Home > Army Organisation > Infantry > The Royal Defence Corps
In October 1914 the National Reserve was formed into Protection Companies, which were attached to existing Territorial units and which undertook the guarding of “vulnerable points”. After the best men had been stripped out of the Reserve, in March 1915 the Protection Companies became Supernumerary Companies and in March/April 1916 were consolidated into the Royal Defence Corps , a corps of the Regular Army although administered by the City of London Territorial Force Association. The ranks of the RDC temporarily swelled to about 70,000 in August 1917 with the incorporation of 18 Home Service (Garrison) Battalions, but were soon reduced again to about 27,000 by April 1918 by the "combing out" of men for front-line duty.
Garrison battalions were manned by soldiers either too old or medically unfit for active front-line service. The Home Service status indicated they were unable to be transferred overseas. The role of the regiment was to provide troops for security and guard duties inside the United Kingdom; for example, guarding important locations such as ports, bridges or military installations. It also provided companies for guarding prisoner-of-war camps. The regiment was never intended to be employed on overseas service.
18 battalions of the Corps were formed by converting existing Garrison Battalions of various infantry regiments:
1st Bn. - 2nd (Home Service) Garrison Bn, Royal
Scots
2nd Bn. - 1st (Home Service) Garrison Bn, Buffs (East Kent Regiment)
3rd Bn. - 3rd (Home Service) Garrison Bn, King’s (Liverpool Regiment)
4th Bn. - 2nd (Home Service) Garrison Bn, Lincolnshire Regiment
5th Bn. - 2nd (Home Service) Garrison Bn, Devonshire Regiment
6th Bn. - 2nd (Home Service) Garrison Bn, Suffolk Regiment
7th Bn. - 2nd (Home Service) Garrison Bn, West Yorkshire Regiment
8th Bn. - 2nd (Home Service) Garrison Bn, East Yorkshire Regiment
9th Bn. - 1st (Home Service) Garrison Bn, Leicestershire Regiment
10th Bn. - 2nd (Home Service) Garrison Bn, Yorkshire Regiment
11th Bn. - 3rd (Home Service) Garrison Bn, Cheshire Regiment
12th Bn. - 5th (Home Service) Garrison Bn, Royal Welsh Fusiliers
13th Bn. - 2nd (Home Service) Garrison Bn, Northamptonshire Regiment
14th Bn. - 1st (Home Service) Garrison Bn, Royal Berkshire Regiment
15th Bn. - 1st (Home Service) Garrison Bn, Queen’s Own (Royal West
Kent Regiment)
16th Bn. - 1st (Home Service) Garrison Bn, Middlesex Regiment
17th Bn. - 2nd (Home Service Garrison Bn, North Staffordshire Regiment
18th Bn. - 1st (Home Service) Garrison Bn, Queen’s Own Cameron Highlanders
The RDC was disbanded in 1936.
My thanks to Great War Forum pals aussienoel and wullmackie for much of this information.