In 1896 Captain G. Lamb, Leinster Regiment, was appointed Adjutant in the place of Captain Barton, whose time having expired, returned to his regiment. It was with great regret that the Civil Service parted with this officer.
1897.
1897 was the year of the Diamond Jubilee of Queen Victoria. Unlike the Jubilee of 1887, when the Metropolitan Volunteers turned out in their full strength to line the route, battalions were now restricted to two companies of 25 file each. The Civil Service Companies were commanded by the two senior captains, Major Miall and Captain Merrick.
At the great Royal Naval Review at Spithead, the “H” (Admiralty) Company under Captain Danter had the unique experience of providing a Guard of Honour in the battleship Empress of India; perhaps the only occasion on which the Volunteer Force was represented in a Naval Review.
In this year the Regimental Signalling Party, who for some time had never failed to secure a high place in the list of those presenting themselves for official examination, now passed first in the Kingdom.
1898. “Prince of Wales’ Own.”
In February, 1898, the Prince of Wales honoured the officers by attending a Mess Dinner held at the Whitehall Rooms. Responding to the toast of his health, the Prince complimented Lord Albemarle on the efficiency of the Regiment, and spoke warmly of the pleasure it gave him to remember how long he had been its Honorary Colonel—the oldest Colonel, he thought, in the Volunteer Force. It was announced shortly afterwards that the Regiment was to be called “The Prince of Wales’s Own.”
1899.
Facilities were now being given for Volunteers to do as much training as possible with regular troops, and the Civil Service took advantage of this during the Easter period. In 1898 a strong detachment were quartered at the Albuhera Barracks, Aldershot, and in 1899 the whole Battalion were accommodated at the Inkerman Barracks, Woking, with the 2nd East Surrey Regiment. In reporting on outpost operations carried out on the latter occasion, the Brigadier said: “The outpost work was good. The placing of picquets, groups and supports left nothing to be desired and reflects great credit on the Company officers.”
An admirable test of the state of efficiency at which the Volunteer Force had now arrived was afforded this year by the Royal Review of Metropolitan Volunteers on the Horse Guards Parade, held to commemorate the fortieth year of the Force. Before midday hardly a uniform was to be seen in the streets; but by four in the afternoon 30,000 Volunteers had mustered at their Headquarters, marched to St. James’ Park, and formed up in Brigades. From thence in rapid succession, after a complicated and trying movement, owing to the awkwardly confined space, they marched past in column of double Companies, debouching from the Park by the gate allotted to them to their respective Headquarters, and by 8.0 p.m. this little army had vanished back to civilian life. The steadiness and precision of movement, the quiet, orderly behaviour, the neat and soldierly appearance of the men made, without doubt, a great impression on authorities and public alike.