Challenge: The Late Victorian British Superarmy

67th Tigers

Banned
What would it take to get the proposed "Continental" British Army of ca 1898 approved?

Infantry:

3 Guards Regiments, each of 3 regular regiments (note, the 79th QO Highlanders were to be absorbed as 3rd Bn, Scots Guards)

58 British Territorial Regiments, each with 4 regular battalions (1 on colonial service, 3 as a tactical regiment at home) and 2 militia battalions

8 Irish Territorial Regiments, each with 4 regular and 3 militia bns

2 Rifle Regiments, each with 8 regular battalions and 5 militia bns

This gave 74 regular tactical regiments of 3 Bns for Europe (the Guards forming a composite Bde of 2 Rgts), organised 2 Rgts per Bde and 2 Bdes per Div = 12 Bns per Division, i.e. 3 numbered armies.

The militia would provide a depot to each regiment would, as proposed, fill up the regulars (especially the 3rd and 4th Bns, who were kept at ca 1/3rd establishment with 100,000 Militia Reserve to fill them up). Beyond that, if there was additional militia they would have formed additional forces (possibly an additional numbered Army if the proposal to add the Militia Reserve without altering the rest of the Militia was acted upon).

The volunteers add another 2 numbered armies and a separate Corps for home defences and to relieve the colonies, allowing the regulars to return.


What actually happened is that the new battalions started to form, but the needs of the Boer war saw them brought upto full warfighting strength instead, they lasted for a few years before the slashing defence cuts of 1907-8. The 6 "ready to go" Army Corps were reduced each to a Division (the six Divisions of the original BEF).
 
What would it take to get the proposed "Continental" British Army of ca 1898 approved?

Infantry:

3 Guards Regiments, each of 3 regular regiments (note, the 79th QO Highlanders were to be absorbed as 3rd Bn, Scots Guards)

58 British Territorial Regiments, each with 4 regular battalions (1 on colonial service, 3 as a tactical regiment at home) and 2 militia battalions

8 Irish Territorial Regiments, each with 4 regular and 3 militia bns

2 Rifle Regiments, each with 8 regular battalions and 5 militia bns

This gave 74 regular tactical regiments of 3 Bns for Europe (the Guards forming a composite Bde of 2 Rgts), organised 2 Rgts per Bde and 2 Bdes per Div = 12 Bns per Division, i.e. 3 numbered armies.

The militia would provide a depot to each regiment would, as proposed, fill up the regulars (especially the 3rd and 4th Bns, who were kept at ca 1/3rd establishment with 100,000 Militia Reserve to fill them up). Beyond that, if there was additional militia they would have formed additional forces (possibly an additional numbered Army if the proposal to add the Militia Reserve without altering the rest of the Militia was acted upon).

The volunteers add another 2 numbered armies and a separate Corps for home defences and to relieve the colonies, allowing the regulars to return.


What actually happened is that the new battalions started to form, but the needs of the Boer war saw them brought upto full warfighting strength instead, they lasted for a few years before the slashing defence cuts of 1907-8. The 6 "ready to go" Army Corps were reduced each to a Division (the six Divisions of the original BEF).

67th Tigers

How about Wilhelm doesn't drop Russia for Austria. Keeps close links with the Czar, which isolates France and to a lesser degree Austria. British tensions with Russia in various spots in Asia continue while Germany still builds up a very powerful army [although not quite as OTL] and a big naval build-up.

Britain has to consider not only a naval race but also probably a sizeable continental commitment to help any possible allies [France, Ottomans, Japan, even possibly Austria or Italy] against the Russo-German colossus. No way we can do it on our own but having a markedly larger army to commit to the continent would make it easier to attract allies.

If we still have the Boer War conflict, with possibly lower colonial/dominion assistance because the British army is that much bigger, then the lessons from there are still learnt so in many ways still a damned good army but also a much bigger one. In a position to seriously influence a continental conflict from the off.

The other options might be a serious threat of invasion, although doubtful with the RN or a major internal conflict which however means more of a police state than an efficient army. Or the old chimera of a rabid US after a Trent War defeat breaking all rational behaviour and tradition and both threatening Canada with large forces and possibly allied with either France or Germany requiring a sizeable force for home defence and Europe.

Steve
 
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