Cap Badge - The 1st Dunbartonshire Volunteer Rifle Corps, ORs glengarry badge. The badge came in voided and solid versions. The 9th Battalion of the Argyll and Sutherland Highlanders came into being in 1908, under the Territorial and Reserve Forces Act of 1907. The 9th was one of five Territorial Battalions which formed part of the Argyll & Sutherland Highlanders Regiment at that time. In 1859 the threat of another war with France led to the creation of local volunteer forces under the direction of the War Office. 7th May 1860 saw the formation of the Dumbartonshire Rifle Volunteers (the “DRV”), who had their first headquarters at Balloch. Initially the Battalion consisted of 10 companies including at Bonhill, Jamestown Alexandria, Luss but neither Renton nor Kilmaronock. Later 4 additional companies were raised including one at Tarbet. The uniform was originally slate-grey, but in 1864 it was changed to rifle-green with scarlet collars and piping. On 28th April 1880 the Battalion was consolidated under the title 1st Dumbartonshire Rifle Volunteer Corps (“DRVC”) with its head-quarters in Helensburgh. The 1881 Cardwell Reforms brought sweeping changes in the British Army, part of which was linking the county volunteers to a regular regiment of the line. Thus the 1st Dumbartonshire Rifle Volunteer Corps became attached to Princess Louise’s (Argyll and Sutherland Highlanders). The Battalion was entitled to wear the uniform and badges of the regiment, although it insisted in retaining the Elephant and Castle emblem in the Argyll badge. The years 1881-1908 saw a marked improvement in the organisation, training and equipment of the local volunteers as the government attempted to increase the fighting value of these forces. Funding in the form of grants to the units was considerably improved as well as the financial position of the volunteers. In 1907 there was another reorganisation of the Army. These reforms were prompted by the Army’s failures in the Boer War and were known as the Haldane Reforms after Richard Haldane who was the Liberal Secretary of State for War 1905 – 1912 and who was responsible for drawing up the reforms. A prime objective was the proper utilisation of the volunteer forces. The various volunteer forces throughout the UK were disbanded and absorbed into new Territorial Force battalions. The 1st Dumbartonshire Rifle Volunteer Corps had held a prominent place in the county and earned itself a high reputation amongst the other volunteer battalions. It was a unit in which all classes from the highest to the lowest had mixed in service to the country. On 1st April 1908, the DRVC relegated 17 officers to the supernumerary list and struck 640 other ranks off the strength and went into the new Territorial Force with 29 officers and 840 men. The 9th (Dumbartonshire) Battalion Princess Louise’s (Argyll & Sutherland Highlanders) came into being, in which the kilt, hose and sporran took the place of trews.