The Stourbridge Observer, Cradley Heath, Halesowen & District Chronicle.
Stourbridge, West Midlands, England, 1873-04-19 00:00:00

BATTALION DRILL OF THE FIRST
WORCESTERSHIRE RIFE CORPS,

The above battalion, to the number of 620
officers and meh, mustered on Pedniore Com-
mon, near Stourbridge, on Monday, and had a
useful day's drill. It had not been unusual to
throw the Easter Monday evolutions into the
shape of a sham fight,but this was not attempted
on Monday, and Colonel Knight, M.P., who was
in command, contented himself with giving his
men a steady drill, and working them up in the
double•column movements, which are to be a
grand feature in future manoeuvring. Lord
Lytteltou (Lord-Lieutexiant)ivas on the ground
and inspected the movements, and the staff
officers of the battalion present were Major
Dixon, Captain Dixon (acting as junior major),
Captain and Adjutant %Voolridge, and Surgeon
Cowen. Line having been formed, and the
LordWieutenant saluted, the battalion marched
past in column, and back again in quarter
column. Wheeling to the right, the battalion
formed line to the right on the rear company,
and went through a number of evolutions calcu.
listed to test their efticiency. In the course of
the movements the line retired in column of
double companies from both flanks in rear of
the centre, and the modern system of attaok
was then practised, skirmishers being sent out.
They were then assembled, and the remaining
part of the battalion was sent out in is similar
manner. The whole being recalled deployed
into line to the left, fired volleys by companies,
and half companies, and by the whole line. The
Lord Lieutenant was then saluted, and ad-
dressed the battalion.

Lord Lytteiton said that now that the con.
Election of Lords-Lieutenant with the reserve
forces had somewhat diminished, he felt all the
more anxious to take advantage of as many
occurreuces of that kind as he could to renew
his acquaintance and intercourse with the
men:there of those forces. Their brethren of the
southern battalion had for some years been in
the habit of meeting under favourable circum-
stances at the camp at Malvern. He hoped that
might continue to be the ease, and that he
might meet them there, as he did not doubt that
thut mode of meeting had its advantages, but
there were circumstances connected with them
in the northern part of the county which made
that particular mode of assembling less con-
venient to thew, and he presumed and hoped
that such days as that, in which they spent a
considerable time in the performance of their
drill, might :answer the purpose as well. He
trusted the battalion would well maintain the
high character it had held for many years past ;
and though there had been a loss of some of no
officers, from circumstances connected perhaps
with the new system of Government inspection
and examination, he trusted that, however that
might be, all the members of the force would
look upon it more and mere as a matter of
serious business to give their utmost diligence
and attention to their duties. When he said
just before that the direct connection of the
Lori- f.ieutenant with these forces was in some
respei.ts impaired, he was not sure, looking at it
in a more general way, that such connection
was not even closer than before, for he knew the
Government wished them to take sect part as
they could on occasions like that, and as
interest as they used to do in the forces. While
the desire was to connect the reserve forces
more closely with the military system of the
country, it was still wished to keep up the local
character of the reserve forces ; and though be
might himself have less to do with the actual
appointments and promotions, yet, as represent-
ing the Crown, he hoped while as long as he