Ray Westlake - The Territorials, 1908–1914: A Guide for Military and Family Historians

My sincere thanks to good friends: Norman Hurst, Mike Jackson, Linda Jackson and Alan Seymour for their help with this book.

East Riding of Yorkshire Yeomanry. The regimental badge of a fox in full cry can be seen in the caps of this group at camp. The badge reflecting the regiments 1903 origins from within the fox-hunting landowners and farmers of the county. The motto of the regiment, Forrard, also has hunting connections and comes from the term Hark Forrard. The lancerstyle tunics are maroon with lightblue fronts, collars and cuffs.

Gordon Highlanders. The three-tiered shoulder title and two efficiency stars on the lower right arm identify this sergeant as a member of the Territorial Force. The Royal Tiger collar badges placing his regiment as the Gordon Highlanders. Another badge of the regiment is a stags head with the motto Bydand (watchful, according to one translation; stand fast, another), unseen in the glengarry cap on this occasion, but clearly visible as a sporran decoration. On his scarlet doublet, proudly displayed, is a medal awarded for service in South Africa during the war of 18991902.

Sample entries from the 1913 Territorial Force Return. Note how for each company and drill station, distances from headquarters, both by road and rail, are given. This is because many of the remote detachments had no rail link, and in a number of cases required the services of steamer transportation.

Westmorland and Cumberland Yeomanry, Penrith, 1914. This is the Wireless Section with the Marconi equipment provided by Major C Beddington (second from right) at his own expense. One man (seated) wears the Imperial Service badge.

Essex Yeomanry. Published after 1914, this postcard provides much information regarding the regiments history. Both full dress (dark blue with scarlet facings and helmet plume) and khaki service dress are shown.

Essex Royal Horse Artillery at Lydd artillery range in Kent.

Devonshire Royal Garrison Artillery manoeuvring a 4.7 inch gun.

4th London Brigade Royal Field Artillery, drivers and trumpeters at camp in Kent, 1910. Note the leather and steel leg-protectors worn on the right legs of the drivers.

Royal Field Artillery Territorials detraining at Okehampton, 1911. Note the use of hired civilian transport.

Royal Garrison Artillery (Territorial Force). A 1910 colour plate by R Caton Woodville taken from His Majestys Territorial Army by Walter Richards. One of the heavy, fix-position, guns of the RGA is seen in the background.

Telegraph Company, 2nd London Divisional Engineers.

Highland Divisional Engineers, Piper.

Cheshire Railway Battalion. A 1910 colour plate by R Caton Woodville taken from His Majestys Territorial Army by Walter Richards. As railway work goes on in the background, the central figure poses in full dress uniform of the Royal Engineers: scarlet jacket, blue collar, cuffs and trousers. The white metal locomotive collar badges, however, were unique to the battalion.

Cheshire Field Company, Welsh Divisional Engineers. On the left is Sergeant-Major Jackson, a long-serving member of both the Volunteers and Territorials (note his collection of efficiency stars).

London Balloon Company at summer camp, Farnborough, 1909. (Courtesy Peter Wright)

4th Battalion Queens (Royal West Surrey Regiment) leaving Croydon for its war station shortly after mobilisation in August 1914.

5th Battalion Buffs (East Kent Regiment). Father and son perhaps? The gentleman seated wears the crossed axes of a Pioneer. Jackets are scarlet, the collars and cuffs being buff (the title of the regiment comes from this).

Cover from the first issue (1909) of The Territorial Year Book .

Davies Street, Berkeley Square, headquarters of the 9th (County of London) Battalion London Regiment (Queen Victorias Rifles). Built at a cost of 16,000, the building was opened on 6 December 1890.

Designs for metal shoulder titles as directed by Regulations for the Territorial Force, 1908 .

5th Battalion Royal Welsh Fusiliers. In this study from John Player & Sons cigarette card series Uniforms of the Territorial Army we see a Pioneer of the battalion with Rhuddlan Castle in the background.