page_title: Robin Hood Battalion
section_title: Formation
hierarchical_section_title: Robin Hood Battalion / Formation
caption_attribution_description: English: Plaque on the terrace of Nottingham Castle commemorating the raising of the Robin Hood Rifles in 1859
context_page_description: The Robin Hood Battalion was a unit of the Volunteer Force of the British Army and Territorial Force, later the Territorial Army. The battalion served as infantry on the Western Front during World War I. In the 1930s it re-roled as an anti-aircraft unit and served in World War II, including North-western Europe from June 1944 to May 1945.
context_section_description: The unit was formed on 30 May 1859 when six volunteers paraded at Nottingham Castle under Sergeant-Major Jonathan White. (White became the Adjutant and was still an officer in the corps 40 years later with the honorary rank of colonel.) It was one of many such Rifle Volunteer Corps (RVCs) to be formed at a time of increased fear of war with France, which created a flurry of interest in establishing such volunteer corps by the more affluent classes of British society. The unit was simply known as the Robin Hood Rifles in honour of Nottingham's legendary Robin Hood.
  By October 1859, five separate company-sized Rifle Volunteer Corps (RVCs) had been raised in Nottingham, the first officers' commissions were issued on 15 November, and by December they had been combined into a battalion as the Robin Hood RVC, becoming the 1st Nottinghamshire (Robin Hood) RVC of nine companies by March 1860. One company was raised by A.J. Mundella from employees of his hosiery mill. The unit adopted a uniform of Rifle green with black facings.
  In 1881, following the Cardwell-Childers Reforms, the Sherwood Foresters (Derbyshire Regiment), later the Sherwood Foresters (Nottinghamshire and Derbyshire Regiment), was formed as the county regiment, and the 1st Nottinghamshire (Robin Hood) RVC (now 10 companies strong) became its 3rd Volunteer Battalion without changing its title. An 11th company was added in 1895, a 12th in 1896, and during the Second Boer War 1900–01 the establishment was increased in 1900–01 to 18 companies (including two cyclist companies), divided into two battalions, together with a cadet corps at Nottingham High School.
  The battalion was part of the North Midland Brigade from 1888 until 1901 when that formation split to form a separate Sherwood Foresters Brigade.
caption: Plaque on the terrace of Nottingham Castle commemorating the raising of the Robin Hood Rifles in 1859
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