The opening of the year 1861 was marked by the first Easter Monday Review. This was held at Brighton. Some difference of opinion was displayed by the various Volunteer Commanding Officers as to the advisability of holding this review. Lord Bury opposed the idea. He expressed his opinions on the point in a Regimental Order to the following effect:—
“I do not think the proposed expedition judicious in a political point of view. I think it inconsistent with the purely defensive character of the Volunteer movement to make demonstrations on the coast.”
Of course, under these conditions the Civil Service Regiment refrained from demonstrating; or, at all events, they joined with a few other like-minded corps, and so effectually concealed their demonstrations among the bushes of Wimbledon Common, that they evidently felt satisfied that not the slightest exasperation could have been felt on their account by the most bellicose of Frenchmen.
1862.
Little else of importance occurred to mark the year 1861, so we will pass at once to the second Easter Monday Review, which ushered in the drill season of 1862.
By this time it would appear that Lord Bury’s views had changed, for the regiment not only attended the Review, but in a Regimental Order, in which he praises the steadiness of the battalion on that occasion, Lord Bury states—“It is an honour to have taken part in such a day.”
Another event of this year was a review by the Duke of Cambridge at Wimbledon, when we are told that His Royal Highness expressed his praise on witnessing the advance of the battalion extended as skirmishers.
To show the satisfactory state of affairs at this period, I cannot do better than again to quote from Regimental Orders as follows:
“The Lieutenant-Colonel cannot but congratulate the Regiment on the fact that at the close of their third drill season, they occupy a most satisfactory position among the Volunteer Corps of the country: the organisation is complete; the numbers are increasing; the Officers have passed the ordeal of a searching examination; the Drill is improved; the Musketry Instruction, which was from the first the strongest point in the organisation of the Regiment, has even improved in efficiency; and the number both of effectives and of marksmen is fully equal, in proportion to numbers, to any other Volunteer Corps. The Lieutenant-Colonel need not point out how much the efficiency of a Regiment depends on its Non-commissioned Officers. We are fortunate in having a body of Non-commissioned Officers who thoroughly know their duty. The Skirmishing Drill of the Regiment is better done, and much more clearly understood than in former years. In conclusion, the Lieutenant-Colonel confidently believes that the utmost unanimity and good feeling exists throughout the Regiment.”
The last statement appears, in the present day, a rather strange and superfluous one to put into Regimental Orders; but it is evident that its meaning was fully understood at the time. Enthusiastic volunteer as Lord Bury was, and evidently taking a delight in his duties as Commanding Officer, he must have frequently felt that to rule a body of gentlemen volunteers, in a very elementary stage of military knowledge and discipline, was a somewhat formidable and even thankless task. Every member of the corps—officer, non-commissioned officer, and private—had an opinion to express on every point, and he expressed it freely. Plenty of evidence exists of burning questions which agitated, and sometimes even threatened the unity of the corps; but the great tact displayed by Lord Bury, his forbearance and kindly courtesy, which disarmed all opposition, led the corps safely through all.