Royal Hong Kong Regiment

Royal Hong Kong Regiment

The Royal Hong Kong Regiment (The Volunteers) (RHKR(V)) (Chinese: 皇家香港軍團(義勇軍)), formed in May 1854, was a local auxiliary militia force funded and administered by the colonial Government of Hong Kong.

During the imperial age, home defence units were raised in various British colonies with the intention of allowing regular army units tied-up on garrison duty to be deployed elsewhere. These units were generally organised along British Army lines. The first locally raised militia in Hong Kong was the Hong Kong Volunteers, a fore runner of what was to become the Royal Hong Kong Regiment (The Volunteers).

Although the British government, as national government, was responsible for the defence of the territories and colonies, and held direct control of military units raised within them, the local forces were raised and funded by the local governments or the territories and as such the RHKR(V) was always a branch of the Hong Kong government. It was not a part of the reserve force of the British Army. The RHKR(V) did however form part of the ORBAT of 38 Gurkha Infantry Brigade and were under command of the commander of the British forces in Hong Kong.

These locally raised defence units met British military standards in organisation and efficiency. Many of the officers and NCOs attended training in the UK. Although colonial/overseas British territories' auxiliary units may have no tasking under the British Ministry of Defence, and members may not be compelled to serve outside their territory, many serve voluntarily on attachment to British Regular and Territorial Army units.