British military regiments were traditionally raised by a wealthy benefactor charged by the Monarch to draw the regimental members from various geographic areas. For example, and this is just made up, the 7th Earl of Whoosits would sponsor a regiment and pay for it's mounting and equipping with it's members being drawn from the lands controlled by the Earl. He would recieve some level of reimbursement by the Government for his efforts and would name the Regiment what ever he wanted, most likely something along the lines of The Earl Of Whoosits Own Rifles. Of course, if they were Lancers, Dragoons or any other type of Regiment that term would be applied rather then Rifles.
Eventually these Regimental names and members were fully drawn into the present day military system as the central government took over responsibilities for the military. A similar system exists in Canada and many other Commonwealth and ex-Commonwealth countries.
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British military regiments were traditionally raised by a wealthy benefactor charged by the Monarch to draw the regimental members from various geographic areas. For example, and this is just made up, the 7th Earl of Whoosits would sponsor a regiment and pay for it's mounting and equipping with it's members being drawn from the lands controlled by the Earl. He would recieve some level of reimbursement by the Government for his efforts and would name the Regiment what ever he wanted, most likely something along the lines of The Earl Of Whoosits Own Rifles. Of course, if they were Lancers, Dragoons or any other type of Regiment that term would be applied rather then Rifles.
Eventually these Regimental names and members were fully drawn into the present day military system as the central government took over responsibilities for the military. A similar system exists in Canada and many other Commonwealth and ex-Commonwealth countries.