No

Date Died

Surname

Forenames

Rank

Decs

Age

Cause

Country

Location/Sector

Cemetery/Memorial

Notes

1915

1

1st February

AVERY

Edward John

Lt

-

37

A

India

Karachi

Karachi Cemetery (A/D.M.23)

(1)

Notes:

1.   AVERY was thrown from a horse on 31st January 1915 and suffered a fractured skull.   He is commemorated on the Delhi Memorial (India Gate) Face 1.

On the Declaration of War on 4th August 1914 the 4th Battalion TF was based at Truro, part of the Devon and Cornwall Brigade of the Wessex Division and was moved to its war station at Falmouth.   The 4th Battalion then moved to Perham Down, on Salisbury Plain, at the end of August 1914.   During September 1914 personnel who were medically fit and had signed the Imperial Service Obligation were placed in the First-Line of the Battalion forming the 1/4th Battalion TF.   Those temporarily unfit personnel, and those who would later sign the Imperial Service Order were placed in the Second-Line of the Battalion forming the 2/4th Battalion TF which was formed at Truro, part of 2nd Devon and Cornwall Brigade, 2nd Wessex Division.  On 12th December 1914 the Battalion sailed for India and arrived at Karachi on 9th January 1915.    On arrival it was placed under command of 1st (Quetta) Brigade in 4th (Quetta) Division for Garrison and security duties.    The Battalion moved in October 1915 to the Multan Brigade in 3rd (Lahore) Division.   In March 1916 it was transferred to Ferozepore Brigade within 3rd (Lahore) Division. The Battalion moved with its brigade (now renamed 44th Brigade) in February 1917 to the 16th (Indian) Division and was moved again in March 1917 to Dehra Dun Brigade in the 7th (Meerut) Division.   The Battalion transferred to Delhi Brigade within 7th (Meerut) Division in March 1918.   The Battalion served in India throughout the war and was eventually disbanded on 12th December 1919.

Fatal casualties of DCLI personnel of the 2/4th Battalion TF :   Officers 1 - men 56.

The DCLI was formed on 1 July 1881 as part of the Childers Reforms which saw the amalgamation of the 32nd (Cornwall Light Infantry) Regiment of Foot and the 46th (South Devonshire) Regiment of Foot.   These two units became respectively the Regular 1st and 2nd Battalions of the Regiment, with the Regimental Depot based at Victoria Barracks, Bodmin. 

The 1881 reforms also redesignated the Militia and Rifle Volunteer Corps (RVC) units within the Regimental District of Cornwall as Battalions of the DCLI  - the Royal Cornwall Rangers forming the 3rd (Militia) Battalion, the 1st Cornwall Battalion RVC forming the 1st Volunteer Battalion and the 2nd Cornwall Battalion RVC forming the 2nd Volunteer Battalion. 

In 1908, as part of the Haldane Reforms, the Militia Battalion was reorganised and restructured forming the 3rd (Special Reserve) Battalion and the two Volunteer Battalions formed the 4th Battalion and 5th Battalion of the Regimental Territorial Force (TF).   After the Declaration of War on 4th August 1914 and at various stages up to 1st June 1918, the order of battle of the DCLI was made up of 16 Regular, Territorial Force, Service, Labour and Reserve Battalions.   The two Volunteer Battalions, raised in 1916 for Local Home and Coastal Defence duties, were later transferred to the Royal Defence Corps.

A detailed history of the Duke of Cornwall's Light Infantry can be viewed here.