1860 – Shrewsbury School Drill Company formed

The earliest reference to military organisation at Shrewsbury is that between 1581 and 1586, “scholars of the Free School assembled in battle order”.

They may have been part of the Shire Levies, the antecedents of the Third Battalion, King’s Shropshire Light Infantry.

Although there had been Volunteer Companies at the School during Butler’s time as Headmaster, the Shrewsbury School Drill Company was not formed until 1860.

The Shrewsbury School Rifle Company was formed in 1901 and in 1908 became the OTC (Officers Training Corps), from which the public schools supplied so many officers for the 1^st World War.

Photo: Rugely Camp, 1914