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38-585: 1 militia and special reserve battalion 1–2 Territorial and volunteer battalions The Duke of Cornwall's Light Infantry (DCLI) was a light infantry regiment of the British Army in existence from 1881 to 1959. The regiment was created on 1 July 1881 as part of the Childers Reforms , by the merger of the 32nd (Cornwall Light Infantry) Regiment of Foot and the 46th (South Devonshire) Regiment of Foot . The DCLI also incorporated

76-480: A Territorial Battalion. The unit had the following: In 1968 after further changes after the 1966 Defence White Paper all the unit was moved under control of the new larger regiment, The Light Infantry . Later on in 1971 the unit was re-formed and consisted of the following: In 1972 the Light Infantry Volunteers were re-designated as the 5th Battalion, The Light Infantry . Later in 1988

114-538: A series of skirmishes until the end of the war. The 1st Battalion took no part in the war, moving from India to Ceylon in December 1900 where its soldiers guarded Boer prisoners of war . Following the war in South Africa, the system of rotating battalions between home and foreign stations resumed as follows: The 1881 reorganisation also redesignated the militia and rifle volunteers of Cornwall as battalions of

152-661: The 7th Division . After the Napoleonic Wars, the Militia fell into disuse, although regimental colonels and adjutants continued to appear in the Army List . Whilst muster rolls were still prepared during the 1820s, the element of compulsion was abandoned. For example, the City Of York Militia & Muster Rolls run to 1829. They used a pre-printed form with a printer's date of Sept 1828. The Militia

190-740: The British Army , in the Army Reserve . These are the Royal Monmouthshire Royal Engineers (formed in 1539) and the Jersey Field Squadron (The Royal Militia Island of Jersey) (formed in 1337). New Bridge Street drill hall, Truro The New Bridge Street drill hall is a former military installation in Truro , Cornwall . The building was designed as the headquarters of the 1st Volunteer Battalion, The Duke of Cornwall's Light Infantry and

228-776: The British Expeditionary Force (BEF). The battalion remained in France for many months until May 1940 when the German Army invaded Holland , Belgium and France , where they, along with the rest of the BEF, were forced into a retreat to the Dunkirk perimeter where they were subsequently evacuated to England . In July 1944, during the Battle of Hill 112 (Operation Jupiter), during the Battle for Caen , part of

266-669: The Devonshire and Dorset Regiment , the Royal Gloucestershire, Berkshire and Wiltshire Regiment and the Royal Green Jackets to form The Rifles , which continues the lineage of the DCLI. The regiment was created on 1 July 1881 as part of the Childers Reforms , by the merger of the 32nd (Cornwall Light Infantry) Regiment of Foot and the 46th (South Devonshire) Regiment of Foot , which became respectively

304-834: The Second Boer War the two regular battalions were stationed as follows: In October 1899 war broke out between the United Kingdom and the Boer Republics . The 2nd Battalion arrived in South Africa in the following month, where it took part in minor actions on the western border of the Cape Colony. In February 1900 it became part of the 19th Brigade . It saw action against the Boers at Paardeberg , and in March 1900 entered Bloemfontein . It continued to take part in

342-731: The Somerset Light Infantry to form the Somerset and Cornwall Light Infantry . The 1st Administrative Battalion, Cornwall Rifle Volunteers was first formed in June 1960 consisting of 21 Rifle Volunteer Corps or "Companies" the last being raised in January 1861. In 1947 after the Second World War and as part of the demobilization the 4th and 5th battalions merged to create the new 4th/5th Battalion. The battalion had

380-523: The militia and rifle volunteers of Cornwall . In 1959 the regiment merged with the Somerset Light Infantry (Prince Albert's) to form the Somerset and Cornwall Light Infantry . However, this was amalgamated with the Durham Light Infantry , the King's Shropshire Light Infantry and the King's Own Yorkshire Light Infantry to form The Light Infantry which was also merged, in 2007, with

418-468: The 1st Battalion and the 2nd Battalion of The Duke of Cornwall's Light Infantry. The DCLI also incorporated the militia and rifle volunteers of Cornwall . Under the Childers system , one regular battalion of each regiment was to be at a "home" station, while the other was abroad. Every few years, there was to be an exchange of battalions. In the period from the regiment's formation to the outbreak of

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456-590: The 1st Battalion served in Palestine , Cyprus , Somaliland , England , and the Federal Republic of Germany . The 2nd Battalion, between 1946 and 1948, served in Greece (including Eastern Macedonia ). In 1948, it was reduced to a skeleton "representative cadre", before being amalgamated into the 1st Battalion in 1950. In 1954, the 1st Battalion was posted to Jamaica , the last battalion to be posted to

494-434: The 1st, 2nd, 5th and the 7th (Home Service) Battalion, later to become the 30th, served overseas. The 2nd Battalion, DCLI was serving in 10th Infantry Brigade , which also included the 2nd Bedfordshire and Hertfordshire Regiment and 1st Queen's Own Royal West Kent Regiment , part of the 4th Infantry Division , and was sent overseas to France shortly after the outbreak of war, where they arrived on 1 October 1939 as part of

532-490: The 5th (Territorial Force) Battalion at Honey Street in Bodmin . The war saw a large expansion of the regiment. This was done in two ways: by the formation of duplicate units to the existing territorial battalions, and by the raising of wartime "new army" or "service" battalions. The following battalions of the DCLI saw active service in the conflict: During the war the regiment was increased to seven battalions. However, only

570-606: The 6th Battalion of The Light Infantry was re-designated as the 6th ( Somerset and Cornwall ) Battalion, The Light Infantry . Finally when the Strategic Defence Review came the D (Cornwall Light Infantry) Company was re-formed as part of the new Rifle Volunteers . The company still exists as "D Company" within the 6th Battalion of The Rifles . The Duke of Cornwall's Light Infantry regimental collections are displayed at Cornwall's Regimental Museum at Victoria Barracks in Bodmin . St Petroc's Church, Bodmin

608-839: The Bermuda Militia Artillery and the Royal Bermuda Regiment (a 1965 amalgam of the BMA and the Bermuda Rifles). E Company also detached, being posted to British Honduras . In 1957, A and E companies reunited with the rest of the battalion in England, before being posted to Osnabrück in Germany, where it remained until 1959. On the 6 October 1959, the Duke of Cornwall's Light Infantry merged with

646-562: The Home Office administered the Militia and Yeomanry, until such time as they were Embodied. The resultant ‘confusion and inconvenience’ it caused, from 1854 to 1855, resulted in being administered exclusively by the War Office from that time onwards. Under the reforms introduced by Secretary of State for War Hugh Childers in 1881, the remaining militia infantry regiments were redesignated as numbered battalions of regiments of

684-464: The Militia which engaged a recruit for a term of service, a volunteer could quit his corps with fourteen days notice, except while embodied for war or training with the regular forces. Volunteer Corps required recruits to fund their own equipment, however, effectively barring those with low incomes. The militia was transformed into the Special Reserve by the military reforms of Haldane in

722-555: The West Indies for a full, three-year term. A Company detached on transit, posted to Prospect Camp , in the Atlantic archipelago of Bermuda . The Bermuda Garrison no longer received a full regular army infantry battalion, as the part-time Bermuda Volunteer Rifle Corps (BVRC) (retitled Bermuda Rifles in 1949) and Bermuda Militia Artillery (BMA) had long-since taken on most of the responsibility for local defence. A Company

760-413: The following structure upon formation: In 1959 after the 1957 Defence White Paper the Duke of Cornwall's Light Infantry merged with the Somerset Light Infantry to form the new Somerset and Cornwall Light Infantry . In 1960 the battalion was renamed to "The Duke of Cornwwall's Light Infantry (TA)". In 1967 after the reforms to the 1966 Defence White Paper the battalion was disbanded and re-formed as

798-403: The larger Battle of Normandy , the hill acquired the name "Cornwall Hill" after Cornish soldiers of 5th Duke of Cornwall's Light Infantry, under Lieutenant Colonel John Pole , suffered 320 casualties there. The battalion was part of the 214th Infantry Brigade attached to the 43rd (Wessex) Infantry Division . The regiment reverted to two battalions following the war. Between 1946 and 1954,

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836-577: The line, ranking after the two regular battalions. Typically, an English, Welsh or Scottish regiment would have two militia battalions (the 3rd and 4th) and Irish regiments three (numbered 3rd – 5th). The militia must not be confused with the volunteer units created in a wave of enthusiasm in the second half of the nineteenth century. In contrast with the Volunteer Force , and the similar Yeomanry Cavalry, they were considered rather plebeian. Volunteer units appealed to better-off recruits as, unlike

874-453: The lives of three members of the Duke of Cornwall's Light Infantry on a journey from the mines of Cornwall to the fields of Flanders , where they learned to surf with South African troops. Eight soldiers of the DCLI were awarded the VC including: Battle honours of the regiment: Colonels of the regiment were as follows: Militia (United Kingdom) A separate voluntary Local Militia

912-485: The militia were an entirely infantry force, but the 1852 Act introduced Militia Artillery units whose role was to man coastal defences and fortifications, relieving the Royal Artillery for active service. Some of these units were converted from existing infantry militia regiments, others were newly raised. In 1877 the militia of Anglesey and Monmouthshire were converted to Royal Engineers . Up to 1855,

950-526: The reforming post 1906 Liberal government. In 1908 the militia infantry battalions were redesignated as "reserve" and a number were amalgamated or disbanded. Altogether, 101 infantry battalions, 33 artillery regiments and two engineer regiments of special reservists were formed. In contrast with the soldier serving in the militia, those who served under Special Reserve terms of service had an obligation to serve overseas, as stipulated in paragraph 54. The standards of medical fitness were lower than for recruits to

988-639: The regiment as follows: Neither militia nor volunteer battalions were liable for service outside the United Kingdom. However, in the Second Boer War, both volunteer battalions contributed "Active Service Companies" that reinforced the regular battalions, and were awarded the battle honour "South Africa 1900–1901". In 1908 reserve forces were reorganised by the Territorial and Reserve Forces Act 1907 (the Haldane Reforms). The militia

1026-464: The regular infantry. The possibility of enlisting in the army under Regular terms of service were facilitated under paragraph 38, one precondition was that the recruit 'fulfils the necessary physical requirements.' A further contrast was the replacement of several weeks of preliminary training with six months of full time training upon enlisting in the Special Reserve. Upon mobilisation,

1064-426: The rest of the army. Only single men aged 20–22 were to be conscripted (given a free suit of civilian clothes as well as a uniform), and after six months full-time training would be discharged into the reserve. The first intake was called up, but the Second World War was declared soon afterwards, and the militiamen lost their identity in the rapidly expanding army. Two units still maintain their militia designation in

1102-584: The special reserve units would be formed at the depot and continue training while guarding vulnerable points in Britain. The special reserve units remained in Britain throughout the First World War , but their rank and file did not, since the object of the special reserve was to supply drafts of replacements for the overseas units of the regiment. The Special Reserve reverted to its militia designation in 1921, then to Supplementary Reserve in 1924, though

1140-532: The units were effectively placed in "suspended animation" until disbanded in 1953. The term militiaman was briefly revived in 1939. In the aftermath of the Munich Crisis Leslie Hore-Belisha , Secretary of State for War , wished to introduce a limited form of conscription , an unheard of concept in peacetime. It was thought that calling the conscripts 'militiamen' would make this more acceptable, as it would render them distinct from

1178-486: Was also a significant source of recruits for the Regular Army, where men had received a taste of army life. An officer's commission in the militia was often a 'back door' route to a Regular Army commission for young men who could not obtain one through purchase or gain entry to Sandhurst . Under the act, Militia units could be embodied by Royal Proclamation for full-time service in three circumstances: Until 1852

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1216-459: Was completed in the late 19th century. The unit evolved to become the 4th Battalion, The Duke of Cornwall's Light Infantry in 1908. The battalion was mobilised at the drill hall in August 1914 before being deployed to India . After the battalion amalgamated with the 5th Battalion to form the 4th/5th Battalion, The Duke of Cornwall's Light Infantry at Truro in 1921, the amalgamated unit moved to

1254-680: Was created in 1808 before being disbanded in 1816. By 1813 the British Army was experiencing a shortage of manpower to maintain their battalions at full strength. Some consideration was given to recruiting foreign nationals; however, on 4 November 1813 a bill was introduced to Parliament to allow Militia volunteers to serve in Europe. In the event only three battalions were raised, and these were sent to serve under Henry Bayly . On 12 April 1814 they arrived in Bordeaux , where they were attached to

1292-491: Was for 56 days on enlistment, then the recruits would return to civilian life but report for 21–28 days training per year. The full army pay during training and a financial retainer thereafter made a useful addition to the men's civilian wage. Of course, many saw the annual camp as the equivalent of a paid holiday. The militia thus appealed to agricultural labourers, colliers and the like, men in casual occupations , who could leave their civilian job and pick it up again. The militia

1330-465: Was renamed the "Special Reserve", with the duty of providing trained recruits in time of war. The volunteer battalions became part of the new Territorial Force , which was organised into 14 infantry divisions which were called upon to serve abroad. On 1 April 1908 the three reserve battalions were accordingly redesignated as the 3rd (Special Reserve) Battalion at the regimental depot, the 4th (Territorial Force) Battalion at New Bridge Street in Truro and

1368-458: Was revived by the Militia Act 1852 ( 15 & 16 Vict. c. 50), enacted during a period of international tension. As before, units were raised and administered on a county basis, and filled by voluntary enlistment (although conscription by means of the militia ballot might be used if the counties failed to meet their quotas). It was intended to be seen as an alternative to the army. Training

1406-551: Was the last regular unit posted on garrison to Bermuda, with its departure constituting the withdrawal of the garrison from the one-time Fortress Bermuda. The officer commanding A Company, Major J. Anthony Marsh, DSO, a Second World War veteran of the Special Air Service , took permanent residence in Bermuda after leaving the regular army, retiring from military service in 1970 as a lieutenant-colonel, having commanded

1444-489: Was the regimental place of worship where there are memorials to some of the servicemen and regimental colours from the past. The regimental war memorial was erected here in 1924; it was the work of Leonard Stanford Merrifield and was in the form of a statue on pedestal and steps made from bronze and granite; it has been listed Grade II*. Surfing Tommies is a 2009 play by the Cornish author Alan M. Kent which follows

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