The Arms 1930 - 1956
The Arms of the British Army and British Indian Army were the
fighting elements of the Army, as opposed to the Services that
enabled the Arms to conduct the battle. The Arms are those elements
of the British Army whose primary role is to in close combat with
an enemy.
The Arms of the British Army in this period include:
The Royal Armoured Corps (including the Cavalry);
The Royal Regiment of Artillery;
The Corps of Royal Engineers;
The Royal Corps of Signals;
The Brigade of Guards;
The Infantry of the Line.
Royal Armoured Corps (including the Cavalry)
The Cavalry was one of the oldest elements of the British Army
and also the British Indian Army, cementing a long lasting
relationship between the soldier and the horse. Horsemanship was a
prized skill in the both the British Army and British Indian Army
for many years, with this view continuing onwards from the end of
the First World War.
Following the introduction of the tank into modern warfare during
the First World War, there was increasing debate within the British
Army about the role of the tank. Initally, the tanks were operated
by soldiers from the Royal Tank Regiment, which was formed for that
purpose.
Gradually, and against much opposition, the cavalry regiments of
both the British Army and British Indian Army were mechanized
during the late 1920's and into the 1930's. This process was not
complete by the outbreak of the Second World War, leaving the
United Kingdom desperately short of tanks. As the number of tanks
were limited, tactics were poor and in particular tank - infantry
coopertion was very weak.
As the Second World War progressed, matters improved steadily,
although British industry struggled to deliver an efficient and
effective tank in the numbers required until the end of the war.
American industrial power greatly assisted the British, with
American designed and built tanks dominating British and Indian
armoured formations throughout the Second World War.
The Royal Regiment of Artillery
Artillery has always been an important component of the British
Army, this view being reinforced by the experiences of the First
World War in France and Belgium, as well as Italy, Serbia,
Macedonia and the Middle East. The vast majority of artillery came
under the control of the Royal Regiment of Artillery, the largest
single regiment in the British Army. As it was the largest regiment
in the Army, not surprisingly it produced several of the most
recognised senior officers of the British Army during the Second
World War.
As a continuance of the legacy of the Indian Mutiny, the only
artillery units of the Indian Army were the few Mountain Batteries
and Regiments. In the main, these were deployed on the North West
Frontier. Therefore, units of the Royal Artillery were deployed to
India. Even though the Indian Artillery was expanded significantly
during the Second World War, most artillery units in Indian
divisions were British right up to the end of the war.
If the British Army was deficient in tanks and armoured tactics, it
was probably the leading army in the world in respect of artillery
guns and tactics. As an example, the 25 pounder gun was the
foremost field artillery piece during the whole war, continuing in
use for many years afterwards. British and Indian divisions were
well provided for in terms of artillery and they were highly
mobile.
Corps of Royal Engineers
In a similiar manner to artillery, the British Army valued engineering skills in the battlefield. The Corps of Royal Engineers has its origins in the Ordnance Board of the Sixteenth Century, when military engineers were employed to work in Royal arsenals and fortifications.
The Royal Corps of Signals
Communication with accuracy, brevity and clarity between units
and formations in any battlefield is vital to ensure a successful
outcome. Signalling in the British Army was developed by the Royal
Engineers, but during the First World War, technology developed
rapidly. In particular, the increasing use of wireless
communication needed increased specialization within the British
Army.
The Corps of Signals was formed by Royal Warrant on the 28 June
1920, with the title of Royal Corps of Signals being conferred by
His Majesty the King six weeks later.
The Brigade of Guards
The Brigade of Guards refers to the five regiments of Foot Guards that existed in 1930 and throughout the Second World War. For further information see:
Infantry of the Line
The Infantry of the Line refers to the sixty-four infantry regiments of the British Army in existence at the commencement of the Second World War. During the war, the Parachute Regiment was formed as part of the Army Air Corps, as was the Glider Pilot Regiment.
For further information see:
