Army Reforms - Changes In The Role Of The Military

Question 1

When was the McNeill Tulloch report issued?

Answer 1

In 1855/56 (two stages) reporting on conditions in the Crimean War (1854-56)

Question 2

What weaknesses did the Crimean war highlight for the British army?

Answer 2

Problems with supply and transportation (first war since Waterloo 1815 and furthest since American War of Independence in the 1700s)

Question 3

What did the first and second instalments of the McNeill-Tulloch report focus upon?

Answer 3

The first looked at the condition of the common soldier and the second a short update on the supply of equipment and the medical situation.

Question 4

What did the McNeill-Tulloch report find?

Answer 4

The majority of casualties were from disease and not on the battlefield.
Troops’ poor health was in part due to lack of vegetables and fresh food.
Army not proving troops with full daily food ration.
Camp kettles mislaid.
Although supplies reached Balaklava, they were slow to reach troops. Eg lime juice took two months to reach troops.
Lack of feed for horses (40% died in the Winter of 1954/5)
Army short of medicine

Question 5

What did the royal warrant of October 1858 provide for?

Answer 5

A professional reform of the Comissariat so that it could be directly controlled by the army (previously controlled by the Treasury/ civilians)

Question 6

Wha other factors were also responsible for improvements to military medicine?

Answer 6

Florence Nightingale and the campaign led by Times journalist William Russell.

Question 7

Why did the government gain more power over the army following the Crimean War?

Answer 7

Failings embodied in McNeill-Tulloch report and press dispatches showed army failures, and so army reform became a matter for government ministers.

Question 8

When were Cardwell’s reforms?

Answer 8

1868 and 74

Question 9

Why did army reform come back on the agenda in 1868?

Answer 9

The government thought the scansion of the Empire required a larger army and navy.

Question 10

Which new government came into power in 1968?

Answer 10

A liberal government under William Gladstone.

Question 11

What role did Cardwell have?

Answer 11

Secretary of State for war, appointed 1968, so was responsible for army reform.

Question 12

What was Britain’s standing army in 1968?

Answer 12

100,000 with 25,000 spread around Europe at any one time. Hardly any reservists (contrast to Prussians, who were able to call upon 400,000 men.)

Question 13

Why had the British army not been reformed after 1815?

Answer 13

The general did not want change. Wellington was influential an of the view that as the army had beaten, Napoleon it was still the best in Europe. (Later died in 1952)

Question 14

Why was recruitment a problem in the 1850s and 60s?

Answer 14

Britain was economically prosperous and so the army wasn’t an attractive career (could get higher pay and better conditions at a factory.)
The minimum term for a solider was 12 years and flogging and branding were utilised as punishments.

Question 15

Why was the promotion system of the army an issue?

Answer 15

Officers received rank by purchasing commission (not allocated based on experience/ competence). Although it resulted in successful generals eg the Duke of Wellington, the system was also responsible for the incompetence of Lord Cardigan and Lucan in the Crimean War (Charge of the Light Brigade at the Battle of Balaklava).

Question 16

What was the overall aim of the Cardwell Reforms?

Answer 16

To make the army a more appealing career for young men. Changed the professional army, but reservists units and militia remained as before.

Question 17

When was flogging in peace time banned?

Answer 17

1968

Question 18

When was branding completely abolished?

Answer 18

1871

Question 19

What was the effect of giving self-governing dominions responsibility for their own security? (eg Canada, Australia, New Zealand)

Answer 19

It released British soldiers.

Question 20

By 1871, how many British soldiers had returned from overseas?

Answer 20

26,000

Question 21

When was bounty money for new recruits abolished and why was this beneficial?

Answer 21

1870, so recruiting sergeants wouldn’t gain financially from new recruits and would be less inclined to trick people into joining.

Question 22

When was purchasing of commissions abolished?

Answer 22

1871

Question 23

In 1870, how much more money was allocated to the army?

Answer 23

An extra 2 million pounds to pay for another 20,000 troops. Partly due to how of Liberal support for Cardwell’s reforms and also a response to Prussian army’s success on the continent.

Question 24

What was the 1870 Army Enlistment (Short Service) Act?

Answer 24

Allowed soldiers to serve for 6 years as regulars an then 6 years i reserves instead of enlisting for 12 years.

Question 25

What were the conditions of being in the reserves?

Answer 25

They would receive 2p a day and expected to attend short training every year. They would rejoin the army in the event of war.

Question 26

What was the Regulation of Forces Act 1871?

Answer 26

Put an end to general service (being assigned to any unit upon enlisting) and sought to link each regiment with a geographical area.

Question 27

Why were there two battalions for every area (eg county)?

Answer 27

so one could be posted overseas whilst the other was at home. Also, a further two reservist battalions connected too each area.

Question 28

Why did recruiting improve during the 1870s?

Answer 28

Britain experienced an end to the previous economic prosperity.

Question 29

What aspects of soldiers conditions in the army were still poor?

Answer 29

Their wages remained low (a private would receive less than a manual labourer in the city). 3/4 of a soldiers pay was claimed back as ‘stoppages’ - pay for food and clothing used by the soldier.

Question 30

How successful was the abolition of purchase of commission?

Answer 30

It was never reintroduced, despite the desire of a following conservative government for its reinstatement. Although, didn’t change the social structure of the army. Advantages of having wealth and a university education meant many officers were still from upper classes.

Question 31

When were Haldane’s army reforms?

Answer 31

1905-12

Question 32

Which conflict were the Haldane reforms in response to?

Answer 32

British failures in the Boer war, in which supply was poor and only a scorched earth policy had been able to achieve a final victory by the professional British army over a group of civilian soldiers.

Question 33

Which two section did the Haldane reforms organise the army into?

Answer 33

The Expeditionary Force (fully professional, to be deployed overseas) and the Territorial Force (volunteer units to carry out home defence).

Question 34

What was the budget limitation for the Expeditionary Force?

Answer 34

28 million pounds

Question 35

Which act created the then new Territorial Force?

Answer 35

The 1907 Territorial and Reserve Forces Act, with the new Territorial Force having its own support services (eg supply, medical, engineer units) and could be used independently from the main army.

Question 36

How many men did the territorial force have by September 1913?

Answer 36

236,000

Question 37

What was the perpetual view of the army as a carer option?

Answer 37

Still seen as a poor choice, with better paid jobs to be found in industry.

Question 38

What were Officer Training Corps?

Answer 38

Cadet groups based at schools and universities to teach boys skills to become army officers. Upper division (universities) and lower divisions (schools), organised from the War Office.

Question 39

Why was the Imperial General Staff created and what was its purpose?

Answer 39

The Boer War had shown divulge in co-ordinating local forces eg Canadian Scouts took little notice of British generals. The IGS oversaw all strategic measures in the Empire. The Chief of he Imperial General Staff had some authority over imperial forces, local commanders maintained the right to veto. During both World Wars, dominion troops played a major part in the efforts of the British Empire.