Accordingly, members of the Inns of Court found themselves called to fight in the wars of King John or against Robert the Bruce.

[3] The deed itself, associating the members of Lincoln's Inn, is still in existence, having been preserved by its first signatory, Thomas Egerton, then Solicitor-General, and afterwards Lord Chancellor.

When the 'Temple companies' had defiled before him, his Majesty enquired of Lord David Erskine, who commanded them, as lieutenant colonel, what was the composition of that corps?

"[6] The modern history of the regiment began again in 1859, shortly after Crimea, with the formation of the 23rd Middlesex (Inns of Court) Rifle Volunteer Corps.

Company, and a contingent of 30 mounted infantry, 19 cyclists and a signaller joined the City Imperial Volunteers for service in South Africa during the Boer War.

[7] The Inns of Court OTC expanded rapidly in August and September 1914, as thousands volunteered for military service following the outbreak of the First World War, and the corps quickly outgrew its peacetime premises in London.

A training camp opened in tents on Berkhamsted Common, in the west of Hertfordshire in September 1914 and remained in operation until June 1919, hosting around 2,000 officer cadets.

As part of their training, the men dug around 13 miles (21 km) of trenches across Berkhamsted Common, evidence of which remains visible 100 years later.

The two infantry companies were converted to light tank cavalry squadrons in 1937 and two years later formed the Royal Armoured Corps Wing, Sandhurst.

[14] From 1943, it was under the direct command of I Corps, the assault formation of 21 Army Group and later led the advance of 11th Armoured Division.

The object was to halt the advance of reinforcements, particularly of the 21st Panzer Division whose presence was strongly suspected in the Forêt de Cinglais.

[17] During the campaign in Northwest Europe of 1944–45, the Inns of Court, organised as an armoured car regiment, was the reconnaissance asset of I Corps.

[21] The Latin motto of the corps is Salus populi suprema lex (the safety of the people is the supreme law).