Prince of Wales's Own Civil Service Rifles
Encyclopedia
The Prince of Wales' Own Civil Service Rifles were a regiment
in the Volunteer Force
and Territorial Force
of the British Army
from 1798 to 1921; they saw active service in the Boer War
and World War I
. Formed in 1798 as the Bank of England
Volunteers, after many name changes, including their main title, The Prince of Wales' Own Civil Service Rifles, they were eventually amalgamated with 16th (County of London) Battalion, The London Regiment in 1921.
In 1860 they were re-formed and consisted of four corps:
In July 1860 the four corps were consolidated into the 21st Middlesex (Civil Service) Rifle Volunteer Corps and had their head quarters at Somerset House. In 1868 the Post Office Companies under Major John Lowther du Plat Taylor
formed the 49th Middlesex Rifle Volunteers (Post Office Rifles).
In 1898 they were renamed The Prince of Wales' Own 12th Middlesex (Civil Service) Volunteer Rifle Corps
On 1 April 1908, with changes in the volunteer regiments, they were renamed 15th (County of London) Battalion, The London Regiment (Prince of Wales' Own, Civil Service Rifles) and transferred to the Territorial Force, with their headquarters and companies at Somerset House
, Westminster. At the time they had eight companies (A-H).
During the First World War the battalion fought on the Western Front
and in the Middle East
. One of the more famous conscripts into the regiment at this time was sculptor, Henry Moore
.
On 7 February 1920 the battalion was classified as the 15th (County of London) Battalion, The London Regiment (Prince of Wales' Own, Civil Service Rifles) and reconstituted in the Territorial Army with their headquarters and companies at Somerset House, Westminster. At the time the Battalion Four companies, A-D.
On December 31st 1921 the battalion was amalgamated with 16th (County of London) Battalion, The London Regiment (Queen's Westminster Rifles), to form 16th (County of London) Battalion, The London Regiment (The Queen's Westminsters
and Civil Service Rifles)
1900-02
The Great War (3 battalions):
Festubert 1915, Loos
, Somme
1916 '18, Flers-Courcelette, Le Transloy, Messines
1917, Ypres
1917, Cambrai
1917, St. Quentin, Ancre 1918, Albert
1918, Bapaume
1918, Pursuit to Mons, France and Flanders 1915-18, Doiran 1917, Macedonia
1916-17, Gaza
, Nebi Samwil, Jerusalem, Palestine
1917-18
for "I serve", a contraction of ich diene), the motto of the Prince of Wales
.
Regiment
A regiment is a major tactical military unit, composed of variable numbers of batteries, squadrons or battalions, commanded by a colonel or lieutenant colonel...
in the Volunteer Force
Volunteer Force (Great Britain)
The Volunteer Force was a citizen army of part-time rifle, artillery and engineer corps, created as a popular movement in 1859. Originally highly autonomous, the units of volunteers became increasingly integrated with the British Army after the Childers Reforms in 1881, before forming part of the...
and Territorial Force
Territorial Force
The Territorial Force was the volunteer reserve component of the British Army from 1908 to 1920, when it became the Territorial Army.-Origins:...
of the British Army
British Army
The British Army is the land warfare branch of Her Majesty's Armed Forces in the United Kingdom. It came into being with the unification of the Kingdom of England and Scotland into the Kingdom of Great Britain in 1707. The new British Army incorporated Regiments that had already existed in England...
from 1798 to 1921; they saw active service in the Boer War
Boer War
The Boer Wars were two wars fought between the British Empire and the two independent Boer republics, the Oranje Vrijstaat and the Republiek van Transvaal ....
and World War I
World War I
World War I , which was predominantly called the World War or the Great War from its occurrence until 1939, and the First World War or World War I thereafter, was a major war centred in Europe that began on 28 July 1914 and lasted until 11 November 1918...
. Formed in 1798 as the Bank of England
Bank of England
The Bank of England is the central bank of the United Kingdom and the model on which most modern central banks have been based. Established in 1694, it is the second oldest central bank in the world...
Volunteers, after many name changes, including their main title, The Prince of Wales' Own Civil Service Rifles, they were eventually amalgamated with 16th (County of London) Battalion, The London Regiment in 1921.
History
The Prince of Wales' Own Civil Service Rifles was originally formed in 1798 as the Bank of England Volunteers, also known as the Somerset House Volunteers. In 1802 they were renamed as The Bank of England Corps. They were disbanded in 1814.In 1860 they were re-formed and consisted of four corps:
- 21st Middlesex Rifle Volunteer Corps, raised 2 Jan. 1860 from Audit Office and Post OfficePost officeA post office is a facility forming part of a postal system for the posting, receipt, sorting, handling, transmission or delivery of mail.Post offices offer mail-related services such as post office boxes, postage and packaging supplies...
employees - 27th Middlesex Rifle Volunteer Corps, raised 10 Feb. 1860 from Inland RevenueInland RevenueThe Inland Revenue was, until April 2005, a department of the British Government responsible for the collection of direct taxation, including income tax, national insurance contributions, capital gains tax, inheritance tax, corporation tax, petroleum revenue tax and stamp duty...
employees - 31st Middlesex Rifle Volunteer Corps, raised 25 Feb. 1860 from employees in various WhitehallWhitehallWhitehall is a road in Westminster, in London, England. It is the main artery running north from Parliament Square, towards Charing Cross at the southern end of Trafalgar Square...
offices - 34th Middlesex Rifle Volunteer Corps, raised 22 Feb. 1860
In July 1860 the four corps were consolidated into the 21st Middlesex (Civil Service) Rifle Volunteer Corps and had their head quarters at Somerset House. In 1868 the Post Office Companies under Major John Lowther du Plat Taylor
John Lowther du Plat Taylor
Colonel John Lowther du Plat Taylor CB VD was the founder of the Army Postal Corps and the Post Office Rifles.Du Plat Taylor trained at The Royal Military Academy, Sandhurst but left in 1844 before he was commissioned. He then joined the Consular Service and was posted to China but was invalided...
formed the 49th Middlesex Rifle Volunteers (Post Office Rifles).
In 1898 they were renamed The Prince of Wales' Own 12th Middlesex (Civil Service) Volunteer Rifle Corps
On 1 April 1908, with changes in the volunteer regiments, they were renamed 15th (County of London) Battalion, The London Regiment (Prince of Wales' Own, Civil Service Rifles) and transferred to the Territorial Force, with their headquarters and companies at Somerset House
Somerset House
Somerset House is a large building situated on the south side of the Strand in central London, England, overlooking the River Thames, just east of Waterloo Bridge. The central block of the Neoclassical building, the outstanding project of the architect Sir William Chambers, dates from 1776–96. It...
, Westminster. At the time they had eight companies (A-H).
During the First World War the battalion fought on the Western Front
Western Front (World War I)
Following the outbreak of World War I in 1914, the German Army opened the Western Front by first invading Luxembourg and Belgium, then gaining military control of important industrial regions in France. The tide of the advance was dramatically turned with the Battle of the Marne...
and in the Middle East
Middle East
The Middle East is a region that encompasses Western Asia and Northern Africa. It is often used as a synonym for Near East, in opposition to Far East...
. One of the more famous conscripts into the regiment at this time was sculptor, Henry Moore
Henry Moore
Henry Spencer Moore OM CH FBA was an English sculptor and artist. He was best known for his semi-abstract monumental bronze sculptures which are located around the world as public works of art....
.
On 7 February 1920 the battalion was classified as the 15th (County of London) Battalion, The London Regiment (Prince of Wales' Own, Civil Service Rifles) and reconstituted in the Territorial Army with their headquarters and companies at Somerset House, Westminster. At the time the Battalion Four companies, A-D.
On December 31st 1921 the battalion was amalgamated with 16th (County of London) Battalion, The London Regiment (Queen's Westminster Rifles), to form 16th (County of London) Battalion, The London Regiment (The Queen's Westminsters
The Queen's Westminsters
The Queen's Westminsters was a regiment of the British Territorial Army .-History:It was formed on 31 December 1921 as the 16th Battalion , The London Regiment by the amalgamation of the 15th Battalion , The London Regiment and the 16th The Queen's Westminsters was a regiment of the British...
and Civil Service Rifles)
Battle honours
South AfricaSouth Africa
The Republic of South Africa is a country in southern Africa. Located at the southern tip of Africa, it is divided into nine provinces, with of coastline on the Atlantic and Indian oceans...
1900-02
The Great War (3 battalions):
Festubert 1915, Loos
Loos
Loos may refer to:Places* Loos, Nord, France* Loos-en-Gohelle, France* Loos Islands, also known as Îles de Los, Guinea* Loos, British Columbia, Canada* Los, SwedenPeople*Loos Other...
, Somme
Somme
Somme is a department of France, located in the north of the country and named after the Somme river. It is part of the Picardy region of France....
1916 '18, Flers-Courcelette, Le Transloy, Messines
Messines
Messines may refer to:* Mesen, a village in Belgium**Battle of Messines, World War I,* Messines, Quebec* HMCS Messines, one of twelve Battle class naval trawlers used by the Royal Canadian Navy* Messines, Queensland...
1917, Ypres
Ypres
Ypres is a Belgian municipality located in the Flemish province of West Flanders. The municipality comprises the city of Ypres and the villages of Boezinge, Brielen, Dikkebus, Elverdinge, Hollebeke, Sint-Jan, Vlamertinge, Voormezele, Zillebeke, and Zuidschote...
1917, Cambrai
Cambrai
Cambrai is a commune in the Nord department in northern France. It is a sub-prefecture of the department.Cambrai is the seat of an archdiocese whose jurisdiction was immense during the Middle Ages. The territory of the Bishopric of Cambrai, roughly coinciding with the shire of Brabant, included...
1917, St. Quentin, Ancre 1918, Albert
Albert
Albert may refer to:* Albert , a family name * Albert * Albertet, an Occitan diminutive of AlbertFictional characters:* Albert , minor character in Dario Argento's 1977 film Suspiria...
1918, Bapaume
Bapaume
Bapaume is a commune and the seat of a canton in the Pas-de-Calais department in the Nord-Pas-de-Calais region of France.-Geography:A farming and light industrial town located 10 miles south of Arras at the junction of the A1 autoroute and the N17 and N30 national roads its location is...
1918, Pursuit to Mons, France and Flanders 1915-18, Doiran 1917, Macedonia
Macedonia (region)
Macedonia is a geographical and historical region of the Balkan peninsula in southeastern Europe. Its boundaries have changed considerably over time, but nowadays the region is considered to include parts of five Balkan countries: Greece, the Republic of Macedonia, Bulgaria, Albania, Serbia, as...
1916-17, Gaza
Gaza
Gaza , also referred to as Gaza City, is a Palestinian city in the Gaza Strip, with a population of about 450,000, making it the largest city in the Palestinian territories.Inhabited since at least the 15th century BC,...
, Nebi Samwil, Jerusalem, Palestine
Palestine
Palestine is a conventional name, among others, used to describe the geographic region between the Mediterranean Sea and the Jordan River, and various adjoining lands....
1917-18
Regimental motto
Ich Dien – (GermanGerman language
German is a West Germanic language, related to and classified alongside English and Dutch. With an estimated 90 – 98 million native speakers, German is one of the world's major languages and is the most widely-spoken first language in the European Union....
for "I serve", a contraction of ich diene), the motto of the Prince of Wales
Prince of Wales
Prince of Wales is a title traditionally granted to the heir apparent to the reigning monarch of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland and the 15 other independent Commonwealth realms...
.