The History of the Volunteer Company at Winchester Diocesan Training College

William Smoker 1902-1904 ,in the uniform of B’ Company of the 1st Hampshire Rifle Volunteer Force from the Hampshire Record Office Archives

On the 24th February 1875 it was decided to form a College Company. This was authorized by the War Office and given the title The Winchester Diocesan Training College Corps, or the 24th Rifle Corps. The Volunteer Company at Winchester was part of the 1st Volunteer Battalion Hampshire Regiment.

The original uniform was a light grey with green facings and black braiding. By the time the College Force was formed they were armed with the Snider rifle, the first breech loading rifle of the British Army. Drill was carried out on the Ditch (or Dytche), a College field, while shooting practice took place at Teg Down. There were various locations used for annual camps. The College Principal was commissioned into the Company. In 1877 the uniform changed to scarlet with black facings, eventually changing to fit in with the regular battalions of the Hampshire Regiment. A shooting club was formed in 1880, and in the same year the Volunteer Force became known as I’ Company of 1st Hampshire Rifle Volunteer Corps. The College Company included the entire student body and several staff members and former students.

In 1881 the College Company attended camp and paraded at the Great Volunteer Review in Windsor Park. Each year they attended a camp which included exercises, manoeuvres, parades, drills and competitions. These camps were held at various venues around the south of England included Salisbury Plain and Hayling Island.

In 1885 the Volunteer Force, now known as the 1st Volunteer Battalion Hampshire Regiment, replaced the Snider rifle with the Martini-Henry rifle, to be replaced by the Lee-Metford magazine rifle in 1897. Also in that year a new armoury was erected at the Training College. It was fitted out with racks for rifles and lockers for uniforms and equipment. It was located south of the student common room. The following year the annual camp was held in the New Forest. The Cyclists Section represented the battalion in the military skills competition that was held every year.

Photograph from The Wintonian Magazine

When war was declared in August 1914, B’ Company was at its annual camp at Bulford on Salisbury Plain. The Company was made up of 104 men, 40 of them being students in their final year. As members of the Territorial Force they were immediately mobilised and remained with the Company on Salisbury Plain. They were joined by the Principal and one of the College tutors. In September they moved back to Winchester where they were billeted at College until December when they were sent to India. Winchester Training College was used by the War Office for the duration of the war.

V S Manley, a Wintonian, wrote in his diary a list of the Wintonians who volunteered for service in Mesopotamia and what happened to them. This was a contemporary account and is not necessarily complete or wholly accurate.

3381       Purkis H S, Pte                   Jersey                                   Died of disease (whilst a prisoner of war at Kut-al-Amara) ¹

1865       Smith Ralph, L Cpl            Swindon                              shot in elbow 21/1/1916 ²

3084       Singleton C F, Pte             Codford, Wilts                   Died ³

2167       Bolwell F J W, Pte             Radstock                              Killed

1869       Windust A H, Pte             Eastleigh, Hants                Survived

2185       Oakley C R, Pte                 Broseley, Salop                 shot through shoulder 21/1/1916

1862       Rose H W, Pte                   Ongar, Essex                      Killed in action ⁴

3078       Hurst G T , L Cpl                 London                                 wounded 21/1/1916

3611       Richardson J J, Pte           I.O.W.

3616       Soper W T, Pte                 Cowes I.O.W.

2195       Tarrant A, Pte                    Wroughton, Swindon     Killed in action

Clifford W O, Pte              Charlton

1867       Warne A, Pte                     Brightstone I.O.W.          Killed in action

2199       Woodfield A, Pte                                                             Died of disease 8/6/1916

Rodd G W                            Shanklin I.O.W.

Butcher J, Pte                    Canterbury

(Westminster Training College “ 3081-Pittuck B, Pte “ London)

In the photograph of I’ Company there is a small stone sphinx. There were two of these, which stood on either side of the main terrace entrance. According to Martial Rose these were frequently moved to different places around the College, presumably by high spirited students, and were eventually fixed firmly to the land;

But not firmly enough, for they finally disappeared altogether.

Photograph from Hampshire Record Office archives