The arrival in Port William of a Chilean steamer, the Maipo, belonging to the Revolutionary Party in the civil war raging in Chile, prompted Governor Goldsworthy to form the Falkland Islands Volunteers.

The first 37 volunteers were sworn in at Government House on 13^th June 1892.

The uniform was a Norfolk jacket of dark grey cloth with green collars and cuffs, with scarlet piping around the collar and cuffs. The trousers were of the same material, only with green stripes. The recruits carried Martini Henry rifles, replaced in 1901 with Lee-Enfield rifles.