On the earlier occasion they were specially sent Home to represent the Colony: in the latter case men on leave gathered together.
In 1902 the Corps was reorganised into two artillery companies and one engineer company; while a mounted troop and a Reserve unit were added in 1904.
There was no important change until 1913, when a Cadet company was formed in connexion with the Corps, in March that year, but was not destined to survive very long.
The outbreak of the Great War in 1914 naturally saw a big change, many men went on active service, and those who stayed in the Colony were mobilised on a war basis; their service proving most valuable.
In 1917 the official title of Hongkong Defence Corps was adopted, the Administrative Commandant being Major H.A.Morgan of the 18th Infantry. The official designation of Hongkong Volunteer Defence Corps was adopted in 1920, when the new Hongkong Volunteer Force Bill was passed, and since that year Col.L.G.Bird, D.S.O., O.B.E. has been Commandant.
The original Volunteer Headquarters were built in 1865, but were demolished in 1905 and the present structure erected, being completed in 1908.
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Let us now consider the question of a Naval Volunteer force, which has definitely come into being recently (1933).
In a previous comment, reference was made to the existence in 1885 of an auxiliary torpedo-launch flotilla, which had crews trained by Naval men and was equipped by the Navy. There was, however, a definite effort to create a Naval Volunteer unit such as it exists to-day, in 1889. The following references in the Hongkong Telegraph of February 6, 1889, are of unusual interest at the present time.
Reference is made to a communication from Government containing a suggestion to organise a Naval Volunteer Defence Service. Government invited offers from candidates for enrolment in the Corps. The objects and conditions were summarised as follows:
Guardboats were to be equipped to assist in the defence of the Colony: it was considered that 40 to 50 members would be sufficient to act as a nucleus; members had to undertake to attend drills at least once a month; organisation of the Corps was to be on the lines of the Royal Naval Volunteers and the Royal Naval Artillery; volunteers and members would be required to serve in special vessels provided for the defence of the Colony; officers and men were required to conform to regulations made by the Governor, and when on actual service were to be subject to the provisions of the Naval Discipline Act; any member could quit the Corps (except while on active service) by giving ten days' notice of his intention.
The scheme did not, however, materialise.
An old photograph taken by Mee Cheung in the Nineties is reproduced to-day, showing Hongkong Volunteers on parade at the race course in Happy Valley. It gives a good idea of the strength of the Corps at that period and its efficiency - the men are standing very steadily, and the slope is such as should satisfy all but the most exacting of Sergeant-Majors!
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