Reply To: From 10 to 8 companies…

[General Slade]

The noble Lord was definitely on the long-winded side.

From what I could gather before I nodded off it seems that at the beginning of the Crimean War service battalions were officially meant to be just six companies but this was felt to be inadequate so two companies from the depot battalions were sent as well.  I assume then that the companies were strictly administrative rather than tactical units or it would have created all kinds of confusion when performing manoeuvres.