Territorial Army ( United Kingdom ) The Territorial Army ( TA ) is the part - time volunteer force of the British Army . With around 35 , 500 members , the TA forms about a quarter of the overall manpower strength of the British Army . TA soldiers serve on operations , either with TA units , or as individuals attached to regular units . Over one thousand TA soldiers are deployed each year . In addition 1 , 100 Territorial soldiers currently serve as Non Regular Permanent Staff . The highest ranking Territorial is Major General Greg Smith TD who is Assistant Chief of the Defence Staff ( Reserves and Cadets ) . Overview . As a locally raised volunteer part - time force , the TA may be considered a militia and several units bear the title " militia " . TA members have a minimum commitment to serve 27 training days per annum . This period normally includes a two - week period of continuous training either as a ( TA ) unit , on courses or attached to a regular unit . Territorial soldiers are paid at a similar rate , while engaged on military activities , as their Regular equivalents . Soldiers of the Territorial Army are often serving alongside their regular counterparts , including operations in Afghanistan where 1 , 000 out of the total 10 , 100 deployed are reservists , around 10 % of the total . The annual budget of the Territorial Army is approximately £350 million – around 1 . 3 % of the total defence budget . Legal status . During periods of total war , the Territorial Army is incorporated by the Royal Prerogative into Regular Service under one code of Military Law for the duration of hostilities until re - activation is decided upon . After World War II for example the TA was not demobilised until 1947 . Territorials normally have a full - time job or career , which in some cases provides skills and expertise that are directly transferable to a specialist military role , such as NHS employees serving in TA Army Medical Services units . All Territorial personnel have their civilian jobs protected to a limited extent by law should they be compulsorily mobilised . There is however no legal protection against discrimination in employment for membership of the TA in the normal course of events ( i . e . when not mobilised ) . Historical overview . Its original purpose was home defence although the establishment of the Territorial and Army Volunteer Reserve in 1967 involved a restructuring and revised doctrine leading to provision of routine support for the Regular army overseas . Reservists in the past also served as constables or bailiffs , even holding positions of civic duty as overseer of their parish . The more modern Yeomen of the 18th century were cavalry based units , which were often used to suppress riots , such as the infamous Peterloo Massacre . The Territorial Army was created in 1908 by the Secretary of State for War , Richard Haldane , when the Territorial and Reserve Forces Act 1907 combined the previously civilian - administered Volunteer Force , with the Militia and Yeomanry . Most Volunteer infantry units had unique identities , but lost these in the reorganisation , becoming Territorial battalions of Regular Army infantry regiments . Some , notably the London Regiment , Glasgow Highlanders and Liverpool Scottish maintained a separate identity . Formation to World War I . The Territorial Force was originally formed by the Secretary of State for War , Richard Burdon Haldane , following the enactment of the Territorial and Reserve Forces Act 1907 which combined and re - organised the old Volunteer Army with the remaining units of militia and yeomanry . The TF was formed on 1 April 1908 and contained 14 infantry division s , and 14 mounted yeomanry brigade s . It had an overall strength of approximately 269 , 000 . The individual units that made up each division or brigade were administered by County Associations , with the county ' s lord lieutenant as president . The other members of the association consisted of " military members " ( chosen from the commanding officers of the units ) , " representative members " ( nominated by the county council s and county borough s in the lieutenancy county ) and " co - opted members " ( often retired military officers ) . Associations took over any property vested in the volunteers or yeomanry under their administration . Each regiment or battalion had a regular army officer attached as full - time adjutant . The use of the word " territorial " signified that the volunteers who served with the force were under no obligation to serve overseas — in 1910 , when asked to nominate for Imperial Service overseas in the event of mobilisation , less than 10 % of the Force chose to do so . In August 1914 , after the outbreak of World War I , Territorial units were given the option of serving in France and by 25 August in excess of 70 battalion s had volunteered . This question over the availability of Territorial divisions for overseas service was one of Lord Kitchener ' s motivations for raising the New Army separately . Territorial formations initially saw service in Egypt and India and other Empire garrisons such as Gibraltar , thereby releasing regular units for service in France and enabling the formation of an additional five regular army divisions ( for a total of eleven ) by early 1915 . Several reserve units were also deployed with regular formations and the first Territorial unit to see action on the Western Front was the Glasgow Territorial Signallers Group , Royal Engineers at the First Battle of Ypres on 11 October 1914 . The first fully Territorial division to join the fighting on the Western Front was the 46th Division in March 1915 , with divisions later serving in Gallipoli and elsewhere . As the war progressed and casualties mounted , the distinctive character of Territorial units was diluted by the inclusion of conscript and New Army drafts . Following the Armistice all units of the Territorial Force were gradually disbanded . Interwar re - establishment and World War II . New recruiting started in early 1920 , and the Territorial Force was reconstituted 7 February 1920 . On 1 October 1920 the Territorial Force was renamed the Territorial Army . The 1st Line divisions ( that were created in 1907 or 1908 ) were reconstituted in that year . However , the composition of the divisions was altered with a reduction in the number of infantry battalions required . There was also a reduced need for cavalry , and of the fifty - five yeomanry regiments , only the fourteen senior regiments retained their horses . The remaining yeomanry were converted to artillery or armoured car units or disbanded . The amalgamation of forty pairs of infantry battalions was announced in October , 1921 . As part of the post - war " Geddes Axe " financial cuts the TA was further reduced in size in 1922 : artillery batteries lost two of their six guns , the established size of infantry battalions was cut and ancillary medical , veterinary , signals and Royal Army Service Corps units were either reduced in size or abolished . An innovation in 1922 was the creation of two Air Defence Brigades to provide anti - aircraft defence for London . On 29 March 1939 it was announced that the size of the TA was to be doubled by the reforming of the 2nd line units . The total strength of the TA was to be 440 , 000 : the field force of the Territorial Army was to rise from 130 , 000 to 340 , 000 , organised in 26 divisions while an additional 100 , 000 all ranks would form the anti - aircraft section . When the 2nd Line was reformed they were a little different from their WWI predecessors . They had slightly different names and the regiments assigned were different . After VJ Day in August 1945 , the Territorial Army was significantly downsized with all 2nd Line and several 1st Line Divisions once again disbanded . List of TA Divisions , World War II . The Territorial Army armoured and infantry divisions during World War II were : Postwar reforms and Cold War to present day . In 1947 , the TA was restructured and expanded , through the reactivation of some of the 1st Line divisions that were initially disbanded after the war , keeping its former role of supplying complete divisions to the regular Army until 1967 . For the first time , TA units were formed in Northern Ireland . The manoeuvre divisions established or re - established in 1947 were : The 16th Airborne Division , a totally TA formation , was also raised at this time , under the command of Major - General Roy Urquhart . The Territorials also provided much of the anti - aircraft cover for the United Kingdom until 1956 . In that year Anti - Aircraft Command and 15 anti - aircraft regiments of the Royal Artillery were disbanded , with nine others passing into " suspended animation " as new English Electric Thunderbird Surface to Air Missile units replaced them . On 20 December 1955 the Secretary of State for War informed the House of Commons that the armoured divisions and the Lowland mixed division were to be converted to infantry , and the 16th Airborne Division reduced to a parachute brigade group . The territorial units of the Royal Armoured Corps were also reduced in number to nine armoured regiments and eleven reconnaissance regiments . This was effected by amalgamation of pairs of regiments , and the conversion of four RAC units to an infantry role . At the same time , the 16th Airborne Division was reduced to in size to become the 44th Independent Parachute Brigade Group . British forces contracted dramatically as the end of conscription in 1960 came in sight as announced in the 1957 Defence White Paper . On 20 July 1960 a reorganisation of the TA was announced in the House of Commons . The Territorials were to be reduced from 266 fighting units to 195 . There was to be a reduction of 46 regiments of the Royal Artillery , 18 battalions of infantry , 12 regiments of the Royal Engineers and 2 regiments of the Royal Corps of Signals . The reductions were carried out in 1961 , mainly by amalgamation of units . This was followed by complete reorganisation announced in the 1966 Defence White Paper from 1 April 1967 when the title Territorial Army and Volunteer Reserve ( TAVR ) was adopted which abolished the former regimental and divisional structure of the TA . Units in the new TAVR were divided into four categories : TAVR I and II units were known as " Volunteers " , and those in TAVR III as " Territorials " . These terms were often incorporated into the unit titles . The TAVR III was disbanded in 1969 , with the units being reduced to eight - man " cadres " . The cadres became part of a " sponsoring " TAVR II unit , although continuing to wear the badges and perpetuating the traditions of their forebears . An increase in the size of the TAVR in 1971 lead to the formation of a number of battalions based on these cadres . In 1979 the Territorial Army title was restored , and in the following years its size was somewhat increased , with the regimental system being progressively reinstated . Although due to its decreased established size , Brigades rather than Divisions were used at a manoeuvre formation level . The TA was thus re - roled into its modern form . Instead of supplying complete combat divisions , its function was to round out regular formations by supplying units of up to battalion size ( including infantry , light artillery and formation reconnaissance ) , and to supply extra support functions such as engineers , medical units and military police . After the Strategic Defence Review of 1998 , the TA ' s size of around 56 , 200 was further reduced . The Infantry suffered most , with 87 companies in 33 battalions reducing to 67 companies in 15 battalions . As of 2006 the Territorial Army has an authorised strength of 42 , 000 though recruiting difficulties put the actual strength of the TA below that figure ( manning is currently at approx 82 % which equates to 34 , 000 ) . Units also have attached TA soldiers have seen service in a number of conflicts that the UK has been involved with since 1945 . However , they served in particularly large numbers in two conflicts . The Korean War and Suez Crisis , which were during the 1950s when the entire TA was called up . Throughout the Cold War however , the Territorial Army was never regarded as a particularly usable force overseas , either by the Government of the day or by the Regular Army . This was due to the fact that the entire Territorial Army had to be mobilised by Royal Prerogative in a wartime scenario , as occurred in the World Wars , with no flexibility to use smaller formations or specialists if required and as a result relied purely on Territorials willing to volunteer their services . Therefore , its role was , at least unofficially , seen as home defence and as a result the TA was not used in conflicts such as the 1982 Falklands War and 1991 Gulf War ( 205 Scottish General Hospital were mobilised as a unit based in Riyadh , Saudi Arabia , during the 1991 Gulf War and a number of TA staff officers and others volunteered and served during the conflict either in supporting roles in Germany or within 1 ( UK ) Armoured Division in the Middle East . ) However , the Government passed the Reserve Forces Act 1996 , which enables individual TA personnel to be compulsorily called up for deployment , with certain caveat s exempting those in full - time education and other compassionate reasons , as well as providing protection by employment law for members ' civilian jobs should they be mobilised , which has led to the TA increasingly providing routine support for the Regular army overseas . In 2003 , 9 , 500 reservists , the vast majority of them from the TA , were mobilised to take part in Operation Telic , the invasion of Iraq , in contrast only some 420 Regular Reservists were called - up . Approximately 1 , 200 members of the TA continue to deploy annually on tours of duty in Iraq , Operation Herrick in Afghanistan and elsewhere , normally on 6 month - long Roulement s . They cannot be used in operations for more than 12 months in any three - year period - making most of those who have already served ineligible for call up for two years afterwards . However given the relatively - small size of the Regular British Army , coupled with the current high rate of operational deployments , it is inconceivable that the TA will not see further extensive overseas service . Regional brigades . Territorial Army units are widely dispersed across the country – much more so than the Regular units , and in many areas they are the only visible face of the Armed Forces . They help to keep society informed about the Armed Forces , and of the importance of defence to the nation , and have an active role supporting the Army Cadet Force and events such as Ten Tors . They provide a means by which the community as a whole can contribute to Britain ’ s defence . Most units of the Territorial Army are organised into Regional Brigade s for administrative and training purposes , dependent upon their geographic location within the United Kingdom . Exceptions include the Army Medical Services and UKSF ( R ) . The Brigades also co - ordinate Civil Contingency Reaction Forces ( CCRF ) in their respective regions , which are organised to provide support to the emergency service s if required : Current units . Royal Corps of Signals . 2 ( National Communications ) Signal Brigade Units : Army Medical Services . 2 Medical Brigade Units : Corps of Army Music . Pipes and Drums Officer Training Corps . Many British Universities also have Officer Training Corps units , which allow students to experience military life . University Officer Training Corps ( UOTCs ) still officially form part of the TA . However , they fall into reserve category " B " meaning they cannot be called up for service unless there is a national emergency . Overseas territories . Throughout the British Empire , home defence units , like the Royal Hong Kong Regiment , were raised in various British colonies with the intention of allowing Regular Army units tied - up on garrison duty to be deployed elsewhere . Although they have generally been organised along Territorial Army lines , they are NOT part of the British army and are funded by the OT government and not by British tax payers . There are three units , today , in the remaining British Overseas Territories ( BOT ) : the Bermuda Regiment , the Royal Gibraltar Regiment , and the Falkland Islands Defence Force . Although the British Government , as national government , is responsible for the defence of the territories , and holds direct control of military units raised within them , the local forces are raised and funded by the local governments of the territories . These units must meet British Army standards in organisation and efficiency . Their officers are commissioned by Sandhurst , and their sergeants attend the Platoon Sergeants course at Brecon ( itself having been begun as a course for Parachute Regiment NCOs , created by a Bermudian officer , Major - General Glyn Charles Anglim Gilbert ) . Although OT units may have no tasking under the Ministry of Defence , and members may not be compelled to serve outside their territory , many serve voluntarily on attachment to Regular Army units . In the 1980s , a cadre of officers and NCOs from the Bermuda Regiment was briefly attached to a battalion of the affiliated Royal Anglian Regiment deployed to Belize , guarding against a threatened invasion by Guatemala . The Royal Gibraltar Regiment is moving towards full integration with the British Army , having been added to the Army List , and with two of its three rifle companies having become full - time , following the withdrawal of the Regular Army garrison in 1991 . Basic training . Soldiers . For TA soldiers , recruit training is structured into two phases : Phase 1 , also known as the Common Military Syllabus ( Recruit ) ( CMS ( R ) ) Course , and Phase 2 , specialist training . Phase 1 In Phase 1 , recruits cover the Common Military Syllabus ( Recruit ) ( CMS ( R ) ) in a series of 6 training weekends at Regional Training Centre s ( RTCs ) . For non - infantry units , CMS ( R ) concludes with a two week training course normally held at an Army Training Regiment , whilst infantry recruits have an extra 3 weekends and then go directly to their Phase 2 Training at Catterick . Recruits to the 4th Battalion , The Parachute Regiment and the Honourable Artillery Company complete their equivalent of CMS ( R ) within their own units . Phase 2 Phase 1 is followed by Phase 2 , a further period of specialist training specific to the type of unit the recruit is joining . This is normally conducted by the Arm or Service that the recruit is joining , for example for infantry units , Phase 2 consists of the two week Combat Infantryman ' s Course ( TA ) ( CIC ( TA ) ) held at the Infantry Training Centre , Catterick . Officers . To gain a commission , Potential Officers have to pass through four modules of training , which together form the Territorial Army Commissioning Course ( TACC ) . Module 1 is the same as the Common Military Syllabus ( Recruit ) course . As many Officers initially serve a period of time as Soldiers , this module is only undertaken by the minority that join the TA directly as Potential Officers under the Direct Entry TA Potential Officer ( DETAPO ) system . Module 2 covers training in Tactics , Leadership , Doctrine and Navigation , both in theory and in practice , and a further series of selection and aptitude tests are undertaken , usually spread over 10 weekends . This also includes passing The Army Officer Selection Board Briefing and Main Board , after which Potential Officers are formally designated as Officer Cadet s . Module 3 applies the theory taught in Module 2 into a 9 day Battle Camp . Modules 1 to 3 are run by Regional Training Centre s around the UK . Module 4 . Passing the AOSB and Module 3 then enables Officer Cadets to attend an intensive three week Assessment at the Royal Military Academy Sandhurst , which forms Module 4 . On successful completion of Module 4 , the Officer Cadets receive their Commission and become Second Lieutenant s . Further training that is required prior to them being considered for operational deployment and promotion to Lieutenant includes : Post Commissioning Training ( formerly known as Module 5 ) , again run at an RTC , over 3 weekends . Special To Arm training is specific to the type of unit the Subaltern is joining , for example , the 2 week Platoon Commander ' s Battle Course held at the Infantry Battle School in Brecon . References . THE TERRITORIAL ARMY - 1999 - An archive document of The TA in 1999 before the implementation of The Strategic Defence Review . M A Heyman