Troop - Troops in Various Forces

Troops in Various Forces

Today, a troop is defined differently in different armed forces.

In the Australian army a troop is the equivalent of a platoon sized element in units of certain corps, those being:

  • Royal Australian Armoured Corps
  • Royal Australian Engineers
  • Royal Australian Corps of Signals
  • Australian Army Aviation
  • Royal Australian Corps of Transport
  • Royal Australian Survey Corps (now disbanded)
  • Special Air Service Regiment (SASR)

The SASR is the only unit in the Royal Australian Infantry Corps to use the term troop to refer to its platoon size elements. SASR troops are also unusual as they are commanded by a captain—most troop/platoon sized elements are commanded by a lieutenant. In all cases, units which refer to platoon sized elements as troops refer to company-sized elements as squadrons and battalion-sized elements as regiments. Privates in the RAAC and SASR hold the rank "trooper", however this is not the case for any other Corps/units which use the term troops.

In the British Army the definition of a troop varies by corps.

  • Household Cavalry and Royal Armoured Corps: Three or four armoured fighting vehicles commanded by a subaltern, i.e. effectively the same level element as an infantry platoon. A unit of two to four guns or launchers, or an equivalent headquarters unit. In the Royal Horse Artillery, a troop used to be the equivalent to a battery in other artillery units.
  • Royal Engineers, Royal Corps of Signals, Royal Logistic Corps, Special Air Service and Honourable Artillery Company: A unit equivalent in size to a platoon in other corps, divided into sections or Patrols.

Other army corps do not use the term.

In the Royal Marines, a troop is the equivalent to an army platoon.

In the Canadian Army, a troop is the equivalent of a platoon within the Armoured, Artillery, Engineer, and Signals branches. Two to four troops comprise the main elements of a squadron.

In the United States Army, in the cavalry branch, a troop is the equivalent unit to the infantry company, commanded by a captain and consisting of three or four platoons, and subordinate to a squadron (battalion). Companies were renamed troops in 1883.

In the Russian Imperial Army (cavalry) troop was equivalent to eskadron (Russian squadron) or sotnia (Cossack formations).

Read more about this topic:  Troop

Famous quotes containing the words troops in, troops and/or forces:

    “But, where the road runs near the stream,
    Oft through the trees they catch a glance
    Of passing troops in the sun’s beam—
    Pennon, and plume, and flashing lance!
    Forth to the world those soldiers fare,
    To life, to cities, and to war!”
    —Matthew Arnold (1822–1888)

    “I have lived long enough: my way of life
    Is fallen into the sere, the yellow leaf;
    And that which should accompany old age,
    As honor, love, obedience, troops of friends,
    I must not look to have.”
    —William Shakespeare (1564–1616)

    “And whoever forces himself to love anybody
    begets a murderer in his own body.”
    —D.H. (David Herbert)