British reserve forces during world war 3

[dude_uk]

The TA (and, to a certain extent the HSF) is probably well worth a thread of its own imho...

Well you asked!


So here it is a discussion point for everyone to display their thoughts and their opinion on British reserve forces, namely the Territorial Army, Home service force and Regular reserve. There is also the Royal Naval reserve, the RAF reserve and the Royal marines reserve, however I am unsure of the numbers of these in 1989. The British army reserve amounts to some 305,000 men in 1989, 86,000 territorials, and 5,000 home service force and 153,000 regular reserve.

The conventional defensive NATO vs. Warsaw Pact scenario planned by the British army made extensive use of the reserve forces. 2nd infantry Division used to reinforce British 1 Corps communications lines was made up of 2 T.A infantry Brigades. Plus it was assumed many missing gaps in personnel numbers in the regular armoured divisions would be brought up to War establishment by the regular reserve.

However, the twilight scenario is different: NATO goes on the offensive. 2nd infantry Division becomes 2nd armoured division, BOAR is reinforced with the 5th armoured division and a 6th infantry division is used in the Far East. Along with a Light Brigade in the Middle East, Britain’s forces are spread all over the world yet the mention of the reserves is barely there. Canon does note that the reserves are called up, in early 1995 and that for some reason territorials delegate themselves to town councils.

There is a very good TA lineage for the benefit of all at http://www.win.tue.nl/~drenth/BritAr...ge/lineage.pdf. I believe someone posted it on here before.Many thanks to whomever that was. It covers most units that would be around during the cold war. However it does not include the medical units (If Anyone does have an ORBAT for all British medical units prior to options for change, I'd be very interested!)

So do you expand the reserve forces? What TA regiments Go rogue in 1997 after the soviet strikes?