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The contribution of the reserve forces over the last century

Published 7 February 2014

For over a century the reserve forces of the United Kingdom have made an essential contribution to the defence of the nation. As the UK armed forces take on a greater contingent of reserves to train and deploy together with regulars as part of a ‘whole force’, ‘A history of our reserves’ reflects on the heroic contributions of individual reservists over the last century.

1. World War 1

Exactly 100 years ago, World War 1 was the first major conflict in which the Royal Naval Volunteer Reserve and Territorial Force saw active service. It was to be the first indication of the significant contribution these volunteers would make throughout the following century.

Reservists from both the Royal Naval Volunteer Reserve and the Territorial Force were deployed at home and overseas, and played a significant role in some of the most famous battles of the war, including the First Battle for Ypres (1914), Gallipoli (1916), Ancre Valley (1916) and Passchendaele (1917). By the end of the war, some 70,000 Naval Reservists and 1,000,000 Army Reservists had been called to serve.

2. World War 2

The period between World War 1 and World War 2 was a defining one for the reserve forces, with the creation of the Auxiliary Air Force and deployments around the world for all 3 services. As in World War 1, they served with distinction and played a key role in some of the most famous battles of the mid 20th century. In fact, by 1942 there were as many Royal Naval Volunteer Reserve officers as in the regular Royal Navy, and their contribution was recognised by the modification of their uniform to match their Royal Navy counterparts more closely.

Reservists serving in the Auxiliary Air Force, which had been formed in 1924, were responsible for both the first German aircraft shot down over British waters and over the mainland. Their huge contribution to the war was rewarded in 1947 with the prefix ‘royal’, conferred by King George VI.

3. The Cold War

With the abolition of National Service 1964, the government again turned to the Volunteer Reserves to support the regular forces to face the Soviet threat. Significant changes in this period included the amalgamation of the Royal Naval Reserve and the Royal Naval Volunteer Reserve in 1958, to form the Royal Naval Reserve. Ceremonial events were to provide memorable moments for all of the reserve services during the Cold War, most significantly in 1977 when the Queen’s Silver Jubilee was marked by a review on 30 June. Perhaps uniquely, it was comprised entirely of reserves and cadets.

4. Contemporary

The operations in Iraq and Afghanistan have heralded a new chapter in the history of the reserves, with large-scale mobilisations for all 3 services. Since 2008, around 2,300 reservists per year have been called up for operations around the world, while at the peak in 2004, reservists made up 20% of those serving in Iraq and 12% of those in Afghanistan.

Since the end of the Cold War, reserves from all services have also played an important role in major national events. For instance, 2,100 reserve personnel provided support to the police and other civil authorities during Op Olympics, the 2012 London Olympic Games, making up around 15% of the armed forces personnel working on the Games. In 2013, plans to significantly increase the size of the reserves were announced, and the Territorial Army was renamed the Army Reserve. These plans aim to have 3,100 Maritime Reserves, 30,000 Army Reserves, and 1,800 Royal Auxiliary Air Force Reserves, by 2018.