"a425couple" wrote in message
. ..
"pe.rhodes" wrote
R. Kipling 1892 - poem Tommy
O it's Tommy this, an' Tommy that, an' Tommy, go away
But it's 'Thank you, Mister Atkins,' when the band begins to play,
The band begins to play, my boys, the band begins to play,
O it's 'Thank you, Mister Atkins,' when the band begins to play.

Question,
#1 In 1770s, Brit recruited soldiers, once signed up,
they were in for life.
About when did this change to a set number of years?


According to Holmes in 'Redcoat, for most of the age of horse and musket (7
Years War through to the Crimea), enlistment was for life, which in practice
meant 25 years. Shorter enlistments were available in wartime. Not sure
when specific, shorter enlistment terms were introduced but, folowing
Holmes, it must have been by the period of the Crimean War and the Indian
Mutiny.

#2 In 1770s, commisioned positions were for sale.
All higher positions/promotions were for sale at
succesively higher prices
(generally - person had to serve 'successfully' at
a lower rank to buy a top rank position).
About when, and through what major stages
did this process change to merit?

Never has. You still don't want to join the tanks if you haven't been to a
good boarding school. Only half-joking.