The Royal (Dick) Veterinary college contingent of the Officers Training Corps (OTC)
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Date
2015Author
Matthews, Peter K.
Macdonald, Alastair A.
Warwick, Colin M.
Metadata
Abstract
The involvement of educational institutes in voluntary military units of the
British Army has a history that dates back to the early 19th Century when a
corps of Rifle Volunteers was formed by Cambridge undergraduates to meet the
growing threat of French Invasion. The tradition of military volunteering grew
through the later years of the 19th century with various universities contributing
detachments to established volunteer units on local arrangements. By 1860
undergraduates of Edinburgh University had formed No. 4 Company of the
Queen's Edinburgh Rifles and in 1872 they also supplied recruits to the 1st
Edinburgh City Royal Garrison Artillery Volunteers. In 1890 a medical
detachment was also established.