University Officers' Training Corps
During the 1916 Easter Rising, Trinity College was targeted by the Volunteer and Citizen Army forces, but was successfully defended by a small number of unionist students, most of whom were UOTC cadets, as well as some staff.[9] This involves instruction in all basic military techniques, including drill, map reading, camouflage, first aid, weapons training, small unit tactics, radio procedure, and fieldcraft.[35] In 1912, the Aberdeen University contingent of the Officers' Training Corps was formally raised in response to the recommendations of the committee formed by Lord Haldane[35] under the chairmanship of the then principal Sir George Adam Smith.[36] "U" Company had by this time become part of the 4th Battalion, Gordon Highlanders, and at the outbreak of the First World War was mobilised and sent to France, the only university contingent to go.[39] During the Second World War, the unit expanded as all students of military age who had been granted deferment were required to enroll as part of a National Service obligation.In February 1943, the unit provided the backbone of the 9th City of Aberdeen (University Home Guard) Battalion, in addition to its normal role.The company held its first parade in May 1900, and the occasion was celebrated by the presentation of the Inter-Section Challenge Cup by the chancellor of the university, Joseph Chamberlain.[44] In 1908, the Birmingham University contingent of the Officers' Training Corps was formally raised in response to the recommendations of the committee formed by Lord Haldane.[46] In 1910, the Bristol University contingent of the Officers' Training Corps was formally raised in response to the recommendations of the committee formed by Lord Haldane.Initially the Cambridge Volunteers worked as guards on the railway lines around Cape Town, but then marched with the Suffolk Regiment as part of General Bryan Mahon's column to attack a Boer position in Barberton in September 1900.All the Volunteers were made Honorary Freemen of the Borough of Cambridge and on 21 December 1904, three years later, CURV was granted the battle honour "South Africa 1900-01".[55] In 1908, Cambridge University contingent of the Officers' Training Corps was formally raised in response to the recommendations of the committee formed by Lord Haldane and consisted of a battalion of infantry, a squadron of cavalry, a battery of artillery and medical and engineering units.As part of the unit's historic affiliations with the Sherwood Foresters (since amalgamated into the Worcestershire and Sherwood Foresters Regiment and, later, into 2nd Battalion, Mercian Regiment before it was disbanded in 2022), East Midlands Universities OTC's stable belt is horizontally green, maroon and green again, charged with a thin central horizontal silver strip for differentiation known as the 'silver stripe of learning.[73] This unit later became the 5th Battalion of the Cameronians (Scottish Rifles), based at West Princes Street drill hall in the Woodlands area of Glasgow.[77] In 1909, the London University contingent of the Officers' Training Corps was formally raised in response to the recommendations of the committee formed by Lord Haldane.[98] In 1908, the Oxford University contingent of the Officers' Training Corps was formally raised in response to the recommendations of the committee formed by Lord Haldane.In September 1914, at the start of the First World War the university processed some 2,000 applications for commissions in the British Army and another 3,000 subsequently passed through its School of Instruction.[98] In October 1908, the Queen's University contingent of the Officers' Training Corps was formally raised in response to the recommendations of the committee formed by Lord Haldane.[47] Parades were held in the old gymnasium which occupied the site of the former Drill Hall located south of the Queen's University Belfast Students' Union.A Drill Hall was subsequently built at the cost of £4,000 and officially opened on 20 November 1912 by Brigadier General Count Gleichen, who deputised for the Commander-in-Chief of the Forces in Ireland.A Reception Unit and a Joint Recruiting Board were set up in the Drill Hall to deal with applications for commissions during the Second World War.[102] In November 1902 twenty students from Hartley University College raised a company, sanctioned by the War Office, which formed part of the 2nd Volunteer Battalion of the Hampshire Regiment.[18] However, after supplying significant numbers officers to the British Army during the Second World War, recruitment fell and the UOTC was placed in suspended animation in April 1951.[103] In November 1908, the St Andrews University contingent of the Officers' Training Corps was formally raised in response to the recommendations of the committee formed by Lord Haldane.[93] In 1908, the University College, Wales contingent of the Officers' Training Corps was formally raised in response to the recommendations of the committee formed by Lord Haldane.[109] In January 1909, the Leeds University contingent of the Officers' Training Corps was formally raised in response to the recommendations of the committee formed by Lord Haldane.[114] Captain David Hirsch, a former member of the contingent, was posthumously awarded the Victoria Cross for his actions on the Western Front during the First World War.[93] In 1911, the Sheffield University contingent of the Officers' Training Corps was formally raised in response to the recommendations of the committee formed by Lord Haldane.[47] Lieutenant William Allen, a former member of the contingent, was awarded the Victoria Cross for his actions on the Western Front during the First World War.[123] The British Army runs several competitions throughout the academic year where the OTCs and the four Defence Technical Undergraduate Scheme (DTUS) squadrons have a chance to compete against each other.
United KingdomBritish ArmySandhurst GroupArmy ReserveUniversity Service UnitsRoyal Military Academy SandhurstReserve Officernon-commissioned officersYorkshire Officer Training RegimentNorth West Officer Training RegimentSecretary of State for WarLord HaldaneMilitiaYeomanrypublic schoolsHaldane ReformsTerritorial ForceTerritorial and Reserve Forces Act 1907First World WarMunich CrisisSecond World WarHome GuardTrinity College DublinIrish unionismHome RuleEaster RisingJ. P. MahaffyUlster UnionistDublin UniversityEdward Carsonpartition of IrelandTerritorial ArmyWomen's Royal Army CorpsJunior Training CorpsCombined Cadet Forceregimentcap badgestable beltOfficer cadetJunior Under OfficerSenior Under OfficerArmy Officer Selection Boardsecond lieutenantselectionsColonel (OF-5)Southampton UOTCTayforth UOTCUniversity of AberdeenRoyal ArtilleryGordon HighlanderstartanJohn Boyd Orr, 1st Baron Boyd-OrrScots Guardswarrant officerNational ServicecompaniesMedicalRoyal Electrical and Mechanical EngineersIntelligenceRoyal EngineersRoyal SignalsGordon BarracksBridge of DonUniversity of Birmingham1st Volunteer Battalion, Royal Warwickshire RegimentJoseph ChamberlainWilliam Slim, 1st Viscount SlimSparkbrookGuard of honourKing George VQueen MaryUniversity of BristolBristolAlvis SaladinUniversity of CambridgeSecond Boer WarSuffolk RegimentBury St EdmundsSS Doune CastleCape TownBryan MahonBarbertonGreat St Mary's ChurchCambridgeshire RegimentCambridgeUniversity College NottinghamWar OfficeSherwood ForestersWorcestershire and Sherwood Foresters RegimentMercian RegimentBeeston1st City of Edinburgh Rifle Volunteer CorpsUniversity of EdinburghRector of the University of Edinburgh1st Edinburgh (City) Royal Garrison ArtilleryForrest Hill drill hallUniversity of ExeterHigher Barracks, ExeterWyvern BarracksSir John AclandUniversity of GlasgowWilliam John Macquorn RankineCameronians (Scottish Rifles)drill hallWoodlandsUniversity of LondonYeomanry HouseNorthumberland FusiliersDurham UniversityNewcastle UniversityBede Collegede Havilland ChipmunkOtterburnYeomanry Drill HallJesmondFenhamUniversity of LiverpoolAllertonUniversity of ManchesterManchester RegimentManchester 15Charles IUniversity of OxfordEnglish Civil WarOxfordshire Light InfantryJohn Stenning