Artists Rifles. Regmental Roll of Honour and War Record 1914-1919

Book excerpt: The Artists Rifles originated in May 1860 as a corps of rifle volunteers, formed by an art student, Edward Sterling, from members of the artistic professions. Its first HQ was at Burlington House. It provided the largest contingent for the City Imperial Volunteers in the Boer War. When the Territorial Force was created in 1908 it became the 28th (County of London) Battalion, London Regiment. Shortly after the outbreak of the Great War second line and third line battalions were formed - numbered 2/28th and 3/28th, the original battalion being 1/28th. The latter arrived in France at the end of October 1914 and became an Officers Training Corps (OTC), first at Bailleul and in April 1915 at St Omer. In November 1915 it absorbed the 2/28th; the 3/28th (which remained in the UK) then became 2/28th. In the summer of 1917 cadet schools in France were closed and potential officers were sent to the UK for training, and 1/28th Battalion, freed at last from its OTC role, was sent to the front at the end of June 1917, allocated to 190th Brigade, 63rd (RN) Division where it remained to the end of the war. A short (17 pages) but very informative history of the battalion's service in the line is included in the preface. This remarkable book contains a complete record of all whose names have been inscribed in the regiment's Muster Roll since August 1914, showing commissions obtained, when and in which corps/regiments; honours and decorations awarded with citations where published; and a list of all casualties. There is a total of 15,022 names, that is everyone who at one time or another served in the Regiment in any capacity. 10,256 received commissions, eight VCs were awarded, and the casualties suffered throughout the war numbered 6,071 of whom 2,003 were killed. There are summary tables of awards and of casualties.