Isle of Man Volunteers

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The Isle of Man Volunteers was a battalion of the British Army formed during the 1860s and disbanded in 1920. During its existence, the battalion had the distinction of being the only representative of the Isle of Man in the British Army.

It was formed in 1860 as the 2nd Isle of Man Rifle Volunteer Corps during the height of a perceived threat of invasion by France. One of four such corps formed in the Isle of Man, the unit was attached to the 15th and 64th Lancashire RVC in the 1870s, then renumbered the 1st in 1880.

In 1881, the unit was incorporated into the King's (Liverpool Regiment) as the 7th (Isle of Man) Volunteer Battalion. A detachment of nine men accompanied the 6th King's to South Africa during the Second Boer War.

When the Territorial Force was established in 1908, all but one of the volunteer battalions joined. The Territorial and Reserve Forces Act was not extended to the Isle of Man, thus the 7th Battalion remained as the last volunteer force unit in the British Army.

The battalion was attached to the West Lancashire Division at the beginning of the First World War and was initially employed on guard duties. A service company was formed in 1915 and attached to the 16th King's. The company later transferred to the 3rd Cheshires and served with the 2nd Cheshires in Salonika.