But the War Office refused to pay for the upkeep of field guns for Volunteers and they had largely died out in the 1870s. In 1888 the 'position artillery' concept was revived and some Volunteer companies were reorganised as position batteries to work alongside the Volunteer infantry brigades. On 14 July 1892 the 1st Cheshire & Carnarvon Volunteer Artillery were reorganised as 1 position (later 'heavy') battery and 7 garrison companies:  On 1 June 1899 all the Volunteer artillery units became part of the Royal Garrison Artillery (RGA) and with the abolition of the RA's divisional organisation on 1 January 1902 the unit became the 1st Cheshire and Carnarvonshire RGA (Volunteers). The HQ was at County Buildings, Old Prison Yard, Shipgate Street, Chester. In 1904, the Carnavonshire companies were separated to form their own 1st Carnarvonshire RGA (V). When the Volunteers were subsumed into the new Territorial Force (TF) under the Haldane Reforms of 1908, part of the 1st Cheshire RGA (V) formed Nos 6 and 7 Companies of the Lancashire and Cheshire RGA, while the remainder transferred to the Royal Field Artillery (RFA) with the following organisation:  III Welsh Brigade, RFA  The unit was the third field artillery brigade in the TF's Welsh Division. In 1912 the Flintshire battery was disbanded and replaced by a 3rd Cheshire Bty at Wistaston Road, Crewe, and in 1913 the unit was redesignated Cheshire Brigade, RFA, when the ammunition column was similarly redesignated. The batteries were each issued with four 15-pounder guns. After the order to mobilise was received on 4 August 1914, the units of the Welsh Division assembled at their drill halls. The Cheshire Brigade mobilised at Shiplake Street under the command of Lt-Col Frederick Bonnalie, TD, who had been CO since 1906. By 11 August the units had completed their concentration and TF members were invited to volunteer for Overseas Service. Four days later the War Office issued instructions to separate those men who had signed up for Home Service only, and form these into reserve units. Then on 31 August the formation of a reserve or 2nd Line unit was authorised for each 1st Line unit where 60 per cent or more of the men had volunteered for Overseas Service. The titles of these 2nd Line units would be the same as the original, but distinguished by a '2/' prefix.