Royal Reserve Regiments

The Second Boer War broke out in South Africa in October 1899. By December, the British army had seen several defeats in battle, and was unable to lift the sieges of Ladysmith, Mafeking and Kimberley as fast as had been communicated to the public. The government realised they needed considerably more troops to win the war, and larger parts of the regular army, militia and yeomanry regiments were sent to South Africa. Due to the manpower needs of the army, an appeal came from Queen Victoria in February 1900 for ex-soldiers to sign up for Home Defence duties. The following letter appeared in newspapers at the time, signed by Sir Arthur Bigge, Private Secretary to the Sovereign:

Osborne, Feb 17, 1900

To Field-Marshal the Viscount Wolseley KP, Commander in Chief

My Dear Lord Wolseley

As so large a proportion of the Army is now in South Africa, the Queen fully realizes that necessary measures must be adopted for home defence. Her Majesty is advised that it would be possible to raise for one year an efficient force from her old soldiers who have already served as officers, non-commissioned officers, or privates. Confident in their devotion to country and loyalty to her Throne, the Queen appeals to them to serve once more in place of those who for a time are absent from these islands, and who, side by side with the people of her colonies, are nobly resisting the invasion of her South African possessions. Her Majesty has signalled her pleasure that these battalions shall be designated 'Royal Reserve Battalions' of her Army.

Yours very truly

Arthur Bigge[1]

Shortly thereafter, Royal Reserve battalions were formed from veteran soldiers in the United Kingdom for Home Service. Time-expired warrant officers, non commissioned officers and other ranks between the ages of 21 and 45 would enlist for service in the United Kingdom for a period of one year[2] and receive a bounty of £22.[3]

For the infantry, these Royal Reserve Battalions were grouped into Royal Reserve Regiments, with the following titles:

• Royal Guards Reserve Regiment
• Royal Home Counties Reserve Regiment
• Royal Northern Reserve Regiment
• Royal Rifles Reserve Regiment
• Royal Southern Reserve Regiment
• Royal Lancashire Reserve Regiment
• Royal Scottish Reserve Regiment
• Royal Eastern Counties Reserve Regiment
• Royal Irish Reserve Regiment
• Royal Irish Fusiliers Reserve Regiment

Recruiting was enthusiastic, and by the second week of May 1900, 29,000 applications for enrolments had been received, and 14 battalions of infantry had been formed, comprising 128 officers and 15,321 men. In total, 17 battalions were raised, officered partly by those who were already compulsorily in the Reserve, and partly by ex-officers who voluntarily responded to the call "for Queen and Country". Many of the other ranks also enlisted on their one-year engagement from loyalty to the Queen, but quite a number principally joined up to claim the large bounty which was on offer.

The men were used for routine duties and ceremonial tasks, for example furnishing the guard at Osborne, and lining the route for the funeral of Queen Victoria. The task of keeping everyone occupied were reported to be rather difficult, however.[4]

The Regiments were disbanded at the end of 1901, when the Second Boer War drew to its close.

After the Royal Reserve Regiments were phased out, the Royal Garrison Regiment was formed, to relieve regular infantry battalions in overseas garrisons like Malta and Gibraltar. Many of the RGR's members had previously been in one of the Royal Reserve Regiments.