Northumbrian Volunteers Explained

Unit Name:	Northumbrian Volunteers
Dates:	1971–1975
Allegiance:	United Kingdom
Role:	Line Infantry
Size:	One Battalion
Garrison:	Bishop Auckland
Ceremonial Chief:	Major-General Theodore Birkbeck, CB, CBE, DSO, JP
Ceremonial Chief Label:	Honorary Colonel

The Northumbrian Volunteers was a short-lived Territorial Army infantry regiment of the British Army, in existence from 1971 to 1975.

History

The regiment was formed on 1 April 1971, as the successor to Territorial Army infantry battalions of Cumbria, Durham, and Northumberland that had been reduced under the 1966 Defence White Paper and formation of the TAVR. Its initial structure was as follows:^[1]

A (Durham Royal Artillery) Battery, at Horden
(from the County of Durham Regiment, Royal Artillery)
B (4th Border Regiment) Company, at Queen Katherine Street Drill Hall, Kendal and Penrith
(from 4th Battalion, Border Regiment)
C (4th/5th/6th Royal Northumberland Fusiliers) Company, at Newcastle upon Tyne and Gosforth
(from 4th/5th/6th Battalion, Royal Northumberland Fusiliers)
D (7th Royal Northumberland Fusiliers) Company, at Alnwick and Berwick-upon-Tweed
(from 7th Battalion, Royal Northumberland Fusiliers)
E (6th/8th Durham Light Infantry) Company, at Horden
(from 6th/8th Battalion, Durham Light Infantry)

However, not long after formation, the army placed territorial infantry battalions back under the control of the regular regiments, and so the battalion's companies were split up as follows:^[1] HQ (having been formed sometime in the previous four years), A, and E Companies to 7th Battalion, The Light Infantry (Volunteers), as HQ, A, and B Companies respectively; B Company to 4th (Volunteer) Battalion, King's Own Royal Border Regiment, as C Company; and C and D Companies to 6th (Volunteer) Battalion, Royal Regiment of Fusiliers, as Y and HQ Companies respectively.

Honorary Colonel

1972–1975: Major-General Theodore H. Birkbeck, ^[2]

Deputy Honorary Colonels

The individual companies each maintained a Deputy Honorary Colonel in succession to the previous unit they had been reduced from.

A Battery: Sir Robert Chapman, 2nd Baronet, ^[3]
B Company: Major-General Theodore H. Birkbeck, ^[4]
C Company: Colonel John R.N. Bell, ^[5]
D Company: Captain Hugh Percy, 10th Duke of Northumberland^[6]
E Company: Captain William P. Catesby, ^[7]

Notes and References

Web site: The Northumbrian Volunteers. https://web.archive.org/web/20070816073822/http://www.regiments.org/regiments/uk/volmil-england/vinf-no/71North.htm. 16 August 2007. 4 April 2021.
Web site: SUPPLEMENT TO THE LONDON GAZETTE, 22ND APRIL 1975 . 5158. 4 April 2021.
Web site: Durham Artillery Volunteers. https://web.archive.org/web/20070816075748/http://www.regiments.org/regiments/uk/volmil-england/varty/du-1967.htm. 16 August 2007. 4 April 2021.
Web site: SUPPLEMENT TO THE LONDON GAZETTE, 18TH JANUARY 1972 . 648. 4 April 2021.
Web site: 4th Battalion, The Royal Northumberland Fusiliers. https://web.archive.org/web/20070816152730/http://www.regiments.org/regiments/uk/volmil-england/vinf-no/nd-4.htm. 16 August 2007. 4 April 2021.
Web site: 7th Battalion, The Royal Northumberland Fusiliers. https://web.archive.org/web/20070816152631/http://www.regiments.org/regiments/uk/volmil-england/vinf-no/nd-7.htm. 16 August 2007. 4 April 2021.
Web site: 6th/8th Battalion, The Durham Light Infantry and 7th Battalion, The (Durham) Light Infantry and all Durham successors. https://web.archive.org/web/20071021110740/http://www.regiments.org/regiments/uk/volmil-england/vinf-no/du-6-8.htm. 21 October 2007. 4 April 2021.