The history of the 1st Batt. Wilts Volunteers, from 1861 to 1885

by R. D. Gibney

That Volunteer Force we still retain. They have become a well-trained, reliable, and very valuable body of men, but fitted only for garrison duties. The infantry are clothed and equipped but for the day—having neither boots nor underclothing, and in too many cases stamina, such as would enable them to undergo one week's exposure in bad weather or in winter before an active and terribly resolute enemy. The artillery are without guns, and ignorant of the use of field guns, nor have they the means of moving light guns or guns of position, even had they all been instructed in their use. The broken reed of trusting to neighbouring farmers, brewers, omnibus proprietors, &c., for horseflesh is sure to fail. It cannot be otherwise. On a sudden call all would be brought together, new to their work and new to each other. Men, drivers, horses, with harness and equipments probably obsolete, not unlikely rotten, and fitting so badly as to produce nothing but pain and galls. One day's march means two days' halt under such circumstances. If the fleet were badly beaten in the Mediterranean, or even in the eastern seas, the demand for assistance would be made on the home authorities and the number of vessels guarding the Channel considerably diminished, weakened, or rendered powerless by a call for their services elsewhere; in other words, the complete command of the Channel lost, and this being so, invasion is not only possible, but most probably would occur. A few heavily-armed vessels as guard-ships, and with less than two hundred thousand tons of shipping at the enemy's disposal, one hundred thousand men could be landed with ease, perfectly equipped and ready for action on very many parts of our shores. The voyage is short, large steamers, probably of low power but adapted for troops, and various other vessels would be obtained without difficulty; and, as before observed, with the command of the Channel no longer in English power, would again and again repeat the voyage, not improbably with impunity, or at best with feeble opposition.

To oppose these, what have we? Literally nothing. The attack on our shores or the defeat of our fleet is not likely to occur at the onset of the war. It would be later on, when all of our regulars have been despatched to India, Egypt, and perhaps the Colonies, and when the best of the militia, both artillery and infantry, have been detailed for garrison duty at Gibraltar, Malta, &c., leaving this country to be defended by the rawest of recruits raising for the regular army, a few militiamen, terribly out at elbows in every way, and the volunteers, without commissariat, without hospital arrangements, without fully-trained officers, without a sufficiency of good and useful clothing from boots upwards, and not improbably without repeating rifles and a sufficiency of ammunition. Add to this, artillerymen without guns, or knowledge of how such are used in the field, horsed from the plough, cabs, carts, omnibuses, &c., and it is not too much to say that to oppose the advance of an enemy, once landed, on London or elsewhere, we have nothing to bring. Brave men enough, but mere bravery is foolery in modern warfare. Skill and perfect arrangements are now necessary to secure victory, and as the demand for the service of our volunteers would be sudden, so would they be unprepared for the task before them. All, all, sick or well, well skilled or badly drilled, shod in slippers or serviceable boots, would be hurriedly summoned, and not improbably, without test or examination of any sort, time not allowing it, would be confronted with the enemy; and after one week's exposure to fighting constantly, picket duties, and camping out, die off like flies. However, this is a digression, and we will return to the raising and training of the 8th or Mere Corps of Wiltshire Rifle Volunteers. The excuse for having left the path must be that our present time strangely resembles that of 1859, when we, the people, were left to our own resources, and by prompt action staved off or, as far as we know, absolutely knocked the idea of a successful invasion on the head. It is our duty now, as then, to look matters boldly in the face; to calculate all the pros and cons of the case, and not be led astray from what we in our hearts believe to be necessary, and should be done, regardless of the money it may cost, or of giving umbrage either to political parties or neighbouring nations.

So far then as can be gathered, the greater part of the difficulty of raising the 8th Corps fell upon its future commander, Chafyn Grove, Esq., of Zeals House. His friend and neighbour, Lord Seymour, had got together an excellent body of men from the tenants of his father's property on the Maiden Bradley and Silton estates; and, with the experience of Lord Seymour to guide him, it is not surprising that Mr. Grove should have resolved to try and raise an equally useful and good corps from Zeals. It only required men and money, and these being obtainable, Mr. Grove addressed his neighbour with regard to what was next to be done. The advice and guidance asked for was promptly given, and right sensible advice was it that emanated from the future heir to the dukedom of Somerset. Lord Seymour foresaw events, and told the young squire of Zeals how his wishes could be carried out. He let him see plainly, that it was and probably would be an expensive experiment, and that so far from the Government of the day giving assistance, they would offer obstructions. At Mere were a goodly number of recruits to be found, and also from the men employed on the property and among the tenants; but the majority of these were too poor to be able to afford the expense incidental to the loss of time in attending drills, or finding anything for themselves. Patriotism they had plenty of, but it required to be supported by anybody's purse excepting their own, and patriotism, like other valuable articles, diminishes under difficulties.

In a letter, dated 2nd January, 1860, addressed by Mr. Grove to Lord Seymour, we find that the young squire of Zeals is just in the first throes of volunteer corps raising. He has got the men, and asks advice regarding colour and prices of uniform and accoutrements, and in reply, is not only warned against being misled by cheap advertisements of these articles, but is let into the secret that before his recruits can be accepted, he must satisfy the Government that he has provided all that is necessary for their future efficiency; which now no longer entailed finding a rifle or gun of some sort or another for each man, as rifles and bayonets would be found by the War Office; but included a practice-ground, with targets, &c., of at least two hundred yards in extent, an armoury, safe from attack, and an armourer to look after the arms, a magazine safe and secure, and various other matters, all of which would cause delay and be most vexatious. Lord Seymour says: "You have told me nothing about your rules, excepting about entrance fees. I am improving my first set, and I strongly urge this as a rule: 'That all gentlemen wishing to join as volunteers send in their names and the amount they intend to subscribe to the funds,' their becoming members being left to the committee's approval."—Adding, after some explanations, "Unless the committee keeps the power of admittance or non-admittance into the corps in their own hands, it is, in fact, pledged to dress and equip any number of men who may pay two shillings and six-pence, and obtain for it three or four pound's worth of clothing."

Again Lord Seymour observes: "The demands on the general fund will be very heavy. In Devonshire, I am told, the ammunition alone costs 10s. per man a year. Believe me, a small number of men, well equipped, is the most promising beginning for a company. You say your uniform will only cost 48s. per man, including belts. Certain outfitters offer these things, but somehow they manage to make the price higher later on. Lord Elcho's 28s. suit may have been made as an advertisement. Neither he nor anyone else will get a serviceable suit for that money. 10s. belts are bad. All I have seen allow the cartridges to rattle about in the front pouch."

A few days after this, certain rules were sent to the Lord Lieutenant of the County by Mr. Grove for approval, and were sanctioned, as "nearly approaching those recommended by the Government," and at the same time the sender was informed, that the commission of Captain would be given to him, and eventually an inspector sent down to see that the place selected is "eligible for exercise, and to ascertain the fitness of the man appointed for the custody of the arms."

As the inspector was long in coming, and the Gazette silent as to his promotion, Mr. Grove again addressed his lordship on the cause; but the reply, dated the 20th April, gave him to understand that there had been no unnecessary delay in his being gazetted, in the acceptance officially of the corps, or of the despatch of the inspecting officer; but there had been much extra work in the departments, and "the acceptance of the services of No. 8 Corps of Wiltshire Rifle Volunteers was only communicated to the Lord Lieutenant 'on the 16th of this month.'"

Captain Chafyn Grove was told to select two gentlemen for the commissions of Lieutenant and Ensign, and after various further delays, the Gazette informed the public that William Chafyn Grove, Esquire, was to be Captain, E.A. Card, gentleman, to be Lieutenant, and John White, gentleman, to be Ensign, in the 8th Corps Wilts Rifle Volunteers—Head quarters, Mere. Among the earliest to join as members of the corps were, Messrs. Alford, Barnes, Baker, Burpitt, Cards, Careys, Cowards, Cole, Dowding, Farthing, Foot, Green, Glover, Jupes, Keates, Landers, Larkam, Maidments, Mitchells, Markey, Merriman, Meaden, Perrett, Pillinger, Randall, Read, Roberts, Rogers, Seymour, Sharp, Tilt, Toogood, Topp, Waters, White, Wickham. The corps was formed, drilled, and had attended one or two neighbouring assemblies before its officers appeared in the Gazette, and was in good order and strength when called upon as one of the corps or companies to make up the 1st Administrative Battalion Wilts Rifle Volunteers. The musters for company-drill, held at least once a week at the head quarters, Mere, were well attended, and the target practice not neglected: but it was with Mere, as with the company at Bradley, a difficult matter for all to attend regularly at drills, as the distances of men's homes from Mere, the head quarters, was often great, and entailed no little expenditure of time, trouble, and only too often absolute money out of pocket on the volunteer himself.

It was these ever-increasing expenses in attending home drills, battalion drills, general assemblies, and camps which ultimately caused many corps to die out. The initial expenses of an individual or of a committee, in raising such a body of men, finding practice-grounds, targets, ammunition, clothing, accoutrements, &c., were heavy, and were willingly met; but when it came to men being away from their work for a week at a time in camp, or autumn manœuvres, or hiring wagons, and paying very large railway fares five or six times in the year, the scattered corps began to get few recruits, and gradually fell off in efficiency and numbers. Owing to the death of its founder and captain, W. Chafyn Grove, Esq., much of the needful support was gone, and notwithstanding every exertion was made by his family to revive the company, yet little was the success. The addition of the Silton estates to the Zeals properties added a few more men, but they served unwillingly. Their hearts were with their first love, the corps which they had helped to raise, the 6th, with its head quarters at Maiden Bradley, and so, after a while, their advent was of little account, and No. 8 Corps resumed its fading aspect.