191: – a unit of deaf mutes which drilled by sign language, and a unit that went by the name of the Ju Jitsu VTC. In May 1915, corps began to be organised into county regiments. Some 2,000 individual corps had appeared by June 1915, numbering 590,000 volunteers. Units raised finances for the purchase of weapons by charging membership fees. Amid concerns that they would compete with the established forces for the limited amount of rifles then available – in October 1915, there were 570,600 in the country for the 1.3 million men who needed them – the government prohibited volunteers from buying service rifles and required any purchase to be first cleared with the local military authority. Those corps which could not afford weapons begged or borrowed wherever they could, and dummy rifles,
249:
163:, Under-Secretary of State for War, realised that the government could do little to prevent them. Rather than allow the movement to grow unchecked, he decided in September to allow the Central Committee of the London Volunteer Defence Force to continue. Until the War Office had the time and resources to devote to the movement itself, the Central Committee, adopting the name Central Association of Volunteer Training Corps (VTC), became the body to which individual corps could affiliate, and was responsible for drawing up the rules and regulations on a national basis.
298:
26:
116:
After war had been declared in August 1914, there was a popular demand for a means of service for those men who were over military age or those with business or family commitments which made it difficult for them to volunteer for the armed services. At this stage in the war, Britain relied entirely
234:. The VTC officially remained unrecognised and outside of the nation's home defence scheme, thus depriving members of legal protection in the performance of their duties. There was some doubt that the armband would be recognised by the enemy as uniform, leaving members vulnerable to execution as
174:
was appointed the
Military Advisor. In November, the association was officially recognised as the administrative body of the VTC and formally subjected to conditions which prevented interference with recruitment into the regular army, barred members from holding military rank or wearing uniforms
317:
and, if the equipment was available, use of the rifle. In case of a German invasion, battalions were tasked with roles such as line of communication defence and forming the garrison of major towns; 42 battalions were to defend London. Volunteers undertook a wide range of other tasks including;
272:
c. 65) had never been repealed, it was used in April 1916 to legitimise the movement. VTC Battalions legally became
Volunteer Regiments of the new 'Volunteer Force'. Eventually, they were allowed to wear khaki uniforms and equipment began to be officially supplied. In July 1918, the War Office
206:, at the many new munitions works and on the rail network. Volunteers also dug trenches around London and assisted in bringing in the harvest. The movement grew out of the same spirit of volunteer service that gave birth to the Volunteer Force in the second half of the previous century, and a
152:. Discussions about the nature and role of the movement ranged from simply drilling volunteers in preparation for their enlistment into the regular or home armies, through augmenting the home army's defence of vulnerable points, to providing a force that would actively oppose an invasion with
358:
from a railway bridge. Part of the VTC force entered the barracks by the front gate, others made their way to the rear and scaled the wall. About 40 men at the rear of the column were pinned down by fire from surrounding houses and four were killed, including the first-class
182:
played a leading role in the growth of the VTC, providing many of its recruits and lending the nascent organisation an element of martial respectability. Among the many new corps formed were the United Arts Rifles – which numbered in its ranks the
318:
guarding vulnerable points, munitions handling, digging anti-invasion defence lines, assisting with harvesting, fire fighting and transport for wounded soldiers. In north
Worcestershire some units helped to man anti-aircraft guns ringing
375:
The
Volunteer Training Corps was suspended in December 1918, and officially disbanded in January 1920, with the exception of the Volunteer Motor Corps which was retained until April 1921 in case of civil disorder.
330:. The force was sometimes ridiculed by the public; there were jokes that the "GR" on their armbands stood for "George's Wrecks", "Grandpa's Regiment", "Genuine Relics", "Gorgeous Wrecks" or "Government Rejects".
367:, who had been second-in-command. The VTC men then assisted the small garrison of regular soldiers to hold the barracks for eight days. In total, five members of the battalion were killed and seven wounded.
289:
was passed which obliged members to remain in the Corps until the end of the war. By
February 1918, there were 285,000 Volunteers, 101,000 of whom had been directed to the Corps by the Tribunals.
137:
in 1908, in which recruits voluntarily engaged for a period of service) provided for home defence, and civilian local defence groups began to spring up spontaneously as soon as war was declared.
746:
240:, and when it was suggested that the VTC might guard prisoners of war, it was pointed out that, technically, a volunteer could be hanged for murder if he shot an escapee.
741:
736:
346:
starting on Easter Monday, 24 April 1916. Some 120 members of the 1st (Dublin) Battalion, Associated
Volunteer Training Corps were returning from field exercises at
285:
to order men to join the VTC; however, the clause in the 1863 act which allowed resignation after fourteen days' notice initially made this unenforceable, so a
117:
on a voluntary system of enlistment and many men still held to the
Victorian principle that it was the task of professional troops to fight a war whilst the
286:
156:. Concerned that such a body would undermine recruitment into the regular army and hinder more than help home defence, the War Office banned the movement.
705:
British Pathé newsreel: "The King Calls For
Volunteers", showing VTC men digging trenches and rigging a barbed wire entanglement for home defence in 1917
125:(which had converted from conscription to engaging volunteers for periods of service in the 1850s and was converted into the Special Reserve in 1908),
214:
in
October 1915 sought to revive the Volunteer Act of 1863 as an attempt to place the VTC on a more official footing. It was supported by General Sir
140:
The volunteer movement gained publicity from discourse in the press advocating civilian participation in home defence, with notable proponents being
81:
573:
310:
694:
731:
699:
222:, wrote of "the most valuable aid the VTC are giving me". The bill failed due to government fears that it would complicate the
584:
184:
409:
Osborne, John (January 1988). "Defining their own patriotism: British
Volunteer Training Corps in the First World War".
278:
695:
British Pathé newsreel of the Pharmacists' VTC being inspected by Brigadier General Bridgeman in a London park in 1916
678:
659:
179:
390:
133:(two volunteer forces, in which recruits did not engage for periods of service, that had amalgamated to form the
464:
The Official Regulations for Volunteer Training Corps and for County Volunteer Organisations (England and Wales)
704:
202:
Demand for the services of the VTC increased, and members were employed as guards by the Admiralty on the
461:
385:
282:
248:
700:
British Pathé newsreel of the City of London VTC parading past the Lord Mayor at Mansion House in 1916
350:, when they heard the news of the uprising. The commanding officer, Major Harris, decided to march to
622:
608:
277:, and they became numbered "Volunteer" battalions of their local regiment. With the introduction of
223:
207:
118:
710:
A red VTC brassard bearing the letters "GR" in black, preserved at the Imperial War Museum, London
542:
1st & 2nd Volunteer Battalions, King’s Own Royal Lancaster Regiment (Volunteer Training Corps)
512:
257:
196:
354:. They carried rifles but were without ammunition or bayonets. They were fired on by a party of
97:
556:
351:
148:. The first elements of central organisation were established by the formation of the London
726:
306:
215:
338:
The only time that Volunteer Training Corps men were engaged in actual combat, was in the
8:
709:
539:
426:
265:
141:
674:
655:
580:
430:
323:
227:
168:
153:
134:
31:
25:
418:
364:
355:
274:
269:
231:
297:
314:
164:
126:
422:
253:
236:
211:
188:
171:
160:
101:
720:
339:
30:
Proficiency Badge of the Volunteer Training Corps, depicting the war goddess
159:
Despite official antipathy, civilians continued to organise themselves, and
203:
301:
The Approved Volunteer Training Corps uniforms, published in February 1915
256:
VTC or "National Guard" assists regular soldiers to find their way around
327:
145:
105:
319:
347:
326:, c.7,000 Volunteers undertook three-month coast defence duties in
322:. In 1918, when there was an acute shortage of manpower because of
130:
599:
by Eric Partridge (8th edition, edited by Paul Beale), pp. 490–1.
360:
218:, commander of the Central Force First Army, who, in a letter to
192:
343:
466:
The Central Association Volunteer Training Corps 1916 (p. 10)
260:
in London, one of many auxiliary tasks undertaken by the VTC.
199:
were among those pressed into service by various units.
167:
became the President of the Association and General Sir
654:. Barnsley, South Yorkshire: Pen & Sword Military.
513:
Kent War Memorials Transcription Project - Reports -
557:"Introduction to the Worcestershire Volunteer Force"
175:
other than an armband and denied any state funding.
747:
Volunteer military formations of the United Kingdom
742:Military units and formations established in 1914
737:Military units and formations of the British Army
718:
597:A Dictionary of Slang and Unconventional English
671:Defending Albion: Britain's Home Army 1908–1919
292:
273:decided to include the VTC Battalions into the
333:
578:, Manchester University Press 1991, (p. 240)
610:Sinn Fein Rebellion handbook, Easter, 1916.
668:
576:The Amateur Military Tradition, 1558-1945
561:Worcestershire VTC & Volunteer Force
296:
247:
650:Beckett, Ian Frederick William (2004).
649:
408:
243:
719:
533:
494:Mitchinson 2005 pp. 108, 112, 115–116
503:Mitchinson 2005 pp. 113–115, 120–123
111:
540:King's Own Royal Regiment Museum -
13:
14:
758:
688:
554:
309:began to be issued, followed by
264:When it was discovered that the
82:Prince Arthur, Duke of Connaught
24:
643:
627:
616:
602:
590:
567:
548:
520:
411:Journal of Contemporary History
281:in 1916, came the power of the
275:County Infantry Regiment system
673:. London: Palgrave Macmillan.
506:
497:
488:
479:
470:
455:
446:
437:
402:
370:
226:in Ireland by recognising the
42:September 1914 – December 1918
1:
732:United Kingdom in World War I
612:The Irish Times, 1917 (p. 22)
396:
178:Ex-military personnel of the
96:was a voluntary home defence
391:Women's Defence Relief Corps
293:Equipment, training and role
7:
574:Frederick William Beckett,
544:by H. H. Owtram, April 1934
386:Home Guard (United Kingdom)
379:
334:The Easter Rising in Dublin
324:the German spring offensive
311:Hotchkiss Mk I machine guns
10:
763:
669:Mitchinson, K. W. (2005).
423:10.1177/002200948802300104
283:Military Service Tribunals
195:and weapons loaned by the
485:Mitchinson 2005 pp. 82–84
452:Mitchinson 2005 pp. 72–75
443:Mitchinson 2005 pp. 68–71
75:
70:
62:
54:
46:
38:
23:
18:
94:Volunteer Training Corps
19:Volunteer Training Corps
462:Blake, J. P. (editor),
313:. The Corps trained in
150:Volunteer Defence Force
302:
261:
352:Beggars Bush Barracks
300:
251:
208:private member's bill
66:Defence from invasion
244:Official recognition
216:Horace Smith-Dorrien
197:Church Lads' Brigade
123:Constitutional Force
307:P.14 Enfield Rifles
252:A Volunteer of the
623:Irish Times (p.58)
476:Beckett 2004 p. 15
303:
287:Volunteer Act 1916
266:Volunteer Act 1863
262:
210:introduced in the
142:Arthur Conan Doyle
585:978-0-7190-2912-7
270:26 & 27 Vict.
228:Ulster Volunteers
154:guerrilla warfare
135:Territorial Force
112:Early development
87:
86:
754:
684:
665:
652:A Nation in Arms
638:
635:A Nation in Arms
631:
625:
620:
614:
606:
600:
594:
588:
571:
565:
564:
555:Atkin, Malcolm.
552:
546:
537:
531:
528:A Nation in Arms
524:
518:
510:
504:
501:
495:
492:
486:
483:
477:
474:
468:
459:
453:
450:
444:
441:
435:
434:
406:
365:Francis Browning
356:Irish Volunteers
258:Victoria Station
232:Irish Volunteers
180:National Reserve
28:
16:
15:
762:
761:
757:
756:
755:
753:
752:
751:
717:
716:
691:
681:
662:
646:
641:
632:
628:
621:
617:
607:
603:
595:
591:
572:
568:
553:
549:
538:
534:
525:
521:
515:West Kent Units
511:
507:
502:
498:
493:
489:
484:
480:
475:
471:
460:
456:
451:
447:
442:
438:
407:
403:
399:
382:
373:
336:
295:
246:
224:home rule issue
165:Lord Desborough
127:Volunteer Force
114:
90:
77:
34:
12:
11:
5:
760:
750:
749:
744:
739:
734:
729:
713:
712:
707:
702:
697:
690:
689:External links
687:
686:
685:
679:
666:
660:
645:
642:
640:
639:
626:
615:
601:
589:
566:
547:
532:
519:
505:
496:
487:
478:
469:
454:
445:
436:
400:
398:
395:
394:
393:
388:
381:
378:
372:
369:
335:
332:
294:
291:
254:City of London
245:
242:
237:francs-tireurs
212:House of Lords
189:Robert Bridges
169:O'Moore Creagh
161:Harold Tennant
113:
110:
102:United Kingdom
88:
85:
84:
79:
73:
72:
68:
67:
64:
60:
59:
58:United Kingdom
56:
52:
51:
48:
44:
43:
40:
36:
35:
29:
21:
20:
9:
6:
4:
3:
2:
759:
748:
745:
743:
740:
738:
735:
733:
730:
728:
725:
724:
722:
715:
711:
708:
706:
703:
701:
698:
696:
693:
692:
682:
680:9781403938251
676:
672:
667:
663:
661:9781844680238
657:
653:
648:
647:
636:
630:
624:
619:
613:
611:
605:
598:
593:
586:
582:
579:
577:
570:
562:
558:
551:
545:
543:
536:
529:
523:
517:
516:
509:
500:
491:
482:
473:
467:
465:
458:
449:
440:
432:
428:
424:
420:
416:
412:
405:
401:
392:
389:
387:
384:
383:
377:
368:
366:
362:
357:
353:
349:
345:
341:
340:Easter Rising
331:
329:
325:
321:
316:
312:
308:
305:During 1917,
299:
290:
288:
284:
280:
276:
271:
267:
259:
255:
250:
241:
239:
238:
233:
229:
225:
221:
217:
213:
209:
205:
200:
198:
194:
190:
186:
185:Poet Laureate
181:
176:
173:
170:
166:
162:
157:
155:
151:
147:
143:
138:
136:
132:
128:
124:
120:
109:
107:
103:
99:
98:reserve force
95:
89:Military unit
83:
80:
74:
69:
65:
61:
57:
53:
49:
45:
41:
37:
33:
27:
22:
17:
714:
670:
651:
644:Bibliography
634:
629:
618:
609:
604:
596:
592:
575:
569:
560:
550:
541:
535:
530:, pp. 15–16.
527:
522:
514:
508:
499:
490:
481:
472:
463:
457:
448:
439:
414:
410:
404:
374:
337:
304:
279:conscription
263:
235:
219:
204:Scilly Isles
201:
177:
158:
149:
139:
122:
115:
93:
91:
50:January 1920
727:World War I
371:Disbandment
328:East Anglia
146:H. G. Wells
106:World War I
721:Categories
397:References
320:Birmingham
78:commanders
71:Commanders
633:Beckett,
526:Beckett,
431:159912358
417:: 59–75.
361:cricketer
220:The Times
47:Disbanded
637:, p. 16.
380:See also
348:Ticknock
230:and the
193:air guns
131:Yeomanry
119:Militia
104:during
100:in the
76:Notable
55:Country
32:Bellona
677:
658:
583:
429:
344:Dublin
39:Active
427:S2CID
315:drill
121:, or
675:ISBN
656:ISBN
581:ISBN
144:and
129:and
92:The
63:Role
419:doi
342:in
723::
559:.
425:.
415:23
413:.
363:,
187:,
172:VC
108:.
683:.
664:.
587:.
563:.
433:.
421::
268:(
Text is available under the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike License. Additional terms may apply.