Overview of Changes in organising the military

Question 1

When was the modern British army first formed?

Answer 1

during the 17th century

Question 2

When was the War of the Spanish Succession?

Answer 2

1701 - 1714

Question 3

What timestamp does the War of the Spanish Succession provide for the modern British army?

Answer 3

Britains armed forces were organised by the government and paid for by taxation rather than by influential gentlemen raising regiments in times of war.

Question 4

How was the army traditionally organised?

Answer 4

Into three fighting arms and support services

Question 5

What were the three fighting arms in the traditional army?

Answer 5

Infantry, cavalry and artillery

Question 6

What is infantry?

Answer 6

Foot soldiers

Question 7

What is cavalry?

Answer 7

Mounted soldiers

Question 8

What is artillery?

Answer 8

Heavy weapons

Question 9

What were the three support services?

Answer 9

engineers, medical support and commissariat

Question 10

Regiment

Answer 10

A military unit of ground troops consisting of at least two battalions usually commanded by a colonel.
Often a geographical area.

Question 11

Commissariat

Answer 11

The department of the army responsible for transportation and supply. Peacetime duties were light but during war it had to be rapidly expanded and activities were improvised, sometimes causing issues in supply chains.

Question 12

What did every soldier in the force belong to?

Answer 12

A regiment

Question 13

What was the army traditionally made up of?

Answer 13

Volunteers

Question 14

What do the infantry fight in?

Answer 14

Battalions

Question 15

How many men were usually in a battalion?

Answer 15

Between 400 and 1000 men

Question 16

How many battalions does a regiment usually have?

Answer 16

one or more

Question 17

What is each battalion broken down into?

Answer 17

companies

Question 18

What is each company broken down into?

Answer 18

platoons

Question 19

What could artillery belong to?

Answer 19

Royal Artillery Regiment or the Royal Horse Artillery Regiment

Question 20

What is the battery?

Answer 20

Consists of six to eight guns, treated like separate entities and assigned duties on that basis

Question 21

How did Cavalry regiments fight?

Answer 21

Usually together but occasionally split into squadrons (especially is assigned duties away from fighting like guarding convoys or reconnaissance)

Question 22

Reconnaissance

Answer 22

The act of searching around the army in an effort to gain information as to the whereabouts and condition of the enemy

Question 23

From the 1790s onwards what were brigades combined to make?

Answer 23

Divisions which would make up the army

Question 24

Divisions

Answer 24

Fighting units with 12 battalions of 1000 men each
Would have its own infantry, cavalry, artillery and engineers

Question 25

Corps

Answer 25

A large army unit made of several divisions of infantry, cavalry and artillery, each corps moved independently

Question 26

What was the corps system and who developed it?

Answer 26

Developed by the French, two or more divisions would constitute a corps and several corps would make an army

Question 27

When was the corps system taken up by the British?

Answer 27

the first world war

Question 28

What are the Royal navy’s basic units?

Answer 28

Ships

Question 29

How are ships in the Royal Navy named?

Answer 29

All given the title Her/His Majesty’s ships (depending on the monarch) and then a name. (HMS) Even land-based training facilities

Question 30

What does every ship have?

Answer 30

a nominal homeport

Question 31

What are ships organised into?

Answer 31

Flotillas

Question 32

What are flotillas organised into?

Answer 32

Fleets

Question 33

How were ships graded?

Answer 33

By size, often defining their function (high seas development or coastal waters)

Question 34

What are the types of ships?

Answer 34

Battleship, Cruiser, Destroyer, Frigate, Sloop, Corvette, Brig

Question 35

Battleship (19th century)

Answer 35

A large warship, expected to carry 100 guns

Question 36

Battleship (21st century)

Answer 36

A large warship usually over 30,000 tons with thick armour and primary armament being guns of 12-inch calibre or greater

Question 37

Calibre

Answer 37

the diameter of the shell that a gun fires

Question 38

Cruiser (19th century)

Answer 38

Smaller armoured warship from 1870 onwards

Question 39

Cruiser (21st century)

Answer 39

Smaller version of a battleship with lighter armour, guns between 6 and 9 inch calibre and missiles

Question 40

Destroyer (19th century)

Answer 40

A smaller warship whose primary aim was to sail with the fleet and protect the larger ships.

Question 41

Destroyer (21st Century)

Answer 41

Smaller warship whose primary aim is to sail with the fleet and protect larger ships. Capable of firing missiles and torpedoes and used to escort conveys and attack submarines.

Question 42

Frigate (19th century and 21st century)

Answer 42

Smaller warship built for speed and manoeuvrability rather than power, often used for escort duties.

Question 43

Sloop (19th century)

Answer 43

Reference to shape of sail (triangle) and sized between a frigate and corvette

Question 44

Sloop (21st century)

Answer 44

Smaller than a frigate and used for escort duties and anti-submarine warfare

Question 45

Corvette (19th and 21st century)

Answer 45

The smallest vessel that can be designed as a warship

Question 46

Brig (Only in 19th century)

Answer 46

A small warship with two masts and rectangular sails