[3] Subsequent explanatory legislation was required to curb rioting in 13 counties over fears of pay and overseas service, the militia would only be used in England and Wales.

[6] The militia was under the control of the Lord Lieutenant of the county and was to be officered by the local gentry, their rank determined by a property qualification which was gradually reduced or ignored.

However, the Durham Artillery Militia were embodied during the latter stages of the Mutiny from 5 April 1859 to 25 March 1861, serving in the garrison of Gosport and Portsmouth.

[28] The rise of local constabularies meant that the militia would be used less for keeping order than to replace regular soldiers on home service during large mobilizations.

It served in the Cape Colony and the Orange Free State, guarding lines of communication and escorting convoys, and garrisoning Dewetsdorp for six months.

[c] They were not reformed after the war, the role of the original militia no longer existing, and were finally disbanded after a long period of suspended animation in 1953.

Although most of the Durham RGA (M) volunteered to transfer to the Special Reserve Royal Field Artillery, these units were disbanded in March 1909.

[22] It was initially intended in an Act of 1778 to permit volunteers to augment the militia, however only 14 companies had been added nationwide by 1780.

The first "modern" raising of volunteers in County Durham occurred in 1745 during the Jacobite Rebellion when the neglect of the militia in previous years meant that, in effect, there was none.

[37] The Durham Association Regiment was raised in September by George Bowes and consisted of six troops of cavalry of 25 to 30 men each.

[38] During the Revolutionary Wars the county would raise two Fencible regiments, composed of volunteers under regular officers, they could not be sent overseas.

After spending three years in Scotland, in June 1798 it was sent to Ireland with a strength of around 250 men, where it operated against the Irish rebels on the River Boyne, it was disbanded at Clonmel in September 1800.

Here, under their fiery commander, Colonel John Skerrett, they formed a line South of the Coolgreany Road and with the two battalion guns they had brought with them, aided the militia and regulars in beating back the rebels.

[41] Volunteer recruitment early on in the Revolutionary wars proceeded slowly, mostly in the counties most likely to face an invasion.

These were:[54] Aside for training and exercising, none were called out, except for those in the North of the County in 1804 for a false alarm, and by 1818 all of the infantry, cavalry and artillery volunteers had disbanded.

[58] In addition to finding the cost of the uniform and equipment (weapon included), an average of £10,[59] a subscription was payable:[60] The "effectives" were the backbone of the corps.

[66][64] In April 1862 the strength of the Durham Volunteer corps was:[68] In 1863 the Lord Lieutenant of the county standardised the uniform to one of rifle green.

[67] During the Boer War volunteers from the five battalions together provided four companies of 116 of all ranks, for one years service to reinforce the army in South Africa.

In 1888 the battalion was split into three separate units: the 1st Durham RE (Volunteers), at Jarrow,[79] the Tyne Division RE (V), Submarine Miners and the 1st Newcastle-on-Tyne RE (V).

[79] The 1st Durham RE (V) sent a detachment of one officer and 25 other ranks to assist the regular REs during the Second Boer War in 1900, and a second section the following year.

[81] As the reforms were announced and debated in the prelude to the formation of the Territorial Force there was a fall in numbers joining the volunteers.