Royal Berkshire Militia
Encyclopedia
The Royal Berkshire Militia was a militia
regiment in the United Kingdom
from 1759 to 1881, when it was amalgamated into The Princess Charlotte of Wales's (Berkshire Regiment).
A Berkshire Militia was embodied at Reading during the English Civil War
, but with no formal connection to the later regiment.
The regiment was organised in 1759, as the Berkshire Militia, and designated "Royal" the following year. It was embodied in 1778, at which time it was ranked the 34th regiment of militia, and remained active for five years. It was regularly re-ranked through its embodiment, becoming the 11th in 1779, 25th in 1780, 29th in 1781, and 20th in 1782.
It was embodied again in 1793 for the French Revolutionary Wars
, ranked as the 30th. With the resumption of hostilities in 1803, it was embodied as the 37th, and disembodied in 1816 following the peace.
In 1833, it was ranked as the 7th. It saw service during the Crimean War
, being embodied in 1855 and volunteering for garrison service in the Mediterranean, being embodied again in late 1857 and finally disembodied in 1858.
In 1881, under the Childers Reforms
, the regiment was transferred into The Princess Charlotte of Wales's (Berkshire Regiment) as the 3rd Battalion. This was embodied during the South African War in 1900. It was disembodied in mid-1901.
During the Haldane Reforms
in 1908 the battalion was transferred to the Special Reserve, and was embodied on mobilisation in 1914 for the First World War. As with all Special Reserve battalions, it served as a regimental depot, and was disembodied following the end of hostilities in 1919, with personnel transferred to the 2nd Battalion. The battalion nominally remained in existence throughout the Second World War, but was never activated, and was finally disbanded in 1953.
Militia
The term militia is commonly used today to refer to a military force composed of ordinary citizens to provide defense, emergency law enforcement, or paramilitary service, in times of emergency without being paid a regular salary or committed to a fixed term of service. It is a polyseme with...
regiment in the United Kingdom
United Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...
from 1759 to 1881, when it was amalgamated into The Princess Charlotte of Wales's (Berkshire Regiment).
A Berkshire Militia was embodied at Reading during the English Civil War
English Civil War
The English Civil War was a series of armed conflicts and political machinations between Parliamentarians and Royalists...
, but with no formal connection to the later regiment.
The regiment was organised in 1759, as the Berkshire Militia, and designated "Royal" the following year. It was embodied in 1778, at which time it was ranked the 34th regiment of militia, and remained active for five years. It was regularly re-ranked through its embodiment, becoming the 11th in 1779, 25th in 1780, 29th in 1781, and 20th in 1782.
It was embodied again in 1793 for the French Revolutionary Wars
French Revolutionary Wars
The French Revolutionary Wars were a series of major conflicts, from 1792 until 1802, fought between the French Revolutionary government and several European states...
, ranked as the 30th. With the resumption of hostilities in 1803, it was embodied as the 37th, and disembodied in 1816 following the peace.
In 1833, it was ranked as the 7th. It saw service during the Crimean War
Crimean War
The Crimean War was a conflict fought between the Russian Empire and an alliance of the French Empire, the British Empire, the Ottoman Empire, and the Kingdom of Sardinia. The war was part of a long-running contest between the major European powers for influence over territories of the declining...
, being embodied in 1855 and volunteering for garrison service in the Mediterranean, being embodied again in late 1857 and finally disembodied in 1858.
In 1881, under the Childers Reforms
Childers Reforms
The Childers Reforms restructured the infantry regiments of the British army. The reforms were undertaken by Secretary of State for War Hugh Childers in 1881, and were a continuation of the earlier Cardwell reforms....
, the regiment was transferred into The Princess Charlotte of Wales's (Berkshire Regiment) as the 3rd Battalion. This was embodied during the South African War in 1900. It was disembodied in mid-1901.
During the Haldane Reforms
Haldane Reforms
The Haldane Reforms were a series of far-ranging reforms of the British Army made from 1906 to 1912, and named after the Secretary of State for War, Richard Burdon Haldane...
in 1908 the battalion was transferred to the Special Reserve, and was embodied on mobilisation in 1914 for the First World War. As with all Special Reserve battalions, it served as a regimental depot, and was disembodied following the end of hostilities in 1919, with personnel transferred to the 2nd Battalion. The battalion nominally remained in existence throughout the Second World War, but was never activated, and was finally disbanded in 1953.