1st Worcestershire Artillery Volunteers
military unit
The 1st Worcestershire Artillery Volunteers was a part-time unit of Britain's Royal Artillery dating back to 1865. As part of the Territorial Force it served on the Western Front and in Italy during World War I. In World War II it served in the Battle of France and was evacuated from Dunkirk. It later fought in Tunisia and Italy. After a series of postwar mergers, it continues as a battery in today's British Army Reserve.
Volunteer Force
The enthusiasm for the Volunteer movement following an invasion scare in 1859 saw the creation of many Volunteer Corps composed of part-time soldiers eager to supplement the Regular British Army in time of need. One such unit was the 1st Worcestershire Artillery Volunteer Corps (AVC) formed at Worcester on 6 June 1865 under the command of Henry M. Turnor replaced as Captain Commandant on 16 February 1867 by William Stallard. Initially, the new unit was attached to the 1st Administrative Brigade, Cheshire Artillery Volunteer Corps, then briefly to the 1st Administrative Brigade, Staffordshire Artillery Volunteers before returning to the Cheshire brigade. It was increased to one and a half batteries on 17 February 1869, and from June that year was attached to a new 1st Shropshire Administrative Brigade. The 1st Worcester AVC formed a second battery on 29 April 1871 and a third on 16 November that year. From November 1873 it was attached to the 1st Monmouthshire AVC, which the following year became an administrative brigade in its own right.
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