In April, 1868, Major Du Plat Taylor resigned. Major Du Plat Taylor had from the first been one of the most prominent and energetic officers of the Corps. He had a strong desire, which he expressed in a circular issued in 1864, to raise a third Company in the Post Office, and then to form a separate battalion under his own command. Although not successful in this very questionable scheme, he now resigned in order to take command of a new corps (the 49th, now the 24th Middlesex), raised from the Sorters and Letter Carriers of the Post Office. His success at the head of this regiment is well known.
The vacancy caused by this promotion was filled by the promotion of Captain Currie, of the Bank of England, to be Major.
1871.
The next events of importance occur in the year 1871. This was a period of some military excitement, caused by the Franco-German War. The old Enfield rifle was called in, and the Snider breechloader issued to Volunteers.
School of Instruction.
Schools of Instruction for Volunteer Officers were instituted by the Army authorities. These supplied a want that had been much felt, as much by the “Civil Service” as by other Corps; for although the more energetic Officers occasionally obtained permission to be attached to a Regiment of Regulars for a short period, the instruction thus obtained does not appear to have been very thorough.
Indeed, the blunders of Commanding Officers, eccentric words of command, and suchlike, form the staple commodity of the “Volunteer” humour of the period. It is related that on one occasion, when the “Civil Service” were marching down Fleet Street, a Field Officer, rushing to the front, delivered himself of the following: “Battalion—FOURS RIGHT. No, I mean FOURS LEFT. No—er—er—. D——n it. Turn up Fetter Lane.”
Lord Bury was the first Officer of the Corps to take advantage of the new institution, and in 1871 he attended the School at Chelsea Barracks, and obtained the “pass” certificate. Since that time it has been the rule for all Officers to pass the School as soon as possible after receiving a commission.
Major Hawker.
In this year (1871) Major Hawker resigned. On his resignation he was entertained by the Regiment at a dinner given in his honour at St. James’s Hall; and, in a special Regimental Order issued for the occasion, he was thanked by Lord Bury for the services which he had rendered the Corps. His vacancy was filled by the promotion of Captain Mills.