Unit marked P14 (1913) Bayonet.

[henry r]

surely they are kept as a back up if the modern gear is taken out by an EMP.

[browningautorifle]

I'm more interested in why we still have the remains of these obscure regiments

Simply tradition Peter...

[Peter Laidler]

I realise that BAR and more power to their elbow but in these austere times maybe we could have a Corps of part-time ceremonial soldiers, say, the Royal Ceremonial Regiment or The Royal Dressing-up Regiment. So when they need the RHA to do 21 gun salutes twice or thrice a year, they could dress up for that. Need a horse mounted Life Guards band for the annual trooping the Colour or beating the retreat (Beating the retreat....... in 2017 ?) they could do a bit of that. Or a bit of Guard Duty somewhere, red jackets and all that....... Yep, take turns at that too. I know that I'm old and a bit more savvy now.............

[browningautorifle]

You'd have a group that could do almost anything...and they'd have 20 different uniforms. Wait! That's almost what I had...