Briefly there were four phases to the Volunteer movement of WWI;-
Phase 1 - The formation of independant units throughout the UK, many of which used the term "Home Defence Corps" - "Citizens Training League" and so on. They were neither supported nor recognised by anyone other than themselves. Their uniform in the main was civvies, but many adopted lapel badges as seen in one of this Forums albums.
Phase 2 - These loosely independent units were invited to join a new organisation in 1914/15 - "The Central Association of Volunteer Training Corps". As such all of the independent titles disappeared and the term Volunteer Training Corps(V.T.C.) added, e.g. 'Newcastle-upon-Tyne Citizens Training League' became "Newcastle-upon-Tyne V.T.C.". Where you had more than one unit in a City, they usually came together to form one or more battalions. By the end of 1915 many of these VTC units, within certain Counties organised themselves into Volunteer Regiments. However they were still not recognised by the War Offfice, despite the efficiency and organisation of the C.A.V.T.C.
Phase 3 - Mid-1916 saw total recognition by the War Office and as such it became "The Volunteer Force". With this the C.A.V.T.C. disappeared as did the title 'V.T.C.' disappear from all units within this Force - however some units decided not to join due to the fact that they had to swear an oath of allegiance and so were disbanded.
All units were then formed into new Volunteer Regiments, which were based on Counties within the Command structure then in place for the regular army and all the former V.T.C. units were then formed into battalions, within their new Volunteer Regiment. All units within the Force were to be administered by their local Territorial Force Associations, who were responsible for equipping them.
Phase 4 - The final phase. Mid-1918 saw the introduction of new titles in recognition of the service they had provided. In most cases all became "Volunteer Battalions", but still within the Volunteer Regiment organisation - e.g. 1st Bn, Northumberland Volunteer Regt became 1st Volunteer Bn, Northumberland Fusiliers, Northumberland Volunteer Regiment and so on.
In effect the titles which had been used by the old Volunteer Force of 1881-1908 had been resurrected as did the old Volunteer Acts of that period.
Apologies if it's not any clearer, but it took me years to get my head around it all and it was only by reading C.A.V.T.C. Regulations, ACI's, AO's, VTC Gazettes, VTC Notes, VF Gazettes, VF Notes and practically every local newspaper in the North East, that it eventually became clearer. I even managed to track down and copy the late 1918 ORBAT, which had been locked away in the War Office Library since the end of WWI.
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