[1][6][7][8][9][10][11] The new corps obtained permission to use Bermondsey Grammar School as its depot, and to carry out live firing practice on Plumstead Marshes.

Numbered 24th it was known as 'Havelock's Own' after the hero of the Indian Mutiny Maj-Gen Sir Henry Havelock, a noted leader of the Temperance movement.

Cruikshank intended his unit to be formed solely from sober artisans, but sufficient numbers were not forthcoming and he received little support from the Earl of Lovelace, the Lord Lieutenant of Surrey.

Lieutenant-Col Beresford, by now Member of Parliament for Southwark, retired from the command and was appointed the unit's first Honorary Colonel on 25 January 1873.

The Stanhope Memorandum of December 1888 proposed a more comprehensive Mobilisation Scheme for Volunteer units, which would assemble in their own brigades at key points in case of war.

[8][21] By 1901 the battalion had moved to a new HQ Drill Hall at 27 St John's Hill, Clapham Junction, on land provided by the Hon Colonel, Lord Wandsworth.

[1][2][22] Saturday afternoon drills were held on Wimbledon Common, although the crowds of spectators made it difficult to carry out even simple manoeuvres.

[1] After Black Week in December 1899, the Volunteers were invited to send active service units to assist the Regulars in the Second Boer War.

It took part in the operations to clear the Biggarsberg, and in the actions at Inkweloane and at Almond's Nek, where the Boers were turned out of a strong position.

In the last six months of its service from October 1900 to May 1901, the company was in a fortified position at Van Reenen's Pass at the junction of the Natal and Orange Free State Railways.

In total, 13 officers and 235 other ranks (ORs) of the battalion served in the war and earned its first Battle honour: South Africa 1900–02.

The pair of Colours of the Newington Surry Volunteers, presented by Mrs Burne (wife of one of the captains), and the single colour of the St John's Association presented by Mrs Thornton (wife of the MP), were taken over by the 7th Surrey RVC on its formation and were paraded as late as 1872 before being hung in the officers' mess at Clapham Junction.

One of the Newington colours bore the Bridge House Mark (a combination of the Greek letter X for Christ, with the triangle of the Trinity and the circle of eternity), the symbol of Southwark.

Khaki service dress was issued to the TF battalion and after 1908 the scarlet tunic was reserved for ceremonial occasions.

[1][2][38] The following served as Honorary Colonel of the battalion:[2] The battalion was awarded the following Battle honours:[2][10][24][31] Second Boer War (4th VB, East Surreys): South Arica 1900–02 World War I (1/23rd & 2/23rd Londons): Festubert 1915, Loos, Somme 1916, '18, Flers-Courcelette, Le Transloy, Messines 1917, Cambrai 1917, St Quentin, Ancre 1918, Albert 1918, Bapaume 1918, Ypres 1918, Courtrai, France and Flanders 1915-18, Doiran 1917, Macedonia 1916-17, Gaza, El Mughar, Nebi Samwil, Jerusalem, Jericho, Jordan, Tell 'Asur, Palestine 1917-18 World War II (42nd & 48th RTR): North West Europe, North Africa, Italy The honours listed in bold were inscribed on the colours.

The right-hand (southern) bronze figure flanking this memorial depicts an infantryman representative of the various London infantry units.

[43] The regimental colours presented to the 23rd Londons at Windsor Castle on 19 June 1909 are laid up in St Mary's Church, Battersea.