POLITICAL HISTORY 



From 1783 to 1788 the regiment was not assembled for training, but 

 from this date until embodied for coast defence in 1793 it seems to have met 

 annually. In 1797, when the militia was at Hull, since there was great fear 

 of a French attack, the Leicestershire militia was sent to relieve the Notting- 

 hamshire, and the latter was divided into several detachments, which were 

 stationed at Bridlington, Hornsea, and other coast towns. 1 



With the Peace of Amiens in April, 1802, came the disembodiment of 

 the whole of the militia, each non-commissioned officer and private receiving 

 one month's pay as a gratuity. The Militia Act of the same year fixed the 

 number of the Nottinghamshire militia at 564, this including the quota from 

 the county and from Nottingham town and county. 3 By this Act men between 

 eighteen and forty-five were to be raised by ballot or to pay a fine of ^Tio to 

 be exempt for five years. In the critical years of 1803 and 1804, when 

 France was engaged in vast preparations against England, the Nottingham 

 militia was ordered to the south coast, and the actual strength of the regiment 

 soon reached more than 1,000 of all ranks. Later in the year it was stationed 

 at Margate and then at Ramsgate, detachments being posted about the Isle of 

 Thanet. 3 In 1811 and 1812 the militia was on service in Ireland. In 

 November, 1813, by reason of its good service a detachment of the regiment 

 was ordered to undertake the duties of royal guard for two nights and two 

 days, 4 and in December it was further honoured by royal permission to be 

 styled ' the Royal Sherwood Foresters,' 5 and the present regimental badge 

 was adopted. 



With the battle of Waterloo came the end of the period of war, and the 

 consequent disembodiment of the militia. The strength of the Royal Sher- 

 wood Foresters was reduced to one colonel, one lieut. -colonel, i major, 

 8 captains, 10 lieutenants, 6 ensigns, I adjutant, i surgeon, i quartermaster, 

 i paymaster, i sergeant-major, 18 sergeants, 19 corporals, I drum major, 

 10 drummers, and 564 privates. 6 From this date the disembodied regiments 

 were only assembled for training at irregular intervals until the beginning of 

 the Crimean War. In 1854 they were again embodied and encamped at 

 Aldershot in i855. 7 In the summer of 1856 they were disembodied. 8 The 

 militia at the present day (1906) forms the 4th Battalion of the Royal 

 Sherwood Foresters. As such it did good service in South Africa in 1900 

 and 1 90 1. 9 



The first battalion of the Royal Sherwood Foresters represents the 

 nucleus of the old 45th Regiment of Foot incorporated with the volunteer 

 forces from Nottinghamshire. In 1779 the nobility, gentry, and clergy of the 

 county met in Nottingham for the purpose of raising a large county subscrip- 

 tion ' to be applied for the public service of this kingdom in the present 

 critical state of affairs.' As a result they petitioned the king that some par- 

 ticular regiment might be recruited in the county with the assistance of 

 subscription ... to be henceforward distinguished by the name of the 

 county.' Their petition was answered by a letter from the Secretary of War 



1 A. E. Lawson Lowe, op. cit. p. 27. * Stat. 42 Geo. Ill, c. 90, Art. xix. 



* A. E. Lawson Lowe, op. cit. 31-2. The patriotism of the county was shown both by the number of 

 volunteers for the line, and by the raising of 472 yeomanry cavalry and 3,635 volunteer infantry, besides the 

 ordinary militia. 



4 Nott. Gaz. Nov. 1813. ' Ibid. Dec. 1813. 6 Ibid. 1815. 



7 Nott. Rev. 1854 and 1855. 8 Ibid. 1856. ' 4rmy List (1905). 



I 361 46 



