Special Collections
The original letter written by Lord Wolseley, Commander-in-Chief of the Forces, accepting the Lord Mayor of London’s offer to raise a regiment and suggesting it be called ‘The City of London Imperial Volunteers.’
Sent from the War Office on 20 December 1899, on Commander in Chief headed paper, the letter begins:
‘My dear Lord Mayor,
It gives Lord Lansdowne and myself great satisfaction to learn that the City of London, which is always ready to take the lead in patriotic movements, proposes, on your initiative, to equip and send out a large contingent of Metropolitan Volunteer Troops to South Africa...’
And concludes:
‘I propose that the Title of the Corps should be ‘The City of London Imperial Volunteers,’ and I hope that this will commend itself to you... Wolseley F.M.’
This is followed, in the Lord Mayor’s hand, of his proposed reply to Wolseley, stating his satisfaction with his choice of name for the Corps, the letter encased in perspex, very good condition £80-£120
This lot was sold as part of a special collection, The Jack Webb Collection of Medals and Militaria.
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