The Territorial and Reserve Forces Act, 1907.
The Territorial and Reserve Forces Act was passed in 1907, by which the Force might at once become an integral part of the Army on a threat of war.
The Brigade Camp of 1907 held at West Tarring, near Worthing, was therefore the last camp of the Civil Service Volunteers. Before the summer training camps of 1908 were formed, the Corps had been disbanded and re-enrolled, the grey uniform had been discarded, and a new khaki-clad battalion of Territorial soldiers of the King, 800 strong, stood ready to ask His Majesty to be again their Honorary Colonel. The request was granted, and the London Gazette announced that:
“His Majesty the King has been graciously pleased to signify his royal pleasure that he will continue to remain Honorary Colonel of the Corps on its transfer to the Territorial Force.”
The transfer throughout the Force was not made without difficulty or without great effort on the part of its leaders. Much nervousness existed as to the liabilities to be incurred under the Act, the additional claim upon a man’s spare time, the suggested penalties in case of default, etc. The efforts of the leaders were not assisted by the singularly inept methods of the military authorities. The Act provided that the Volunteer should be re-attested on entering the new Force. The Attestation Form at first issued by the War Office contained a long list of questions to be answered by the recruit. Prominent across the face of the form was the statement:
“You are hereby warned that if it is found that you have given a false answer to the following questions you will be liable to imprisonment with hard labour.”
In this grateful and tactful manner it was proposed to greet the patriotic citizen on taking the first step towards his additional burden. But the protests of Volunteer Commanders were loud and the obnoxious form was quickly withdrawn.