The Story of the "9th King's" in France

Inspired by the 1859 Volunteer Movement, Liverpool’s newspaper and printing workers convened in the town hall to propose a regiment of their own. Their request was approved, and by February 1861 the 80th Lancashire Rifle Volunteers swore an oath at St. George’s Hall, later merging and becoming the 6th Volunteer Battalion of The King's (Liverpool) Regiment. From humble drill spaces on Rose Hill Police Station and the Corn Exchange, the unit grew into a disciplined force that blended civilian trades with military drill.

When war broke out in August 1914, the battalion—now the 9th Battalion of The King’s (Liverpool) Regiment—answered a simple telegram: “Mobilize.” Within days the men were housed in the Hippodrome Theatre, Liverpool College, and a local newsboys’ home, sharing meals in relay lines while civilian carts and horses were pressed into service. This hurried, community‑driven mobilization marked their first collective step toward the front.