London Pride: The London Territorial Force in Peace and War, 1908-1921 Volume 1: Peacetime, Society and the Transition to War

London’s Territorial Force, formed 1908 to 1921, shaped recruitment, modern warfare adaptation, and veteran postwar memory.

London Pride examines the vital yet often overlooked contributions of London’s Territorial Force from 1908 to 1921, exploring its unique structure, socioeconomic composition, military operations during the Great War and enduring legacy. It offers the first comprehensive study of the London Territorial Force, addressing gaps in existing historiography.

Based on extensive research and previously unpublished sources, London Pride explores the organisation of the Territorial Force, which consisted of infantry, artillery, engineering, medical and logistical units, each with distinct traditions and identities. It explores how class, occupation and geography influenced recruitment, providing insights into the Territorial Force’s connection to the social and economic fabric of Edwardian London.

London Pride also investigates the Territorial Force’s adaptation to the demands of modern warfare, analysing its learning processes, operational challenges and integration into the British Army. Beyond battlefield contributions, it examines the post-war experiences of Territorial Force veterans, including their roles in commemorative activities, Old Comrades Associations and the preservation of the force’s history.

This two-volume work provides a detailed and multifaceted exploration of the London Territorial Force and will appeal to historians of London as well as military and social historians. Volume 1 focuses on its formation, its social and economic context and the transition from peacetime to war. Volume 2 addresses its operational contributions during the First World War and the long-term legacy of its soldiers. Together, these volumes offer a nuanced understanding of the London TF’s significance in the military and social history of the early twentieth century, preserving the memory of its substantial and enduring impact.

Charles Fair is a defence analyst and was the third generation of his family to have served as a Territorial officer. He is writing his PhD at King’s College London on the selection and training of junior officers in the British Army of the Great War. Published in 2012, his first book Marjorie's War: Four Families in the Great War includes letters by two relatives who served in 47th Division.

Richard Hendry holds undergraduate and Masters degrees in Law and spent his working life first as a legal academic and then as an employment lawyer and company director. He gained an MA in “The History of Britain in the First World War” (University of Wolverhampton) in 2018. An independent scholar attracted to many aspects of military history, he has a particular interest in the work and experiences of London Regiment battalions and divisions on the Western Front during the Great War.

Tom Thorpe is a Belfast-based tour guide, historian and podcaster with a PhD from King’s College London on British soldiers’ morale and unit cohesion during the First World War. A trustee of the Western Front Association, he hosts the Mentioned in Dispatches and Combat Morale podcasts.