Archives of Cambridge University Officers Training Corps and antecedent bodies

Officers Training Corps were established all over Britain after 1907 as part of the reform of the Army by Lord Haldane (1856-1928). Their aim was the provision of as many officers as possible for the Special Reserve and Territorial Forces. The movement had two divisions: a Senior based in the Universities and a Junior working in the schools. In Cambridge University, the Corps came into being in 1909. Its membership was largely that of Cambridge University Rifle Volunteers which at that time disbanded. The Volunteers had themselves emerged from the Cambridge University and Town Rifle Club in 1860, separating in order to form a financially independent corps of University members only, organised on military lines.

The records relate primarily to the Officers Training Corps and its immediate predecessor and closest in terms of membership, the Rifle Volunteers. Membership records and photographs are the most significant surviving materials.

In view of the simultaneous existence of several bodies for which records survive however, to avoid confusion the originating body for each is specified throughout the catalogue at the lowest level of description.

The records were transferred to the University Archives in batches by Lieut.-Col. G.P. Blaker, 1981-4. The records are on indefinite loan. CUOTC 8/9 was presented to the University Archives by Miss Sophie Bridges, Archivist, Selwyn College, on 28 January 2003; CUOTC 8/10 by Mr S.C. Staff on 22 February 2011.

Please cite as Cambridge University Archives, Archives of Cambridge University Officers Training Corps and antecedent bodies, CUOTC

For further related archival material among the University Archives, see UA CUR 64*.

The records were originally catalogued by Kate Peters in 1995. The list was converted to digital form in October 2002.

The online catalogue for Janus was completed in 2002 and emended in November 2004, January 2008 and June 2011.