During the
Crimean War about 27,000 British troops died - most not as a result of wounds in battle but of disease. Investigations after the War concluded that so many had died because of their poor physical condition, resulting in their inability to fight off the effects of the diseases. In 1860 a number of military reforms began, including an investigation of methods of improving the physical fitness of soldiers in the Army. In 1859 the
War Office sent Colonel
Frederick William Hamilton and Dr. Thomas Galbraith Logan, the Inspector General of Hospitals, to France and Prussia to report on the physical training systems in the armies in those countries. Their report stated that the French army had had a gymnastic physical training regime since the 1840s, with a central gymnastics training school founded in 1852; while the Prussian army had introduced military gymnastics training in 1842. Hamilton firmly advised that the War Office should institute a similar system of gymnastics training for the British Army. (back row holding hat) and Captain
Frederick Hammersley (in door, right) with the twelve NCO's and two of MacLaren's assistants at the
Oxford Gymnasium (1860) Major
Frederick Hammersley and twelve carefully selected
non-commissioned officers (NCOs) (who later became known as the Twelve Apostles) were put through a twelve month course of physical training in
Oxford under the PT specialist and educator
Archibald MacLaren (1820–1884) who had trained in Europe and who in 1858 had opened a renowned gymnasium at the
University of Oxford where he taught fencing and gymnastics. 's
Oxford Gymnasium -
The Illustrated London News (1868) Members of the AGS were based at the newly built military gymnasiums where they trained soldiers in the new physical training techniques. Other members of the AGS joined Army units where they trained soldiers in fencing, gymnastics and other elements of physical training in addition to organising recreational sporting activities. As a result of the new exercise regime the sickness and mortality rates in the British Army decreased and the reforms were approved in the 1864 Report on Gymnastic Instruction in the Army. Notable former Army
Physical Training Instructors include
Nik Stuart, a former National Gymnastic Coach, and
Olympic medallists
Kriss Akabusi and
Kelly Holmes. At the
Festival of Remembrance on 13 November 2010,
Huw Edwards announced that the Army Physical Training Corps had been granted the title Royal Army Physical Training Corps by Her Majesty the
Queen. This became effective immediately. ==Characteristics==