Essex Rifle Volunteers

A fiendishly complex area with little documentary information. The first Rifle Volunteer units were formed in 1859 with 24 in total raised for the County.  From 1860 to 1880 there were various evolutions of mergers, renumbering and disbandment. There were two major events:

1. 1860 – the formation of three Admin Battalions with each independent unit assigned to one.
2. 1880 – consolidation into four Rifle Volunteer Corps.

Between these dates there were a numerous other events, notably:

• the break up of the 2nd Admin Bn in 1866;
• the transfer of some units to other Counties;
• the disbandment of a number of individual Corps.

In 1883 each of the four Rifle Volunteer Corp units became one of the four Volunteer Battalions of the Essex Regiment.

Evolution of the RVCs:

Headdress

Whilst presumably all units had some form of headdress badge little information has survived to confirm what was worn. Those units with known badges are: the 4th-6th, 8th-10th, 12th, 15th-20th and 22nd.

The 17th wore the generic rifle volunteer cap badge (as a first pattern) and it is possible that the other units did as well, but that is unconfirmed.

From 1880 the consolidated Corps each had their own helmet plate.