Mobilisation and training between the two world wars

The closing tactical comparison examines the preparation available to British forces in the two world wars. The First World War supplied institutional experience of expanding and training a mass army, even though that experience came too late to help the force on the Somme in 1916. Before major Second World War fighting, Britain could draw on regular personnel and the Territorial Army while mobilising a much larger force. The Phoney War also provided additional time in which experienced soldiers could train newer formations. That preparation made coordinated manoeuvres such as fire and movement more viable, illustrating how tactical performance depends on the time and institutions available before battle.