Rare white metal B.N.W.R.V.R cap badge.The Bengal and North Western Railway Volunteer Rifles was a unit of the Indian Volunteer Force (IVF) during the time of the British Raj, specifically tied to the Bengal and North Western Railway (BNWR).The Bengal and North Western Railway Volunteer Rifles was a railway volunteer corps formed from British and Anglo-Indian staff working for the BNWR, one of the major railway companies in northern India.It was part of the Indian Volunteer Force, a military reserve force composed mostly of European civilians residing in India. These units were similar to territorial units in the UK and were precursors to the Indian Defence Force (1917) and later the Auxiliary Force (India).Role in WWIThe unit served a support and home defence role, helping to guard key infrastructure, including railway lines, bridges, and stations—critical to wartime logistics.Members were often railway employees trained to defend the railway from potential sabotage or uprisings, particularly important during WWI when troop movements and supply lines depended heavily on the railway network.As a volunteer unit, it would not have been deployed to the front lines overseas but instead performed essential internal security and logistical roles within India.These volunteer rifle corps often followedOfficers were frequently British expatriates, while the ranks included both British and Anglo-Indian personnel.After WWI, in 1920, the Indian Volunteer Force was replaced by the Indian Territorial Force and the Auxiliary Force (India) under new legislation.Units like the BNWR Volunteer Rifles were either disbanded or restructured into these newer formations.The role of railway volunteer corps was eventually diminished as Indian armed forces became more professionalised and independent.The Bengal and North Western Railway was a prominent company in the Gangetic plains, operating mainly in eastern Uttar Pradesh and western Bihar.Railways were vital to the British Empire's military and administrative control, making volunteer rifle units crucial in securing them during wartime.