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Hi Carolyn, I'm afraid that I can't help directly with your enquiry but whilst digging for some information about the Great Eastern Railway's one-time General Manager and Director, William Birt, I came across information in the London Gazette concerning his commission into the 8th Essex Rifle Volunteers. In the issue for 27th March 1860, page 1217, I found the following: The interesting thing about this list is that all those commissioned in the 8th Regiment were directors, officers or salaried employees of the Eastern Counties Railway at that time: Horatio Love was Chairman Robert Sinclair was Locomotive Superintendent James Robertson was Superintendent of the Line John Bullivant was Store Keeper, at Stratford George Fearn was put in charge of the company's Audit Office in 1861 Henry Wheeler Davis was Chief Engineer John Henry Nettleship became Great Eastern Railway Superintendent of the Line in 1889 William Brooks worked in the Engineer's Office in 1856 William Birt at the time was a clerk but late became General Manager of the Great Eastern Railway and later, Director John Rea was manager of the company's Printing Works, at Stratford Thomas Donald Genlloud became Secretary of the Great Eastern Railway Martin Attock was a Draughtsman but later moved to Limerick and became Locomotive Superintendent of the Waterford & Limerick Railway in 1861. Perhaps many companies had volunteer corps but certainly the ECR - and later the GER - seems to have had many senior appointees with military experience. I should say that William Birt's brother George is also of note. He had been employed by the Eastern Counties Railway but later became General Manager of the Millwall Dock Company. He is one of only three - as far as I recall - commissioned Volunteer Officers to have had his commission revoked because he was committed, very late in life, of fraud. I hope that's of interest. With regards, Bill King Great Eastern Railway Society [log in to unmask] www.gersociety.org.uk Carolyn wrote: Hi all--I'm wondering if anyone can direct me to any research or writing about the connection between early railway management and the armed forces. It seems several of the early railway managers (Mark Huish comes to mind) had military backgrounds, and some of the procedures and management techniques of the first mainline railway companies had precedents in the armed forces; I'm sure I'm not the first to notice this, but have not yet run across any writing on the subject; I'd very much appreciate it if anyone could point me in the direction of any.