Leicester Town Rifles 4th Battalion Leicestershire Regiment 44th Searchlight Regiment, RA 121st Light AA Regiment, RA |
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Active | 31 August 1859 |
Country | United Kingdom |
Branch | Territorial Army |
Role |
Infantry Air Defence |
Garrison/HQ | Leicester |
Engagements | WWI: Hohenzollern Redoubt Lens 3rd Ypres Cambrai German Spring Offensive St Quentin Canal WWII: Blitz North West Europe |
Commanders | |
Notable commanders |
Sir Henry St John Halford, Bt |
The Leicester Town Rifles was an early unit of the British Volunteer Force raised in 1859. It went on to become the parent unit of the Territorial Army battalions of the Leicestershire Regiment, which served on the Western Front during World War I. Their successor unit served in the air defence role during and after World War II.
The enthusiasm for the Volunteer movement following an invasion scare in 1859 saw the creation of many Rifle Volunteer Corps (RVCs) composed of part-time soldiers eager to supplement the Regular British Army in time of need. One such unit was the Leicester Town Rifles, formed in the East Midlands town (later city) of Leicester. Mansfield Turner was appointed captain of the new unit; his commission dated 31 August 1859 was considered to be the founding date of the company, which was designated the 1st Leicestershire RVC.
A year later, all 10 RVCs that had been raised in Leicestershire were consolidated into a single administrative battalion:
1st Administrative Battalion Leicestershire RVC
Turner was promoted to lieutenant-colonel to command the battalion on 10 July 1860, and he was succeeded in command of the 1st Corps by Sir Henry St John Halford, Bt. Halford in turn succeeded Turner as Lt-Col in 1863 and was in command for most of the next three decades.
In 1880 the Administrative Battalion was consolidated as the 1st Leicestershire RVC, and the following year, as part of the Childers reforms, it became the Volunteer Battalion of the Leicestershire Regiment, changing its title three years later to 1st Volunteer Battalion, Leicestershire Regiment. An additional company had been formed at Market Harborough in 1882, and in 1900 four more were added at Leicester (two), Wigston and Mountsorrel, after which it operated as a double-battalion unit.