In 1879 Major Currie resigned. The Regiment had benefited much by Major Currie’s services. Lord Bury having suffered from bad health about this period, Major Currie for some time carried out the duties of Commanding Officer, and earned for himself much popularity in the Corps. His post was filled by the promotion of a brother Director of the Bank, Captain A. G. Sandeman, of K Company.
Lord Bury.
Mention should not be omitted of the fact that at this period (1878-80) the Corps had the gratification of seeing its Commanding Officer (Lord Bury) occupying the post of Under Secretary of State for War. In this capacity he presided over a Committee appointed by Government to investigate and report on the requirements of the Volunteer Force. There is no doubt that the more generous treatment which the Force has received from Government of late years is owing in a great degree to the Report of this Committee.
Title Altered.
In 1880 a scheme for re-numbering the Middlesex Corps was adopted by the War Office. Many of the Corps formed in 1860 had become defunct or had been amalgamated with others. The “Civil Service,” from the 21st, thus became the 12th Middlesex. A few years later, when the territorial system was arranged, they were classified as the 5th Volunteer Battalion of the King’s Royal Rifle Corps, but this title has not yet been adopted.
21st Year.
In 1881 the Volunteer Force celebrated its coming of age, and Her Majesty marked the event by reviewing her “citizen soldiers.” The English Volunteers mustered in Windsor Great Park, on the 9th July, 1881, and marched past their Sovereign. A few weeks later the Queen proceeded to Scotland, and reviewed the Scottish Corps at Edinburgh.
The “Civil Service” decided to celebrate their arrival at maturity by a grand dinner of past and present members. The Prince of Wales graciously consented to preside on the occasion, and this necessitated delaying the festival until the following year. The dinner was ultimately held at Willis’s Rooms, on the 1st March, 1882. The demands for admission were many times in excess of the space available, and the process of balloting for tickets was resorted to in the case of past members.
A distinguished company of guests were invited to meet the Prince, who, as Chairman, made several speeches, in the course of which he warmly complimented the regiment, and expressed his wish to meet it at the Portsmouth Review the following Easter. This wish was carried out. The Prince was present at Portsmouth for some days, and appeared in public on each occasion in his uniform as Colonel of the Civil Service Corps. At the march past, on the day of the Review, he took command of the battalion, and marched past at its head.
Her Majesty further complimented the Volunteer Force in this year, by appointing, for the first time, certain of its commanding officers Aides-de-Camp to the Queen. Lord Bury was one of the six selected for this honour.