For those who are interested in the British Armed forces adn how they came to be, here are some facts that you may not have known about the history of the British Armed Forces:
- Soldiers serving abroad during the American Revolution were able and chose to bring their wives and children along. Almost a quarter of these soldiers did bring their family along. The wives were often offered jobs with the military as nurses, seamstresses, artists or even merchants.
- In 2005, British soldiers were given underwear that were antimicrobial and therefore able to be worn for up to three months without being washed or even taken off.
- Armies were only formed and gathered on a need to use basis before 1661. This meant there was no standing army and made it difficult to p
lan. - Always Look on the Bright Side of Life was a bit of a British Army anthem. The song, for those unfamiliar, is from the Monty Python soundtrack. Pilots were known to sing this song on missions and soldiers awaiting rescue from a sinking ship were also heard singing this song.
- The Victoria Cross is the highest honour that any member of any regiment of the armed forces can receive. It is made from scrap metal from a canon the forces captured and retained during the way.
- From 1800-1922, there were both Irish and Scottish men that served, fought and were part of the British Armed Forces. This was the case for as long as Ireland and Scotland were part of the United Kingdom.