All The Queen’s Men
Age of Empire
Spring 2005
First There Was George MacDonald Fraser
•
A Scottish writer and World War
II veterans.
•
Who during the war rose to the
rank of lieutenant.
•
After the war, he wrote a series
of historical novels that dramatized the Victorian/Edwardian era.
•
As a result, they had wide appeal
across the pond.
•
Based on a minor character found
in Thomas Hughes’s novel Tom Brown’s School Days.
Harry Flashman
•
Fraser liberally used Thomas
Brown’s bully from his autobiographical novel published in 1857.
•
The central figure taken by
Fraser was the rake, Harry Paget Flashman.
•
Fraser used Flashman to give a
rather racy view of the period.
•
Based on false documents and
Fraser is the caretaker of those documents.
Flashman
is Everywhere
•
Flashman is everywhere.
•
From fighting in the Northwest
Frontier.
•
To the Indian Mutiny.
•
To the American Civil War.
•
Flashman was there.
•
Avoiding combat…winning in the
boudoirs and harems throughout the British Empire.
•
But what does he show?
•
Fraser shows a rather cynical
view of the British Empire.
The Army Organization
•
The British Army no matter what
period was very small according to modern standards.
•
To govern a worldwide empire,
the British had between 140,000 to 186,000 men under arms.
•
A rather small number by modern
standards.
•
But the British could rely on
other forces.
•
Such as the Indian Army.
The Indian Army
Differences with Europe
•
By 1890 the European nations
were developing general staffs and using conscription.
•
As well as a reserve system.
•
Not Britain.
•
The War Office also opposed
modernization too.
•
Opposed breech-loading
artillery.
•
Kept muzzle-loaders longer than
anyone anticipated.
Tactical Organization of the British Army
•
The British Army did not have
divisions.
•
A division was a military
organization of three or more regiments with an organic cavalry and artillery
component.
•
Such a formation did not exist
in the Victorian era.
•
The standard unit…despite the
name of the formation…was a regiment.
The Key was the Regiment
•
A British Regiment had no fixed
size.
•
It was more of a community.
•
Often consisting of one or two
battalions.
•
The size of a battalion varied
from 700 to 1000 men.
•
Divided into either 8 or 10
companies.
•
Cavalry regiments are much
smaller…300 to 500 men.
Membership in a Regiment
•
Membership was passed down from
father to son for generations.
•
Camaraderie was a critical
element.
•
Forcing a bond of friendship for
other members of the regiment.
•
Each regiment had its own
interesting customs.
•
Even mascots like the Royal
Welch Fusiliers.
They Had Interesting Names
•
Dragoons were mounted infantry.
•
Hussars were light cavalry
•
Grenadiers used to throw hand
grenades.
•
Fusiliers used to be armed with
a fusil, a light flintlock musket and were used to protect the artillery.
•
Soon the names stood and would
continue until 1921.
Feeding and Medical Treatment
•
The normal feeding patterns was
twice a day.
•
0600 and 1200.
•
After that…the troops were on
their own.
•
Even if they were in the
hospital their comrades brought the food…what you can call food…often cold to
the patients.
•
Medical treatment…unheard of
until the work of Florence Nightingale.
Becoming an Officer
•
One could obtain a commission by
attending a service academy, aka, Sandhurst.
•
But more likely, one purchased
their rank.
•
Purchase was a form of
retirement.
•
But could only purchase the
grade subaltern to Lieutenant Colonel.
•
Colonel and General were not for
sale.
What Did It Take To Be An Officer in The
Queen’s Army?
•
Most important you had to be a
gentleman.
•
Physical defects were not as
important, such as blindness.
•
Even losing a limb was not that
much of an impediment.
•
Sam Browne…the designer of the
famous Sam Browne Belt designed it so he could get to his saber since he lost
his arm!
•
But education was not as
important as it is today.
The Cost of a Commission Depended on the
Unit
•
Foot Guards (in
Pounds)
•
Ensign – 1,200
•
Lieutenant – 2,050
•
Captain – 4,800
•
Major – 8,300
•
Lieutenant Col. – 9,000.
•
The Purchase System came to an
end in 1871.
•
Infantry of the
Line
•
Ensign – 450
•
Lieutenant – 700
•
Captain – 1,800
•
Major – 3,200
•
Lieutenant Col. – 4,500
•
The Royal Marines
– 50-60.
•
Artillery, etc
– 60-100
•
Cavalry
– 300-400
Rifting The Unwanted
•
The key was being a gentleman.
•
But want did you do when you had
the “wrong sort” in your regiment?
•
You made life very difficult.
•
Particularly if you lacked the
proper level of “manliness.”
•
A
ranker,
someone who came from the ranks, could become commissioned.
•
But he had to demonstrate
“heroism” on the battlefield.
•
Another was leading a “forlorn
Hope.”
From Ranker to Field Marshal
•
The best known “ranker” was
William Robertson.
•
He joined the army despite his
mother’s misgivings.
•
In two months he was made a
lance corporal and eight years later – at the age of 25, Sergeant Major.
•
He won the multiple honors – the
GCB, GCMG, KCVO, DSO
– and became Chief of the Imperial General Staff in World War I.
British Military Orders
•
G.C.B
– Knights Grand Cross in the Most Honorable
Order of the Bath.
•
G.C.M.G
– Knight’s Grand Cross in the Most
Honorable Order of St. Michael and St. George.
•
K.C.V.O
– Knight Commander in the Royal Victorian
Order.
•
D.S.O
-
Distinguished Service Order.
The Ranks
•
The British Army for the most
part was based on a caste system.
•
Perhaps that is why it work so
well in India!
•
Composed of NCOs, Warrant
Officers, and the Enlisted Men.
•
Initially the rankings served
for life.
•
But that changed over time to
“short service” of three to seven years with the colors and the rest in reserve.
Where Did The Ranks Come From?
•
In the 18th and early
19th century they came from the countryside.
•
But over time…the recruits came
from the cities.
•
Which accounted for the small
size of the troops.
•
Sometimes “gentlemen” joined the
service.
•
Like one joined the Foreign
Legion.
The Decline of the Recruits
•
In 1914, 5% came from the Upper
Working Class, 24% from the Working Class, and 70% from the Lower Classes.
•
Many had dental problems.
•
Never bathed.
•
Suffered from rickets.
•
And other defects.
•
Some young men even amputated
their toes if they were deformed just to enlist.
The Cat
•
The lot of the troops was
improved during the Victorian era when “branding” was abolished in 1871.
•
Over time floggings were being
reduced.
•
When a soldier said he was
“going to the triangle” he meant he was to be flogged.
•
How did it work?
The Procedure
•
After a court-martial a number of
lashes was determined.
•
The flogging was then to be
administered by the strongest drummer or bugler in the battalion.
•
Behind stood the bandmaster to
beat the drummer if he was too lenient.
•
Behind the bandmaster was the
adjutant.
•
Only a doctor could suspend the
flogging…but only until the soldier could continue.