REGIMENTAL ALLIANCES:

An Introductory Overview

During the first centuries of British colonial expansion, the regular British Army performed most of the military subjugation and occupation. Chartered companies with monopolistic control of colonial exploitation also sometimes had significant private armies -- most notably the Honourable East India Company. In areas of heavy "European" settlement, the colonists also formed local forces as needed in emergencies. In the New World many colonial corps were raised to fight first the French competition for territory, and then in a futile attempt to suppress the secessionist revolution of a significant number of colonials. That lost cause led to what some historians have called the birth of the "Second British Empire" (focused on India) and a more effective use of colonial forces.

The British enlisted the aid of friendly natives to subjugate hostiles. A remarkable trend was the use of one-time enemies like the Sikhs as bastions of the colonial structure. And one unsuccessful British war against Nepal produced a special friendship which has provided Britain with some of its most reliable warriors for close to two centuries. Colonial forces usually remained racially segregated, with white officers commanding the native forces. (Only in the very last hours of the colonial era did the British make slow attempts to nativise the local officer corps, and this left newly independent states dependent on Britain for seconded officers for years to come.) The native forces often evolved into important tools of imperial rule, and they gradually became liable for overseas service. Indian, African, and West Indian forces served around the world during two world wars. India, the jewel in the Crown of the British Empire, produced an army larger than the British Army itself. But never was it allowed to develop firepower (i.e. artillery) and a native officer corps that could threaten British rule. With little apparent rhyme or reason, some native colonial forces became part of the British Army itself, while others remained under the control of the colonial government. After the independence of India in 1947, Britain briefly contemplated turning its African forces into a major imperial army, but they were soon overtaken by the "winds of change" as the African colonies also moved towards independence.

The regiments of the Colonies and Dominions of the British Empire eventually availed themselves of the benefits of the British regimental system. But this evolved about as haphazardly as did the British system. The British Army departed from the white settler colonies in 1870, leaving defence in their own hands. As their armies developed, a surge of imperial patriotism followed, and in Canada especially the regiments sought to identify themselves with Britain. Scottish garb is perhaps the most noticeable of regimental distinctions, and regiments which previously made no claims of Scottish descent suddenly identified themselves with Scottish regiments of the British Army and copied most items of regimental dress. Canada soon found itself with more "Scottish" regiments than Britain. (Neither in Britain nor anywhere in the Empire has Scottish ancestry been a prerequisite for joining a Scottish regiment, but there was a time when British regiments had to prove a majority of Highland personnel in order to wear Highland dress.)

In the many colonies, European volunteer corps paralleled the volunteer movement in Britain. The first was the Singapore Volunteer Corps (1854), and its motto "Primus in Oriente" reflected its antiquity. By the late 19th century many of these local European forces had evolved into little more than social clubs, although during the world wars they often effectively served as officer-producing units and defence against invasion. The fate of these units varied. Some became the nucleus for the armed forces of newly independent nations where no other forces existed. Independent India, however, mistrusted and disbanded all European and Anglo-Indian forces.

Whether a part-time European volunteer corps, or a regular native force, or some mix of the two, most colonies and territories had only one such unit. In some larger regions these were administratively combined into something resembling the British regimental system. For example, the East African colonies shared the battalions of the large regiment called The King's African Rifles, and the West African regiments were grouped into the Royal West African Frontier Force. With the exception of Malaysia, most British attempts to federate colonies into economically viable independent states with credible armed forces failed. In the smaller colonies, the single-regiment Defence Force often encompassed small artillery, engineer, signal and transport sections, as well as the occasional maritime and air wing. As the colonies became independent, the single regiment became the nucleus for the new national army, and it is not uncommon for the locals in these countries to still call their army "the Regiment".

      Many regiments throughout the former Empire  maintain officially sanctioned "alliances" (sometimes mistakenly called affiliations).  The practice was born in the early 20th century to maintain bonds as the Dominions gained greater independence from the mother country, and the system continued to strengthen as colonies gained their independence after the Second World War.  For example, until recently The Queen's Regiment of the British Army was allied with three Australian regiments, a New Zealand regiment, a Pakistani regiment, The Sierra Leone Military Force, and The Royal Hong Kong Regiment. (The successor to The Queen's Regiment inherited all these alliances.)  This unique military feature of the British Empire and Commonwealth not only fosters international understanding, but helps preserve and extend a regimental esprit de corps which many consider a vital factor in battlefield morale.

The idea of regimental alliances actually originated in Canada in 1903 with the then General Officer Commanding the Canadian Militia, Gen. the Earl of Dundonald. He had noted on his inspection tours another phenomenon, also originating in Canada, namely a trend in the Militia to copy regimental titles and uniforms of the motherland. He felt that official recognition of this trend would reinforce the feeling of comradeship both at the regimental and national level. Other mutual benefits would also accrue, such as the Canadian regiments obtaining qualified British instructors, and the Canadians providing social links for former British soldiers seeking their fortune overseas. Field Marshal Earl Roberts, Commander-in-Chief of the British Army, found favour with the idea. Lord Dundonald spoke to the commanding officer of the 48th Highlanders, who also liked the idea and contacted the Colonel of The Gordon Highlanders, proposing a link between the two regiments. The Gordons made formal application to the War Office, and King Edward VII subsequently approved this first regimental alliance in 1904.

The number of alliances has continued to grow since 1904, with the Crown routinely granting approval. In 1924 the restriction of one alliance per Dominion regiment with one British regiment was lifted, and in 1931 the practice was extended to individual batteries of artillery. Also in 1931 the practice became truly inter-Dominion rather than focused solely on Britain. Thus The West Yorkshire Regiment, The Royal Montreal Regiment, the 14th Battalion Australian Infantry, and The Waikato Regiment all became allied, with each relationship requiring a separate approval. Alliances are most commonly formed between regiments which fought together in a notable campaign, or which share a similar role (e.g. rifles and light infantry), or which share items of dress especially among Scottish regiments), or which happen to share the same regimental number. Alliances involve the exchange of officers to assure that traditions are maintained in every correct detail. During South Africa's three decades as an international pariah (1961-1994), the British severed their relationships, but the "traditional" South African regiments carefully maintained their British traditions and in 1994 quickly sought to renew their alliances with British regiments.

Reorganisations and reductions in all the Commonwealth armies have resulted in the termination of some alliances, but in as much as possible they are preserved. Thus the alliance between The Bermuda Volunteer Rifle Corps and The Royal Lincolnshire Regiment (stemming from the WWI service by a BVRC contingent in the British regiment) is perpetuated by their successors, The Bermuda Regiment and The Royal Anglian Regiment.

     The alliances of regiments in the Commonwealth are linked to each other on the individual regimental pages in this website.