British Territorial Units 1914-18

Description

In his Army Reforms of 1906/07 the Secretary of State for War, Richard Burdon Haldane, provided for an expeditionary force the Regular Army supplemented by the old Militia and a new organisation intended for home defence, the Territorial Force. This new 'Citizen's Army' was formed by the transfer of the Honourable Artillery Company, Imperial Yeomanry and Volunteer Force, all with many years of service and tradition. At the outbreak of war, the Territorial Force was organised as per the Regular Army, with infantry battalions, artillery, engineers, supply and medical formations. This title takes a highly detailed and illustrated look at the badges and uniforms and the changing organisation of the British Territorial units during the Great War. It also covers the combat experiences of the men who soon found themselves in service overseas, in the thick of the fighting.

Ray Westlake has had a long standing fascination with the Territorial Units of the British Army. He has published numeous volumes on British units during the Great War, covering Gallipoli and the Somme. In this, his first title for Osprey, he brings his expertise and research to bear in a close look at the Territorial Forces during this period. Mike Chappell comes from an Aldershot family with British Army connections stretching back several generations. He enlisted as a teenage private in the Royal Hampshire Regiment in 1952, and over the next 22 years he held every rank and many regimental appointments up to WO1 and Regimental Sergeant Major. He retired in 1974, as RSM of the 1st Battalion The Wessex Regiment (Rifle Volunteers), and has since devoted himself to illustrating and authoring many military history titles.