Royal Defence Corps
TheRoyal Defence Corpswas acorpsof theBritish Armyformed in 1916 and disbanded in 1936.[1]
As part of the reorganisation of home defence forces by Field Marshal SirJohn French,Commander-in-Chief, Home Forces,the Royal Defence Corps was created to “...carry out duties connected with the local defence of the United Kingdom, including those hitherto performed by theSupernumerary Territorial Force Companies..... "[2]The role of the corps was thus to provide troops for security and guard duties inside theUnited Kingdom,guarding important locations such as ports, bridges and railways, as well asprisoner-of-war camps.
In addition to the Supernumerary Companies, 18 (Home Service) Garrison battalions of lineinfantryregiments became part of the RDC. Garrison battalions were composed of soldiers either too old or medically unfit for active front-line service; the Home Service status indicated they were unable to be transferred overseas.[3][4]The corps was never intended to be employed on overseas service.
The RDC was organised into independent companies of men aged between 41 and 60.[5]Protection Companies guarded infrastructure, while Observation Companies kept watch for enemy activity off the coast and in the skies.[6]Uniform distinctions included a cap badge of the royal cipher and crown within a circlet formed by the words 'ROYAL DEFENCE CORPS'[7]and a brass 'RDC' shoulder title. In April 1918 some 27,000 men were serving in the RDC. Of these, 14,000 were employed at prisoner of war camps.[8]
The RDC was disbanded in 1919, before being reconstituted in 1922. It was finally disbanded in 1936, when its functions were taken over by theNational Defence Companies of the Territorial Army.[9]
References[edit]
- ^"The Times". 20 March 1916.
- ^Army CouncilInstruction (ACI) 841 of 19 April 1916 reproduced atThe Long, Long Trail - Royal Defence Corps 1916-1918
- ^Royal Defence CorpsArchived2013-11-04 at theWayback Machine
- ^Osborne, M. Grandad's Army Volunteers Defending the British Isles in the First World War (2021) Appendix 4 Royal Defence Corps lists these battalions, their previous designations and garrison locationsGoogle Books preview
- ^Mitchinson, K.W. Defending Albion: Britain's Home Army 1908-1919 (2005) pp. 133–135
- ^Wartime Memories Project - Royal Defence Corps during the Great War
- ^Imperial War Museum - badge, headdress, British, Royal Defence Corps
- ^The Long, Long Trail - Royal Defence Corps 1916-1918
- ^Mitchinson 2005 pp. 196, 201, 203
See also[edit]
- National Reserve1910-1916 - predecessor of the RDC under various titles
- Volunteer Training Corps (World War I)1914-1918 - a contemporaneous voluntary force performing similar functions
- National Defence Companies1936-1939 - successor to the RDC in terms of role and function, part of theTerritorial Army
- Home Service Battalions- units intended for home defence and other duties whose personnel were exempt from service outside of the United Kingdom.