Officer, 24th Middlesex (Post Office) Rifle Volunteers, 1895 (c)

Glass negative, W Gregory and Company, London, 1895 (c).

When an invasion scare in 1859 led to a flood of volunteers forming new military units to defend Great Britain, rifle volunteer corps were formed. The 24th Middlesex Volunteers were originally raised in 1868 from Post Office staff recruited from postal districts across London. In 1880 it was linked as a Volunteer Battalion to the Rifle Brigade. Uniquely for a Rifle Volunteer unit, it deployed men to Egypt in 1882 to run an Army postal service. It became the 8th (County of London) Battalion, London Regiment on the formation of the Territorial Force in 1908.

This officer wears a full dress rifles uniform and busby.

One of a collection of 278 glass negatives, Gregory and Company, London, 1895 (c)-1900.