n 1860 many people thought that there could be an attempted invasion from France
because Louis Napoleon’s intentions towards Great Britain were unclear. This led to the formation of the Volunteer Movement, a sort of dad’s army, which was mainly composed of the middle and professional classes.

Rejlander joined the 1st Wolverhampton Volunteer Company, possibly because of an interest in the army due to his father’s career as an officer in the Swedish army and possibly because of his interest in guns. He was a first class marksman.

The Wolverhampton Chronicle of 20th November 1861 mentions Rejlander’s shooting prowess. He scored 8 points by firing five rounds at 250 yards on the rifle range at Wightwick and was listed as a member of the 1st Wolverhampton Company of the 5th Staffordshire Volunteers, formed in July 1860. In the competition he won the first prize of £5. All of this is put together in the photograph he took in London in about 1871 called "OGR the Artist Introduces OGR the Volunteer".


OGR the Artist Introduces OGR the Volunteer.

 His time spent at Wolverhampton included the critical period in which he learnt his skills in photography and pioneered the technique which is now taken-for-granted, of making composite positives from several negatives. He decided to leave Wolverhampton in 1862 and set up a studio in London, which is where most of his professional contacts were found. This was recorded in an advert in the Wolverhampton Chronicle on 9th April. It stated that Mr. O.G. Rejlander respectfully informs the ladies and gentlemen whose photographic portraits he has taken, that they may have the negatives at a small price, and also remaining copies on hand at a reduced price, if applied for during the next fortnight, as he is leaving this neighbourhood. 
Selections of his large collection of art studies, mounted and unmounted, may also be obtained at very low prices prior to his removal. It also stated that Mr. Rejlander takes this opportunity to express his regret at leaving his friends in Wolverhampton, where he has spent the better part of his life, and will be happy to see them again at his Gallery, 5 Haymarket, London.
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