The Stourbridge Observer, Cradley Heath, Halesowen & District Chronicle.
Stourbridge, West Midlands, England, 1876-08-05 00:00:00

FIRST BATTALION OF WORCESTERSHIRE
VOLUNTEERS.

THE INSPECTION.

The men of the above battalion underwent inspection
on Monday, at Hagley, by Colonel White, C. 8., com-
mander of the Twenty-second Brigade Depot. The
several carps arrived at Bagley in good time in the
morning; and there was a battalion drill, which was
carried on amid the discomfort of a soaking rain. The
roll-call showed the following as the strength of the
companies composing the regiment :

Bank
Corps. °Maas. Sergeants. Buglers; and File;
Ist (Wolverley) 2
2nd (Tenbury) 3 ' 6
sa (Ist Kidder.) 1
4th (2nd ditto) .. 2
sth (Bewdley) 1
6th (Halesowen).. 3 ...... 5
7th (Dudley) 3
Bth (Stourport) 2
9th (Stourbridge) 2
16th (Oldbury). 1 5
20th (3rd Kidder.) 3

The field officers present were Lieut.-Colonel Knight,
M.P., Major Walker, and Major W. H. Talbot; and the
staff Captain and Adjutant Wolrige, Surgeon Cowan,
and Honorary Assistant Quartermaster King. After the
morning drill the battalion broke up for an hour or two,
and fell in for the inspection about two o'clock. Colonel
White was received with a salute by the battalion in
line. The men then broke into column, and each corps
was separately and minutely inspected by Colonel White.
Their arms and aceoutrements had lost their bright
burnish from the morning's rain but this was an accidental
defect the true cause of which would no doubt be borne
in mind by the colonel. The scrutiny of each man's
appointments being over the regiment was formed into a
brigade of two battalions, and marched past the review-
ing officer. This was first done in line of double
columns, then in mass of quarter columns, and in line
of quarter columns. There was a steadiness in the
marching which spoke well for the attention to the
season's drills, and reflected great credit on the corps
generally. The brigade re-formed line to the left, on
the rear companies of battalions, and then came manual
and firing exercises, under Major Talbot. Colonel
Knight having resumed the command, the right battalion
advanced in echelon, and square was formed on the
centre company of each battalion, and upon re-forming
into double column they deployed outwards. A forma-
tion of line on the right battalion followed, and then
came a change to the right twice on the centre of the
brigade. Independent and company volley firing was
performed in all the line and square formations. The
concluding movements were of a very novel and interest-
ing kind. They are being tried for the first time at
Aldershot this year, and the First Worcestershire have
also been very successfully instructed in them. The
brigade being formed for attack, a thin fighting line was
sent forward, which was reinforced again and again till
it became a thick skirmishing line, when a final rush
' was made to the position supposed to be attacked.
Then there was a change to the left, and the whole of
the reserves, which had been left far in the rear, were
formed attacked, those who had previously attacked now
being called in to set as reserve. The fighting part of
the brigade advanced by alternate companies across the
fiat, where the evolutions were proceeding, and then
same a retreat to the foot of the hill, on the crest of
which the reserve was termed. The reserve at once
began their advance. opening their files as they went
forward, and joining the fighting line, which had hitherto
been retreating. Reinforced as the fighting line now
was, it was again ordered forward, and the whole brigade
advanced at the double, with bayonets fixed. When
withtn the last 100 yards of their goal, the double
epened into a quick dash, and the brigade broke into
echoing hurrahs as they closed with the imaginary
enemy. The companies were re-assembled at the close
of the movements, and broke up, but not before they
had been exposed to another drenching downpour of
rain. The movements were throughout executed in a
very satisfactory manner, and we believe that Colonel
White was pleased with the way in which the battalion
had acquitted itself.