The 5th (Territorial) battalion, 1860 to 1914

In 1860 seven corps of rifle volunteers were formed in Bedfordshire and grouped as the '1st Administrative Battalion' with their HQ at Bedford. They were stationed as follows:

• 1st Bedfordshire Rifle Volunteer Corps (R.V.C.) were stationed at Bedford.
• 2nd Bedfordshire R.V.C. were stationed at Toddington.
• 3rd Bedfordshire R.V.C. were authorised to be formed at Leighton Buzzard but this was never completed
• 4th Bedfordshire R.V.C. were stationed at Dunstable.
• 5th Bedfordshire R.V.C. were stationed at Ampthill and Silsoe.
• 6th Bedfordshire R.V.C. were stationed at Luton.
• 7th Bedfordshire R.V.C. were stationed at Biggleswade.
• 8th Bedfordshire R.V.C. were stationed at Woburn.

1864 saw the 9th Bedfordshire R.V.C. formed at Bedford and attached to the 1st Administrative Battalion and in 1870/71 the 7th R.V.C. HQ was moved to Shefford.

In 1887 the 1st Administrative Battalion was consolidated and re-designated 'The 3rd (Bedfordshire) Volunteer Battalion, The Bedfordshire Regiment'. Companies were renamed and assigned letters, becoming:

• A & B Company’s of Bedford - formerly 1st & 9th B.R.V.C.
• C Company of Toddington - formerly 2nd B.R.V.C.
• D Company of Dunstable - formerly 4th B.R.V.C.
• E Company of Ampthill - formerly 5th B.R.V.C.
• F & G Company’s of Luton - formerly 6th B.R.V.C.
• H Company of Shefford - formerly 7th B.R.V.C.
• I Company of Woburn - formerly 8th B.R.V.C.

In 1900, volunteers from all Battalions of the Bedfordshire Regiment serve in the "Volunteer Service (Foreign)" with the 2nd Regular Battalion, The Bedfordshire Regiment in 'The Boer Wars' in South Africa. Among these volunteers was Solicitor and a rising Second Lieutenant from Luton called Edgar William Brighten who would become the Battalion C.O. and lead them throughout the Great War.

In April 1908 the '3rd (Bedfordshire) Volunteer Battalion' was amalgamated with “4th (Huntingdonshire) Volunteer Battalion” and transferred to newly established Territorial Force as the '5th (Territorial) Battalion, The Bedfordshire Regiment' with:

• Battalion HQ at Bedford. Offices at St Paul's Square, HQ and Orderly Room at 44 and 45 Gwynn Street, Drill Hall at Greenhall Street. In 1910, the battalion was commanded by Lt-Colonel (Honorary Colonel) S. Jackson, DSO.
• A Company based at Bedford. In 1910, commanded by Captain R.R.B. Orlebar, with the senior NCO and Drill Instructor being Sergeant Major Ernest Mendham.

• B Company based at Luton, with the Company HQ at Park Street.

• C Company based at Luton, with the Company HQ at Park Street and had a detachment at Ampthill, whos Drill Hall was at Dunstable Street. Commanded by Lieutenant Robert Forrest, with Sergeant John Bunker being the senior NCO.
• D Company based at Biggleswade, with detachments at Sandy, Arlesey and St. Neots. Company HQ off Hitchin Street in Biggleswade and commanded by (in 1910) Captain C.H.F. Metcalfe, with the senior NCO being Colour Sergeant Instructor F. Merritt.
• E Company based at Ampthill, with a detachment at Olney.
• F Company based at Luton, with the Company HQ at Park Street and had detachments at Dunstable and Leighton Buzzard
• G Company based at Fletton, with a detachment at Yaxley.
• H Company based at Huntingdon, with detachments at St. Ives and Ramsey.

February 1914 saw the Huntingdonshire companies absorbed into the newly formed Huntingdon Cyclist Battalion and the remaining Company’s were reorganised. The Battalion was commanded by Lt-Colonel F.N. Butler, with Major Edgar William Brighten second in command. Battalion HQ remained the same but Company HQ's were now at:

• A Company at Bedford. Commanded by Captain J.W. Taylor with the senior NCO being Sergeant Major Ernest Mendham.
• B Company at Dunstable, with detachment at Leighton Buzzard. Company HQ still at Park Street. The Leighton Buzzard office was at the Town Hall and commanded by Major E.W. Brighten. Captain C.H.F. Metcalfe (who went on to win a DSO in the Great War) commanded B Company in Luton.
• C Company at Luton with the Company HQ at Park Street. Commanded by Major J. Clutton.
• D Company at Biggleswade. Commanded by Lieutenant R.M. Smythe, with the senior NCO being Colour Sergeant Instructor Herbert Houchins.
• E Company at Ampthill
• F Company at Luton, with the Company HQ at Park Street. Commanded by Captain B.C. Cumberland, with the senior NCO and Drill Instructor being Sergeant F. Cowley.
• G Company at Luton, with the Company HQ at Park Street
• H Company at Bedford. Commanded by Captain W.K.Meakin, with the senior NCO being Sergeant Instructor H.Munson