Norfolk, Norwich and the 9th Regiment
A major change introduced in 1881 was that all infantry regiments with numbers, such as the 9th, were to be known thence forward by a name associating that regiment with a locality. This local connection was to be more than just superficial; it would create a local military organisation based in a fixed regimental depot. The 9th Regiment was to be called The Norfolk Regiment, and a base was built in Norwich called Britania Barracks which would act as the headquarters for recruiting and training, and provide permanent living accommodation for the soldiers.
A key aspect of this change was that the regular soldiers we re linked with local, part - time soldiers, compulsory recruited for home defence, known as the Militia. Many of the Militia volunteered for service with the regulars. This rationalisation process was completed in 1908, when the Militia was abolished, and all local part-time volunteer soldiers became officially part of the Norfolk Regiment. The Regiment grew larger, having six battalions by 1910 of which the first and second were regular, fulltime, the third regular reserve (ex - regulars, to be called up in time of war), the fourth, fifth and sixth part-time ‘territorial’ battalions .This process of embedding the regular army in local communities reduced British people’s alienation from people serving in the army.