Regiment, in most modern armies, is a tactical unit consisting either of four squadrons of cavalry, some six or seven Batteries (q.v.) of artillery, or three or four Battalions (q.v.) of infantry—the engineers and other troops being similarly grouped. In the British army the cavalry regiment consists of eight troops (four squadrons) having a war establishment of 666 of all ranks (32 being officers) and 614 horses. It is a tactical unit commanded by a lieutenant-colonel, with adjutant, quartermaster, paymaster, medical officer, veterinary surgeon, transport officer, band, and artificers.
As regards the infantry the regiment is not a tactical unit. The name is often still given to single battalions owing to the fact that previous to 1881 it was used indiscriminately for infantry corps whether they consisted of two battalions, as did the first twenty in the Army List, or of four, as did the 60th. But in that year 133 battalions of the line were reorganised to form 67 regiments, which should each consist of two battalions of line infantry, two or more battalions of militia, and whatever volunteer battalions there might be in the territory allotted to each regiment for recruiting purposes and called its Regimental District (q.v.). The Cameron Highlanders (old 79th) were left an exception with only one battalion. It was proposed to link them to the Scots Guards, but the Camerons objected, and the difficulty was got over in 1897 by raising a new second battalion. The Guards retain their old organisation—three battalions of Grenadiers, three of Coldstreams, and three of Scots Guards (one of Irish Guards was embodied in 1900)—and the 60th Rifles and Rifle Brigade, each of four battalions, are allotted to the regimental district at Winchester. The two West Indian regiments (single battalions) have since been formed into a regiment of two battalions. Like the regiments of the native armies of India, no militia or volunteer battalions are attached to it. A territorial regiment is therefore a purely administrative unit, and has no war establishment. It is commanded by a colonel, assisted by an adjutant and quartermaster, and its depôt companies, two for each line battalion, train recruits for the service companies.
The Royal Regiment of Artillery is also a purely administrative organisation, including all the horse, field, and mountain batteries and garrison companies of the regular army. The corps of Royal Engineers similarly comprises all the officers and men of that arm. Militia and volunteers are attached to each, and they are each represented at the War Office by a deputy-adjutant-general.
The word regiment began to be applied to bodies of British troops in Elizabeth's reign; regiments are spoken of at the time of the Armada, 1588, and as composing the force in Ireland, 1598. From that time forward the army and militia of Britain have been organised into regiments. Charles I. and the parliament each raised regiments, all of which were disbanded at the Restoration, with the exception of the Lord-general's Regiment of Foot and his Life Guard of Horse. These two were re-engaged (1661) and form the present Coldstream Guards and Royal Horse Guards. In the same year a Scotch corps of 1700 men, which had taken service in France in the time of James I., returned to England, and was included in the British army as the 1st Foot. See ARMY, Vol. I. p. 433. In 1693 was raised the 1st troop of Horse Grenadier Guards, and the 2d troop in 1702. These were re-formed in 1782 as the 1st and 2d Life Guards.
Regimental officers are those who are actually doing duty with a regiment, battalion, battery, or company as combatants, in contradistinction to those who may be on the staff or otherwise employed.
Regimental badges, mottoes, and devices are detailed in the Queen's Regulations, and emblazoned, with the battles and campaigns in which either of the battalions of the regiment has been engaged, on its colours or appointments.
Regimental pets are animals which accompany the troops on all occasions and have a recognised place on parade. Many infantry battalions have them—e.g. the Royal Welsh Fusiliers always have a white goat, which since the year 1844 has been regularly presented to them by the Queen.
For Regimental Schools, see ARMY, Vol. I. p. 439.
Regimental district (formerly brigade depôt) is the territory allotted to each infantry regiment of the British army. The localisation of the forces followed naturally on the adoption of a short service system. The increased number of recruits annually required necessitated the spreading of recruiting agencies over the country, and the desirability of obtaining men from a district to which they would afterwards return as reservists was obvious. The original scheme of 1873 has been modified in many ways, and may be briefly summarised as follows: For the purposes of command, the United Kingdom is divided into 14 districts—ten for England, one for Scotland, and three for Ireland (the Channel Islands command does not share in the localisation scheme), under general officers. Each of these districts has a floating body of regular troops, and is subdivided (with the exception of the Thames, Woolwich, and Aldershot districts) into a certain number of regimental districts—69 altogether.
To each of these regimental districts are assigned, normally: (a) Two line battalions—if possible one at home and one abroad (see, however, REGIMENT); (b) regimental depôts composed of two companies, under a major, two captains, and two subalterns, from each line battalion belonging to the district; (c) the militia and volunteer battalions of the district, as well as the infantry of the army reserve. The linked battalions of the line together with the militia battalions form a territorial regiment—to which the volunteer battalions are attached. If possible a territorial regiment draws its recruits from its own district, and the promotion of officers of the line takes place in the regiment and not in a particular battalion. Militia recruits are trained at the depôt, and every effort made to draw close the connection between the line and the militia. Each regimental district is in charge of a lieutenant-colonel, who superintends the recruiting of the district, and commands the auxiliary and reserve forces in it. His staff comprises an adjutant, quartermaster, paymaster, medical officer, and the usual non-commissioned officers.