British Army Infantry Regiments & Units (1899-2024)

The British Army has seen numerous changes to its infantry regiments and units between 1899 and 2024, shaped by military reforms, amalgamations, and operational needs. Below is a comprehensive list of British Army infantry regiments and units over this period, divided into key periods. I'll also provide some modern links and online associations for these regiments where available.

Pre-WWI (1899-1914)

During this period, infantry regiments were largely based on the Cardwell Reforms of the late 19th century, which established the regimental system that lasted through WWI.

Infantry Regiments in 1899 (examples):

• The Royal Scots (The Royal Regiment)

• The Queen's Royal Regiment (West Surrey)

• The Buffs (East Kent Regiment)

• The King's Own (Royal Lancaster Regiment)

• The Royal Warwickshire Regiment

• The Royal Fusiliers (City of London Regiment)

• The Lancashire Fusiliers

• The Cameronians (Scottish Rifles)

• The Black Watch (Royal Highland Regiment)

• The Gordon Highlanders

• The Royal Irish Regiment

• The Middlesex Regiment (Duke of Cambridge's Own)

• The Oxfordshire Light Infantry

• The King's Royal Rifle Corps

WWI Period (1914-1918)

During WWI, the British Army expanded drastically. The "New Army" (or Kitchener's Army) saw the creation of "Pals battalions" and other formations. Many regiments raised numerous additional battalions.

Notable WWI Regiments (examples):

• The Royal Dublin Fusiliers

• The Sherwood Foresters (Nottinghamshire and Derbyshire Regiment)

• The Durham Light Infantry

• The South Staffordshire Regiment

• The Wiltshire Regiment

• The Seaforth Highlanders

• The Highland Light Infantry

Interwar Period (1919-1939)

Post-WWI saw significant reductions, with many battalions disbanded. However, regiments retained their core structure, often amalgamating surplus battalions into a smaller number.

Infantry Regiments 1930s:

The infantry units largely remained unchanged but reduced to peacetime levels. Many still held their Victorian titles, such as:

• The Cheshire Regiment

• The Worcestershire Regiment

• The Queen's Own Royal West Kent Regiment

• The King's Own Scottish Borderers

WWII Period (1939-1945)

During WWII, the regiments again expanded with the creation of new battalions. Many regiments had Territorial Army battalions that were mobilized during the war.

Notable WWII Infantry Regiments:

• The Parachute Regiment (formed in 1942)

• The Green Howards

• The Royal Norfolk Regiment

• The Royal Sussex Regiment

• The Essex Regiment

• The Duke of Cornwall's Light Infantry

• The Royal Welch Fusiliers

Post-War Period and Major Reforms (1945-1992)

After WWII, the British Army underwent several waves of reorganization:

• The 1957 Defence White Paper reduced the number of battalions and merged regiments.

• The 1966 reforms led to the creation of larger "Divisions" of infantry, such as the Queen's Division and the Prince of Wales' Division.

• Regiments began amalgamating, often under common regional titles.

Amalgamated Regiments (examples):

• The Royal Anglian Regiment (formed in 1964, amalgamation of East Anglian regiments)

• The Queen's Regiment (formed in 1966 from four South East England regiments)

• The Royal Green Jackets (formed in 1966, amalgamation of The Rifle Brigade and King's Royal Rifle Corps)

• The Royal Irish Rangers (formed in 1968 from Irish infantry regiments)

1992 Options for Change Reforms

This restructuring led to the reduction of many regiments, further amalgamating them into larger entities.

Amalgamated Regiments after 1992 (examples):

• The Royal Regiment of Scotland (2006, amalgamation of Scottish infantry regiments)

• The Princess of Wales's Royal Regiment (1992, amalgamation of The Queen’s Regiment and The Royal Hampshire Regiment)

• The Duke of Lancaster's Regiment (2006, amalgamation of The King's Regiment, The Queen's Lancashire Regiment, and The King's Own Royal Border Regiment)

• The Royal Welsh (2006, amalgamation of The Royal Welch Fusiliers and The Royal Regiment of Wales)

21st Century Changes (2000-2024)

• The Army 2020 plan led to further restructuring and reductions.

• In 2014, the number of regular battalions was reduced, and many regiments now operate on a rotating "light role" and "armoured role" system.

Current Infantry Regiments (2024):

• The Royal Scots Borderers (part of the Royal Regiment of Scotland)

• The Rifles (formed from the amalgamation of the Royal Green Jackets and Light Infantry regiments)

• The Mercian Regiment (formed in 2007)

• The Yorkshire Regiment (2006 amalgamation)

• The Parachute Regiment (remains a standalone unit)

• The Royal Gurkha Rifles (remains active)

Online Associations and Resources

Many regiments maintain active online communities, historical societies, and regimental associations. Below are links to some of these resources:

Regimental Associations and Websites:

1. The Royal Scots Association – The Royal Scots Website

2. The Rifles Regimental Association – The Rifles

3. The Parachute Regiment Association – The Parachute Regiment

4. The Royal Gurkha Rifles Association – The Gurkha Brigade Association

5. The Royal Regiment of Scotland – Royal Regiment of Scotland

6. The Mercian Regiment Association – Mercian Regiment

7. The Yorkshire Regiment Association – The Yorkshire Regiment

8. The Royal Welsh – The Royal Welsh

9. The Princess of Wales's Royal Regiment – PWRR

Historical and Research Resources:

1. National Army Museum – National Army Museum

2. The British Army Website – British Army

3. Imperial War Museums (IWM) – Imperial War Museums

This is a high-level overview of British infantry regiments over this long period. Many regiments have deep histories that are preserved through regimental museums, associations, and historical records accessible via the above resources.