Following Napoleon III's coup and successful take over of France in 1851, a French threat of invasion loomed over the United Kingdom.

[1][2] On 1 July 1859, the British government announced that it would issue 25 Long Enfield Rifles per 100 volunteers, on the condition that the corps provided safe ranges, secured the weapons, set approved rules, and made themselves subject to periodic military inspection.

In 1872, under the provisions of the Regulation of the Forces Act 1871, jurisdiction over the volunteers was removed from the county lord-lieutenants and placed under the Secretary of State for War.

Under these reforms, the structure of infantry units were also altered, with each containing a peace establishment of 1,009 of all ranks in 8 companies 'A' to 'H', all under command of a Lieutenant-Colonel.

[17][20] Under the conditions of the Territorial and Reserve Forces Act 1907, members, if embodied, were liable for service anywhere in the United Kingdom, but they could not be ordered to go overseas.

Officers and men of the peacetime TF could also offer to serve outside the United Kingdom in time of national emergency.

On 15 August 1914, the War Office issued instructions to separate those men who had signed up for Home Service only, and form these into reserve units.

In this way duplicate battalions, brigades and divisions were created, mirroring those TF formations being sent overseas, and absorbing the large numbers of volunteers coming forward.

[22] As the international situation deteriorated in July and August 1914, the South Midland Division was on their annual summer exercise and quickly mobilised.

On 4 August 1914 the battalion was embodied in Kidderminster and immediately moved to Chelmsford with the South Midland Division, undertaking training and home defence.

Here the British Fourth and French 6th Armies attacked on a large front between Gommecourt to the north of Albert and Faucoucourt to the south.

On the left of the Australians, the 48th Division, still part of X Corps, attacked west from Ovillers-la-Boisselle towards the O. G. Lines north of Pozieres.

[23][27][28] By 13 August 1916, the 48th Division was moved into II Corps in the Reserve Army, and returned to the front to continue their attacks around Ovillers-la-Boisselle and the Neb Valley, north of Authuille Wood.

[23][27][28] As a necessary preliminary to Haig's projected autumn offensive, the Reserve Army was required to secure the Thiepval Ridge and the upper Ancre.

[23] On 25 September, a German counter-attack around Polygon Wood had recaptured some of the ground lost during the Battle of the Menin Road.

The following day, the Allied advance resumed on a front extending from the Menin Road to Saint Julien, and centered on Polygon Wood, to remove them and then continue to move east.

[23] By 4 November, the 48th Division was stationed in the front-line trenches outside Cesune on the Asiago Plateau, they were to the west of the battle area and were not intended to take part in the assault.

[23] On 11 November with news coming through that the Austro-Hungarian Army was in full retreat further east, 48th Division was ordered to join the advance.

[5] On 5 May the division concentrated in the Tidworth-Bulford area to be reviewed by HM King George V, and on 21 May began its entrainment for France.

61st Div, on the right of the Australians, were east of the Pétillon to Feuquissert road and north-west of Fromelles, attacking between a German strong-point known as the Sugar Loaf, near Le Trou, and south of Fauquissart.

[32] 2/7th Worcs then remained in the area, but because of their depleted numbers, they were moved into the rear near Germaine, Marne, and finally on 20 February 1918 was disbanded with personnel going to the 2/8th and 10th (Service) Battalions.

On 14 January 1940, the battalion embarked from the Port of Southampton on the SS Amsterdam, and arrived in Le Havre, France two days later.

[citation needed] On 15 April, the division departed the United Kingdom with the intention of reinforcing the Eighth Army in the North African Western Desert.

[45][46][47] In March 1944, Japan invaded India, and then besieged Imphal and Kohima, and the 2nd Infantry Division was deployed to launch a counterattack.

It was then intended that the division, which still included the battalion, would be used for Operation Zipper, a planned amphibious landing in Malaya that aimed to liberate Singapore.

[5][61][63] As part of the effort to expand the British armed forces, the Territorial Army was ordered to form new formations.

[68][69] Following an expansion of the Territorial Army in 1988, the 4th (Volunteer) Battalion, Worcestershire and Sherwood Foresters was formed at Kohima House, Redditch, and also had a platoon based in Droiwitch.

[68][69][72] In 1992, following the Dissolution of the Soviet Union, the British Government announced the Options for Change, which reduced the size of the army by 30 percent.

[clarification needed] In the Army List for 1876, the first to give details on volunteer uniforms, the battalion was shown in green, with crimson facings.

Prior to this, the volunteers badge had been the Pear Tree of Worcester, associated with the Archers of Worcestershire at Crécy and Poitiers.