1st Newcastle-upon-Tyne Artillery Volunteers

1st Newcastle upon Tyne Artillery Volunteer Corps

Officer's home service helmet, 1891-1901

Active| 1860–1908
Country|  United Kingdom
Branch|  Volunteer Force
Type| Artillery Volunteer Corps
Role| Garrison Artillery Field Artillery
Size| Eight Batteries
Part of| Western Division, Royal Artillery
Commanders
Notable
commanders| Lord Henry Percy VC

Military unit

The 1st Newcastle upon Tyne Artillery Volunteer Corps was a unit of the Volunteer Force raised to supplement the British Army at a time of a perceived French threat in 1860.

## History

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The unit was formed on the 2 June 1860 during the great surge of enthusiasm after an invasion scare that saw the creation of many Rifle, Artillery and Engineer Volunteer units composed of part-time soldiers eager to supplement the Regular British Army in time of need.[1]

Attached to the 1st Newcastle AVC were the 1st Berwick-on-Tweed Artillery Volunteers from 1863 until 1866.[2] In addition the 2nd Northumberland Artillery Volunteers were attached during 1863 and 1864 and the 3rd Durham Artillery Volunteers from 1873 until 1890.[3]

In 1899 the Headquarters for the Corps was built. Named as the Angus Hall Drill Hall, it was constructed at Liddell Terrace, Gateshead.[4]

On transfer to the Territorial Force in 1908 the Corps provided the 5th (Durham) Howitzer Battery of the 4th Northumbrian (County of Durham)(H) Brigade, Royal Field Artillery.

## Honorary Colonel

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The Honorary Colonel from January 1866 until his death in 1877 was Lord Henry H M Percy VC. From 1885 it was Colonel J R Young.[2][5]

## Notes

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1. ^ Beckett, Appendix VIII.
2. ^ a b Army List, January 1866.
3. ^ Litchfield, Norman E H, and Westlake, R, 1982. The Volunteer Artillery 1859-1908, The Sherwood Press, Nottingham, p134
4. ^ Osborne, Mike, 2006. Always Ready: The Drill Halls of Britain's Volunteer Forces, Partizan Press, Essex, p157
5. ^ Army List, May 1892.

## References

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* Ian F.W. Beckett, Riflemen Form: A study of the Rifle Volunteer Movement 1859–1908, Aldershot: Ogilby Trusts, 1982, ISBN 0 85936 271 X.
* Litchfield, Norman E H, and Westlake, R, 1982. The Volunteer Artillery 1859-1908, The Sherwood Press, Nottingham. ISBN 0-9508205-0-4

## Online sources

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* British History Online
* Land Forces of Britain, the Empire and Commonwealth (Regiments.org)