1st Cornwall (Duke of Cornwall's) Artillery Volunteers

1st Cornwall (Duke of Cornwall's) Artillery Volunteers
Badge of the Cornwall Artillery Volunteers on the Drill Hall of the 12th (Marazion) Corps, c1870
Active	1859–1956
Country	United Kingdom
Branch	Territorial Army
Type	Artillery Regiment
Role	Garrison Artillery Coastal Artillery

The 1st Cornwall (Duke of Cornwall's) Artillery Volunteers were formed in 1860 as a response to a French invasion threat. They served as a Coast Artillery unit and continued in existence until the dissolution of Coast Artillery in the UK in 1956.

The Volunteer Force came into existence in 1859 as a result of an invasion scare and the consequent enthusiasm for joining local Rifle, Artillery and Engineer Volunteer Corps. By 24 May 1860 there were enough Artillery Volunteer Corps (AVCs) in Cornwall to form an Administrative Brigade with its Headquarters (HQ) at Bodmin to include all the AVCs in the County. From July 1861 he 1st Admin Brigade of Cornwall Artillery Volunteers appeared in the Army List under the title of The Duke of Cornwall's Artillery Volunteers with the following composition:

In May 1880 the Corps were consolidated as the 1st Cornwall (Duke of Cornwall's) Artillery Volunteers, with ten batteries distributed as follows:

In 1888 Headquarters were moved to Falmouth. In 1902 the unit was attached to the Royal Garrison Artillery (RGA) and retitled the 1st Cornwall Royal Garrison Artillery (Volunteers).

In 1908 on the formation of the Territorial Force the corps became the Cornwall (Duke of Cornwall's) RGA.

On the outbreak of the First World War, the Cornwall RGA deployed to their war stations guarding the major ports of Cornwall under No 1 Coastal Fire Command.

After the war, the unit was retitled the Cornwall Coast Brigade RGA (TF) in the reformed Territorial Army, becoming the Cornwall Heavy Brigade RA (TA) in 1924 when the RGA merged with the rest of the Royal Artillery (RA).

In 1932 its Headquarters were disbanded and a battery amalgamated with the Devonshire Heavy Brigade RA (TA) to form the Devonshire and Cornwall Heavy Brigade RA (TA).

(RA Brigades were redesignated Regiments in 1938, allowing AA Groups to adopt the more usual formation title of Brigades.)

In July 1940 the Regiment regained its independence as 523 (Cornwall) Coast Regiment, RA (TA), stationed at Falmouth.