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More than 5000 entries on the history, culture and life of Britain (published in 1993 by Macmillan, now out of print)
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militia
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Part-time civilian soldiers, trained for active service and available to be enlisted when required. The experience of the *English Civil War and the example of the *New Model Army left many in England with a distrust of any strong standing army. It seemed safer to rely on a citizen army, and in the 18C each county was required to give a month's training each year to a local militia of a specified size. From 1803 young men could be forced to join (after selection by ballot), but there were always enough volunteers for this not to apply. The modern equivalent is the *Territorial Army.
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