The Royal Naval Coast Volunteers were the second national reserve force to be formed in Britain, being created by act of parliament in 1853. This force was comprised of up to 10,000 Seafaring men around the UK who could be called upon to serve in the Royal Navy in case of war, but who could not be sent anywhere beyond 100 leagues (300 miles) outside the shores of the United Kingdom.
Under Coastguard control
These men were to be trained and drilled by the Coastguard, and skills wrere taught in seamanship, gunnery, and the use of arms both afloat and ashore. The volunteers had a commitment for no more than 28 days under training in any one year. Volunteers served for a period of five years. Locally stations were manned at Black Rock Brighton, Hove, Fishergate and Shoreham, and these came under the control of No. 40 Coast Guard Region at Hastings.
Little is known about this force but there appears to have ben some problems over volunteers signing up for other reserve forces and militias in the area, possibly in return for some form of bounty or other enticement. A warning against this practice was printed in ‘The Illustrated London News’,on September 15th, 1855 Notices have been issued, warning men who belong to the Royal Naval Coast Volunteers not to enlist in the Regiments of the Line, the Militia, or the East India Company’s service, as they will thereby render themselves liable to imprisonment for six months.
The Royal Naval Coast Volunteers were never called in to active service, the force was disbanded in 1873.
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Thank you for this information. My great great Grandfather was on the Dauntless at Southampton on census night 1861 and was recorded as a member of the Royal Naval Coast Volunteers. I am interested in any information about this force and any other records that might be held that I can research in order to find out more about my ancestor.
Thanks once again
Best wishes
Lynley Chapman
Whitby, Porirua, New Zealand
Can I just correct one statement in the piece by Tony Drury. A number of men from the Coast Volunteers saw active service with the Baltic fleet during the Crimean War.
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