Regimental reputations, efficiency etc.
 

All,
I am very interested in what a particular regiment, or battalion thereof, may have had with regard to efficiency, smartness or any distinction (or lack of the former, crime, poor officers, etc.) in the old early 20th century army. In example, I have a vague recollection that a battalion of the Suffolk Regt. had a high reputation for marksmanship at some time.
Of course the entire army had standards, but surely a given battalion must have been reflective of the abilities of the commanding officer at times and there must have variations in efficiency and reputation in some cases. I recall some battalions may have had problems in India.
Also, what regiments were thought to be very fashionable and desirable to be in, or less so.
Any further info, anecdotes etc. would be very interesting please!

CB

Could be a touchy subject this. I don't think many members will want to risk upsetting other members by appearing to run down regiments or corps they may have served in, or have an allegiance to for any other reason. As for units with a good reputation that attracted recruits. That would be whatever regiment or corps someone served in (and maybe some you served along side) or have an allegiance to, for whatever reason. That's my opinion anyway.

billyh

I understand what you are saying Billy, but the period I am interested in is 100 years or more ago, so hopefully no feathers will be ruffled!

CB

Regimental loyalty has a memory that extends back over 3 centuries so only 100 years ago is just like yesterday not only will feathers be ruffled but newspapers rustled. ��

I wouldn't bet on it !!

Phil.

It's luck of the draw, you find some forum members (like me) who are proud enough of their old regiment but really don't give a hoot what criticism or insults are levelled at it, others (I can think of some) who bristle at such insult and those (I can think of one) who, outraged, lose all control of reason and hammer away at spittle flecked keyboards in foul mouthed rants before disappearing for extended periods (presumably scouring the web for more opportunity to vent on behalf of their old regiment).

In terms of WWI units, I've read that 2nd Battalion The Royal Welsh Fusiliers (nicknamed "The Birmingham Welsh") are regarded by many people as the best British infantry battalion of WWI.

I can remember reading an anecdote about the London Rifle Brigade, a prestigious T.F. unit that allegedly charged an annual fee for membership before the Great War. After a particularly hard fought battle, probably on the Somme, some L.R.B. soldiers were coming out of the line in a rather dishevelled condition. They passed some men from a county battalion going up the line, one of whom shouted something along the lines of, "to think these mugs laid out two guineas to get this and we are getting it for free".

I may not have got the wording exact.

It might even get as far as some "Harumphing" if the allegations are serious enough.....

Besides which, it is a well known fact that we gentlemen who were fortunate enough to wear a rifle green beret were the only truly "chosen men", the rest were just making up the numbers …..

PL

OC14, i didn't realise you were a 'Green Jacket'! :D

Mark - wash your mouth out !!!! No black buttons here !

PL

A green beret? Call that a beret? That's not a beret, this is what you call a beret - my most recent aquisition..

Stylish and practical.

The only problem is that as I I now have two of these I have to keep them apart to ensure they don't mate.

Down boy!

A quite unique piece of headdress - not sure whether I hate or love it but I can understand why the RTR decided to stop wearing them all the same.

Keep it up folks, this is what I want to hear. Always interested in every aspect, not just negative, and each regiment has it's own ups and downs, all interesting history now that all the line regiments as they were are long gone.
The famous quote from Churchill regarding the Gordons as the finest regiment in the world may have had something to it, or may have been good copy.
Frank Richards relates that the Connaught Rangers had a reputation in India that was not of the best with regard to the native population.
The 2nd RWF still had their "Quetta manners" according to Graves when he joined them.

CB

A green beret and not a royal green jacket? You were wrac then?

No beech brown badge backing either but I might still be WRAC (Warm, Round And Cuddly !)

PL