The renaming was in honour of Lieutenant-General Sir James Outram who had served with the regiment as its first adjutant.

In the early 1900s the regiment saw service against Diiriye Guure[1] and his followers in British Somaliland, where it was transferred in late 1902,[2] while a company was sent to Aden in 1903.

The regiment raised further battalions during the course of the First World War, seeing extensive service in the Middle East, with some soldiers attached to other units.

Outram's Rifles were involved in, among others, the Third Battle of Gaza, begun on 31 October 1917, and the Megiddo Offensive in September 1918.

War came to an end in the Middle East with the signing of an Armistice with the Ottomans on 30 October 1918.