A set of three Additional Forces Acts of July 1803 created an Army of Reserve for the defence of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland against the imminent threat of sea-borne invasion by Napoleon's French Revolutionary Army. A total of 15,780 men were added to the country's armed forces by these compulsory measures, creating an "Army of Reserve".

Defence of the Realm (England) Act 1803
Act of Parliament
Long titleAn Act to enable his Majesty more effectually to raise and assemble in England an additional Military Force for the better Defence and Security of the United Kingdom and for the more vigorous Prosecution of the War.
Citation43 Geo. 3. c. 82
Territorial extent England
Dates
Royal assent6 July 1803
Commencement6 July 1803
Repealed6 August 1872
Other legislation
Repealed byStatute Law Revision Act 1872
Status: Repealed
Text of statute as originally enacted
Defence of the Realm (Scotland) Act 1803
Act of Parliament
Long titleAn Act to enable his Majesty more effectually to raise and assemble an additional Military Force in Scotland for the better Defence and Security of the United Kingdom and for the more vigorous Prosecution of the War.
Citation43 Geo. 3. c. 83
Territorial extent Scotland
Dates
Royal assent6 July 1803
Commencement6 July 1803
Repealed6 August 1872
Other legislation
Amended byDefence of the Realm Act 1806
Repealed byStatute Law Revision Act 1872
Status: Repealed
Text of statute as originally enacted
Defence of the Realm (Ireland) Act 1803
Act of Parliament
Long titleAn Act to enable his Majesty more effectually to raise and assemble in Ireland an additional Military Force for the better Defence and Security of the United Kingdom and for the vigorous Prosecution of the War.
Citation43 Geo. 3. c. 85
Territorial extent Ireland
Dates
Royal assent11 July 1803
Commencement11 July 1803
Repealed6 August 1872
Other legislation
Repealed byStatute Law Revision Act 1872
Status: Repealed
Text of statute as originally enacted

The acts – one each for England (43 Geo. 3. c. 82), Scotland (c. 83) and Ireland (c. 85) – were passed by William Pitt the Younger despite strong political opposition.[1][2]

See also

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References

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  1. ^ "Great Britain: Number of Men Raised for the Regular Army by Ordinary Recruiting". The Napoleon Series. Retrieved 7 September 2018.
  2. ^ Pollard, Albert Frederick (1911). "English History" . In Chisholm, Hugh (ed.). Encyclopædia Britannica. Vol. 9 (11th ed.). Cambridge University Press. p. 553.