History of British light infantry

The History of British light infantry goes back to the early days of the British Army, when irregular troops and mercenaries added skills in light infantry fighting. From the beginning of the nineteenth century, the Army dedicated some line regiments as specific light infantry troops, were trained under the Shorncliffe System devised by Sir John Moore and Sir Kenneth MacKenzie Douglas. The light infantry had the nickname "light bobs" first used during the American Wars of Independence, and commonly applied to the Light Division during the Napoleonic wars. [ [http://books.google.com/books?id=pzz9UFBtxywC&pg=PA166&lpg=PA166&dq=%22Light+Bobs%22+&source=web&ots=B11YiDb2qB&sig=FfnniyCS5bcZflAlvt7qJDMY6Rw&hl=en Gavin K. Watt,"Rebellion in the Mohawk Valley: The St. Leger Expedition of 1777"] ] [ [http://books.google.com/books?id=STcoJP7esp4C&pg=PA36&lpg=PA36&dq=%22Light+Bobs%22+&source=web&ots=T4wE-1lFjZ&sig=s1180mZ4aGGHupxKGGccpMcfkKA&hl=en"Washington's crossing" by David Hackett Fischer] ] [ [http://books.google.com/books?id=d7N-o1tG0aoC&pg=PA4&lpg=PA4&dq=%22Light+Bobs%22+&source=web&ots=m6PDzo6-Pl&sig=TWn61N99Z9UqB_AAd9ULToF0M-0&hl=en "Wellington's Infantry" by Bryan Fosten] ]

Origins of British light infantry

From its first inception until the beginning of the 19th century, the British Army relied on irregulars and mercenaries to provide most of its light infantry.Chappell, p. 6] Occasionally, such as during the Seven Years' War and the American wars, the need for more skirmishers, scouts and other light troops resulted in a temporary secondment of regular line companies. [Chappell, pp. 6–7] These were typically denigrated by the regular army officers, and the specially trained companies allowed to lapse whenever the need for them decreased.Chappell, p. 7] From 1758, regular regiments were required to include one company of light infantry, but the training of such light troops was inconsistent, and frequently inadequate. [Chappell, pp 6,9] Beginning a restructure of the British Army in the late 18th century, the Duke of York recognised a need for dedicated light troops. [Chappell, pp. 8, 10] Certainly, the lack of such troops contributed to the British loss during the American wars, and presented a further concern for the British Army newly faced with a war against Napoleon and his experienced light infantry, the "chasseurs".Chappell, p. 8] During the early war against the French, the British Army was bolstered by light infantry mercenaries from Germany and the Low Countries, but the British light infantry companies proved inadequate against the experienced French during the Flanders campaign, and in in 1799, and infantry reform became urgent. [Chappell, pp. 9–10]

The Shorncliffe System

In 1801, the "Experimental Corps of Riflemen" was raised (later designated the 95th Rifles), and a decision was made to train some line regiments in light infantry techniques, so they might operate as both light and line infantry. Sir John Moore, a proponent of the light infantry model, offered his own regiment of line infantry, the 52nd Foot, for this training, at Shorncliffe Camp.Chappell, p. 11] Thus, in 1803, the 52nd became the first regular British Army regiment to be designated "Light Infantry".Wickes, p. 78] They were followed shortly afterwards by the 43rd Foot; several other line regiments were designated "light infantry" in 1808.Chappell, p. 17] Much of the training was undertaken by Lieutenant-Colonel Kenneth MacKenzie, who devised many of the tactics of light infantry training.Chappell, p. 12]

Moore wrote of his regiment in his diary that "it is evident that not only the officers, but that each individual soldier, knows perfectly what he has to do; the discipline is carried on without severity, the officers are attached to the men and the men to the officers." [quoted in Glover, p. 74] This had much to do with the method of training; unlike other regiments, officers drilled with the men and were expected to be familiar with drill routines, including weapons training.Chappell, p. 13] The ranks also received additional training, and were encouraged to develop initiative and self-direction; while skirmishing in the field they would need to react without direct orders.

Fighting techniques

While most regiments fought in tight formation, allowing easy administration of orders; with light infantry working in small groups, in advance of the main line, complicated bugle calls were developed to pass orders.Chappell, p. 15] Because of the use of the bugle, ratherthan the standard line infantry drum, the bugle horn had been the badge of light infantry regiments since 1770, adapted from the Hanoverian Jaegar regiments, and became standard for the newly formed Light Infantry regiments, since it represented the bugle calls used for skirmishing orders. [http://www2.army.mod.uk/lightinfantry/history_traditions/dress_drill_customs_traditions/regimental_dress/the_bugle_horn.htm British Army: History of the Bugle Horn] ]

While skirmishing, light infantry fought in pairs, so that one soldier could cover the other while loading. Line regiments fired in volleys, but skirmishers fired at will, taking careful aim at targets. [Chappell, pp. 14–15] While consideration was given to equipping light infantry with rifles, due to their improved accuracy, expected difficulty and expense in obtaining sufficient rifled weapons resulted in the standard infantry musket being issued to most troops. The accuracy of the musket decreased at long range and, since the French "chasseurs" and "voltigeurs" also used muskets, it is likely that skirmishers' firefights took place at ranges of only 50 yards (or less). 10 yards provided the accuracy of point-blank range. [Chappell, pp 15–16] Although the French infantry (and, earlier, the Americans) frequently used multi-shot and grapeshot in their muskets, the British light infantry used only standard ball ammunition.Chappell, p. 14]

Light infantry were equipped more lightly than regular line regiments, and marched at 140 paces per minute.

Tasks of the light infantry included advance and rear guard action, flanking protection for armies and forward skirmishing. They were also called upon to form regular line formations during battles, or as part of fortification storming parties. During the Peninsular War, they regarded as the army's elite corps.Haythornthwaite (1987), p. 7]

Napoleonic wars

The light infantry regiments were a significant force during the Napoleonic wars, when the Light Division were party to most of the battles and sieges of the Peninsular War

Decline of the light infantry regiments

By the late 19th century, with the universal adoption of the rifle and the abandonment of traditional formation fighting, the distinction between heavy and light infantry had effectively vanished. A number of regiments were titled as light infantry in the 1881 Cardwell Reforms, but this was effectively a ceremonial distinction only; they did not have any specialised operational roles.

Two "light divisions", composed of battalions from light infantry regiments, fought in the First World War - the 14th (Light) Division and the 20th (Light) Division, both of the New Army - but were employed purely as conventional divisions.

Modern light infantry units

By the Second World War, however, new tactics were beginning to be developed for the employment of a more modern form of light infantry. The growing mechanisation of the infantry meant that a distinction was created between normal battalions, which were carried in lorries and often possessed heavy weaponry, and those battalions which did not use them due to terrain or supply conditions. At the same time, the war saw the appearance of new parachute infantry, mountain infantry and special forces units, all lightly equipped and often non-motorised.

In some cases, new infantry regiments were formed to take on these roles - the Parachute Regiment and the Special Air Service Regiment both serve as specialist light infantry to this day. In other cases, however, existing infantry battalions were designated for the new roles. This was done without any distinction as to their ceremonial status, and the battalions came from both light infantry and line regiments.

Following the end of the Second World War, the mechanisation of the army continued apace; by the 1970s, it was considered that the standard infantry battalion was one equipped with armoured personnel carriers. A number of battalions remained equipped as "light role" units; they carried less heavy weaponry than the other battalions, and were expected to travel on foot or by truck. Having no heavy vehicles, they were highly mobile; they could be transported in aircraft or helicopters without significantly limiting their combat potential.

It was planned that these units would be used as a reserve, because of their high strategic mobility, or employed for home defence or contingency operations. Because of their organisation, they were better suited for operations outside of a confrontation with the Warsaw Pact, or in more varied terrain than that found in Western Europe. Perhaps the most notable use of British light infantry was in the Falklands War, where the expeditionary force was made from two battalions of Royal Marine commandos, two battalions of the Parachute Regiment, two light role battalions of Guards infantry, and a light role battalion of Gurkhas.

The fate of the light infantry regiments

Between 2004 and 2007, a number of amalgamations took place in the British Army, following an earlier series that dated back to 1958. The aim of this most recent round was to produce a more flexible fighting force to combat the threats of today, much removed from those of the Cold War; which ended in the early 1990s. Most of the regiments in existence prior to 1958 have now been disbanded (such as the Cameronians) or have been restructured into numbered battalions of larger regiments. This process has affected all of the historic light infantry regiments (see below). The reorganised infantry branch incorporates different battalions with the specialised roles of infantry; light, Air assault (or Airborne), armoured, mechanised and commando support, within a reduced number of large regiments such as the Rifles.

*British Light Infantry Regiments (prior to the amalgamations between 1958 and 2006)
**Duke of Cornwall's Light Infantry
**Durham Light Infantry
**Highland Light Infantry
**King's Own Yorkshire Light Infantry
**King's Shropshire Light Infantry
**Oxfordshire and Buckinghamshire Light Infantry
**Somerset Light Infantry
**Somerset Light & Cornwall Light Infantry
**The Light Infantry
**Devonshire and Dorset Light Infantry
**Royal Gloucestershire, Berkshire and Wiltshire Light Infantry
*British Rifle Regiments
**King's Royal Rifle Corps
**The Rifle Brigade
**The Cameronians (Scottish Rifles)
**Royal Irish Rifles/Royal Ulster Rifles
**Royal Green Jackets
**The Rifles (only regiment of those listed above now having a separate existence)

ee also

* History of the British Army

Notes

References

*Chappell, Mike; (2004) "Wellington's Peninsula Regiments (2): The Light Infantry", Oxford: Osprey Publishing, ISBN 1841764035
*Glover, Michael; (1974) "The Peninsular War 1807–1814: A Concise Military History", UK: David & Charles, ISBN 0715363875
* Haythornthwaite, Philip J. (1987) "British Infantry of the Napoleonic Wars", London: Arms and Armour Press, ISBN 0853688907
*Wickes, H.L. (1974) "Regiments of Foot: A historical record of all the foot regiments of the British Army", Berkshire: Osprey Publishing, ISBN 0850452201

External links

* [http://www.lightinfantryreunited.co.uk Light Infantry Reunited - Site for all ex and serving Light Infantry/RGJ and Rifles personnel]

** [http://www.lightinfantry.org.uk/ British Light Infantry Regiments]