Glossary
| Battalion | A body of infantry commanded by a Lieutenant Colonel. Once 1000 strong, a Battalion is now about 650 men. |
| Cavalry | Mounted soldiers. Formerly horsed, they have been mechanised since the 1930s. |
| Colonel in Chief | The honorary head of a regiment, usually royal, of either cavalry or infantry |
| Colonel of the Regiment | A senior officer, usually a former member of the Regiment, who directs regimental policy and affairs. |
| Company | A body of infantry, usually about 100 men, forming part of a Battalion and commanded by a major. There are five companies in a battalion at present, but there have been as many as ten in the past. |
| Colours | Banners embroidered with an infantry regiment's battle honours. The Queen's colour is the union flag, and bears a selection of battle honour from the two world wars. The Regimental colour is the colour of the Regiment's facings, and carries all other battle honours. Every battalion of a regiment usually has a set (or 'stand') of colours. |
| Decoration | A medal awarded for gallantry or for distinguished service. |
| Facings | The coloured cloth on uniform cuffs and collars that distinguishes regiments from each other. |
| Field Officers | Officers of the rank of Major and above. |
| Guidon | The single banner carried by cavalry regiments, bearing a selection of their battle honours. |
| Infantry | Foot soldiers, of whom only the field officers were mounted. |
| Medal | Medals are awarded for campaign service and have been issued to all ranks since Waterloo in 1815. Prior to that only senior officers received medals. |
| Musket | A firearm with a smooth-bored barrel, having a limited range and doubtful accuracy. Use discontinued during 19th Century. |
| Platoon | A body of infantry, usually about 25 men, normally commanded by a subaltern. There are three or four platoons to each infantry company. |
| Private | The lowest rank in the infantry |
| Ranks | Officers' ranks: Colonel (see notes above), Lieutenant Colonel; Major; Captain; Lieutenant; Second Lieutenant Soldiers' ranks: Regimental Sergeant Major (WOI); Company/Squadron Sergeant Major (WOII); Colour Sergeant/Staff Sergeant; Sergeant; Corporal; Lance Corporal; Private/Trooper |
| Regiment | In the infantry regiments consist of a number of battalions. All wear the same cap badges and are under the control of the Colonel of the Regiment for ceremonial matters. |
| Rifle | A firearm with a rifled bore that imparts a twist to the bullet on firing, giving greater range and accuracy than a musket. Introduced at the end of the 18th Century to selected regiments, its use became general in the mid 19th Century. |
| Section | The smallest body of infantry and cavalry, usually 6 to 10 men lead by a Corporal. |
| Squadron | It is body of cavalry which is commanded by a Major consisting of several Troops. Usually about 100 men strong, there are four or five squadrons in a regiment. |
| Subaltern | A Lieutenant or Second Lieutenant in both cavalry and infantry. |
| Troop | A body of cavalry, usually lead by a subaltern, about 16 men strong. |
| Trooper | The lowest rank in the cavalry. |
| Yeomanry | Volunteer cavalry, raised within counties during the late 18th Century. |