Historical Background of the Territorial Army
The Territorial and Reserve Forces Act of 1907 combined the previously civilian-administered Volunteer Force with the Militia and Yeomanry and changed it into the Territorial Force, which consisted of 14 infantry battalions and 14 mounted yeomanry brigades, with an overall strength of c269,000.
Many of the units lost their unique identities during this reorganization, becoming Territorial Battalions of Regular Army infantry regiments. A few such as the London Regiment, Glasgow Highlanders and Liverpool Scottish maintained their separate identity. At the outbreak of the First World War, in 1914, over 70 battalions volunteers served in India, Egypt and other garrisons, releasing regular troops for the front line in France. The Glasgow Territorial Signallers Group, Royal Engineers was the first Territorial unit to see action on the Western Front at the Battle of Ypres on the 11 of October 1914. The Territorial Army also volunteered in great numbers in the Second World War and the total strength was in access of 440,000. In the decades that followed, the Territorial Army was reorganised on several occasions changing their names and roles; but continued to attract volunteers who wished to serve their country. Currently, the TA numbers c35,500, a quarter of the overall manpower of the British Army. TA soldiers serve on operations either as TA units or as individuals attached to regular units and over 1,000 are deployed each year.
