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King's Own Royal Regiment Museum Lancaster |
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REGIMENTAL HISTORY |
HALDANE'S MILITARY REFORMS The Boer War demonstrated that the army was poorly organised and inadequate to deal with a large scale war. The official report into the war led to the government instituting major reforms affecting every part of the army. In 1905 Richard Burdon Haldane was appointed Secretary of State for War, and asked the question: “What is the Army for?” The army
had to: Haldane successfully: Modernised the War Office and Headquarters. The Army Council was established. It comprised four generals and two civilians who were all responsible to the Secretary of State for War. Improved training of senior officers through staff colleges, with revised and enlarged courses. Corrected the balance of troops at home and overseas. By reorganising forces he was able to increase the number available in Britain. Improved and reorganised the Army Service Corps. This in turn improved the rations and supplies for soldiers. Reorganised the Royal Army Medical Corps and field ambulance services. Established the Royal Flying Corps in 1912. At the beginning of the First World War the RFC was able to send five squadrons to France to assist troops on the ground. Converted the Militia into the Special Reserve from which men could be drafted into the regular unit. These soldiers would not be used on the front line. The Territorial Reserve Forces Act, of 1908, disbanded the 4th (Militia) Battalion and converted the 3rd (Militia) Battalion into the 3rd Special Reserve Battalion of the King’s Own. Converted the Volunteers into the Territorial Force (TF) who would be ready to serve within 6 months of mobilisation. The 1st and 2nd Volunteer Battalions became the 4th and 5th Battalions of the King’s Own, each divided into eight companies. Haldane achieved many things, and certainly it was his efforts which placed the Army in such a strong position for war in 1914.
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