Prince of Wales's Own Civil Service Rifles

Infobox Military Unit
unit_name=Prince of Wales’s Own Civil Service Rifles


dates=1798 – 1921
country=United Kingdom
branch=Army
type=Rifle Regiment
command_structure=The London Regiment
motto=Ich Dien (I Serve)|
battles=Boer War, World War I

The Prince of Wales's Own Civil Service Rifles were a regiment in the Volunteer 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's Own Civil Service Rifles, they were eventually amalgamated with 16th (County of London) Battalion, The London Regiment in 1921.

History

The Prince of Wales's 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 Office employees
*27th Middlesex Rifle Volunteer Corps, raised 10 Feb. 1860 from Inland Revenue employees
*31st Middlesex Rifle Volunteer Corps, raised 25 Feb. 1860 from employees in various Whitehall 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 1898 they were renamed The Prince of Wales's 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's 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 sculpter, Henry Moore.

On 7 February 1920 the battalion was classified as the 15th (County of London) Battalion, The London Regiment (Prince of Wales's 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)

Battle honours

South Africa 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

Regimental motto

Ich Dien – (German for "I serve", a contraction of ich diene), the motto of the Prince of Wales.

Regimental memorial

The memorial for the Prince of Wales's Own Civil Service Rifles is situated at Somerset House, London. This was designed in 1923 by Sir Edwin Lutyens OM, KCIE, PRA. [http://www.lutyenstrust.org.uk/properties.htm]

Bibliography

The History of the Prince of Wales' Own Civil Service Rifles. London : Wyman & Sons Ltd., 1921.

Knight, Jill. The Civil Service Rifles in the Great War : all bloody gentlemen. Barnsley : Pen & Sword Military, 2004. ISBN 1844150577

2/15th Battn. County of London Regiment Prince of Wales Own Civil Service Rifles. [London : printed by The Art Reproduction Co. Ltd., 1920?]

External links

* [http://www.regiments.org/regiments/uk/volmil-london/vinf/L15csr.htm Regiments.org description]