Regimental links

This page lists Regiments and Corps, which hosted HSF batteries, squadrons and companies,  and to their veterans’ Regimental & Corps Associations to which HSF veterans would be entitled to join. There are no hyperlinks here because all modern Regiments and Corps are available through the MOD website. Links to unofficial (non-MOD) Regimental Association websites are on another page.

Joining a Regimental or Corps Association is encouraged, having two advantages to the HSF Association:

• HSFA Unit Members will meet up with their former HSF colleagues to update them on The HSFA.
• Regiments and Corps, and particularly staff in post after 1992, will be usefully updated on the history of the HSF and of the HSFA. 

Amalgamations since 1982, 1985 and 1992.

Amalgamations cause distress. We all know that. They can lead to the closure of offices, and the retirement of familiar faces. Somebody who nodded at you once a year, even if he didn’t know your name, and who is no longer around. It is unreasonable to expect younger staff to quickly take in all the old friendships and knowledge, and staff are under much more pressure these days due to budget cuts and the fact that fighting troops must have first priority.

In recent times, a number of famous infantry Regiments have been amalgamated into modern “large” Regiments. A regiment which used to have one or two counties as its agreed recruting area has now found itself merged into a new larger regiment, recruiting from an entire region. In Wales the last two remaining regiments merged into one; and in Scotland six famous infantry regiments were subsumed into one large regiment of five regular battalions. Most of these regiments had HSF companies as part of their territorial battalions. The UK Government hasn’t finished yet.

Infantry battalions stand or fall on recruitment, training and performance. If they find recruiting difficult, then amalgamation or disbandment beckons. This is being considered again in 2012.

Since the Second World War, the British Government has seen fit to reoganise Regular battalions into adminsitrative Brigades and then Divisions and the organisation of Territorial battalions has followed on behind, sometimes under their parent Regular Army Regiment, and sometimes as a separate regional Territorial Volunteer Regiment. There have been tussles between exponents of both viewpoints and another, and therfore some regiment’s formation history can be difficult to follow. To the average HSF veteran these complications are simply added to the fact that they nearly all had previous service with another formation, therefore cap badge, branch or service.

There is one remaining infantry regiment recruiting in Northern Ireland, but the Province has been a special case since the 1960s and there were no HSF companies there. There were, instead, Home Service Battalions whose personnel braved The Troubles on a part time basis, often whilst holding down a civilian job at the same time, taking casualties and earning our immense respect. There was no connection between The HSF and The Home Service Battalions of The Ulster Defence Force or, later, of the Royal Irish Regiment.   

One corps amalgamation has affected HSF veterans, that of the Royal Logistic Corps.

Amalgamations affecting HSF veterans

In addition to those set out below,

The Queen’s Regiment and The Royal Hampshire Regiment were amalgamated in 1992 to form The Princess of Wales’s Royal Regiment.

The Queen’s Regiment had two HSF Companies, while HSF soldiers in the Royal Hampshires’  recruiting area formed a Portsmouth Platoon of E (HSF) Company 2nd Bn. The Wessex Regiment (V), wearing the Wessex Regiment cap badge.

The Queens Own Mercian Yeomanry (QOMY) and The Duke of Lancahshire’s Own Yeomanry (DLOY), both hosting HSF Squadrons) have subsequently amalgamated, in 1992, to form the Royal Mercian and Lancashire Yeomanry (RMLY)