Buckingham Gate drill halls

The building was designed as the headquarters of the 13th Middlesex (Queen's Westminster) Volunteer Rifle Corps and completed in 1886.^[1] That unit became the 16th (County of London) Battalion, London Regiment (Queen's Westminster Rifles) in 1908.^[2] The battalion was mobilised at the drill hall in August 1914 before being deployed to the Western Front.^[3]

In 1937, on the break-up of the London Regiment, the unit based at the drill hall was redesignated the Queen's Westminsters, King's Royal Rifle Corps.^[4] The regiment amalgamated with the Queen Victoria's Rifles in 1961^[4] and moved out to the Davies Street drill hall.^[2]

In the 1970s the drill hall was used by the Army Cadet Force Association^[5] and, in the late 20th century, it was used extensively by the Metropolitan Police Service.^[6] It still survives and is currently used as an office facility.^[7]

The building was designed by John Macvicar Anderson as the headquarters of the 7th (London Scottish) Middlesex Volunteer Rifle Corps^[8] and was opened by the Duke of Cambridge in July 1886.^[9] From 1899 to 1901 the All England Open Badminton Championships were held in the drill hall.^[10] The 7th (London Scottish) Middlesex Volunteer Rifle Corps became the 14th (County of London) Battalion, London Regiment (London Scottish) in 1908.^[2]

In May 1912 the drill hall was used as the location for the inquiry into the sinking of RMS Titanic.^[11]

In August 1914, the 14th (County of London) Battalion was mobilised at the drill hall before being deployed to the Western Front.^[3] In 1937, on the break-up of the London Regiment, the unit based at the drill hall was re-designated as The London Scottish, The Gordon Highlanders.^[12]

In April 1944, during the Second World War, Princess Elizabeth visited a Sea Scouts exhibition at the drill hall.^[13] In 1947 the regiment was reconstituted but with its headquarters still at the drill hall.^[14]

The drill hall was demolished in 1985^[15] and parts of the structure, including the wrought-iron roof, the double-level iron galleries and the war memorials, were relocated to the new Horseferry Road drill hall.^[8] The Buckingham Gate site has since been redeveloped for offices and the Swire Group now occupies the office block on the site.^[16]

• Osborne, Mike (2006). Always Ready: The Drill Halls of Britain's Volunteer Forces. Partizan Press. ISBN 978-1858185095.