Nottingham Evening Post, Saturday, 27th February 1909

Leading Article

THE EVENING POST
SATURDAY, FEBRUARY 27, 1909

OUR DEFENDERS

Those who have been optimists throughout with regard to the future of the Robin Hood Rifles as a unit of the Territorial Army are justified by the cheering report made by Colonel Birkin last night that the enthusiasm of the city has at last been aroused, and he expects to have 900 men on the strength in a few days. An interval of discouragement was inevitable at the start of a new and untried system which made a clean sweep of everything which had preceded it. The very loyalty and attachment of Nottingham men to their fine volunteer brigade told against their taking readily to its extinction, and no doubt largely accounted for the transition not being scaled with the public formality which would have kept up the recruiting. However all that is past, the nation is alive to the duty of making the Territorial Army a success, and employers are affording facilities for military service which they never did before. Nottingham has never been deaf to the call of patriotism, as the traditions of the Old Stubborns show, and it evidently perceives that the mission of Colonel Birkin's command is to keep alive the proud associations of the Robin Hood Rifles which date from 1859.

Nottingham Evening Post, Thursday, 4th March 1909.

RUSH OF RECRUITS.

ROBIN HOODS OVER 1,000 STRONG

GENERAL SMITH-DORRIEN'S PATRIOTIC APPEAL.

Until little more than a week ago the sole cry was "Men are wanted". Only the faint echo is now heard. So satisfactory have been the results of the Robin Hoods recruiting campaign, and so remarkable was the success of the gathering which was addressed by General Smith-Dorrien in the Victoria Hall, Nottingham, last night, that the battalion at the present time stands at over a thousand strong. Prior to that epoch-making function 250 recruits had rallied round the banner of the battalion, and last night well over 100 others responded to the call. Thus, at a bound, the battalion has attained its full establishment.

But lest some people should fall into the delusion that no more men were required, it should be pointed out that a substantial proportion of the one-year men, whose time expires on the 31st inst., have not yet re-engaged, and it is to provide against possible shrinkages that recruits are still being sought. However, there is every indication that the happy day is within hail when the announcement will be made that the county has fulfilled its primary obligation to the State, and raised its quota of men for the defence of the homeland. From what fell from the lips of Colonel Birkin at the close of the concert, it is evident that large employers of labour are fulfilling their pledge and giving encouragement to their men to join the force. It is therefore very evident that the old members who do not sign on again without delay will be crowded out altogether. Possibly after the route march on Saturday there will be no occasion to appeal further.

THE DUKE OF PORTLAND'S APPEAL.

Lieut.-Colonel Birkin, who was cordially received at the meeting, read the following letter from the Duke of Portland:
I am sorry I cannot attend the smoking concert to meet the distinguished soldier who has promised to honour it with his presence, especially as I am most hopeful that his words will have an inspiring effect, and will bring many recruits to the ranks of the Robin Hoods. I cannot understand why the young men of Nottingham hang back, and allow the time-honoured regiment which you command to be so sadly short of the numbers considered necessary to make it complete, now that it is a territorial unit. I should have thought that out of respect for their city's honour they would have been eager to join its ranks. Are patriotic feelings dead in their hearts? Is the spirit of emulation extinct? Have they no ambition to show that their zeal in this cause can equal that of their Derbyshire neighbours? Will they not, at their country's call, shake off their apathy and approve themselves earnest in maintaining the kudos of their city and country? I am sanguine that they will, for I fully believe that if the young men of Nottingham are once properly aroused, they will be animated by the same spirit of duty and the same determination to render their country secure which induced the men of 50 years ago to fill the ranks of the Robin Hoods, making that regiment for a long period not only the pride of their city, but the admiration of the Midland Counties. Now is the time for our young men to show that they are not degenerate sons of their fathers. Now is the time for them to embrace the opportunity of voluntarily rendering their country honourable service. For I am convinced that such an opportunity will never occur again, and if they let it slip, and if this scheme fails, than I am fully persuaded that the voluntary system must be superseded by universal and compulsory military training.

But I trust that whatever may happen in other parts of England, it may never be said that the city and county of Nottingham lagged behind, when called upon voluntarily to find men for the defence of the country; and I have a confident hope, now that the necessity for recruits is known, that the young men of Nottingham will be eager and anxious to show their patriotism by joining the ranks of the renowned Robin Hoods, of which I am so rightly proud to be the hon. colonel. Will you kindly convey my thanks to Sir H. Smith-Dorrien for his kindness in acceding to the request I made of him, and with all good wishes.

NECESSITY OF TRAINING.

General Sir H. Smith-Dorrien, who was received with acclamation, said that when he heard that the Robin Hoods were short of men, and that the town of Nottingham was unable to furnish a thousand men, he thought it behoved him as full colonel of the Sherwood Foresters to use any persuasive powers of which he was capable to endeavour to fill up the ranks of a battalion of the regiment. (Applause.) By the new organisation he thought that the eight battalions of the Sherwood Foresters were drawn together a great deal closer, and what marked it more than anything was that in future they would all march under the same colours, emblazoned with the magnificent battle roll gained by the two regular battalions. To show how the regular battalions looked to their brethren in the old volunteer battalion, he read the following telegram he had received from the colonel commanding the 2nd Battalion in Ireland:
"Wish you every success to-night in filling the ranks of their seventh battalion."

Proceeding, General Smith-Dorrien said the Duke of Portland struck the keynote when he said, "How can you men of Notts. hope to be successful at cricket or football without practice or without previous training?" So it behoved them all to join the ranks of the territorial army and to make it a success. They must attend the annual training and every drill, and in that way alone would they succeed in defending their hearths and homes when the hour of trial came. He asked them not to consider that in joining rifle clubs they had fulfilled the role of patriot. (Hear, hear.) The advantage of rifle clubs was undeniable, but no man could be considered a serious asset in a fighting force who was not thoroughly trained in field movements. In the regular army shooting at fixed ranges was entirely elementary, and in this respect he explained what was aspired to in the way of shooting at moving objects, and judging distances, and said that nowadays it was necessary to cultivate intelligence, individuality, and cunning. He showed that shooting with a miniature rifle formed a very small part of a soldier's education. Rifle clubs did an enormous amount of good, but he advised them to go a step further and learn to become a soldier.

In his appeal he should also include the officers, and he was sorry to hear that the territorial army was still short of these. He could not understand how, with the grand materials for officers they had, there were not plenty of them to fill the vacancies. In conclusion, he said that he was glad to hear that the employers of labour were behaving nobly. They were doing their utmost not only to give men every possible facility for training, but were going out of their way to try and induce their men to join the ranks of the territorial army. He appealed to them, both men and officers, to come forward and join the ranks, and endeavour to make the territorial army such a success that the colonies would feel bound to follow the example, and that would set the seal on the continuing greatness of that empire to which it was their privilege to belong. (Loud applause.)

Nottingham Evening Post, Monday, 15th March 1909

TERRITORIAL RECRUITING

ROUTE MARCH OF THE ROBIN HOOD RIFLES

Although experience in the past proved that the best method of popularising the volunteers was by frequent public appearances of the various corps, the desire for increased efficiency led to the deletion of ceremonial parades in order that all available time should be devoted to practical training. But the fact remains that the men who have voluntarily equipped themselves for national defence take pride in wearing the King's uniform, whilst the public undoubtedly appreciate an occasional "show".

It is therefore not surprising that in the present crusade for recruits route marches through districts wherein men are likely to be found should play an important part.

Nottingham followed the example of the Metropolis on Saturday evening, and the Robin Hoods, with their ranks swelled by the two or three hundred who have recently thrown in their lot, and headed by torch-bearers, tramped through the principal streets and roused many a quarter which had not heard a martial strain for years. As a march the event was a great success, but from the point of view of results, not much can be said at present. Tables had been provided in the Drill Hall at which attestations could be made, but not more than a dozen men presented themselves. It is, however, impossible to gauge the effect produced as yet, and it is more likely than not that seed has been planted on fruitful soil, the harvest of which will be reaped in course of time.

At the present time the strength of the battalion stands at 906. From this figure, it will be seen that a proportion of the men who came in with the boom have had to be rejected through not fulfilling the physical requirements. Included in the total are also about 170 one-year men who have not yet re-engaged.

Saturday night's march had been postponed from the previous week in consequence of the winterly weather then prevailing, and in order to give the football enthusiasts an opportunity to return from Derby the time was fixed for a later hour.

The assembly took place at 7.15 in Castle-road, and a quarter of an hour later the battalion moved off by way of Park-street to the appropriate tune of "Where are the boys of the Old Brigade". Colonel A.W. Brewill was in command, and the other officers present were — Major J.A. Wigley, Captain F. Raynor, Captain L.A. Hind, Captain A.N. Lee, Captain E.H. Spalding, Captain H. Hanson, Captain H. Bradwell, Captain C.W. Milner, Lieut. G.H. Black, Lieut. T.S. Black, Lieut. G.H. Stubington, Lieut. Cooper, Captain and Quartermaster Newham, and Lieut. Mulhall (R.A.M.C.). The officers wore the new khaki uniform for the first time. Lieuts. G.H. Black and Cooper carried the colours. A detachment of the Boy Scouts followed at the rear of the battalion.

Throughout the route great interest was evinced, and dense crowds lined the streets in places. Proceeding by way of Wheeler-gate, Carrington-street, Station-street, and Fisher-gate, Sneinton was reached, and the tramp was continued through Bath-street, St. Ann's Well-road, Alfred-street Central, Mansfield-road, Derby-road, and the Market-place, back to the Drill Hall, about six miles being covered in a little short of two hours.