In accordance with its rules the Aid Fund was closed early in 1921, and the General Committee, with the approval of the Charity Commissioners, disposed of the unexpended balance of £1,929, by presenting £1,500 to the Old Comrades’ Association, and the remainder to the Officer Commanding the Regiment to be applied to the erection of a Memorial to the officers and men who had fallen during the War.
C. DOUBLEDAY,
CHAPTER XLIII
THE RECONSTITUTED BATTALION
The first step towards securing the future of the Battalion may be said to have been taken when friends of the Regiment in 1918 approached authority with a view to the Prince of Wales assuming the Honorary Colonelcy, so long held by his grandfather, but it had been considered advisable to wait the termination of hostilities. In 1919, however, a letter was received from the Controller to his Royal Highness, stating that the Prince of Wales would accept the position. The appointment which followed in due course was received with unbounded delight in the Regiment.
Many months of delay on the part of the Army Council in forming their post-war policy in regard to the Territorial Force had a most deleterious effect, and thus when the task of reconstituting the Regiment was commenced many difficulties were experienced, the bands of comradeship had loosened, and there was a marked disinclination among the greater part of those who had worn khaki for so long in war to put it on again in peace, whilst the absence of a “young entry” into H.M. Civil Service destroyed our main source of recruits.
The command of the Regiment was offered to Major Viscount Bury, M.C., Special Reserve Scots Guards, who accepted and was appointed Lieutenant-Colonel in February, 1920. He was thus the third of his name to have the honour of commanding the Regiment. A letter was received on behalf of Lord Grenfell, Colonel of the King’s Royal Rifle Corps, pointing out that during the war the Civil Service Rifles, among other battalions, had been affiliated by Army Council instructions to the regiment of which he was Chief, and requesting that the feeling of the Regiment as to the continuance of the connection should be made known to him in reply. Answer was accordingly made that though the Regiment highly appreciated the honour of having been linked to the tradition of so distinguished a Corps, yet they now felt that they would like to stand on the merits of their war record rather than to shelter under the magnificent reputation in the making of which they had not taken part. It was added that the Regiment had for years carried out line drill and had only for a short period drilled as riflemen.
The Commanding Officer was fortunate in securing as Adjutant, Captain (Brevet Major) W. H. Ramsbotham of the West Yorkshire Regiment (Prince of Wales’s Own). He also applied successfully to the Coldstream Guards for a Regimental Sergeant-Major in the person of C.S.M. Stevens, D.C.M., and later, through the instrumentality of General Jeffreys, two Sergeant Instructors were obtained from the same regiment. Captain A. A. Joslin was appointed Quartermaster, a position he held in the Second Battalion throughout the war. Captain A. E. Evans, R.A.M.C., who had served in that capacity with the 1st Battalion in France, was appointed Medical Officer. The following Officers and N.C.O.’s were appointed to the various companies:—
“A” Company.—Major H. F. M. Warne, Captain G. E. Thompson, D.S.O., Lieutenant F. W. Hounsell, C.S.M. Hyder, C.Q.M.S. Lewis, M.M.
“B” Company.—Captain R. J. S. Gold, Captain P. Davenport, M.C., Lieutenants S. A. Seys, M.C., J. L. Hutchison, M.C., C.S.M. Torbell, C.Q.M.S. F. Trout.
“C” Company.—Captain L. D. Eccles, Captain H. M. Blomfield, (from 5th Buffs), Lieutenant P. E. Beddow, Second-Lieutenant J. S. Oldcorn, D.C.M., C.Q.M.S. Ibbett, M.M., and Sergeant (A/C.S.M.) A. C. Ridlington, M.C.
“D” Company.—Captain T. N. Sharratt, Lieutenant W. D. Hooper, Lieutenant P. H. Hall, C.S.M. Callingham, C.Q.M.S. Sale.
Recruiting started slowly and by midsummer some eighty members had joined, to which number was added the Band of twenty-four members, under Band-Sergeant H. W. Blackmore. The Band had all served in this capacity on the Western Front with the 1st Battalion.
It was felt that there was no better way of influencing recruiting than by reviving the Annual Midsummer Camp. This battalion, alone of the 2nd London Division, was fortunate in obtaining leave for this, and a contingent of the Regiment, under command of Major Warne, spent a happy fortnight at St. Martin’s Plain, Shorncliffe. R.S.M. Stevens at this camp earned the commendation of the G.O.C. London District, General Jeffreys, for the remarkable progress made by recruits under his zealous teaching.