1st Cornwall (Duke of Cornwall's) Artillery Volunteers

1st Cornwall (Duke of Cornwall's) Artillery Volunteers
Active	1859–1956
Country	United Kingdom
Branch	Territorial Army
Type	Artillery Regiment
Role	Garrison Artillery Coastal Artillery

The 1st Cornwall (Duke of Cornwall's) Artillery Volunteers were formed in 1860 as a response to a French invasion threat. They served as a Coast Artillery unit and continued in existence until the dissolution of Coast Artillery in the UK in 1956.

Artillery Volunteers 1859-1908

The 1st Admin Brigade of the Cornwall Artillery Volunteers was formed on the 24 May 1860, with Headquarters at Bodmin. From July 1861 they are shown in the Army List as the 'Duke of Cornwall's Artillery Volunteers. By the end of 1862 a total of thirteen Corps had been raised in ports all across Cornwall.^[1]

In May 1880 the Corps were consolidated as the 1st Cornwall (Duke of Cornwall's) Artillery Volunteers, with ten batteries distributed as follows:^[1]

No1 Battery at Padstow
No2 Battery at Looe
No3 Battery at Fowey
No4 Battery at Charlestown
No5 Battery at Par
No6 Battery at Polruan
No7 Battery at Hayle
No8 Battery at Penzance
No9 Battery at Marazion
No10 Battery at St Just

In 1888 Headquarters were moved to Falmouth.^[1] In 1902 the unit was retitled the 1st Cornwall Royal Garrison Artillery (Volunteers).^[2]

Territorial Force 1908-1920

In 1908 on the formation of the Territorial Force the corps became the Cornwall (Duke of Cornwall's) Royal Garrison Artillery.

On the outbreak of the First World War, the Cornwall RGA deployed to their war stations guarding the major ports of Cornwall under No 1 Coastal Fire Command.^[3]

Interwar years

After the war, the unit was retitled the Cornwall Coast Brigade RGA (TF) in the reformed Territorial Army, becoming the Cornwall Heavy Brigade RA (TA) in 1924 when the RGA merged with the rest of the Royal Artillery (RA).^[4]

In 1932 its Headquarters were disbanded and a battery amalgamated with the Devonshire Heavy Brigade RA (TA)to form the Devonshire and Cornwall Heavy Brigade RA (TA).^[5]

(RA Brigades were redesignated Regiments in 1938, allowing AA Groups to adopt the more usual formation title of Brigades.)

Second World War

In July 1940 the Regiment was re-designated with a new number, remaining with a Coast Artillery role as 523 (Cornwall) Coast Regiment, RA (TA), stationed at Falmouth^[6][7]

Postwar

In 1946 the unit was placed in suspended animation, but the following year reformed in the postwar Territorial Army as 409 Coast Regiment RA (Cornwall) (TA) with Headquarters at Falmouth.^[8]

With the disbandment of Coast Artillery in the UK in 1956 the unit was converted to Royal Engineers as 409th (Cornwall) Independent Field Squadron Royal Engineers.

Notes

References

• Ian F.W. Beckett, Riflemen Form: A Study of the Rifle Volunteer Movement 1859–1908, Aldershot, The Ogilby Trusts, 1982, ISBN 0-85936-271-X.
• Lt-Col H.F. Joslen, Orders of Battle, United Kingdom and Colonial Formations and Units in the Second World War, 1939–1945, London: HM Stationery Office, 1960/Uckfield: Naval & Military, 2003, ISBN 1-84342-474-6.
• Litchfield, Norman E H, and Westlake, R, 1982. The Volunteer Artillery 1859-1908, The Sherwood Press, Nottingham. ISBN 0-9508205-0-4
• Litchfield, Norman E H, 1992. The Territorial Artillery 1908-1988, The Sherwood Press, Nottingham. ISBN 0-9508205-2-0
• Milne, B A, Capt, Historical Record of the 1st Cornwall (Duke of Cornwall's) Artillery Volunteers, Army and Navy Cooperative Society, 1885
• Rinaldi, Richard A (2008). Order of Battle of the British Army 1914. Ravi Rikhye. ISBN 978-0-97760728-0. 

External sources

• The Royal Artillery 1939-45
• The Long, Long Trail
• The Regimental Warpath 1914–1918
• Land Forces of Britain, the Empire and Commonwealth
• British Military History
• Patriot Files orders of battle