THE HISTORY OF THE PRINCE OF WALES’ OWN
CIVIL SERVICE RIFLES
[Illustration: _TO WILLIAM MANNING ESQ^R. M.P. LIEUTENANT COLONEL
COMMANDANT_,
_The Officers and Privates of the Bank of England Volunteer Regiment_.
_This Print is by permission most respectfully dedicated by their
obedient servant_,
_John Wallis Junior_]
By the courtesy of the Governor and Company of the Bank of England, the
possessors of the original print.
* * * * *
The uniform is similar to that worn by the Somerset House Volunteers of
the period.
_London: Published, August 30th, 1804, by
John Wallis, Jun., 16, Ludgate Street._
_Frontispiece._
THE HISTORY OF THE
PRINCE OF WALES’ OWN
CIVIL SERVICE RIFLES
PRINTED BY WYMAN & SONS LTD., FETTER LANE, E.C.,
FOR P.W.O. CIVIL SERVICE RIFLES,
SOMERSET HOUSE, STRAND
1921
TO THOSE
CIVIL SERVICE RIFLEMEN
WHO LAID DOWN THEIR LIVES
IN THE GREAT WAR
NOTE BY THE EDITOR
These pages have been put together under pressure of the desirability
of placing their contents without further delay in the hands of a
public virtually limited to Regimental members past and present, their
relatives and friends. They do not aim higher than setting on record
the unvarnished chronicles of several generations of volunteers who
have never yielded place to any in their pride and love of regiment.
Before the close of the last century the story of the Regiment’s thirty
years’ existence had been written by the officer who to-day has been
the right hand of the Editor in the task of bringing the record down to
the year of the War. The latter has to thank Colonel Merrick for giving
up much of his time to this object, and for allowing a reprint of the
earlier portion.
Captain Bell was good enough to make himself responsible for the
tale from the year 1909 to 1914. Major Kirkby has kindly given his
supervision in preparing certain tabular statements which are found
as appendices. Yet this book would never have reached the printers’
hands but for the initiative shown by Captain Davenport as regards the
narrative of the first Battalion in War. His achievement prompted the
search for an author who could and would do the same for the widely
ranging story of the movements of the second Battalion. Into this
gap stepped Major Benké who, in a short space of time delivered the
completed task. It will be agreed that both these officers, aided in
some parts by collaborators, have produced a readable and human account
of those events of which they can speak at first hand, made clearer by
the excellent sketch maps which accompany the narratives of operations.
To Major Duncan Lewis, the writer of those pages in which the
necessarily uneventful story of the third Battalion is found, we
express our indebtedness. Captain Doubleday is best fitted to tell
of the beneficent work of the Regimental Aid Fund, and thanks may be
expressed here on behalf of all those who benefited by the activities
of himself and his fellow-helpers. In the very difficult task of
compiling the lists of all ranks who served in the Regiment during war
time, we have to thank Major Ramsbotham--the Adjutant--for his energy
in this and, indeed, in all matters connected with the needs of the
Regiment.
Attention is directed to the statistics relating to the numbers who
served in the Regiment, and who were transfers, which will be found at
the end of Appendix VI.
Nine hundred and sixty-seven commissions were granted from the ranks.
The Dead number 1,227.
CONTENTS
PAGE
NOTE BY THE EDITOR ix
PART ONE
HISTORY OF THE CIVIL SERVICE RIFLE VOLUNTEERS 1
PART TWO
STORY OF THE 1ST BATTALION
INTRODUCTION 53
CHAPTER I. “17th of March Men” 55