Why was it thought necessary to change the Army during 1790-1918? Flashcards
Regimental system
An organising principle for a peacetime army, seen as fit for purpose by traditional military thinkers.
What were the benefits of the regimental system?
Gave every serviceman a home barracks and enabled the army to be administered relatively efficiently.
What were the issues with the regimental system?
Proved difficult to attract new recruits. This was due to farming paying more and the possibility of being posted to an unpopular regiment. Perceived as being a bastion of privilege
Meritocracy
The idea that people should be promoted due to ability rather than through privilege
When was a change seen in the way armies were equipped?
The 19th century
How was the army supplies at the Battle of Waterloo in 1815?
Infantry stood in long lines and volley fired Brown Bess muskets. Cavalry had swords.
Brown Bess
Nickname for land pattern musket. Basic infantry gun of the British army for most of the 18th and 19th century.
What were muzzle loading muskets replaced by?
rifles which eventually became breech loading, reloading faster and higher rate of fire
Muzzle
The open end of the gun barrel where the projectile comes out
Breech
The end of the gun barrel nearest the firer
By WW1 (and after 1916) what could infantry operate?
wide array of support weapons such as small mortars, machine guns and tanks.
What did the development of machine guns in the 1870s and 1880s increase?
The demand for bullets.
Why did the British not live off the land in the French wars?
The British authorities realised the value of keeping the local population on good terms so looting was prohibited and punished.
What did the Crimean Was show the British authorities about the state of the army?
That little had changed. In 1854 the men were in a deplorable condition, without equipment, proper clothing or food. Many of them had started in a poor physical condition.
Why was cold, hunger and disease such a threat to British soldiers in 1854/55?
The extremely long line of supply through the Black Sea, the Mediterranean and the Atlantic. Supplies were there but local inefficiency prevented them from reaching the front line.
What did much of the reforms of the later 19th century concern and why was this needed?
Concerned with supply and meeting needs of a changing situation. Needed due to the expansion of the British Empire.
What was the Crimean war an attempt of by Western powers Britain and France?
Bolster the ailing Ottoman empire and check Russian aggression
When was the Crimean war fought?
Between 1854 and 1856
What did the Crimean war consist of?
Limited campaign in the Balkans and full-scale invasion of the Crimean peninsula with the aim of capturing the port of Sevastopol.
How was the Crimean war structured in terms of battles?
Most battles happened in the first few months and the rest was a drawn out siege.
Siege
Action against an enemy settlement whereby the besieging army surrounds the settlement and prevents anything going in or out. Eventually the settlement surrenders due to lack of supplies or is relieved by a friendly army.
What aspects of the Crimean war highlighted weaknesses in the British armed forces?
Fighting a major campaign that involved transporting all the necessary men, horses, equipment and supplies to a theatre 6000 miles away by sea.
Who was sent by the government at the beginning of 1855 to report on the campaign at the Crimean war?
John NcNeill and Colonel Alexander Tulloch
What were the two stages of the McNeill-Tulloch report?
Based in Scutari and then Crimea. First in June 1855 second in January 1856.
What did the first McNeill-Tulloch report entail?
The conditions of the common soldier with a focus on diet and supply of food
What did the second McNeill-Tulloch report entail?
supply of equipment and medical situations
What were the findings of the first McNeill-Tulloch report?
- Poor health attributed to lack of fresh food (vegetables)
- Army not providing all units with full daily ration. 4th and Light divisions being the worse off
- Camp kettles often mislaid and not replaced forcing soldiers to cook for themselves
- Lime juice not distributed
- Lack of feed for horses
What were the findings of the second McNeill-Tulloch report?
- Majority of casualties from disease on enemy action
- Poor health due to diet, short of medicine and medical supplies
- Ordinary soldiers still attending duties despite poor state of health
- Officers providing good care but poor comms between supply officer and army command
- Army slow to distribute supplies to frontline troops and replacement of clothing was slow
What did McNeill and Tulloch recommend after their report?
An improvement in organisation of the army and its supply procedures. Replace traditional rum ration with a larger quantity of porter
What did the royal warrant issued in October 1858 provide?
A professional reform of the commissariat with much more of its operations being controlled directly by the army
What significant change came from the royal warrant issued in October 1858?
The army began to take responsibility for the ancillary services that were so necessary for its function. Prior to this the assumption from leaders was that the army was simply a fighting force and extra service could be improvised from civilians.
What changed as the army grew due to the McNeill-Tulloch report?
Supplying the army became a far more complex process and began to be taken in-house. Improvements to military medicine.
Besides the McNeill-Tulloch report, what caused improvements to military medicine?
Florence Nightingale and campaign led by The Times journalist William Russell
Why did the McNeill-Tulloch report cause a scandal when it was published?
The report gave information on the poor conditions in the Crimea official status which could not be ignored or downplayed by politicians. Contained criticism of army leadership
