Childers Reforms
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The '''Childers Reforms''' restructured the [[infantry]] [[regiment]]s 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 reorganisation was brought into effect by General Order 41/1881, issued on [[1 May]], [[1881]], amended by G.O. 70/1881 dated [[1 July]], which created a network of multi-[[battalion]] regiments. In England, Wales and Scotland, each regiment was to have two regular or "line" battalions and two militia battalions. In Ireland, there were to be two line and three militia battalions. This was done by renaming the numbered regiments of foot and county militia regiments. In addition the various corps of rifle volunteers were to be designated as volunteer battalions. Each of these regiments was linked by headquarters location and territorial name to its "Regimental District". The reforms came into effect on [[1 July]].
From 1881 regimental seniority numbers were officially abolished and battalions came to be known by their number within the regiment and the regimental district name. Unofficially, the regiments were still referred to by their numbers by their officers and men, as tradition and a point of pride, and several regiments such as "[[Buffs (Royal East Kent Regiment)|The Buffs]]", [[Queen's Own Cameron Highlanders|The Cameron Highlanders]], and "[[The Black Watch|The Black Watch]]", lobbied to keep their distinct names as part of their battalion titles.
In practice, it was not always possible to apply the scheme strictly: the Cameron Highlanders initially had only one regular battalion, while several regiments had more or fewer militia regiments than envisaged in the initial scheme. In addition, the Rifle Brigade and King's Royal Rifle Corps had no regimental districts, and their affiliated militia and volunteer battalions were selected not on a territorial basis, but due to their "rifle" traditions. This structure lasted until 1948, when every regiment of [[line infantry]] had its regular battalions cut to one, with only the three original [[Guards Division]] regiments retaining two regular battalions.
==Standardisation of uniforms and colours ==
An attempt was also made to have the facings of uniforms standardised: English and Welsh regiments would have white facings, Irish regiments would wear green facings, Scottish regiments would have yellow facings, and royal regiments would have dark blue facings. Officers' uniforms had lace in distinctive national patterns: rose pattern for England and Wales, thistle for Scotland and shamrock for Ireland. In the case of regular battalions the lace was gold, while that of the militia battalions was silver. There were also attempts to assimilate regimental insignia and remove "tribal" uniform distinctions. This was less successful, as regimental tribalism and tradition forced a national outcry.
In 1890, The Buffs succeeded in being allowed to resume the wearing of buff facings. Within a few years, a number of other regiments had replaced white facings with traditional colours. After 1935, the ruling on blue facings for royal regiments effectively lapsed. In that year, in celebration of his [[silver jubilee]], [[George V of the United Kingdom|King George V]] designated three regiments as royal. In each case, they were ''"permitted to retain their present facings"''.<ref>Honours for the army - new royal regiments, ''The Times'', June 3, 1935.</ref> In 1939 The Royal Inniskilling Fusiliers, who had worn blue facings since 1881, were issued buff regimental colours ''"by request and gracious permission"''.<ref>Eric Hamilton, Colours of the Regular Army Infantry of the Line 1st July 1881 to 1958, ''Bulletin of the Military Historical Society'' Special Issue No.1, London, 1968</ref> Again in 1946 three infantry regiments were designated as "royal" for services in the [[Second World War]]. Of these, only the Royal Lincolnshire Regiment replaced its (white) facings with blue.<ref>Royal corps and regiments - war service honours, ''The Times'', December 10, 1946</ref>
==Regiments created==
{| class="wikitable"
! Original title
! Changes
! Regular battalions
! Militia battalions
! Volunteer battalions
! Regimental district
! Facings
|-
| [[The Royal Scots]] (Lothian Regiment)
|1921: The Royal Scots (The Royal Regiment)<ref name=AO5091920>Army Order 509/1920, in effect 1st January 1921</ref>
|1st, or The Royal Scots Regiment (2 battalions)
|The Edinburgh (or Queen's) Regiment of Light Infantry Militia<br>
|City of Edinburgh Rifle Volunteer Brigade<br>
2nd Midlothian (Midlothian and Peebles-shire) Rifle Volunteer Corps<br>
1st Berwickshire RVC†<br>
1st Haddington RVC<br>
1st Linlithgowshire RVC<br>
|[[Berwickshire]]†, City of Edinburgh, [[Midlothian|County of Edinburgh]], [[East Lothian|Haddingtonshire]], [[West Lothian|Linlithgowshire]]
|Blue
|-
|[[2nd (The Queen's Royal) Regiment of Foot|The Queen's (Royal West Surrey Regiment)]]
|1921: The Queen's Royal Regiment (West Surrey)<ref name=AO5091920/>
|2nd (Queen's Royal) Regiment of Foot (2 battalions)
|2nd Royal Surrey Militia
|2nd Surrey RVC<br>
4th Surrey RVC<br>
6th Surrey RVC<br>
8th Surrey RVC
|Part of [[Surrey]] (including [[Bermondsey]], [[Croydon]], [[Guildford]] and [[Southwark]])
|Blue
|-
|[[The Buffs (Royal East Kent Regiment)|The Buffs (East Kent Regiment)]]
|1935: The Buffs (Royal East Kent Regiment)<ref name=AO1101935>Army Order 110/1935</ref>
|3rd (East Kent, The Buffs) Regiment of Foot (2 battalions)
|East Kent Militia<br>A new 4th Battalion was also formed
|2nd Kent (East Kent) RVC<br>
5th Kent (Weald of Kent) RVC
|Part of [[Kent]] (including [[Ashford, Kent|Ashford]], [[Canterbury]], [[Dover]] and [[Ramsgate]])
|White, changed to buff in 1890<ref>Naval and military intelligence, ''The Times'', September 13, 1890</ref>
|-
|[[The King's Own Royal Regiment (Lancaster)|The King's Own (Royal Lancaster Regiment)]]
|1921: The King's Own Royal Regiment (Lancaster)<ref name=AO5091920/>
|4th (King's Own Royal) Regiment of Foot (2 battalions)
|1st Royal Lancashire Militia (Duke of Lancaster's Own) (2 battalions)
|10th Lancashire RVC
|Part of [[Lancashire]] (including [[Barrow-in-Furness]], [[Lancaster, Lancashire|Lancaster]], [[Morecambe]] and [[Ulverston]])
|Blue
|-
|[[The Royal Northumberland Fusiliers|The Northumberland Fusiliers]]
|1935: The Royal Northumberland Fusiliers<ref name=AO1101935/>
|5th (Northumberland) (Fusiliers) Regiment of Foot (2 battalions)
|The Northumberland Light Infantry Militia
|1st Northumberland (Northumberland and Berwick-on-Tweed) RVC<br>
2nd Northumberland RVC<br>
1st Newcastle-on-Tyne RVC
|[[Northumberland]] (including [[Berwick-upon-Tweed]])
|White, changed to gosling green in 1899
|-
|[[The Royal Warwickshire Fusiliers|The Royal Warwickshire Regiment]]
|1963: The Royal Warwickshire Fusiliers
|6th (Royal 1st Warwickshire) Regiment of Foot (2 battalions)
|1st Warwickshire Militia<br>
2nd Warwickshire Militia
|1st Warwickshire (Birmingham) RVC <br>
2nd Warwickshire RVC
|[[Warwickshire]]
|Blue
|-
|[[The Royal Fusiliers (City of London Regiment)]]
|
|7th (Royal Fusiliers) Regiment of Foot (2 battalions)
|Royal London Militia<br>
3rd or Royal Westminster Middlesex (Light Infantry) Militia<br>
4th or Royal South Middlesex Militia<br>
|1st Tower Hamlets Rifle Volunteer Brigade<br>
Originally the 5th Middlesex RVC, 9th Middlesex RVC and 22nd Middlesex RVC, reallocated to King's Royal Rifle Corps 1882/3<br>
replaced by:
10th Middlesex RVC<br>
11th Middlesex RVC<br>
23rd Middlesex RVC<br>
|[[City of London]], part of [[Middlesex]] (the [[Tower division]], [[Bloomsbury]] and [[Westminster]])
|Blue
|-
|The Liverpool Regiment
|1881: The King's (Liverpool Regiment)
<br>
1921:[[The King's Regiment (Liverpool)]]<ref name=AO5091920/>
|8th (the King's) Regiment of Foot (2 battalions)
|2nd Royal Lancashire Militia (Duke of Lancaster's Own Rifles)
|1st Lancashire RVC<br>
Liverpool Rifle Brigade (5th Lancashire RVC)<br>
13th Lancashire RVC<br>
15th Lancashire RVC<br>
18th Lancashire (Liverpool Irish) RVC<br>
19th Lancashire (Liverpool Press Guard) RVC<br>
1st Isle of Man RVC
|Part of [[Lancashire]] (including [[Bootle]], [[Liverpool]] and [[Southport]]) and the [[Isle of Man]]
|Blue
|-
|The Norfolk Regiment
|1935: [[The Royal Norfolk Regiment]]<ref name=AO1101935/>
|9th (East Norfolk) Regiment of Foot (2 battalions)
|1st or West Norfolk Militia<br>
2nd or East Norfolk Militia
|1st Norfolk (City of Norwich) RVC<br>
2nd Norfolk RVC<br>
3rd Norfolk RVC<br>
4th Norfolk RVC
|[[Norfolk]]
|White, changed to yellow in 1905
|-
|The Lincolnshire Regiment
|1946:[[The Royal Lincolnshire Regiment]]<ref name=AO1671946>Army Order 167/1946</ref>
|10th (North Lincoln) Regiment of Foot (2 battalions)
|Royal North Lincolnshire Militia<br>
Royal South Lincolnshire Militia
|1st Lincolnshire RVC<br>
2nd Lincolnshire RVC
|[[Lincolnshire]]
|White, changed to royal blue in 1946 and to blue in 1949<ref name=AO1671946/><ref>Army Order 136/1949</ref>
|-
|[[The Devonshire Regiment]]
|
|11th (North Devon) Regiment of Foot (2 battalions)
|1st or East Devon Militia<br>
2nd or South Devon Militia
|1st Devonshire (Exeter and South Devon) RVC<br>
2nd Devonshire Rifle Volunteers (Prince of Wales's)<br>
3rd Devonshire RVC<br>
4th Devonshire RVC<br>
5th Devonshire RVC
|[[Devon]]
|White, changed to Lincoln green in 1905
|-
|[[The Suffolk Regiment]]
|
|12th (East Suffolk) Regiment of Foot (2 battalions)
|West Suffolk Militia<br>
Cambridgeshire Militia
|1st Suffolk RVC<br>
6th Suffolk (West Suffolk) RVC<br>
1st Cambridgeshire (Cambridge, Essex and Huntingdonshire) RVC<br>
2nd Cambridgeshire (Cambridge University) RVC
|[[Cambridgeshire]] and [[Suffolk]], also [[Huntingdonshire]] until 1900‡
|White, changed to yellow in 1899
|-
|Prince Albert's Light Infantry (Somersetshire Regiment)
|1882: The Prince Albert's (Somersetshire Light Infantry)<br>
1912: Prince Albert's (Somerset Light Infantry)<br>
1921: [[The Somerset Light Infantry (Prince Albert's)]]<ref name=AO5091920/>
|13th (1st Somersetshire) (Prince Albert's Light Infantry) Regiment of Foot (2 battalions)
|1st Somersetshire Light Infantry Militia<br>
2nd Somersetshire Light Infantry Militia
|1st Somersetshire RVC<br>
2nd Somersetshire RVC<br>
3rd Somersetshire RVC
|[[Somerset]]
|Blue
|-
|The Prince of Wales's Own (West Yorkshire Regiment)<br>
|1921: The [[West Yorkshire Regiment (The Prince of Wales's Own)]]<ref name=AO5091920/>
|14th (Buckinghamshire) (Prince of Wales's Own) Regiment of Foot (2 battalions)
|2nd West York Light Infantry Militia<br>
4th West York Militia
|1st Yorkshire, West Riding RVC<br>
3rd Yorkshire, West Riding RVC<br>
7th Yorkshire, West Riding RVC
|Part of the [[West Riding of Yorkshire]] (including [[Bradford]], [[Harrogate]], [[Leeds]] and [[Ripon]]) and the county and city of [[York]]
|White, changed to buff in 1900<ref>Naval and military intelligence, ''The Times'', April 4, 1900</ref>
|-
|The East Yorkshire Regiment
|1935: [[The East Yorkshire Regiment (The Duke of York's Own)]]<ref name=AO1101935/>
|15th (York, East Riding) Regiment of Foot (2 battalions)
|East York Militia
|1st Yorkshire, East Riding, RVC<br>
2nd Yorkshire, East Riding, RVC
|[[East Riding of Yorkshire]]
|White
|-
|The Bedfordshire Regiment
|1919: [[The Bedfordshire and Hertfordshire Regiment]]<ref>Army Order 269/1919</ref>
|16th (Bedfordshire) Regiment of Foot (2 battalions)
|Bedfordshire Light Infantry Militia<br>
Hertfordshire Militia
|1st Hertfordshire RVC<br>
2nd Hertfordshire RVC
1st Bedfordshire RVC
|[[Bedfordshire]] and [[Hertfordshire]]; also [[Huntingdonshire]] 1900 - 1908‡
|White
|-
|The Leicestershire Regiment
|1946: [[The Royal Leicestershire Regiment]]<ref name=AO1671946/>
|17th (Leicestershire) Regiment of Foot (2 battalions)
|Leicestershire Militia
|1st Leicestershire RVC
|[[Leicestershire]] and [[Rutland]]
|White, changed to pearl grey in 1931<ref name="colours">Army's return to old colours - Leicestershire Regiment's new facings, ''The Times'', April 25, 1931</ref>
|-
|[[The Royal Irish Regiment]]
|Disbanded 1922<ref name=AO781922>Army Order 78/1922</ref>
|18th (The Royal Irish) Regiment of Foot (2 battalions)
|Wexford Militia<br>
2nd or North Tipperary Light Infantry Militia<br>
Kilkenny Fusiliers Militia<br>
|N/A
|[[County Kilkenny]], [[County Tipperary]], [[County Waterford]] and [[County Wexford]]
|Blue
|-
|The Princess of Wales's Own (Yorkshire Regiment)
|1902: Alexandra, Princess of Wales's Own (Yorkshire Regiment)<br>
1921: [[The Green Howards (Alexandra, Princess of Wales's Own Yorkshire Regiment)]]<ref name=AO5091920/>
|19th (1st York, North Riding) (Princess of Wales's Own) Regiment of Foot (2 battalions)
|5th West York Militia<br>
North York Rifles
|1st Yorkshire (North Riding) RVC<br>
2nd Yorkshire (North Riding) RVC
|[[North Riding of Yorkshire]]
|White, changed to grass green in 1899
|-
|[[The Lancashire Fusiliers]]
|
|20th (East Devonshire) Regiment of Foot (2 battalions)
|7th Royal Lancashire Militia
|8th Lancashire RVC<br>
12th Lancashire RVC
|part of [[Lancashire]] (including [[Bury]], [[Middleton, Greater Manchester|Middleton]], [[Radcliffe, Greater Manchester|Radcliffe]], [[Rochdale]] and [[Salford]])
|White
|-
|[[The Royal Scots Fusiliers]]
|
|21st (Royal Scots Fusiliers) Regiment of Foot (2 battalions)
|Dumfries, Roxburgh, Kirkcudbright and Selkirk (Scottish Borderers) Militia<ref name="border militia">Transferred to the King's Own Scottish Borderers in 1887</ref><br>
Royal Ayrshire and Wigton Rifles (The Prince Regent's Own)
|1st Ayrshire RVC<br>
2nd Ayrshire RVC
|[[Ayrshire]], [[Kirkcudbrightshire]] and [[Wigtownshire]], also [[Dumfriesshire]], [[Roxburghshire]] and [[Selkirkshire]] until 1887†
|Blue
|-
|[[The Cheshire Regiment]]
|
|22nd (Cheshire) Regiment of Foot (2 battalions)
|1st Royal Cheshire Light Infantry Militia<br>
2nd Royal Cheshire Militia
|1st Cheshire RVC<br>
2nd (Earl of Chester's) Cheshire RVC<br>
3rd Cheshire RVC<br>
4th Cheshire (Cheshire and Derbyshire) RVC<br>
5th Cheshire RVC
|[[Cheshire]]
|White, changed to buff in 1904
|-
|The Royal Welsh Fusiliers
|1920: [[The Royal Welch Fusiliers]]<ref>Army Order 56/1920</ref>
|23rd (Royal Welsh Fusiliers) Regiment of Foot (2 battalions)
|Royal Denbigh and Merioneth Rifles<br>
Royal Carnarvon Rifle Corps
|1st Denbighshire RVC<br>
1st Flintshire and Carnarvonshire RVC<br>
|[[Anglesey]], [[Caernarfonshire|Carnarvonshire]], [[Denbighshire]], [[Flintshire]] and [[Merionethshire]], also [[Montgomeryshire]] from 1908.<ref name="RadMont">With the creation of the [[Territorial Army|Territorial Force]] in 1908, Radnorshire was included in the regimental district of the King's Shropshire Light Infantry, and Montgomeryshire in that of the Royal Welsh Fusiliers</ref>
|Blue
|-
|[[The South Wales Borderers]]
|
|24th (2nd Warwickshire) Regiment of Foot (2 battalions)
|Royal South Wales Borderers Militia (Royal Radnor and Brecknock Rifles)<br>
Royal Montgomery Rifles
|1st Brecknockshire RVC<br>
1st Monmouthshire RVC<br>
2nd Monmouthshire RVC<br>
3rd Monmouthshire RVC<br>
1st Montgomeryshire RVC
|[[Brecknockshire]] and [[Monmouthshire (historic)|Monmouthshire]], also [[Montgomeryshire]] and [[Radnorshire]] until 1908.<ref name="RadMont"/>
|White, changed to grass green in 1905
|-
|The King's Own Borderers
|1887: [[The King's Own Scottish Borderers]]
|25th (King's Own Borderers) Regiment of Foot (2 battalions)
|''Transferred from the Royal Scots Fusiliers in 1887:''<br> Dumfries, Roxburgh, Kirkcudbright and Selkirk (Scottish Borderers) Militia<ref name="border militia"/>
|''Transferred from the Royal Scots in 1887:''<br>
1st Roxburgh and Selkirk (The Border) RVC<br>
1st Berwickshire RVC<br>
''Transferred from the Royal Scots Fusiliers in 1877:''<br>
1st Dumfriesshire RVC<br>
The Galloway RVC
|Originally to have been part of the West Riding of Yorkshire, but no regimental district formed in 1881. In 1887 a regimental district was formed comprising [[Berwickshire]], [[Dumfriesshire]], [[Roxburghshire]] and [[Selkirkshire]] by transferring areas from the Royal Scots and Royal Scots Fusiliers.
|Blue
|-
|The Cameronians (Scotch Rifles)
|1881: [[The Cameronians (Scottish Rifles)]]
|26th (Cameronian) Regiment of Foot<br>
90th (Perthshire Volunteers) (Light Infantry) Regiment of Foot
|2nd Royal Lanark Militia (2 battalions)
|1st Lanarkshire (or Glasgow 1st Western) RVC<br>
2nd Lanarkshire RVC<br>
3rd Lanarkshire (or Glasgow 1st Southern) RVC<br>
4th Lanarkshire (or Glasgow 1st Northern) RVC<br>
7th Lanarkshire RVC
|Part of [[Lanarkshire]] (including [[Hamilton, South Lanarkshire|Hamilton]], [[Motherwell, North Lanarkshire|Motherwell]] and parts of [[Glasgow]])
|Rifle green faced dark green
|-
|[[The Royal Inniskilling Fusiliers]]
|
|27th (Inniskilling) Regiment of Foot<br>
108th (Madras Infantry) Regiment of Foot
|Fermanagh Light Infantry Militia<br>
Royal Tyrone Fusiliers Militia<br>
Londonderry Light Infantry Militia<br>
The Prince of Wales's Own Donegal Militia
|N/A
|[[County Donegal]] (until 1922), [[County Fermanagh]], [[County Londonderry]], [[County Tyrone]]§
|Blue
|-
|[[The Gloucestershire Regiment]]
|
|28th (North Gloucestershire) Regiment of Foot<br>
61st (South Gloucestershire) Regiment of Foot
|Royal South Gloucestershire Light Infantry Militia<br>
Royal North Gloucestershire Militia
|1st Gloucestershire (City of Bristol) RVC<br>
2nd Gloucestershire RVC<br>
|[[Gloucestershire]]
|White, changed to primrose yellow in 1929
|-
|[[The Worcestershire Regiment]]
|
|[[29th (Worcestershire) Regiment of Foot]]<br>
36th (Herefordshire) Regiment of Foot
|1st Worcestershire Militia<br>
2nd Worcestershire Militia
|1st Worcestershire RVC<br>
2nd Worcestershire RVC
|[[Worcestershire]]
|White, changed to grass green in 1920 and to "grass green (emerald)" in 1924
|-
|The West Lancashire Regiment
|1881: [[The East Lancashire Regiment]]
|30th (Cambridgeshire) Regiment of Foot<br>
59th (2nd Nottinghamshire) Regiment of Foot
|5th Royal Lancashire Militia
|2nd Lancashire RVC<br>
3rd Lancashire RVC
|Part of [[Lancashire]] (including [[Accrington]], [[Blackburn]], [[Burnley]], [[Clitheroe]] and [[Darwen]])
|White
|-
|[[The East Surrey Regiment]]
|
|31st (Huntingdonshire) Regiment of Foot<br>
70th (Surrey) Regiment of Foot
|1st Royal Surrey Militia<br>
3rd Royal Surrey Militia
|1st Surrey (South London) RVC<br>
3rd Surrey RVC<br>
5th Surrey RVC<br>
7th Surrey RVC
|Part of [[Surrey]] (including [[Camberwell]], [[Kingston upon Thames]], [[Richmond, London|Richmond]], [[Southwark]] and [[Wandsworth]])
|White
|-
|[[The Duke of Cornwall's Light Infantry]]
|
|32nd (Cornwall) (Light Infantry) Regiment of Foot<br>
46th (South Devonshire) Regiment of Foot
|Royal Cornwall Rangers, Duke of Cornwall's Own Rifles
|1st Cornwall RVC<br>
2nd Cornwall RVC<br>
|[[Cornwall]]
|White
|-
|The Duke of Wellington's (West Riding Regiment)
|1921: [[The Duke of Wellington's Regiment (West Riding)]]<ref name=AO5091920/>
|33rd (Duke of Wellington's Regiment) Regiment of Foot<br>
76th Regiment of Foot
|6th West York Militia (2 battalions)
|4th Yorkshire, West Riding RVC<br>
6th Yorkshire, West Riding RVC<br>
9th Yorkshire, West Riding RVC<br>
|Part of the [[West Riding of Yorkshire]] (including [[Brighouse]], [[Halifax, West Yorkshire|Halifax]], [[Huddersfield]], [[Keighley]] and [[Skipton]])
|White, changed to scarlet in 1905
|-
|[[The Border Regiment]]
|
|34th (Cumberland) Regiment of Foot<br>
55th (Westmoreland) Regiment of Foot
|Royal Cumberland Militia<br>
Royal Westmoreland Light Infantry Militia
|1st Cumberland RVC<br>
1st Westmoreland RVC
|[[Cumberland]] and [[Westmorland]]
|White, changed to yellow in 1913
|-
|[[The Royal Sussex Regiment]]
|
|35th (Royal Sussex) Regiment of Foot<br>
107th (Bengal Infantry) Regiment of Foot
|Royal Sussex Light Infantry Militia
|1st Sussex RVC<br>
2nd Sussex RVC<br>
1st Cinque Ports (Cinque Ports and Sussex) RVC
|[[Sussex]]
|Blue
|-
|The Hampshire Regiment
|1946: [[The Royal Hampshire Regiment]]<ref name=AO1671946/>
|37th (North Hampshire) Regiment of Foot<br>
67th (South Hampshire) Regiment of Foot
|Royal Hampshire Militia
|1st Hampshire RVC<br>
2nd Hampshire RVC<br>
3rd Hampshire RVC<br>
4th Hampshire RVC,br>
1st Isle of Wight RVC
|[[Hampshire]] (including the [[Isle of Wight]])
|White, changed to yellow in 1904
|-
|[[The South Staffordshire Regiment]]
|
|38th (1st Staffordshire) Regiment of Foot<br>
80th (Staffordshire Volunteers) Regiment of Foot
|(The King's Own) 1st Staffordshire Militia (2 battalions)
|1st Staffordshire RVC<br>
3rd Staffordshire RVC<br>
4th Staffordshire RVC
|Part of [[Staffordshire]] (including [[Handsworth, West Midlands|Handsworth]], [[Walsall]], [[Wednesbury]] and [[Wolverhampton]])
|White, changed to yellow in 1936<ref name="facings">The Army - Restoration of old facings, ''The Times'', June 4, 1936</ref>
|-
|The Dorsetshire Regiment
|1951: [[The Dorset Regiment]]<ref>Army Order 70/1951</ref>
|39th (Dorsetshire) Regiment of Foot<br>
54th (West Norfolk) Regiment of foot
|Dorsetshire Militia
|1st Dorsetshire RVC
|[[Dorset]]
|White, changed to grass green in 1904
|-
|The Prince of Wales's Volunteers (South Lancashire Regiment)
|1938: [[The South Lancashire Regiment (The Prince of Wales's Volunteers)]]<ref>Army Order 244/1938</ref>
|40th (2nd Somersetshire) Regiment of foot<br>
82nd (Prince of Wales's Volunteers) Regiment of Foot
|4th Royal Lancashire (Duke of Lancaster's Own) Light Infantry Militia
|9th Lancashire RVC<br>
21st Lancashire RVC
|Part of [[Lancashire]] (including [[St Helens, Merseyside|St Helens]] and [[Warrington]])
|White, changed to buff in 1933
|-
|The Welsh Regiment
|1920: [[The Welch Regiment]]<ref>Army Order 56/1920</ref>
|41st (The Welsh) Regiment of Foot<br>
69th (South Lincolnshire) Regiment of Foot
|Royal Glamorganshire Light Infantry Militia
|1st Pembrokeshire (Pembroke, Carmarthen and Haverfordwest) RVC<br>
1st Glamorganshire RVC<br>
2nd Glamorganshire RVC<br>
3rd Glamorganshire RVC
|[[Carmarthenshire]], [[Glamorgan]] and [[Pembrokeshire]]
|White
|-
|The Black Watch (Royal Highlanders)
|1934: [[The Black Watch (Royal Highland Regiment)]]<ref>Army Order 256/1934</ref>
|42nd (Royal Highland, The Black Watch) Regiment of Foot<br>
73rd (Perthshire) Regiment of foot
|Royal Perthshire Rifle Regiment of Militia
|1st Forfarshire RVC<br>
2nd Forfarshire (Forfarshire or Angus) RVC<br>
3rd Forfarshire (Dundee Highland) RVC<br>
1st Perthshire RVC<br>
2nd Perthshire (Perthshire Highland) RVC<br>
1st Fifeshire RVC<br>
|[[Fife]], [[Angus|Forfarshire]] and [[Perthshire]]
|Blue
|-
|The Oxfordshire Light Infantry
|1908: [[The Oxfordshire and Buckinghamshire Light Infantry]]
|43rd (Monmouthshire Light Infantry) Regiment of Foot<br>
52nd (Oxfordshire) (Light Infantry) Regiment of Foot
|Royal Bucks (King's Own) Militia<br>
Oxfordshire Militia
|1st Oxfordshire (Oxford University) RVC<br>
2nd Oxfordshire RVC<br>
1st Buckinghamshire RVC<br>
2nd Buckinghamshire (Eton College) RVC
|[[Buckinghamshire]] and [[Oxfordshire]]
|White
|-
|[[The Essex Regiment]]
|
|44th (East Essex) Regiment of Foot<br>
56th (West Essex) Regiment of Foot
|Eastern Regiment of Essex Militia<br>
1st or West Essex Militia
|1st Essex RVC<br>
2nd Essex RVC<br>
3rd Essex RVC<br>
4th Essex RVC
|[[Essex]]
|White, changed to purple in 1936<ref>The Army - The Essex Regiment, ''The Times'', August 19, 1936</ref>
|-
|The Sherwood Foresters (Derbyshire Regiment)
|1902: [[The Sherwood Foresters (Nottinghamshire and Derbyshire Regiment)]]
|45th (Nottinghamshire) (Sherwood Foresters) Regiment of Foot<br>
95th (Derbyshire) Regiment of Foot
|1st Derbyshire Militia<br>
2nd Derbyshire Militia (The Chatsworth Rifles)<br>
Royal Sherwood Foresters or Nottinghamshire Regiment of Militia
|1st Derbyshire RVC<br>
2nd Derbyshire RVC<br>
1st Nottinghamshire (Robin Hoods) RVC<br>
2nd Nottinghamshire RVC
|[[Derbyshire]] and [[Nottinghamshire]]
|White, changed to lincoln green in 1913
|-
|The Loyal North Lancashire Regiment
|[[The Loyal Regiment (North Lancashire)]]<ref name=AO5091920/>
|47th (Lancashire) Regiment of Foot<br>
81st (Loyal Lincoln Volunteers) Regiment of Foot
|3rd Duke of Lancaster's Own Royal Lancashire Militia (2 battalions)
|11th Lancashire RVC<br>
14th Lancashire RVC
|Part of [[Lancashire]] (including [[Bolton]], [[Chorley]] and [[Preston]])
|White
|-
|[[The Northamptonshire Regiment]]
|
|48th (Northamptonshire) Regiment of Foot<br>
58th (Rutlandshire) Regiment of Foot
|Northampton and Rutland Militia
|1st Northamptonshire RVC<br>
|[[Northamptonshire]], plus [[Huntingdonshire]] from 1914‡
|White, changed to buff in 1927
|-
|Princess Charlotte of Wales's (Berkshire Regiment)
|1885: Princess Charlotte of Wales's (Royal Berkshire Regiment)<br>
1921: [[The Royal Berkshire Regiment (Princess Charlotte of Wales's)]]<ref name=AO5091920/>
|49th (Hertfordshire) (Princess Charlotte of Wales's) Regiment of Foot<br>
66th (Berkshire) Regiment of Foot
|Royal Berkshire Militia
|1st Berkshire RVC
|[[Berkshire]]
|White, changed to blue in 1885
|-
|The Queen's Own (Royal West Kent Regiment)
|January 1, 1921: The Royal West Kent (Queen's Own)<ref name=AO5091920/><br>
April 16, 1921: [[The Queen's Own Royal West Kent Regiment]]<ref>Army Order 183/1921</ref>
|50th (Queen's Own) Regiment of Foot<br>
97th (Earl of Ulster's) Regiment of Foot
|West Kent Light Infantry Militia
|1st Kent RVC<br>
3rd Kent RVC
|Part of [[Kent]] (including [[Bromley]], [[Maidstone]], [[Tonbridge]] and [[Royal Tunbridge Wells|Tunbridge Wells]])
|Blue
|-
|The King's Own Light Infantry (South Yorkshire Regiment)
|1887: The King's Own (Yorkshire Light Infantry)<br>
1921: [[The King's Own Yorkshire Light Infantry]]<ref name=AO5091920/>
|51st (2nd Yorkshire, West Riding, King's Own Light Infantry) Regiment of Foot<br>
105th (Madras Light Infantry) Regiment of Foot
|1st West York Rifles Militia
|3rd Yorkshire, West Riding RVC
|Part of the [[West Riding of Yorkshire]] (including [[Batley]], [[Castleford]], [[Dewsbury]], [[Doncaster]], [[Goole]], [[Pontefract]] and [[Wakefield]])
|Blue
|-
|The King's Light Infantry (Shropshire Regiment)
|1882: The King's (Shropshire Light Infantry)<br>
1921: [[The King's Shropshire Light Infantry]]<ref name=AO5091920/>
|53rd (Shropshire) Regiment of Foot<br>
85th (Bucks Volunteers) (King's Light Infantry) Regiment of Foot
|Shropshire Militia<br>
Royal Herefordshire Militia
|1st Shropshire RVC<br>
2nd Shropshire RVC<br>
1st Herefordshire (Hereford and Radnor) RVC
|[[Herefordshire]] and [[Shropshire]], also [[Radnorshire]] from 1908<ref name="RadMont"/>
|Blue
|-
|The Duke of Cambridge's Own (Middlesex Regiment)
|1921: [[The Middlesex Regiment (Duke of Cambridge's Own)]]<ref name=AO5091920/>
|57th (West Middlesex) Regiment of Foot<br>
77th (East Middlesex) Regiment of Foot (The Duke of Cambridge's Own)
|Royal Elthorne or 5th Middlesex Light Infantry Militia<br>
Royal East Middlesex Militia
|3rd Middlesex RVC<br>
8th Middlesex RVC<br>
1882: 11th Middlesex (Railway)RVC<br>
17th Middlesex RVC
|[[Middlesex]], except parts included in the regimental district of the Royal Fusiliers
|White, changed to lemon yellow in 1902
|-
|[[The King's Royal Rifle Corps]]
|January 1, 1921: The King's Royal Rifles<ref name=AO5091920/><br>
February 10, 1921: The King's Royal Rifle Corps<ref>Army Order 69/1921</ref>
|60th (King's Royal Rifle Corps) Regiment of Foot (4 battalions)
|Huntingdonshire Rifles Militia<br>
Royal Flint Rifles Militia<br>
2nd Royal Rifle Regiment of Middlesex Militia<br>
Carlow Rifles Militia<br>
North Cork Rifles Militia
|3rd City of London RVC
1st Middlesex RVC (Victoria Rifles)<br>
2nd Middlesex RVC (South Middlesex)<br>
4th Middlesex RVC (West London)<br>
6th Middlesex RVC (St George's)<br>
12th Middlesex RVC (Civil Service)<br>
13th Middlesex RVC (Queen's Westminsters)<br>
25th Middlesex (Bank of England) RVC<br>
1888: 26th Middlesex (Cyclist) RVC
|Recruited throughout United Kingdom (depot at [[Winchester]])
|Rifle green faced scarlet
|-
|The Duke of Edinburgh's (Wiltshire Regiment)
|1921: [[The Wiltshire Regiment (Duke of Edinburgh's)]]<ref name=AO5091920/>
|62nd (Wiltshire) Regiment of Foot<br>
99th (Duke of Edinburgh's) Regiment of Foot
|Royal Wiltshire Militia
|1st Wiltshire RVC<br>
2nd Wiltshire RVC
|[[Wiltshire]]
|White, changed to buff in 1905
|-
|[[The Manchester Regiment]]
|
|63rd (West Suffolk) Regiment of Foot<br>
96th Regiment of Foot
|6th Royal Lancashire Militia (2 battalions)
|4th Lancashire RVC
6th Lancashire (1st Manchester) RVC<br>
7th Lancashire RVC<br>
33rd Lancashire (2nd Manchester) RVC<br>
40th Lancashire (3rd Manchester) RVC
|Part of [[Lancashire]] (including [[Ashton-under-Lyne]], [[Manchester]] and [[Oldham]])
|White, changed to deep green in 1937
|-
|The Prince of Wales's (North Staffordshire Regiment)
|1921: [[The North Staffordshire Regiment (Prince of Wales's)]]<ref name=AO5091920/>
|64th (North Staffordshire) Regiment of Foot<br>
98th (Prince of Wales's) Regiment of Foot
|The King's Own (2nd Staffordshire) Light Infantry Militia<br>
The King's Own (3rd Staffordshire) Rifles Militia
|2nd Staffordshire (Staffordshire Rangers) RVC<br>
5th Staffordshire RVC
|Part of [[Staffordshire]] (including [[Burton upon Trent]], [[Stafford]], [[Stoke-on-Trent]] and [[Tamworth]])
|White, changed to black in 1937
|-
|[[The York and Lancaster Regiment]]
|
|65th (2nd Yorkshire, North Riding) Regiment of Foot<br>
84th (York and Lancaster) Regiment of Foot
|3rd West York Light Infantry Militia
|2nd Yorkshire West Riding (Hallamshire) RVC<br>
8th Yorkshire West Riding RVC
|Part of the [[West Riding of Yorkshire]] (including [[Barnsley]], [[Doncaster]], [[Rotherham]] and [[Sheffield]])
|White
|-
|[[The Durham Light Infantry]]
|
|68th (Durham) (Light Infantry) Regiment of Foot<br>
106th (Bombay Light Infantry) Regiment of Foot
|1st South Durham Militia<br>
2nd North Durham Militia
|1st Durham (Durham and North Riding of York) RVC<br>
2nd Durham RVC<br>
3rd Durham (Sunderland) RVC<br>
4th Durham RVC<br>
5th Durham RVC
|[[County Durham]]
|White changed to dark green in 1903
|-
|The Highland Light Infantry
|1923: [[The Highland Light Infantry (City of Glasgow Regiment)]]<ref>Army Order 221/1923</ref>
|71st (Highland) (light Infantry) Regiment of Foot<br>
74th (Highlanders) Regiment of Foot
|1st Royal Lanark Militia
|5th Lanarkshire (Glasgow 2nd Northern) RVC<br>
6th Lanarkshire RVC<br>
8th Lanarkshire (The Blythswood) RVC<br>
9th Lanarkshire RVC<br>
10th Lanarkshire (Glasgow Highland) RVC<br>
|Part of [[Lanarkshire]] (including [[Glasgow]] and [[Lanark]])
|Yellow, changed to buff in 1899
|-
|Seaforth Highlanders (Ross-shire Buffs)
|1881: Seaforth Highlanders (Ross-shire Buffs, The Duke of Albany's)<br>
1921: The [[Seaforth Highlanders (Ross-shire Buffs, The Duke of Albany's)]]<ref name=AO5091920/>
|72nd (Duke of Albany's own Highlanders) Regiment of foot<br>
78th (Highlanders) (Ross-shire Buffs) Regiment of Foot
|Highland Rifles Militia ''(The militia regiment of the counties of Ross, Caithness, Sutherland and Cromarty)''
|1st Ross-shire (Ross Highland) RVC<br>
1st Sutherland (The Sutherland Highland) RVC<br>
1st Elgin RVC
|[[Caithness]], [[Cromarty]], [[Moray|Elginshire]], [[Nairnshire]], [[Orkney]], [[Ross-shire]] and [[Sutherland]]
|Yellow, changed to buff to 1899
|-
|[[The Gordon Highlanders]]
|
|75th (Stirlingshire) Regiment of Foot<br>
92nd (Gordon Highlanders) Regiment of Foot
|Royal Aberdeenshire Highlanders Militia
|1st Aberdeenshire RVC<br>
2nd Aberdeenshire RVC<br>
3rd Aberdeenshire (The Buchan) RVC<br>
4th Aberdeenshire RVC<br>
1st Banffshire RVC<br>
1st Kincardineshire (Deeside Highland) RVC
|[[Aberdeenshire]], [[Banffshire]] and [[Kincardineshire]], also [[Zetland]] from 1900
|Yellow
|-
|[[The Queen's Own Cameron Highlanders]]
|
|79th (Queen's Own Cameron Highlanders) Regiment of Foot<br>
2nd battalion raised in 1897
|Inverness, Banff, Elgin and Nairn Militia
|1st Inverness-shire (Inverness Highland) RVC<br>
|[[Inverness-shire]]
|Blue
|-
|The Royal Irish Rifles
|1922: [[The Royal Ulster Rifles]]
|83rd (County of Dublin) Regiment of Foot<br>
86th (Royal County Down) Regiment of Foot
|Royal North Down Rifles<br>
Royal Antrim Rifles Militia<br>
Royal South Down Light Infantry Militia<br>
Royal Louth Rifles Militia
|N/A
|[[County Antrim]] and [[County Down]], also [[County Louth]] until 1922
|Rifle green faced light green, facings changed to dark green 1882
|-
|[[The Royal Irish Fusiliers (Princess Victoria's)]]
|
|87th (Royal Irish Fusiliers) Regiment of Foot<br>
89th (Princess Victoria's) Regiment of Foot
|Armagh Light Infantry Militia<br>
Cavan Militia<br>
Monaghan Militia
|N/A
|[[County Armagh]] plus [[County Cavan]] and [[County Monaghan]] until 1922§
|Blue
|-
|[[The Connaught Rangers]]
|Disbanded 1922<ref name=AO781922/>
|88th (Connaught Rangers) Regiment of Foot<br>
94th Regiment of Foot
|South Mayo Rifles Militia<br>
Galway Militia<br>
Roscommon Militia<br>
North Mayo Fusilers Militia
|N/A
|[[County Galway]], [[County Leitrim]], [[County Mayo]] and [[County Roscommon]]
|Green
|-
|Princess Louises's (Sutherland and Argyll Highlanders)
|1882: Princess Louises's (Argyll and Sutherland Highlanders)<br>
1921: [[Argyll and Sutherland Highlanders|The Argyll and Sutherland Highlanders (Princess Louise's)]]<ref name=AO5091920/>
|91st (Princess Louises's Argyllshire Highlanders) Regiment of Foot<br>
93rd (Sutherland Highlanders) Regiment of Foot
|Highland Borderers Light Infantry Militia ''(The militia regiment of the counties of Clackmannan, Dumbarton, Kinross and Stirling)''<br>
Prince of Wales's Royal Regiment of Renfrew Militia
|1st Renfrewshire RVC<br>
2nd Renfrewshire RVC<br>
3rd Renfrewshire RVC<br>
1st Stirlingshire RVC<br>
1st Argyllshire RVC<br>
1st Dumbartonshire RVC<br>
Clackmannanshire and Kinross RVC
|[[Argyllshire]], [[Buteshire]], [[Dunbartonshire|Dumbartonshire]], [[Kinross-shire]], [[Renfrewshire]] and [[Stirlingshire]]
|Yellow
|-
|[[The Prince of Wales's Leinster Regiment (Royal Canadians)]]
|Disbanded 1922<ref name=AO781922/>
|100th (Prince of Wales's Royal Canadian) Regiment of Foot<br>
109th (Bombay Infantry) Regiment of Foot
|King's County Royal Rifles Militia<br>
Royal Queen's County Rifles Militia<br>
Royal Meath Militia
|N/A
|[[County Offaly|King's County]], [[County Longford]], [[County Meath]], [[County Laois|Queen's County]], and [[County Westmeath]]
|Blue
|-
|[[The Royal Munster Fusiliers]]
|Disbanded 1922<ref name=AO781922/>
|101st (Royal Bengal Fusiliers) Regiment of Foot<br>
104th (Bengal Fusiliers) Regiment of Foot
|South Cork Light Infantry Militia<br>
Kerry Militia<br>
Royal Limerick County Militia (Fusiliers)
|N/A
|[[County Clare]], [[Cork (city)|City of Cork]], [[County Cork]], [[County Kerry]] and [[County Limerick]]
|Blue
|-
|[[The Royal Dublin Fusiliers]]
|Disbanded 1922<ref name=AO781922/>
|102nd (Royal Madras Fusiliers) Regiment of Foot<br>
103rd (Royal Bombay Fusiliers) Regiment of Foot
|Kildare Rifles Militia<br>
Queen's Own Royal Dublin City Militia<br>
Dublin County Light Infantry Militia
|N/A
|[[Dublin|City of Dublin]], [[County Dublin]] and [[County Kildare]]
|Blue
|-
|The Prince Consort's Own (Rifle Brigade)
|1921: [[The Rifle Brigade (Prince Consort's Own)]]<ref name=AO5091920/>
|Rifle Brigade (Prince Consort's Own)<ref>The Rifle Brigade was originally the 95th Regiment of Foot. In 1816 the regiment ceased to have a number, taking precedence at the end of the line.</ref> (4 battalions)
|Queen's Own Royal Tower Hamlets Light Infantry Militia<br>
Prince of Wales's Royal Regiment of Longford Light Infantry Militia<br>
King's Own Light Infantry Militia ''(a militia regiment of the Tower Hamlets)''<br>
Leitrim Rifles Regiment of Militia<br>
Westmeath Rifles Regiment of Militia
|[[London Scottish|7th Middlesex (London Scottish) RVC]]<br>
14th Middlesex (Inns of Court) RVC<br>
15th Middlesex (Customs and Docks) RVC<br>
16th Middlesex (London Irish) RVC<br>
18th Middlesex RVC<br>
20th Middlesex (Artists) RVC<br>
24th Middlesex (Post Office) RVC<br>
1st Tower Hamlets RVC<br>
2nd Tower Hamlets RVC
|Recruited throughout United Kingdom (depot at [[Winchester]])
|Rifle green faced black
|}
†Berwickshire, Dumfriesshire, Roxburghshire and Selkirkshire were transferred to the regimental district of the King's Own Scottish Borderers in 1887
‡Huntingdonshire was originally included in the regimental district of the Suffolk Regiment. There were no volunteer units recruited in the county from 1889 until 1900, when the 4th (Huntingdonshire) Volunteer Battalion, The Bedfordshire Regiment was formed. In 1908 it became part of the 5th Battalion of the Bedfords. In 1914 the Huntingdonshire companies were transferred to a newly formed Huntingdonshire Cyclist Battalion, affiliated to The Northamptonshire Regiment. The successors to the cyclist unit continued to be part of the Northamptons.<ref>The Huntingdonshire Battalion (Regiments.org)[http://www.regiments.org/regiments/uk/volmil-england/vinf-ea/hg-cycl.htm]</ref>
§It was originally proposed to disband the Royal Irish Fusiliers in 1922. However, the 2nd battalion of that regiment and of the Royal Inniskilling Fusiliers were disbanded instead. In 1924 the two regiments formed a single "corps" sharing a depot and regimental district consisting of Counties Armagh, Fermanagh, Londonderry and Tyrone. In 1937 the regiments were again separated each forming a second battalion in the following year.
==Later changes==
Between 1897 and 1900 the regular army was increased in size in response to a number of conflicts, especially the [[Second Boer War]]. The Cameron Highlanders raised a second battalion, while third and fourth regular battalions were added to the Northumberland Fusiliers, Warwickshire Regiment, Royal Fusiliers, King's (Liverpool Regiment), Lancashire Fusiliers, Worcestershire Regiment, Middlesex Regiment and the Manchester Regiment. The recruiting areas of each of these regiments included parts of large conurbations.
The [[Territorial and Reserve Forces Act 1907]] reformed the reserve forces in 1908. A number of militia battalions were disbanded with the remainder being transferred to a new Special Reserve. At the same time the volunteer battalions became part of the new [[Territorial Force]], and were redesignated as numbered battalions of the regiments.
The army was expanded for the duration of the [[First World War]], with the territorial battalions being duplicated and numerous war-time service battalions being formed.
In 1921 - 1922 the system was somewhat recast: the special reserve battalions were placed in "suspended animation" and a number of Irish regiments were disbanded on the creation of the [[Irish Free State]]. All remaining regiments were reduced to two regular battalions.
During the [[Second World War]] regiments were again expanded, although not to the same extent as in the previous conflict.
Following the independence of [[India]] in 1947 regiments lost their second battalion, although some were temporarily reformed during the [[Korean War]].
The system introduced in 1881 finally came to an end with the reforms introduced by the [[1957 Defence White Paper|Defence White Paper of 1957]]. A number of pairs of regiments were amalgamated, while regimental depots were closed with recruiting and training being organised in multi-regiment brigades.
==Sources==
*''[[The London Gazette]]'', [[July 1]], [[1881]]
== See also ==
*[[List of Regiments of Foot]]
*[[List of British Army regiments (1881)]]
*[[Cardwell reforms]]
== References ==
<references/>
== External links ==
*[http://freepages.genealogy.rootsweb.com/~mossvalley/mv4/army-organisation.html Transcript of a speech on the reforms given by Hugh Childers in 1882]
*[http://www.regiments.org/regiments/uk/lists/ba1881pr.htm Original proposals for amalgamations and regimental titles (regiments.org)]
[[Category:History of the British Army]]
[[Category:1881 in the United Kingdom]]