Originally Posted by Trooper1854

Not 100% 0n this but I don't think he is Scottish.
In the Guards, especially the Scots, Welsh, and Irish, you don't need to be born there to become an officer in the Regiment.
A mate of mine, born and bred in North London, joined the Royal Regiment of Wales!
And I knew a Royal Anglian who was Scottish!

The brother of a mate of mine also from North London joined the army and ended up in an Irish Armoured regiment. He's never been to Ireland in his life, neither does he have Irish in his family tree!

A lot of Welsh, Scots and Irish regiments have Englishmen in them. Maybe as translators.

Originally Posted by Trooper1854

Not 100% 0n this but I don't think he is Scottish.
In the Guards, especially the Scots, Welsh, and Irish, you don't need to be born there to become an officer in the Regiment.
A mate of mine, born and bred in North London, joined the Royal Regiment of Wales!
And I knew a Royal Anglian who was Scottish!

Now I am a wee bit confused...

Originally Posted by viper2007

Now I am a wee bit confused...

LOL, welcome to the make up of British Regiments.

Originally Posted by viper2007

Now I am a wee bit confused...

Ok, stick with me here!
The regiments of the British Army tend to recruit its enlisted men from specific areas that are relevant to the history of the regiment.
Fo example, the Royal Anglian Regiment is an almalgamation of the Bedfordshire and Hertfordshire Regiment, the Lincolnshire Regiment and the regiments of Cambridge, Norfolk, Suffolk and Essex.
The Battalions were closely affiliated to the old regiments, so if you came from Bedfordshire or Hertfordshire, you were likely to end up in the 3rd Battalion (Now disbanded).
The 1st Battalion is made up from Cambridge, Norfolk, Suffolf, and Essex.
Other regiments were tied in with older county regiments, but as progressive governments "adjusted things", more regiments were amalgamated.
If you joined the Army and went Infantry, you were likely to be put in your county affiliated regiment, unless you specified the Parachute Regiment, or a Guards regiment.
However, if you went for a commision, it got complicated! You could apply to any Infantry regiment you wanted to, and as long as they accepted you, and you got through officer training and any other training, such as Parachute Selection training, or P Company for the Parachute Regiment, you could become an officer in your chosen regiment.
If you had a special reason to choose a regiment not usualy associated with the area you lived in, such family tradition as your dad, or grandad may have served with them, you could ask to join them.
The Scottish guy I knew in the Royal Anglians was allowed in because his dad had been an officer in the Regiment but he didn't want a commision.
As Brit said "Welcome to the make up of the British Regiments"
Don't ask me about the Royal Marines, Royal Navy or RAF. I have no idea how they work.

Originally Posted by Trooper1854

Ok, stick with me here!
The regiments of the British Army tend to recruit its enlisted men from specific areas that are relevant to the history of the regiment.
Fo example, the Royal Anglian Regiment is an almalgamation of the Bedfordshire and Hertfordshire Regiment, the Lincolnshire Regiment and the regiments of Cambridge, Norfolk, Suffolk and Essex.
The Battalions were closely affiliated to the old regiments, so if you came from Bedfordshire or Hertfordshire, you were likely to end up in the 3rd Battalion (Now disbanded).
The 1st Battalion is made up from Cambridge, Norfolk, Suffolf, and Essex.
Other regiments were tied in with older county regiments, but as progressive governments "adjusted things", more regiments were amalgamated.
If you joined the Army and went Infantry, you were likely to be put in your county affiliated regiment, unless you specified the Parachute Regiment, or a Guards regiment.
However, if you went for a commision, it got complicated! You could apply to any Infantry regiment you wanted to, and as long as they accepted you, and you got through officer training and any other training, such as Parachute Selection training, or P Company for the Parachute Regiment, you could become an officer in your chosen regiment.
If you had a special reason to choose a regiment not usualy associated with the area you lived in, such family tradition as your dad, or grandad may have served with them, you could ask to join them.
The Scottish guy I knew in the Royal Anglians was allowed in because his dad had been an officer in the Regiment but he didn't want a commision.
As Brit said "Welcome to the make up of the British Regiments"
Don't ask me about the Royal Marines, Royal Navy or RAF. I have no idea how they work.

Also different Regiments form "Divisions." For example the Queens Division included the Queens Regiment, The Royal Anglians and the Royal Regiment of Fusiliers. Complicated ain't it? lol

In the RAF we weren't fussy, we took Welsh, Irish and even Jocks! The only only requirement they had to speak English, not Taffy, Paddy or Jockese.

I'll see you Jimmy

Mr Brit and Mr Trooper, thanks for the information. Still confused but it is slowly becoming clearer.

The RM and RN have no affiliation with any country parts.

Originally Posted by Trooper1854

Ok, stick with me here!
The regiments of the British Army tend to recruit its enlisted men from specific areas that are relevant to the history of the regiment.
Fo example, the Royal Anglian Regiment is an almalgamation of the Bedfordshire and Hertfordshire Regiment, the Lincolnshire Regiment and the regiments of Cambridge, Norfolk, Suffolk and Essex.
The Battalions were closely affiliated to the old regiments, so if you came from Bedfordshire or Hertfordshire, you were likely to end up in the 3rd Battalion (Now disbanded).
The 1st Battalion is made up from Cambridge, Norfolk, Suffolf, and Essex.
Other regiments were tied in with older county regiments, but as progressive governments "adjusted things", more regiments were amalgamated.
If you joined the Army and went Infantry, you were likely to be put in your county affiliated regiment, unless you specified the Parachute Regiment, or a Guards regiment.
However, if you went for a commision, it got complicated! You could apply to any Infantry regiment you wanted to, and as long as they accepted you, and you got through officer training and any other training, such as Parachute Selection training, or P Company for the Parachute Regiment, you could become an officer in your chosen regiment.
If you had a special reason to choose a regiment not usualy associated with the area you lived in, such family tradition as your dad, or grandad may have served with them, you could ask to join them.
The Scottish guy I knew in the Royal Anglians was allowed in because his dad had been an officer in the Regiment but he didn't want a commision.
As Brit said "Welcome to the make up of the British Regiments"
Don't ask me about the Royal Marines, Royal Navy or RAF. I have no idea how they work.

What about the Royal Green Jackets? Are/were they "regional" too?

Originally Posted by Ghostrider

What about the Royal Green Jackets? Are/were they "regional" too?

I believe the Royal Green Jackets, which are an amalgamation of numerous old Light Infantry Regiments, tend to recruit from the Oxfordshire and Buckinghamshire areas, The Ox and Bucks Light Infantry were famous for the glider borne raid on Pegasus Bridge in the early hours of D-Day, led by Major John Howard.
As the regiment is quite an amalgamation of other regiments, its the individual battalions that have "catchment areas" as these battalions are affiliated to the older, disbanded regiments.

Originally Posted by Trooper1854

I believe the Royal Green Jackets, which are an amalgamation of numerous old Light Infantry Regiments, tend to recruit from the Oxfordshire and Buckinghamshire areas, The Ox and Bucks Light Infantry were famous for the glider borne raid on Pegasus Bridge in the early hours of D-Day, led by Major John Howard.
As the regiment is quite an amalgamation of other regiments, its the individual battalions that have "catchment areas" as these battalions are affiliated to the older, disbanded regiments.

Thank you,


Scotland has many different regiments, one of the most famous one is the Black Watch, were they recruited all over or "locally"?