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9th LANARKSHIRE RIFLE VOLUNTEER CORPS.
Regimental District, No.
71.
"South Africa, 1900-02." | Order of Precedence, 118.
Headquarters — Lanark.
The "8th Battalion Lanarkshire Rifle
Volunteers " appears for the first time in the January 1861 Army List as
having been formed on December 9, 1860, when it was composed of the 37th
(Lesmahagow), 55th (Lanark), 73rd (Carluke), and 94th (Douglas) Corps of
one company each, the dates of offer of services and of commissioning of
officers of which are given in Appendix C. The uniform of the 37th Corps
was Elcho grey tunics and knickerbockers, with scarlet piping and
scarlet and black Austrian knots, small grey shakos with a blackcock's
tail on the left side, scarlet piping, and bugle and crown badge, yellow
leather leggings, and brown belts. Those of the 55th and 73rd Corps are
given as "grey, facings scarlet," and are stated to have been similar to
that of the 37th. In March 1861 the battalion became the 3rd
Administrative Battalion Lanarkshire Rifle Volunteers, with headquarters
at Lanark. Locally it was, and continued to be, known as the " Upper
Ward Battalion." In 1862 the battalion adopted a scarlet tunic with blue
facings and white Austrian knot, blue trousers with red piping, blue
shakos with red piping and black ball-tuft, and brown belts.
In
1863 the 62nd Corps (Biggar), which had had an ephemeral existence in
1860, was revived and added to the battalion, and in 1875 the 9th
Lanarkshire Rifle Volunteer Corps.
107th Corps (Leadhills) was
formed, thus bringing the establishment of the battalion up to six
companies.
In March 1880 the battalion was consolidated and
numbered the 37th, but in June 1880 it was re-numbered the 9th
Lanarkshire Rifle Volunteer Corps.
The companies were lettered —
A, Lesmahagow (late 37th);
B, Lanark (late 55th);
C, Biggar
(late 62nd);
D, Carluke (late 73rd) ;
E, Douglas (late 94th) ;
and
F, Leadhills (late 107th).
In the same year blue helmets
took the place of the shakos, white belts replaced the brown, and for
the tunic was substituted a red serge frock with blue collar, red cuffs,
and white Austrian knot. On June 27, 1883, sanction was given for the
adoption of the scarlet doublet with yellow facings and Mackenzie tartan
trews of the Highland Light Infantry, with black leggings. The helmet
was retained until 1904, when it was replaced by the diced shako of the
H.L.I, for officers and a glengarry for the other ranks. In 1904, also,
the facings were changed from yellow to buff.
In 1894 the
headquarters of "E" Company were transferred to Forth, and in 1901 those
of "F" Company were moved to Law, the Leadhills detachment becoming a
section of " C " Company. The battalion possessed five rifle-ranges.
During the South African War 96 members of the battalion — including
Captain J. Gray, who was attached to the Scottish Volunteer Cyclist
Company, and was mentioned in despatches — saw active service. Of these,
25 men served with the 1st, 22 with the 2nd, and 18 with the 3rd
Volunteer Service Company of the Highland Light Infantry, of whom
Lance-Corporal J. Walker and Private A. Gray died of disease, and
Private A. Wilson was wounded at Retief s Nek ; 26 men served with the
Imperial Yeomanry.
The commanding officers of the battalion
have been —
Major James T. Brown, December 12, 1860.
Major
Hugh Mossman, July 15, 1868.
Major James Stevenson Hamilton, late
Captain 12th Lancers, September 21, 1872.
Lieut. - Colonel J.
Stevenson Hamilton (afterwards James Stevenson), A.D.C., C.B., V.D.,
Colonel, May 26, 1875.
Lieut.-Colonel W. Bertram, Major (retired
pay), late Manchester Regiment, December 20, 1905, to March 10, 1908.
Commissions signed by Her Majesty's Vice Lieutenant of the County of
Lanark -
94th Lanarkshire Rifle Volunteer Corps (Douglas).
Thomas Rennie Scott, Esq., to be Captain. Dated 4th October, I860.
James Gillespie, Gent., to be Lieutenant. Dated 4th October, 1860.
Archibald Dunlop Scott, Gent., to be Ensign. Dated 4th October, 1860.
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