓	→	→	→
7^th Battalion, ⁓	→	39^th Anti-Aircraft Battalion, Royal Engineers
8^th Battalion, ⁓	→	→	→

The Royal Scots Fusiliers
4^th/5^th Battalion, ⁓	→	→	→

The Cheshire Regiment
4^th/5^th Battalion, ⁓	→	→	→
7^th Battalion, ⁓	→	→	→

The Royal Welch Fusiliers
4^th (Denbighshire) Battalion, ⁓	→	→	→
5^th (Flintshire) Battalion, ⁓	→	→	→
6^th (Carnarvonshire and Anglesey) Battalion, ⁓	→	6^th (Caernarvonshire and Anglesey) Battalion, ⁓	→
7^th (Merioneth and Montgomery) Battalion, ⁓	→	7^th (Merionethshire and Montgomeryshire) Battalion, ⁓	→

The South Wales Borderers
1^st (Rifle) Battalion, The Monmouthshire Regiment	→	1^st (Rifle) Battalion, The Monmouthshire Regiment (58^th Searchlight Regiment)	→
2^nd Battalion, The Monmouthshire Regiment	→	→	→
3^rd (Brecknockshire and Monmouthshire) Battalion, The Monmouthshire Regiment	→	→	→

The King’s Own Scottish Borderers
4^th (The Border) Battalion, ⁓	→	→	→
5^th (Dumfries & Galloway) Battalion, ⁓	→	→	→

The Cameronians (Scottish Rifles)
5^th/8^th Battalion, ⁓	→	5^th/8^th Battalion, ⁓ (56^th Searchlight Regiment)	→
6^th Battalion, ⁓	→	→	→
7^th Battalion, ⁓	→	→	→

The Gloucestershire Regiment
4^th (City of Bristol) Battalion, ⁓	→	4^th (City of Bristol) Battalion, ⁓ (66^th Searchlight Regiment)	→
5^th Battalion, ⁓	→	→	→
6^th Battalion, ⁓	→	44^th Battalion, The Royal Tank Corps

The Worcestershire Regiment
7^th Battalion, ⁓	→	→	→
8^th Battalion, ⁓	→	→	→

The East Lancashire Regiment
4^th/5^th Battalion, ⁓	→	→	→

The East Surrey Regiment
5^th Battalion, ⁓	→	57^th Anti-Tank Regiment, Royal Artillery
6^th Battalion, ⁓	→	→	→
21^th London Regiment (First Surrey Rifles)	→	35^th Anti-Aircraft Battalion, Royal Engineers
23^th London Regiment	→	42^nd Battalion, The Royal Tank Corps

The Duke of Cornwall’s Light Infantry
4^th/5^th Battalion, ⁓	→	→	→

The Duke of Wellington’s Regiment (West Riding)
4^th Battalion, ⁓	→	58^th Anti-Tank Regiment, Royal Artillery
5^th Battalion, ⁓	→	43^rd Anti-Aircraft Battalion, Royal Engineers
6^th Battalion, ⁓	→	→	→
7^th Battalion, ⁓	→	→	→

The Border Regiment
4^th (Cumberland and Westmorland) Battalion, ⁓	→	→	→
5^th (Cumberland) Battalion, ⁓	→	→	→

The Royal Sussex Regiment
4^th Battalion, ⁓	→	→	→
5^th (Cinque Ports) Battalion, ⁓	→	→	→

The Hampshire Regiment
4^th Battalion, ⁓	→	→	→
5^th/7^th Battalion, ⁓	→	→	→
6^th (Duke of Connaught’s Own) Battalion, ⁓	→	59^th Anti-Tank Regiment, Royal Artillery
8^th (Isle of Wight Rifles, Princess Beatrice’s) Battalion, ⁓	→	The Princess Beatrice’s Heavy Regiment, Royal Artillery

The South Staffordshire Regiment
5^th Battalion, ⁓	→	→	→
6^th Battalion, ⁓	→	→	→

The Dorsetshire Regiment
4^th Battalion, ⁓	→	→	→

The Prince of Wales’s Volunteers (South Lancashire)		The South Lancashire Regiment (Prince of Wales’s Volunteers)
4^th Battalion, ⁓	→	→	→
5^th Battalion, ⁓	→	5^th Battalion, ⁓ (61^st Searchlight Regiment)	→

The Welch Regiment
4^th Battalion, ⁓	→	4^th (Carmarthenshire) Battalion, ⁓	→
5^th (Glamorgan) Battalion, ⁓	→	→	→
6^th (Glamorgan) Battalion, ⁓	→	6^th (Glamorgan) Battalion, ⁓ (67^th Searchlight Regiment)	→

The Black Watch (Royal Highlanders)		The Black Watch (Royal Highland Regiment)
4^th/5^th (Dundee and Angus) Battalion, ⁓	→	→	→
6^th/7^th (Perth and Fife) Battalion, ⁓	→	→	→

The Oxfordshire and Buckinghamshire Light Infantry
4^th Battalion, ⁓	→	→	→
The Buckinghamshire Battalion, ⁓	→	→	→

The Essex Regiment
4^th Battalion, ⁓	→	→	→
5^th Battalion, ⁓	→	→	→
6^th Battalion, ⁓	→	6^th Battalion, ⁓ (64^th Searchlight Regiment)	→
7^th Battalion, ⁓	→	59^th Anti-Aircraft Brigade, Royal Artillery

The Sherwood Foresters (Nottinghamshire and Derbyshire Regiment)
5^th Battalion, ⁓	→	→	→
6^th Battalion, ⁓	→	40^nd Anti-Aircraft Battalion, Royal Engineers
7^th (Robin Hood) Battalion, ⁓	→	42^nd Anti-Aircraft Battalion, Royal Engineers
8^th Battalion, ⁓	→	→	→

The Loyal Regiment (North Lancashire)
4^th Battalion, ⁓	→	4^th Battalion, ⁓ (62^nd Searchlight Regiment)	→
5^th Battalion, ⁓	→	→	→

The Northamptonshire Regiment
4^th Battalion, ⁓	→	50^th Anti-Aircraft Battalion, Royal Engineers
5^th (Huntingdonshire) Battalion, ⁓	→	→	→

The Royal Berkshire Regiment (Princess Charlotte of Wales’s)
4^th Battalion, ⁓	→	→	→
10^th London Regiment (Hackney)	→	5^th (Hackney) Battalion, ⁓	→

The Queen’s Own Royal West Kent Regiment
4^th Battalion, ⁓	→	→	→
5^th Battalion, ⁓	→	→	→
20^th London Regiment (The Queen’s Own)	→	34^th Anti-Aircraft Battalion, Royal Engineers

The King’s Own Yorkshire Light Infantry
4^th Battalion, ⁓	→	→	→
5^th Battalion, ⁓	→	53^rd Light Anti-Aircraft Regiment, Royal Artillery

The King’s Shropshire Light Infantry
4^th Battalion, ⁓	→	→	→
1^st Battalion, The Herefordshire Regiment	→	→	→

The Middlesex Regiment (Duke of Cambridge’s Own)
7^th Battalion, ⁓	→	→	→
8^th Battalion, ⁓	→	→	→
9^th Battalion, ⁓	→	9^th Battalion, ⁓ (60^th Searchlight Regiment)	→
7^th City of London Regiment (Post Office Rifles)	→	32^nd Anti-Aircraft Battalion, Royal Engineers
13^th London Regiment (Princess Louise’s Kensington Regiment)	→	Princess Louise’s Kensington Regiment, ⁓	→
19^th London Regiment (St. Pancras)	→	33^rd Anti-Aircraft Battalion, Royal Engineers

The King’s Royal Rifle Corps
6^th City of London Regiment (City of London Rifles)	→	31^st Anti-Aircraft Battalion, Royal Engineers
9^th London Regiment (Queen Victoria’s Rifles)	→	Queen Victoria’s Rifles, ⁓	→
11^th London Regiment (Finsbury Rifles)	→	61^st Anti-Aircraft Brigade, Royal Artillery
12^th London Regiment (The Rangers)	→	The Rangers, ⁓	→
16^th London Regiment (Queen’s Westminster and Civil Service Rifles)	→	The Queen’s Westminsters, ⁓	→

The Wiltshire Regiment (Duke of Edinburgh’s)
4^th Battalion, ⁓	→	→	→

The Manchester Regiment
5^th Battalion, ⁓	→	→	→
6^th/7^th Battalion, ⁓	→	65^th Anti-Aircraft Brigade, Royal Artillery
8^th (Ardwick) Battalion, ⁓	→	→	→
9^th Battalion, ⁓	→	→	→
10^th Battalion, ⁓	→	41^st Battalion, The Royal Tank Corps

The North Staffordshire Regiment (The Prince of Wales’s)
5^th Battalion, ⁓	→	41^st Anti-Aircraft Battalion, Royal Engineers
6^th Battalion, ⁓	→	→	→

The York and Lancaster Regiment
The (Hallamshire) Battalion, ⁓	→	→	→
5^th Battalion, ⁓	→	67^th Anti-Aircraft Brigade, Royal Artillery

The Durham Light Infantry
5^th Battalion, ⁓	→	5^th Battalion, ⁓ (54^th Searchlight Regiment)	→
6^th Battalion, ⁓	→	→	→
7^th Battalion, ⁓	→	47^th Anti-Aircraft Battalion, Royal Engineers
8^th Battalion, ⁓	→	→	→
9^th Battalion, ⁓	→	→	→

The Highland Light Infantry (City of Glasgow Regiment)
5^th (City of Glasgow) Battalion, ⁓	→	→	→
6^th (City of Glasgow) Battalion, ⁓	→	→	→
7^th (Blythswood) Battalion, ⁓	→	83^rd Anti-Aircraft Brigade, Royal Artillery
9^th (Glasgow Highland) Battalion, ⁓	→	→	→

The Seaforth Highlanders (Ross-shire Buffs, The Duke of Albany’s)
4^th/5^th Battalion, ⁓	→	4^th/5^th (The Ross, Sutherland and Caithness) Battalion, ⁓	→
6^th (Morayshire) Battalion, ⁓	→	→	→

The Gordon Highlanders
4^th (The City of Aberdeen) Battalion, ⁓	→	→	→
5^th/7^th Battalion, ⁓	→	→	→
6^th (Banff and Donside) Battalion, ⁓	→	→	→
14^th London Regiment (London Scottish)	→	The London Scottish, ⁓	→

The Queen’s Own Cameron Highlanders
4^th Battalion, ⁓	→	→	→
↳ transferred from The King’s Regiment (Liverpool)	→	The Liverpool Scottish, ⁓	→

The Royal Ulster Rifles
18^th London Regiment (London Irish Rifles)	→	The London Irish Rifles, ⁓	→

The Argyll and Sutherland Highlanders (Princess Louise’s)
5^th/6^th (Renfrewshire) Battalion, ⁓	→	→	→
7^th Battalion, ⁓	→	→	→
8^th (The Argyllshire) Battalion, ⁓	→	→	→
9^th (The Dumbartonshire) Battalion, ⁓	→	54^th Light Anti-Aircraft Regiment, Royal Artillery

The Rifle Brigade (Prince Consort’s Own)
5^th City of London Regiment (London Rifle Brigade)	→	The London Rifle Brigade, ⁓	→
17^th London Regiment (Poplar and Stepney Rifles)	→	The Tower Hamlets Rifles, ⁓	→
28^th London Regiment (Artists’ Rifles)	→	The Artists’ Rifles, ⁓	→

-
The Inns of Court Officers Training Corps	→	transferred to the Cavalry TA (but no Yeomanry) as The Inns of Court Regiment

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