After camp recruiting began to quicken in pace. The Sergeants’ Mess was re-established. The custom of holding two yearly dinners of the Officers’ Mess had been revived, and the first of these was held in November. Among the guests was the newly-appointed Commander of the 4th (Grey) London Infantry Brigade, Colonel F. G. Lewis. Subsequently, H.R.H. the Prince of Wales was approached and he honoured the Regiment by attending the Mess Dinner held in the Alexandra Room of the Trocadero on the 4th April, 1921. There were also present Sir Warren Fisher, K.C.B. (Secretary to Treasury); Sir Henry Gibson (Auditor-General); Major-General Jeffreys (G.O.C. London District); Sir Neville Smyth, V.C. (G.O.C. 47th (2nd London) Division); Colonel F. G. Lewis, Holland Martin, Esq., C.B.E. (Chairman County of London Territorial Force Association); and many old commanding officers of the Regiment, including Colonel A. M. Renny, Lieutenant-Colonel Segrave, Lieutenant-Colonel R. Fielding, Lieutenant-Colonel W. F. K. Newson, Lieutenant-Colonel A. W. Gaze, Colonel R. G. Hayes, T.D., Major A. C. H. Benké, Sir John Lithiby and Sir Charles Walker, K.C.B.
A third dinner, held in November, 1921, at the Civil Service Rifles’ Club, was honoured by the attendance of Lieutenant-General Sir Francis Lloyd, G.C.V.O., who in an admirable speech gave encouragement to those who are working hard for the continued existence and future of their Regiment.
During the time which had elapsed since the Armistice, the activities of the Regiment had been kept well in the public view. The Regiment had taken part in the processional march of the London troops in 1919, when the representatives of the 1st and 2nd Battalions were led respectively by Lieutenant-Colonel Feilding and Lieutenant-Colonel Gaze; at the unveiling by the Duke of York of the memorial to London troops erected in front of the Royal Exchange, and on the occasion of the presentation of colours to battalions of the 56th Division at the Horse Guards’ Parade by H.R.H. Princess Mary it had helped, in company with other troops of the 47th Division, to line the parade ground. The Regiment also sent detachments to the unveiling of the memorial to King Edward VII, and also to the unveiling of the memorial to those men of the Post Office (many of whom served in the Regiment) who fell in the late war.
At Easter, 1921, the pre-war custom of a visit to the Guards Depot at Caterham was revived, and over 100 other ranks received the traditional hospitality and welcome from all ranks of the Depot. This was a great success and had much influence on recruiting. After this camp great efforts were made by members of the Regiment, and the effects were just beginning to be shown, when an event disastrous to the Regiment, as far as recruiting was concerned, occurred. For the month previous to April, 1921, recruits had been coming in at the rate of twelve to fifteen per week, and had that rate of increase been maintained a satisfactory increase of strength would have been seen by midsummer. In April, 1921, the Defence Force was formed. Members of H.M. Civil Service were forbidden to join. The Headquarters Staff were taken away and Headquarters given up to a force which had nothing in common with the Regiment. With the exception of shooting, all its activities were suspended. For over three months this state of affairs continued and had a blighting effect on the regimental prosperity. The other regiments of the Division on the disbandment of the Defence Force secured a large number of recruits from those who had served in the Defence Unit bearing their names, whilst the Civil Service Rifles, through no fault of their own, lost not only those who would have joined had not the Defence Force been formed, but received merely a few individuals as recruits from among all those who had enlisted in the Defence Force. In spite of these difficulties the task was resumed. The Regimental Shooting Programme, seriously curtailed, was carried out, while in July, 1921, at the first post-war camp of the Grey Brigade at Shorncliffe, over 200 other ranks attended. The Regiment there maintained its reputation for efficiency, and the Battalion signallers under Sergeant Maddocks earned commendation by the Inspecting Officer of being the best trained signallers in the Division, whilst the band by their excellent performances on the Leas at Folkestone and in Camp brought themselves into deserved prominence.
In the world of sport the Battalion team reached the semi-final of the Divisional Football Championship, whilst the Civil Service Rifles Harriers gained second place in the Cross Country Championship. The season’s shooting at Bisley was crowned by winning the Middlesex Cup on 10th September, 1921; this cup conferring the primacy for the year on the Regimental team over those from all Territorial units in the six Home Counties. Relative to the winning of this Trophy a letter was received from the Secretary to the Prince of Wales expressing his Royal Highness’s pleasure. Accompanying the letter was a large signed photograph of H.R.H., which, sent as it was on the eve of the departure of H.R.H. on his visit to India gave to all ranks highest gratification as evidence of the support and interest felt for his own Civil Service Rifles by the Prince of Wales.
To face appendix I.
To face appendix I.