5th BN., THE ROYAL WELSH FUSILIERS, 1908. Now: 60th (Royal Welch Fusiliers) Anti-Tank Regt., R.A.

This Territorial Battalion of the Royal Welch Fusiliers, dating from the old Flintshire and Carnarvon Rifle Volunteers formed in 1859, is proud of the peculiar features which mark that famous regiment. One of the traditions was the Pioneers of the Battalion wore white buck-skin aprons and gauntlets on parade. The picture shows a Pioneer of the Flintshire Battalion in the full dress of 1908, with Rhuddlan Castle in the background. This battalion has now become the 60th Anti-Tank Regiment, R.A., but still maintains its historic link with the R.W.F. The spelling WELCH was reintroduced in the Army List in March, 1920.

THE 4TH BN., THE QUEEN’S OWN CAMERON HIGHLANDERS, 1908

In 1859 a number of Volunteer companies were raised around Inverness by various clan chiefs of the neighbourhood, and in 1865 were grouped into a battalion called the Inverness-shire Highland Rifle Volunteers. In 1887 these became the 1st Volunteer Battalion Cameron Highlanders, and in 1908 the 4th Bn. The Queen’s Own Cameron Highlanders, T.F., serving as such in the Great War. The picture shows a regimental sergeant major (1908), with Inverness Castle in the background. This picture of a regular warrant officer is included in the present series as a tribute to the assistance given to the Territorial Army by the regular permanent staff.

HOME COUNTIES DIVISIONAL TRANSPORT AND SUPPLY COLUMN A.S.C., 1908. Now: 44th (Hone Counties) Divisional R.A.S.C.

In the days of the volunteers there was little thought of what we today call “services.” It was Lord Haldane who saw to it that each T.A. Division should have its own company of Army Service Corps, medical units etc. The Home Counties A.S.C. was formed in 1908 from Volunteer Transport Companies attached to the County Infantry Brigades of Kent, Surrey, Middlesex and Sussex. The picture shows a driver in the full dress of 1908. In the background is a G.S. wagon, today almost obsolete in this country, though so well known during the Great War.

1st WESSEX FIELD AMBULANCE, R.A.M.C., 1908. Now: 128th (Wessex) Field Ambulance, R.A.M.C.

The work of the Royal Army Medical Corps is famous throughout the Army. It is perhaps not generally known that the 24th Wessex Field Ambulance holds the French Croix-de-Guerre for the treatment and evacuation of 2000 wounded civilians from St. Amand during a heavy bombardment from 22nd to 25th Oct., 1918. This Territorial Field Ambulance, known before the Great War as the 1st Wessex Field Ambulance, proceeded overseas with the 8th Regular Division and landed in France on Nov. 5th, 1914. We show a member of the unit in the uniform of 1908, with a horsed ambulance in the background.

ARMY VETERINARY CORPS, 1908. Now: Royal Army Veterinary Corps

Although volunteer regiments had their own veterinary officers during the Victorian days, complete veterinary organization for the Territorial Force did not come into existence until Mr (afterwards Lord) Haldane’s reforms. In the days before the Great War the A.V.C. formed an important part of the Territorial Force and the picture shows an officer of the Corps in the full dress of the period, with a horse-drawn ambulance in the background for the removal of sick or wounded horses. With the increase in mechanisation the numbers of the Corps have naturally declined, but it must be remembered that the Territorial Army still has fifteen Yeomanry Regiments and one Scout Regiment which remain mounted.

6TH (RIFLE) BN., THE KING’S (LIVERPOOL REGIMENT) 1909. Now: 38th (The King’s Regiment) Anti-Aircraft Bn., R.E.

In the spring of 1859 two Liverpool gentlemen, A.S. Gladstone and R.J. Tinley, raised a Corps of Riflemen from members of the Liverpool Exchange. This became in July, 1859, the 5th Lancs. Rifle Volunteer Corps. At the formation of the Territorial Force, the battalion became the 6th (Rifle) Bn., The King’s (Liverpool Regiment), generally known, however, as the Liverpool Rifles. The picture illustrates an officer in full dress uniform of 1909, with St. George’s Hall, Liverpool, in the background. Throughout its history the Battalion has always been famous for shooting, a reputation which it still upholds in its new role.

OXFORDSHIRE YEOMANRY (QUEEN’S OWN OXFORDSHIRE HUSSARS), 1914. Now: 53rd (Worcestershire and Oxfordshire Yeomanry) Anti-Tank Regiment, R.A.

This unit owes its origin to a troop of a cavalry founded in Oxfordshire in May 1798. It received the style of “Queen’s Own Royal Oxfordshire Yeomanry Cavalry” in Oct 1835. The regiment made history when it crossed to France under the order of the Admiralty in September, 1914. Patrols met German cyclists near Mont des Cats, October 5th, 1914, and were the first T.F. troops to be in action. We show an officer of the regiment, 1914, with the windmill and crucifix of the Mont des Cats in the background. The regiment was converted to field artillery in 1922 and into anti-tank artillery in 1938.

CHESHIRE FIELD COMPANY ROYAL ENGINEERS, 1914. Now: 2nd (Cheshire ) Field Squadron, R.E.

The Cheshire Field Company, royal Engineers, one of the oldest engineer volunteer units, dating from 1859, was amongst the first territorial force units to proceed overseas in the Great War, and the picture shows a member of the company in the marching order of the early wartime days. In the background is a horse-drawn tool cart, familiar to many wartime sappers crossing a pontoon bridge. After the war the unit became the 2nd (Cheshire) Field Squadron R.E., the sapper unit of the Territorial Cavalry Division. It has now become part of the divisional engineers of the mobile division.

THE 5TH (CUMBERLAND) BATTALION, THE BORDER REGIMENT, 1914

This battalion owes its origins to Rifle Volunteer Corps formed around Kendal in 1860. It was the third T.F. battalion to proceed to France in the Great War, following the London Scottish and the H.A.C. The picture shows a member of the Battalion in the winter of 1914. The soft cap, cotton ammunition bandolier, skin coat and the background of wrecked Flemish farmhouses will conjure up reminiscences to many regular and territorial soldiers of those early years of the war.

28TH (COUNTY OF LONDON) BN., THE LONDON REGIMENT (ARTIST’S RIFLES), 1914. Now The Artist’s Rifles

This regiment, one of the principal officer producing groups of the Territorial Army, owes its origin to Edward Stirling, an art student. It was formed in 1860 as the 38th Middlesex (Artists) Rifle Volunteers, with headquarters at Burlington House. In the Great War the Artists went to France as a fighting unit in Oct., 1914, but in Nov. were called on to send fifty selected men as officers to the B.E.F. They subsequently formed a Cadet School, supplying 10,000 officers to various arms of the service. We show one of the “first fifty” in the uniform of a private of the Artists, with an officer’s shoulder badge. In the background is the town hall, St.Omer.