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GL RFCA has an in house Association historian, Major Derrick Harwood MBE TD, and Heritage Committee that documents the history and achievements of all Reserve and auxiliary units, past and present, in the Greater London area.

First published in 2014, ‘Stepping Forward: A Tribute to the Volunteer Military Reservists and Supporting Auxiliaries of Greater London’ details the Lineages and Battle Honours of the Reserve Forces in Greater London from 1908 to 2014, including their links with modern-day units. The aim was to provide as much information as possible in one place for researchers.

www.steppingforwardlondon.org was then developed to make this information accessible to everyone. The website is continually updated with information gleaned from the research of the Association’s historian and now contains the most up to date and comprehensive record of military affiliations with City of London Livery Companies anywhere online.

Divided into 15 sections, Stepping Forward includes information on a range of subjects, from the Lineages of London Units; and Holding the Battle Honours; to a Directory of Unit Memorials in London.

Recent information added includes:

  • details of a further 35 unit memorials
  • 32 additions to the drill hall register
  • 21 stands of colours presented to London units
  • Four new personalities with service in London’s Reserve Forces: the author Henry Williamson, Wilfred Owen MC, Sir Max Aitken DSO DFC, and Baron Elworthy KG GCB CBE DSO LVO DFC AFC
  • Ten King’s Colours that were presented to war-raised battalions of the Territorial Force and Royal Naval Division
  • Two previously undocumented drill halls in Streatham Vale and Sidcup

Stepping Forward is an ongoing project that is continually being revisited and revised. Information and comments are always welcome. Please send any comments, updates or revisions to Kate Peyton at gl-offman@rfca.mod.uk.