Difference between revisions of "Infantry battalion"

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An infantry battalion was the basic unit of infantry. Infantry soldiers fought on foot. They were mostly armed with rifles. A battalion was a group of up to 1,000 soldiers.
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An infantry battalion was the basic unit of [[infantry]] in most countries. A battalion included about 1,000 soldiers, and was further split into companies.
  
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For a more details of the size and make-up of a British infantry battalion, see [http://www.1914-1918.net/whatbatt.htm What was an infantry battalion?] at The Long Long Trail.
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{{RefTLLT|http://www.1914-1918.net/whatbatt.htm|What was an infantry battalion of the British Army of 1914-1918?}} gives more details of the composition of British battalions.
  
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(Could include sample hierarchy as shown in [[British Army Hierarchies]] to give sense of battalion's place in structures.)
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[[:Category:Infantry battalions]] lists all the sub-categories for infantry battalions, which in turn list all infantry battalion pages that exist on this site.
  
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=== Relationships between regiments and battalions ===
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== British Empire ==
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Battalions were moved around independently of their regiment. This description of [http://dh.tcd.ie/martindiary/?page_id=525 The Royal Dublin Fusiliers in the First World War] gives a sense of the range of places and engagements that different battalions in one regiment might have experienced:
 
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:: When the First World War began in August 1914, the 1st Battalion was in Madras. The 2nd Battalion was sent to France as part of the British Expeditionary Force. The 6th, 7th, 8th,  9th, 10th,  and 11th  Battalions were formed from the volunteers who enlisted after the outbreak of the war.  The 1st, 6th and 7th were sent to Gallipoli, the 6th and 7th subsequently fighting at Salonika. The 1st and 2nd were at the opening of the Battle of the Somme. The 8th, 9th and 10th fought at Loos and later at the Somme in 1916. The 1st, 2nd, 8th, 9th and 10th were all involved in the 3rd Battle of Ypres, also known as Passchendaele. The 8th and 9th were merged and later disbanded, along with the 10th Battalion, in February 1918. The 1st and 2nd Battalions suffered heavily in the major German attack in March 1918.  By the end of the Great War, 4,777 Royal Dublin Fusiliers had been killed.'
 
  
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The same tactical organisation was used throughout the British Empire: three or four battalions were grouped into an [[infantry brigade]], and three brigades were grouped into an [[infantry division]].
  
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==Lists of Battalions==
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The administrative organisation of infantry varied from country to country.
  
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[[:Category:Infantry battalions]] lists pages for each infantry battalion.
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For infantry battalions from countries of the British Empire not listed below, see [[:Category:British colonial infantry battalions]] and [[British units in World War I#Colonial units]].
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=== United Kingdom ===
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Before the First World War, British Army battalions had eight small companies. The Regular Army merged these into four large companies of about 250 men each before the outbreak of war. The Territorial Force still had the old eight-company system in August 1914 but switched to the four-company system by early 1915.
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The British Army grouped infantry battalions into [[infantry regiment (administrative)|regiments]] for administrative purposes. The battalions of a regiment didn't all operate together: they could be in different brigades, divisions and theatres of war. Some battalions of each regiment stayed at home to train new recruits, who were sent out to other battalions when they were ready. Several regiments were grouped together under each [[record office]], which kept their personnel files.
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For more about the difference between administrative and tactical relationships, see [[British Army Hierarchies]].
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Most British infantry battalions belonged to the British Army, but some were part of the Royal Marines or Royal Navy.
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* [[:Category:British infantry battalions]] lists every British infantry battalion that has a page on this site, including the Army, Navy and Marines. Pages are sorted by regiment name and then battalion number.
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* [[:Category:British Army infantry battalions by regimental precedence]] includes only battalions of the Army, sorted by the precedence of the regiment, then battalion number.
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* [[:Category:Royal Marine infantry battalions]] includes only battalions that were part of the Royal Marines.
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* [[:Category:Royal Naval infantry battalions]] includes only battalions that were part of the Royal Navy. These formed part of [[63rd (Royal Naval) Division, UK]].
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=== Australia ===
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The infantry of the Australian Imperial Force were not grouped into regiments. Most battalions had a number from 1st to 62nd, although there was a different sequence of numbers for training battalions. All units were under one record office that kept personnel files for the whole AIF.
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The infantry of the Citizen Military Force, also known as the militia were organised into single-battalion regiments.
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* [[:Category:Australian infantry battalions]] lists all Australian infantry battalions that have a page on this site.
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* [[:Category:Australian Imperial Force infantry battalions]] lists only AIF battalions, not militia.
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=== Canada ===
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See:
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* [[Canadian units in World War I]]
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=== India ===
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The infantry of the Indian Army were organised in regiments which had names and numbers. Some regiments had only a single battalion but other regiments had several battalions. Regiments were grouped together for administrative purposes but we don't yet have enough information about the Indian administrative system.
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* [[:Category:Indian infantry battalions]] lists every Indian infantry battalion that has a page on this site, including the Indian Army and the Imperial Service Troops from the princely states. Pages are sorted by regiment name then by battalion number.
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* [[:Category:Indian Army infantry battalions by regiment number]] lists only battalions of the Indian Army, sorted by regiment number then battalion number.
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* [[:Category:Indian Imperial Service infantry battalions]] lists only battalions that were loaned to the British Empire by the rulers of the princely states of the British Raj.
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=== New Zealand ===
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See:
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* [[New Zealand units in World War I]]
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=== South Africa ===
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See:
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* [[South African units in World War I]]
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* [[:Category:South African infantry battalions]]
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== Continental system ==
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The continental system, used by the US, French and German armies among others, was very different from the organisation of British Empire forces. The administrative and tactical hierarchies were unified, and the division was the main unit of both. An infantry division typically had two [[infantry brigade (continental)|brigades]], each with two [[infantry regiment|regiments]], each with three battalions. These regiments were administrative and tactical, and their battalions usually operated together. The battalions were similar to British battalions.
  
 
[[Category:Infantry]]
 
[[Category:Infantry]]

Revision as of 11:53, 29 May 2015

Template:DefSpType

An infantry battalion was the basic unit of infantry in most countries. A battalion included about 1,000 soldiers, and was further split into companies.

Template:RefTLLT gives more details of the composition of British battalions.

Category:Infantry battalions lists all the sub-categories for infantry battalions, which in turn list all infantry battalion pages that exist on this site.

British Empire

The same tactical organisation was used throughout the British Empire: three or four battalions were grouped into an infantry brigade, and three brigades were grouped into an infantry division.

The administrative organisation of infantry varied from country to country.

For infantry battalions from countries of the British Empire not listed below, see Category:British colonial infantry battalions and British units in World War I#Colonial units.

United Kingdom

Before the First World War, British Army battalions had eight small companies. The Regular Army merged these into four large companies of about 250 men each before the outbreak of war. The Territorial Force still had the old eight-company system in August 1914 but switched to the four-company system by early 1915.

The British Army grouped infantry battalions into regiments for administrative purposes. The battalions of a regiment didn't all operate together: they could be in different brigades, divisions and theatres of war. Some battalions of each regiment stayed at home to train new recruits, who were sent out to other battalions when they were ready. Several regiments were grouped together under each record office, which kept their personnel files.

For more about the difference between administrative and tactical relationships, see British Army Hierarchies.

Most British infantry battalions belonged to the British Army, but some were part of the Royal Marines or Royal Navy.


Australia

The infantry of the Australian Imperial Force were not grouped into regiments. Most battalions had a number from 1st to 62nd, although there was a different sequence of numbers for training battalions. All units were under one record office that kept personnel files for the whole AIF.

The infantry of the Citizen Military Force, also known as the militia were organised into single-battalion regiments.


Canada

See:

India

The infantry of the Indian Army were organised in regiments which had names and numbers. Some regiments had only a single battalion but other regiments had several battalions. Regiments were grouped together for administrative purposes but we don't yet have enough information about the Indian administrative system.


New Zealand

See:

South Africa

See:


Continental system

The continental system, used by the US, French and German armies among others, was very different from the organisation of British Empire forces. The administrative and tactical hierarchies were unified, and the division was the main unit of both. An infantry division typically had two brigades, each with two regiments, each with three battalions. These regiments were administrative and tactical, and their battalions usually operated together. The battalions were similar to British battalions.

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