More 23rd London numbering

I've added to the post on the 23rd Londons, concerning numbering in 1916. Whilst mostly logical (and sequential) up until 1916, transfers from other London Battalions and conscripts as a result of the 1916 Military Service Act, throw the numbering awry in this and other battalions.

Read more about the Military Service Act on The Long, Long Trail website.

Find 23rd London service records, pension records and medal index cards with a FREE 14 day trial to Ancestry.co.uk - Click here!

Harry Bardsley - A Manchester Pal's War

Private Harry Bardsley served with the 18th (3rd City) Battalion, The Manchester Regiment. Born on 16th December 1893, Harry was working as a salesman for William Briggs and Co in Manchester when was was declared. He attested on 4th September 1914 (number 9814) and served almost until the end of the war until a bullet in his thigh finished his service in October 1918. By then he'd transferred to the 21st Manchesters.

I interviewed Harry in September 1981 and visited him regularly until his death in November 1982.

I originally published the transcript of that interview below, but I've since moved it to a separate World War 1 Veterans blog. Harry Bardsley's story is now HERE.

Harry's service record also survives in the WO 363 series. Read it now with a FREE 14 day trial to Ancestry.co.uk - Click here!

The Manchester Regiment - 22nd, 23rd & 24th Battalions

This post will look at numbers issued to men who joined the 7th and 8th City Battalions and the Oldham Pioneers. The information contained here is based on assumptions made through a study of surviving service papers for men who joined these battalions, and from Soldiers Died in The Great War (SDGW).

The scope of this post covers army service numbers issued to men in the above battalions between November 1914 and June 1915.

22nd Manchesters (7th City)

Numbering in this battalion appears to start at around 20001. The first number on my database for the 22nd Manchesters is 20002 which was issued on 26th November 1914 to George Ashton. The first number in this series on SDGW is 20005 Herbert Brigg who was killed in action on 1st July 1916

In common with the 16th to 21st Battalions of the Manchester Regiment, numbers were initially issued in blocks, (broadly) alphabetically by surname. SDGW gives:

20005 Brigg to 20045 Purcell (20051 is Ackers, 20063 is Tebay)
20070 Broome to 20134 Woolley
20135 Atkinson to 20175 Millward

Thereafter, the alphabetical sequence largely breaks down.

Here are some sample army service numbers and corresponding joining dates between November 1914 and May 1915 for the 19th Manchesters:

20002 joined on 26th November 1914
21046 joined on 4th December 1914
21174 joined on 6th January 1915
21407 joined on 25th April 1915
21429 joined on 27th May 1915

The approximate range of numbers allocated to the 19th Manchesters between September 1914 and May 1915 appears to be between 20001 and 21500. The last man recorded on SDGW within this range for the 22nd Manchesters is 21499 Private William Woollams.

23rd Manchesters (8th City)

Numbering in this battalion starts – at around 21501 - where numbering in the 22nd Manchesters leaves off. The first number on my database for the 23rd Manchesters is 21504 which was issued on 26th November 1914 to William Birch. The first number in this series on SDGW is 21512 issued to Charles Victor Clampitt.

There is some evidence of numbering alphabetically by surname as in previous City Battalions, but the patterns are not sufficiently defined to warrant listing these here.

Here are some sample army service numbers and corresponding joining dates between November 1914 and March 1915 for the 23rd Manchesters:

21504 joined on 26th November 1914
21838 joined on 3rd December 1914
22740 joined on 4th January 1915
22874 joined on 12th February 1915
22976 joined on 21st March 1915

The approximate range of numbers allocated to the 20th Manchesters between November 1914 and May 1915 appears to be between 21501 and 23000. The last man recorded on SDGW within this range for the 20th Manchesters is 22991 Private Robert Simion Hulme who was killed in action on 20th July 1916. The last number on my database within this range is 22993 which was issued to a man who joined the 23rd Manchesters on 23rd March 1915.

There is evidence that this battalion over-ran its allocated block of numbers. Service papers exist in WO 363 and WO 364 which show men being issued numbers in excess of 23000. The mistake appears to have been quickly noticed however with these numbers crossed out and replaced with new numbers in the 285** series which was the next series used by the 23rd Manchesters. These erroneous 23*** numbers only appear on attestation papers and not on medal index cards and appear to have been officially disregarded.

24th Manchesters (Oldham)

This was a pioneer battalion and, barring the 25th, 26th and 27th Battalions which were local reserve battalions, was the last of the Manchester Pals battalions.

Numbering in this battalion appears to start at around 14001 in November 1914 and extends to approximately 15500 in June 1915. The first number on my database for the 21st Manchesters is 14006 which was issued on 6th November 1914 to Joseph Travis Berry. The first number in this series on SDGW is 14005 issued to William Newton. There is no evidence in this battalion, of grouping men alphabetically by surname and then numbering them.

Here are some sample army service numbers and corresponding joining dates between November 1914 and June 1915 for the Oldham Pioneers.

14006 joined on 6th November 1914
14586 joined on 5th December 1914
14953 joined on 6th January 1915
15136 joined on 5th February 1915
15164 joined on 8th March 1915
15199 joined on 17th April 1915
15300 joined on 3rd May 1915
15472 joined on 4th June 1915

Like the 23rd Manchesters, the 24th Manchesters also overran its allocation of numbers and at least eighty men who had been given numbers in excess of 15500, had to be re-numbered from the series beginning 28001; the next series used by this battalion. As with the 23rd Manchesters, these erroneous 155** numbers only appear on attestation papers and not on medal index cards and appear to have been officially disregarded.

This concludes my brief look at the initial allocation of service numbers to the Manchester Pals Battalions. Later in 1915, three local reserve battalions, the 25th, 26th and 27th Battalions, would be formed as reserves for the Pals battalions but I’ll deal with these in a future post.

Read my other posts on the Manchester Regiment:

The Manchester Regiment, The Regular Battalions 1881-1914
The Manchester Regiment, Special Reserve & Extra Reserve 1908-1914

5th Bn, Manchester Regiment (TF)
6th Bn, Manchester Regiment (TF)
7th Bn, Manchester Regiment (TF)
8th Bn, Manchester Regiment (TF)
9th Bn, Manchester Regiment (TF)
10th Bn, Manchester Regiment (TF)

Manchester Regiment Service Battalion numbers 1914-1916
16th, 17th & 18th Manchesters (1st, 2nd and 3rd City Battalions)
19th, 20th & 21st Manchesters (4th, 5th and 6th City Battalions)

A Manchester Pal's War - 9814 Pte Harry Bardsley, 18th Manchesters

Caveat
It is wrong to assume that numbering sequences in battalions always followed a sequential pattern. They didn't. As the war progressed and casualties grew, large numbers of men were often transferred from one battalion to another and allocated numbers within blocks which did not fit the sequential patterning seen to date. This becomes particularly evident in most battalions from 1916 onwards. For an example of this, see my post on the 23rd London Regiment.



Was your ancestor a Manchester Pal? Search the Pals with a FREE 14 day trial to Ancestry.co.uk - Click here!

The Manchester Regiment - 19th, 20th & 21st Battalions

Following on from yesterday’s post which looked at army service numbers issued to men of the 1st, 2nd and 3rd City battalions of the Manchester Regiment, this post will look at numbers issued to men who joined the 4th, 5th and 6th City Battalions. The information contained here is based on assumptions taken from a study of surviving service papers for men who joined these battalions, and from Soldiers Died in The Great War (SDGW). I’ll be happy to be corrected on any of the assumptions that I’ve made here.

The scope of this post covers army service numbers issued to men in the above battalions between September 1914 and May 1915.

19th Manchesters (4th City)

Numbering in this battalion appears to start at around 11450. The first number on my database for the 19th Manchesters is 11469 which was issued on 7th September 1914 to Edward Leslie Bate. The first number in this series on SDGW is 11470 issued to Charles Clifford Bate. The two men were brothers and joined up on the same day. Charles, the elder brother, was killed in action on 23rd July 1916 and has no known grave. He is commemorated on the Thiepval War Memorial.

In common with the 16th, 17th and 18th Manchesters, numbers were initially issued in blocks, (broadly) alphabetically by surname. SDGW gives:

11470 Bate to 11719 Woodhead
11727 Adshead to 11975 Wynn
11998 Anderson to 12248 Woolley
12259 Armsbey to 12493 Williams

Thereafter, the alphabetical sequence stops. SDGW notes two men with the number 11768, but the second of these, 11768 Albert Wilkinson is incorrect. His number, correctly noted by the Commonwealth war Graves Commission, was 11708.

There are three other exceptions on SDGW who fall outside the four blocks mentioned above. 11977 Nuttall, 11986 Thomas and 11987 Thompson all follow the second block.

Here are some sample army service numbers and corresponding joining dates between September 1914 and May 1915 for the 19th Manchesters:

11469 joined on 7th September 1914
12532 joined on 24th November 1914
12544 joined on 11th December 1914
12602 joined on 11th January 1915
12664 joined on 1st February 1915
12779 joined on 26th March 1915
12881 joined on 17th April 1915
12925 joined on 27th May 1915

The approximate range of numbers allocated to the 19th Manchesters between September 1914 and May 1915 appears to be between 11450 and 12940. The last man recorded on SDGW within this range for the 19th Manchesters is 12934 Private Thomas Wilkinson.

20th Manchesters (5th City)

Numbering in this battalion appears to start at around 17000. The first number on my database for the 20th Manchesters is 17060 which was issued on 16th November 1914 to William Crowther. The first number in this series on SDGW is 17006 issued to John James Barnshaw.

The 20th Manchesters also numbered alphabetically. This from SDGW:

17006 Barnshaw to 17272 Woodhead
17278 Ainsworth to 17539 Worth
17545 Atkinson to 17787 Walker
17810 Astley to 18073 Woolley

Thereafter, the alphabetical sequence stops.

Here are some sample army service numbers and corresponding joining dates between November 1914 and May 1915 for the 20th Manchesters:

17060 joined on 16th November 1914
18080 joined on 29th December 1914
18171 joined on 5th January 1915
18407 joined on 19th April 1915
18449 joined on 17th May 1915

The approximate range of numbers allocated to the 20th Manchesters between November 1914 and May 1915 appears to be between 17000 and 18500. The last man recorded on SDGW within this range for the 20th Manchesters is 18490 Private John Abbott who was killed in action on 1st July 1916. The last number on my database within this range is 18498 which was issued to a man who joined the 20th Manchesters on 28th May 1915.

21st Manchesters (6th City)

Numbering in this battalion appears to start at around 18501 and follows on from the series allocated to the 20th Manchesters. The first number on my database for the 21st Manchesters is 18512 which was issued on 19th November 1914 to John Barber. The first number in this series on SDGW is 18508 issued to Joseph Appleton.

The 21st Manchesters also numbered alphabetically. This from SDGW:

18508 Appleton to 18762 Wild
18776 Adams to 19033 White
19047 Abbott to 19307 Wood
19315 Adshead to 19554 Wolstencroft

Thereafter, the alphabetical sequence stops.

Here are some sample army service numbers and corresponding joining dates between November 1914 and May 1915 for the 20th Manchesters:

18512 joined on 19th November 1914
19565 joined on 10th December 1914
19649 joined on 5th January 1915
19868 joined on 25th March 1915
19893 joined on 24th April 1915
19970 joined on 31st May 1915

The approximate range of numbers allocated to the 20th Manchesters between November 1914 and May 1915 appears to be between 18501 and 20000. The last man recorded on SDGW within this range for the 20th Manchesters is 20000 Private Harry Hinson who was killed in action on 14th July 1916.

I am guessing that the alphabetical sequences - four sequences for each of the battalions above - marked the different companies within each battalion: so first alphabetical sequence for men in A Company, second sequence B Company and so on. This is guesswork on my part and as I mentioned yesterday, the medal rolls for the individual battlions of the Manchester Regiment would give an accurate picture of the number ranges use for each.

Read my other posts on the Manchester Regiment:

The Manchester Regiment, The Regular Battalions 1881-1914
The Manchester Regiment, Special Reserve & Extra Reserve 1908-1914

5th Bn, Manchester Regiment (TF)
6th Bn, Manchester Regiment (TF)
7th Bn, Manchester Regiment (TF)
8th Bn, Manchester Regiment (TF)
9th Bn, Manchester Regiment (TF)
10th Bn, Manchester Regiment (TF)

Manchester Regiment Service Battalion numbers 1914-1916
16th, 17th & 18th Manchesters (1st, 2nd and 3rd City Battalions)
19th, 20th & 21st Manchesters (4th, 5th and 6th City Battalions)
22nd, 23rd & 24th Manchesters (7th & 8th City Battalions and the Oldham Pioneers)

A Manchester Pal's War - 9814 Pte Harry Bardsley, 18th Manchesters

Caveat
It is wrong to assume that numbering sequences in battalions always followed a sequential pattern. They didn't. As the war progressed and casualties grew, large numbers of men were often transferred from one battalion to another and allocated numbers within blocks which did not fit the sequential patterning seen to date. This becomes particularly evident in most battalions from 1916 onwards. For an example of this, see my post on the 23rd London Regiment.



Was your ancestor a Manchester Pal? Search the Pals with a FREE 14 day trial to Ancestry.co.uk - Click here!

The Manchester Regiment - 16th, 17th & 18th Battalions

The information on this post is based on assumptions taken from a study of surviving service papers for men who joined the 16th, 17th and 18th Manchesters, and from Soldiers Died in The Great War (SDGW). The medal rolls for these battalions would give a more accurate picture of the numbering sequences used, and I’ll be happy to be corrected on any of the assumptions that I have made.

The scope of this post covers the 1st, 2nd and 3rd City Battalions and the army service numbers issued to volunteers joining these battalions between August 1914 and July 1915.

16th Manchesters (1st City)

The 16th Manchesters initially used a separate series of numbers starting from 1 but this was discontinued. Surviving service papers show the numbers originally issued to 16th Battalion men which are crossed out and the new number in the 6*** range overwritten. SDGW gives the first casualty in the 6*** range as 6201 CSM James Hamilton Adamson who was KiA on 9th July 1916. The first number on my database for the 16th Manchester is 6203 Edward Alcroft (originally 713) who joined the 16th Manchesters on 24th August 1914.

When the new numbers in the 6*** range were used, men were grouped alphabetically by surname and then issued numbers. There are eight distinct alphabetic groupings.

SDGW gives:

6201 Adamson to 6329 Wilson
6335 Atherton to 6448 Wilkinson
6458 Balfe to 6572 Wilson
6582 Bentley to 6706 Wood
6713 Ashton to 6819 Wilson
6826 Acheson to 6943 Wiggins
6954 Batley to 7071 Wycherley
7074 Ashton to 7167 Yarwood

Number 7168 was issued to Private Robert Hyde (KiA on 9th July 1916) and from this point onwards, the alphabetical numbering sequence falls down.

The numbers and joining dates on my database for the 16th Manchesters are as follows:

6203 joined on 24th August 1914
7292 joined on 14th December 1914
7351 joined on 11th January 1915
7458 joined on 27th February 1915
7550 joined on 25th March 1915
7651 joined on 7th April 1915
7705 joined on 24th May 1915
7842 joined on 16th June 1915

Between August 1914 and June 1915, the 16th Manchesters appear to have numbered within the overall approximate range 6200 to 7800.

17th Manchesters (2nd City)

Numbering in the original battalion appears to start around 8040 although SDGW notes two 17th Bn men with numbers earlier than this: 8025 Private William Kenyon (DoW 11th April 1918) and 8029 Private William Kerr (Died 13th March 1916).

Like the 16th Manchesters, the 17th numbered alphabetically. This from SDGW:

8043 Aiken to 8355 Wolstencroft
8364 Ashton to 8993 Worrall

After 8993 Worrall, the alphabetical sequence falls down. (Note though, that in between the two sequences above, SDGW notes that number 8359 was issued to Herbert Moores).

The first number on my database for the 17th Manchesters is 8044 Harold Annegarn who joined on 2nd September 1914. Others for subsequent months as follows:

9106 joined on 1st December 1914
9155 joined on 11th January 1915
9270 joined on 8th February 1915

Between September 1914 and February 1915, the 17th Manchesters appear to have numbered within the overall approximate range 8040 to 9530

18th Manchesters (3rd City)

Numbering in the original battalion appears to start around 9800 and again follows a broadly alphabetical sequence. This from SDGW.

9809 Brown to 9960 Whitehead
9963 Anderson to 10001 Williams
10007 Branston to 10038 Normington
10070 Aldred to 10232 Wickman
10240 Cooper to 10317 Whittaker (this is probably the least alphabetical of all the sequences)
10323 Burton to 10464 Tinker
10480 Gamble
10482 Darbyshire to 10519 Wilson
10527 Bradshaw to 10583 Thompson
10586 Gough
10589 Allen
10591 Carruthers
10603 Austin to 10747 Wood
10762 Bowles to 10857 Wright

Thereafter, the alphabetical sequence falls down. The numbers and joining dates on my database for the 18th Manchesters are as follows:

9808 joined on 4th September 1914
10896 joined on 8th November 1914
10941 joined on 29th December 1914
11040 joined on 18th January 1915
11094 joined on 4th February 1915
11169 joined on 27th March 1915
11293 joined on 30th May 1915
11313 joined on 1st June 1915
11323 joined on 5th July 1915

Between September 1914 and July 1915, the 18th Manchesters appear to have numbered within the overall approximate range 9801 to 11325.

The photo on this post dates to 1914 and is that of 9814 Harry Toplis Bardsley, 18th Manchesters. I interviewed Harry in 1981 and I have posted extracts from that interview on a separate post. See below.

Read my other posts on the Manchester Regiment:

The Manchester Regiment, The Regular Battalions 1881-1914
The Manchester Regiment, Special Reserve & Extra Reserve enlistments 1881-1914

5th Bn, Manchester Regiment (TF)
6th Bn, Manchester Regiment (TF)
7th Bn, Manchester Regiment (TF)
8th Bn, Manchester Regiment (TF)
9th Bn, Manchester Regiment (TF)
10th Bn, Manchester Regiment (TF)

Manchester Regiment Service Battalion numbers 1914-1916
19th, 20th & 21st Manchesters (4th, 5th and 6th City Battalions)
22nd, 23rd & 24th Manchesters (7th & 8th City Battalions and the Oldham Pioneers)

A Manchester Pal's War - 9814 Pte Harry Bardsley, 18th Manchesters

Caveat
It is wrong to assume that numbering sequences in battalions always followed a sequential pattern. They didn't. As the war progressed and casualties grew, large numbers of men were often transferred from one battalion to another and allocated numbers within blocks which did not fit the sequential patterning seen to date. This becomes particularly evident in most battalions from 1916 onwards. For an example of this, see my post on the 23rd London Regiment.

Find Manchester Pals with a FREE 14 day trial to Ancestry.co.uk - Click here!

SIXTEENTH, SEVENTEENTH, EIGHTEENTH & NINETEENTH BATTALIONS THE MANCHESTER REGIMENT 1914-1918

The Naval & Military Press says:

"These four battalions were raised on the same day, 28 August 1914, by the Lord Mayor and City and designated 1st, 2nd, 3rd and 4th City of Manchester Battalions, 1st City Brigade: The Manchester Pals. In December 1914 all the locally raised battalions were numbered and the four battalions became 16th, 17th, 18th and 19th Battalions, The Manchester Regiment, forming the 90th Brigade of the 30th Division, an entirely Lancashire division with the crest of the Earl of Derby as its divisonal sign. They arrived in France in November 1915. Their first major battle was on 1st July when the division recorded one of the few successes of that awful day by securing all its objectives, including Montauban. This achievement is recognised by a memorial to the Manchester and Liverpool Pals battalions erected in Montauban and unveiled in 1994. In this action Sgt Evans of the 18th Battalion won the VC.

"In 1918, in the German March offensive the 16th Battalion fought a rearguard action on a feature known as Manchester Hill, where the CO, Lt Col W Elstrob was awarded a posthumous VC. There is an excellent map showing the dispositions of the battalion, still useful for anyone visiting the site today. The book is divided into four parts, one for each battalion, each with its own contents list, and the pattern for each battalion is the same: formation and training, roll of officers embarking for France, and description of the fighting. Each battalion record ends with its own honours and awards list and roll of honour in which the officers killed are shown in order of date and the other ranks lists are taken from Soldiers Died. Finally there is a section containing congratulatory messages to formations in which the battalions served."

The Manchester Regiment - Regular, Special Reserve & Extra Reserve enlistments 1881-1914

This post will just look at sample joining dates for the regular battalions of the Manchester Regiment and - from 1908 - army service numbers and corresponding joining dates for men in the 3rd (Special Reserve) and 4th (Extra Reserve) Battalions. The period covered is 1881 to August 1914.

The 1st and 2nd Battalions of the Manchester Regiment were formed out of the 63rd (West Suffolk) Regiment of Foot and the 96th Regiment of Foot respectively.

The Regular Battalions - 1st and 2nd - The Manchester Regiment

36 joined on 23rd July 1881
433 joined on 10th October 1882
678 joined on 10th November 1883
744 joined on 26th January 1884
1254 joined on 18th November 1885
1314 joined on 6th January 1886
1908 joined on 15th April 1887
2377 joined on 1st October 1888
2566 joined on 4th Ma 1889
2817 joined on 1st March 1890
3301 joined on 20th August 1891
3507 joined on 6th January 1892
3967 joined on 11th August 1893
4348 joined on 1st October 1894
4635 joined on 15th August 1895
4839 joined on 12th February 1896
5030 joined on 12th February 1897
5373 joined on 21st February 1898
5888 joined on 15th November 1899

In times of need: two more for the Manchesters

Two more regular battalions, the 3rd and 4th, were raised at Aldershot on 1st March 1900. Men joining these battalions were given numbers in the same series that was in use for men joining the 1st and 2nd Battalions. There was no numbering distinction between the four battalions. The 3rd and 4th recruited throughout the Boer War and beyond. It wasn't until 13th September 1906 that an Army Order (number unknown to me) approved the reduction of both battalions. The disbandment of both battalions was completed by the end of that year.

6440 joined on 14th November 1900
6877 joined on 9th September 1901
7520 joined on 25th February 1902
8528 joined on 22nd January 1903
9975 joined on 27th May 1904

During the Boer War, the Manchester Regiment fielded four Volunteer Service Companies and numbering in these companies DID NOT follow the sequential patterning of the time. I have explained this in greater detail on a separate post. Click on the link in this paragrpah to read more.

In 1904, King's Regulations for the Army (Provisional), extended the series of numbering to "19,999 in each regiment of foot guards, infantry of the line and Royal Army Medical Corps..." Presumably though, the Manchesters, approaching 9,999 (the limit set under previous regulations), had already allowed the "sufficient time" specified, and applied to the Adjutant-General to obtain authority to commence a new series. That they were approaching 9,999 as early as 1904 was certainly due to the addition of the 3rd and 4th Battalions in 1900. In any event, the Manchesters started a new series, from 1 in 1904.

39 joined on 8th July 1904
391 joined on 2nd March 1905
915 joined on 9th April 1906
1304 joined on 21st September 1908
1551 joined on 9th February 1909
1675 joined on 11th January 1910
2014 joined on 17th January 1911
2258 joined on 15th February 1912
2509 joined on 12th March 1913
2772 joined on 12th February 1914

By late June 1914, numbering in the two regular battalions had reached the 2800s and when the First World War began, the service battalions would continue with the same series. I'll deal with the service battalions and pals battalions in a future post because the numbering - and allocation of blocks - is by no means a straightforward matter.

3rd (Special Reserve) Battalion, The Manchester Regiment

751 joined on 23rd July 1908
1114 joined on 30th April 1909
1319 joined on 10th February 1910
1591 joined on 2nd June 1911
1857 joined on 13th March 1912
2126 joined on 4th September 1913
2226 joined on 10th March 1914

By mid June 1914, numbering in the 3rd (Special Reserve) Battalion had reached around 2300.

4th (Extra Reserve Battalion) Battalion, The Manchester Regiment

688 joined on 25th July 1908
1114 joined on 16th January 1909
1555 joined on 25th August 1910
1629 joined on 23rd February 1911
1759 joined on 1st February 1912
1942 joined on 9th September 1913
1998 joined on 16th February 1914

By 20th June 1914, numbering in the 4th (Extra Reserve) Battalion, had reached 2050.

Both the 3rd (Special Reserve) and the 4th (Extra Reserve) Battalions of the Manchester Regiment did not start numbering from 1 in 1908 but continued with the separate numbering series which had been in use for the two militia battalions they were born out of.

Read my other posts on the Manchester Regiment:

The Manchester Regiment, The Regular Battalions 1881-1914

The Manchester Regiment - Volunteer Service Companies 1900-1902

5th Bn, Manchester Regiment (TF)
6th Bn, Manchester Regiment (TF)
7th Bn, Manchester Regiment (TF)
8th Bn, Manchester Regiment (TF)
9th Bn, Manchester Regiment (TF)
10th Bn, Manchester Regiment (TF)

Manchester Regiment Service Battalion numbers 1914-1916
16th, 17th & 18th Manchesters (1st, 2nd and 3rd City Battalions)
19th, 20th & 21st Manchesters (4th, 5th and 6th City Battalions)
22nd, 23rd & 24th Manchesters (7th & 8th City Battalions and the Oldham Pioneers)

A Manchester Pal's War - 9814 Pte Harry Bardsley, 18th Manchesters

Caveat
It is wrong to assume that numbering sequences in battalions always followed a sequential pattern. They didn't. As the war progressed and casualties grew, large numbers of men were often transferred from one battalion to another and allocated numbers within blocks which did not fit the sequential patterning seen to date. This becomes particularly evident in most battalions from 1916 onwards. For an example of this, see my post on the 23rd London Regiment.



Search for your Manchester Regiment ancestor's army service number, service record and pension record with a FREE 14 day trial to Ancestry.co.uk - Click here!



HISTORY OF THE MANCHESTER REGIMENT (63rd and 96th Regiments): VOLUMES I (1758-1883) AND II (1883-1922)







This from the Naval & Military Press:



"This is a history of three regiments: Vol I The 63rd and 96th Foot; Vol II The Manchester Regiment.

"The 63rd began as the 2nd Battalion 8th Foot in 1756; in 1758 it became a separate regiment, was numbered 63 and almost immediately sent to Guadeloupe with an expedition against the French. Subsequently it fought in the American War of Independence, in Flanders and the ill-fated Walcheren expedition, in the Crimea, India and Burma and the 2nd Afghan War, gaining fifteen battle honours in all.

"The 96th, raised in 1824, was the sixth regiment to have that number, taking the Egyptian and Peninsular honours of its immediate predecessor, 96th Queen’s Own, disbanded in 1818. It fought in the First Maori War adding the battle honour “New Zealand” to the other two. Volume II is concerned with the regular battalions of The Manchester Regiment which came into being in 1881 with the Cardwell Reforms, when the 63rd and 96th were paired to form the 1st and 2nd Battalions respectively of the new regiment. Both battalions fought in the South African war and in 1900 two more regular battalions, 3rd and 4th, were formed, both were in the South African war and both were disbanded in 1906.

"In the Great War there were 42 battalions but this volume deals only with the 1st and 2nd Battalions. The 1st served with the 3rd (Lahore) Division on the Western Front, in Mesopotamia and Palestine, the 2nd on the Western Front from Mons to the Armistice, first with 5th Division, and then from the end of 1915 with the 32nd Division. The final chapter provides comprehensive and historically valuable details for the three regiments on uniforms, Colours, badges, weapons, equipment, followed by several useful and interesting appendices. There is correspondence (1922-23) requesting the restoration of the Fleur de Lys cap badge of the 63rd Ft to replace the much disliked Manchester City Coat of Arms cap badge, a badge which was worn by "every worker in the employment of the City corporation.” (request approved). There is the succession of Colonels and an alphabetical roll of regimental officers from 1758 to 1923 showng dates of service with the Regiment, dates of promotion and date and reason for being struck off. The list of Honours and Awards, including foreign, is for all three regiments,. Incidentally the heading for the Order of the British Empire should read "Most Excellent”; the names listed here do not indicate which of the five grades was awarded. Citations of 14 VC awards are given. Officers of the 1st and 2nd Battalions killed in action in the Great War are shown by name, for the rest there is a table summarising the total dead by battalions, giving an overall figure of 14,122 of whom 723 were officers: the total number of casualties of all types numbered some 45,000."

23rd London Regiment - six digit numbers

Rather than start a new post, I've augmented my previous entry for the 23rd (County of London) Battalion, The London Regiment, with sample six digit numbers from the range 700001 to 720000. I'll follow this trend in due course when it comes to adding six digit numbers for other Territorial Battalions covered.

Find 23rd Londons army service numbers, service records and pension records with a FREE 14 day trial to Ancestry.co.uk - Click here!

Welsh Guards

The Welsh Guards were formed on 26th February 1915 and in three days had recruited around 600 men, many of these coming from other Guards regiments. Although some of these latter transfers were "old hands", many were not and there are a number of ex Grenadier Guardsmen for instance, who had only joined their regiment the previous month. Nevertheless, the Welsh Guards sailed for France on 17th March 1915 whilst recruiting continued apace in Britain.

The photograph above appeared in the Illustrated War News issue of 23rd June 1915.

Here are some sample army service numbers and corresponding joining dates from my Welsh Guards database.

135 joined on 27th February 1915
691 joined on 6th March 1915
913 joined on 3rd April 1915
1440 joined on 11th May 1915
1613 joined on 8th June 1915
1792 joined on 9th July 1915
1885 joined on 4th August 1915
1997 joined on 25th September 1915
2003 joined on 1st October 1915
2204 joined on 19th November 1915
2332 joined on 22nd December 1915
2413 joined on 11th January 1916
2573 joined on 12th February 1916
2658 joined on 14th March 1916
2724 joined on 6th April 1916
2752 joined on 20th May 1916
2842 joined on 29th June 1916
2881 joined on 5th July 1916
2971 joined on 8th August 1916
3101 joined on 27th September 1916
3141 joined on 4th October 1916
3339 joined on 1st November 1916
3528 joined on 6th December 1916
3639 joined on 12th January 1917
3675 joined on 8th February 1917
3746 joined on 12th March 1917
3849 joined on 13th April 1917
3899 joined on 4th May 1917
4049 joined 6th June 1917
4105 joined on 26th July 1917
4132 joined on 27th August 1917
4155 joined on 8th September 1917
4208 joined on 3rd October 1917
4237 joined on 3rd November 1917
4310 joined on 25th January 1918
4739 joined on 22nd April 1918
5046 joined on 6th May 1918
5626 joined on 4th June 1918
5761 joined on 14th July 1918


Search for Welsh Guards army service numbers, service records and pension records with a FREE 14 day trial to Ancestry.co.uk - Click here!

Read my other posts on numbering in the Foot Guards regiments:

Grenadier Guards
Coldstream Guards
Scots Guards
Irish Guards

HISTORY OF THE WELSH GUARDS



The Naval & Military Press has this to say:

"The creation of a Welsh Regiment of Foot Guards was authorised by Royal Warrant on 26th February 1915, though the order to raise the regiment had been given by the King to Earl Kitchener, Secretary of State for War, on 6th February. In the first instance officers and men came from the other Guards regiments and from the recruits at Caterham. The new regiment mounted guard at Buckingham Palace on St David’s Day, three days after the publication of the Royal Warrant. All this is described in the opening chapter which lists the first officers to join and the regiments from which they transferred."

"On 17th August 1915 the 1st Battalion sailed for France where it was allocated to 3rd Guards Brigade in the newly formed Guards Division. The author is one of the most prolific writers of Great War histories - 53rd, 56th and 74th Divisions as well as the monumental (nearly 950 pages) history of the Royal Welch Fusiliers, and with this history of the Welsh Guards he has maintained his high standards. The story takes us through all the battles in which the battalion fought, describing in detail many individual actions, ending with its return to the UK from the Army of Occupation in March 1919.

"Appendices provide the nominal roll of all WOs NCOs and Men who served overseas with the 1st Battalion, indicating casualties (over 800 dead) and awards and the records of service of officers; examples of operation orders; a record of every move of the battalion from arrival in France on 18 August 1915 to arrival in Cologne on 20 December 1918; list of enemy divisions engaged; the story of the regimental choir, a most important element of the regiment - in short, this is an outstanding history."



ALSO SEE:

WELSH GUARDS AT WAR



"This is the story of the three battalions of Welsh Guards that served during WWII. After a very brief account of previous service (the regiment was raised in February 1915) the first part of the book gives a general survey of the regiment’s part in the war, the second part consists of detailed accounts of the principal actions in which the regiment was engaged - with the BEF in 1940, in Tunisia in 1943, in Italy 1944-45 and in NW Europe 1944-45. There is the Roll of Honour and the list of Honours and Awards. There are numerous drawings of arms and equipment by one of the NCOs, Sgt Murrell, and at the end is a separate section consisting of b/w photos depicting the regiment in action and places where they were, accompanied by explanatory notes."

And finally:

GUARDS DIVISION IN THE GREAT WAR



This from Naval & Military Press:

"The Guards Division was formed in France in August 1915, the creation of Kitchener (then Secretary of State for War), who, after first obtaining the permission of the King, proceeded to form the division withouTt consulting either the War Office or the C in C of the BEF, Field Marshal French. The first the latter knew about it was in a letter from Kitchener a month before the division came into being. It was formed by concentrating the eight Guards battalions already in France and bringing out from the UK four more, including the recently raised Welsh Guards, plus a pioneer battalion (4th Coldstream). The artillery (less the howitzer brigade), two of the three engineer companies and the signal company came from the 16th (Irish) Division, then still in Ireland; the howitzer brigade came from the 11th (Northern) Division, left behind in England when that division went to Gallipoli. The remaining divisional troops came from the UK or from divisions already in France.

"The first GOC was the Earl of Cavan, a Grenadier, who was later to command British troops in Italy and, in 1922, become Chief of the Imperial General Staff. A month after its formation the division was in action at Loos, suffering just over 2,100 casualties. Thereafter it was seldom out of the fighting - Somme, Passchendaele, Cambrai, the German March 1918 offensive, Hindenburg Line and the final advance to victory. It lived up to its name, earning the reputation of one of the finest fighting formations of the war, an elite. Fifteen VCs were won, and in addition a further seven recipients were awarded theirs while serving with Guards battalions during the year before the division was formed. In all it suffered 44,333 casualties of whom 13,981 were dead."

"In August 1914 the strength of the Foot Guards was 276 officers, 7,036 other ranks; in November 1918 it stood at 1,598 officers and 43,928 other ranks. This is a clear, factual and detailed history, an exceptionally good account, described by the author as “a strictly military record, based on the divisional, brigade and battalion War Diaries and supplemented, where necessary, by other official records, private diaries, personal narratives and various published works.” Plain facts, “no purple passages.” It opens with a brief account of the activities of the Guards with the BEF before the formation of the division: 4th (Guards) Brigade/2nd Division, 1st (Guards) Brigade/1st Division and 20th Brigade/7th Division. It also describes the work of the 4th Guards Brigade after it was reformed in Feb 1918 with the reorganization of the BEF from four to three-battalion brigades, and allotted to 31st Division, winning another VC. Appendices provide order of battle details, succession of officers, staffs and commands, operation orders for major attacks, VC citations, notes on the origin and history of the Guards MG Regiment, on the Entrenching Battalion, on dress and equipment and more besides. The maps are good, clear and uncluttered and there is a comprehensive (22-page) index. This is a very competent piece of work, one of the best of the divisional histories."

Irish Guards

The Irish Guards were formed on 1st April 1900, 200 Irish soldiers from the Grenadier Guards forming the nucleus of the regiment.

Here are some army service numbers and corresponding joining dates for the Irish Guards from 1900 to 1918:

1 joined on 1st April 1900
663 joined on 14th January 1901
1285 joined on 7th April 1902
1552 joined on 6th january 1903
1881 joined on 27th January 1904
2286 joined on 20th May 1905
2494 joined on 9th January 1906
2703 joined on 15th January 1907
2927 joined on 14th January 1908
3279 joined on 2nd March 1909
3504 joined on 2nd March 1910
3933 joined on 1st November 1911
4002 joined on 3rd January 1912
4414 joined on 31st March 1913
4809 joined on 5th June 1914

The First World War

5053 joined on 31st August 1914
5089 joined on 4th September 1914
5661 joined on 10th October 1914
5886 joined on 4th November 1914
6173 joined on 15th December 1914
6356 joined on 1st January 1915
6755 joined on 11th February 1915
6981 joined on 4th March 1915
7301 joined on 2nd April 1915
8043 joined on 5th May 1915
8547 joined on 2nd June 1915
9036 joined on 1st July 1915
9458 joined on 6th August 1915
9787 joined on 13th September 1915
9888 joined on 8th October 1915
10106 joined on 10th November 1915
10347 joined on 1st January 1916
10833 joined on 5th February 1916
11322 joined on 29th June 1916
11475 joined on 16th September 1916
12270 joined on 20th August 1917
12541 joined on 25th January 1918
12933 joined on 12th April 1918
13901 joined on 23rd August 1918

Pictured, author Rudyard Kipling's beloved son John (Jack) Kipling who, as a Second Lieutenant with the 2nd Battalion, Irish Guards, was killed in action on 27th September 1915. His body was never found. My thanks to Stuart Wilson of the Sons of Galloway website for tidying up the image.

Search for Irish Guards army service numbers, service records and pension records with a FREE 14 day trial to Ancestry.co.uk - Click here!

SHORT HISTORY OF THE IRISH GUARDS 1900-1927

From the Naval & Military Press:

This little book was a response to the Army Authorities requiring a study of Regimental History as part of the syllabus for the Second and Third Class Certificates of Education, and for NCOs’ promotion exams. The Irish Guards had been formed only in 1900, and so to give this short history a wider scope two chapters were included, one on the history of the Irish regiments and the other on the Brigade of Guards. Contents include details on the service careers of the Colonels of the Regiment - Roberts, Kitchener, French and Cavan ; Battle Honours; succession of COs; VCs and sporting events.

Read my other posts on numbering in the Foot Guards regiments:

Grenadier Guards
Coldstream Guards
Scots Guards
Welsh Guards

Scots Guards

The Scots Guards can trace its lineage back to 1642. It was unaffected by the 1881 Cardwell reforms and by 1881, was numbering in the 5000s. Here is a sample of army service numbers and corresponding enlistment/joining dates for the Scots Guards.

5349 joined on 14th June 1881
5547 joined on 16th August 1882
5626 joined on 12th April 1883
6044 joined on 14th January 1884
6914 joined on 4th September 1885
7062 joined on 18th January 1886
7405 joined on 1st February 1887
8110 joined on 2nd November 1888
8149 joined on 18th January 1889
8534 joined on 3rd March 1890
9202 joined on 16th October 1891
9402 joined on 1st February 1892
9992 joined on 6th February 1893

Shortly after this number was issued, the Scots Guards reached 9999 and, in accordance with Queen's Regulations, commenced a new series of numbers, starting from 1.

442 joined on 23rd June 1894
916 joined on 20th December 1895
1124 joined on 5th August 1896
1294 joined on 5th February 1897
1891 joined on 24th January 1898

In 1899, with Great Britain at war with South Africa, the Scots Guards raised a 3rd Battalion. This was eventually disbanded in 1906.

3017 joined on 24th January 1899
3238 joined on 6th February 1900
3996 joined on 22nd July 1901
4421 joined on 22nd April 1902
4802 joined on 4th February 1903
5167 joined on 5th January 1904
5818 joined on 3rd January 1905
6461 joined on 14th March 1906
6675 joined on 3rd January 1907
7076 joined on 20th April 1908
7320 joined on 12th January 1909
7628 joined on 15th April 1910
7897 joined on 27th April 1911
8465 joined on 22nd November 1912
8517 joined on 21st January 1913
8901 joined on 10th March 1914

The First World War

The Scots Guards formed a 3rd (Reserve) Battalion on 14th August 1914. This was eventually disbanded on 10th March 1919

9053 joined on 8th August 1914
9871 joined on 3rd September 1914
11454 joined on 1st October 1914
11907 joined on 3rd November 1914
12548 joined on 10th December 1914
12778 joined on 1st January 1915
13367 joined on 1st February 1915
13645 joined on 11th March 1915
13807 joined on 5th April 1915
13960 joined on 26th May 1915
14205 joined on 27th July 1915
14227 joined on 2nd August 1915
14424 joined on 20th September 1915
14500 joined on 30th October 1915
14590 joined on 9th November 1915
14853 joined on 6th December 1915
15010 joined on 6th January 1916
15278 joined on 16th February 1916
15397 joined on 15th March 1916
15514 joined on 15th April 1916
15590 joined on 15th May 1916
15771 joined on 21st June 1916
15775 joined on 4th July 1916
15872 joined on 8th August 1916
15890 joined on 7th September 1916
15937 joined on 4th October 1916
16166 joined on 17th November 1916
16225 joined on 8th December 1916
16357 joined on 10th January 1917
16466 joined on 2nd February 1917
16601 joined on 9th March 1917
16776 joined on 21st May 1917
16860 joined on 14th June 1917
17025 joined on 21st September 1917
17257 joined on 25th January 1918
17453 joined on 2nd April 1918
17782 joined on 4th May 1918
18628 joined on 8th June 1918
19104 joined on 17th February 1919

Note the huge influx of men between May and June 1918.

Was your ancestor in the Scots Guards? Look for him now with a FREE 14 day trial of Ancestry.co.uk - Click here!

Read my other posts on numbering in the Foot Guards regiments:

Grenadier Guards
Coldstream Guards
Irish Guards
Welsh Guards

Five digit Territiorial Force numbers

Don't be fooled into thinking that because your ancestor had a five digit number, he couldn't have served with a Territorial Force battalion. He could have.

As we have seen with London Regiment men, the majority of the battalions (the 5th London Regiment being a notable exception) started numbering from 1 in 1908 and continued with the same series up until at least January 1917 when the first six digit numbers start to be issued. At that point in time, those men still serving were issued with new numbers in order of seniority. So the earliest enlistment from 1908 would have been issued with the lowest six digit number and so on.

Taking the 7th Manchester Regiment as an example, number 67 (who was probably a serving Volunteer with the 4th Volunteer Battalion, Manchester Regiment) joined the 7th Manchesters on 1st April 1908. In January 1917 he was still on the Regiment's books and was given the new number 275211. (The 7th Manchesters was allocated the block of numbers 275001 to 300000).

So for this battalion - and the majority of Territorial Force (TF) battalions - men with single, double and triple digit numbers (up to 500 or more) are generally 1908 enlistments, with four digit numbers starting to appear - for the most part (although Cyclist Battalions are generally an exception) - in 1910 and 1911. (The 7th Manchesters had reached 884 by March 1909 and 1135 by January 1910). Some battalions did in fact get into five digits before the new six digit renumbering happened in 1917 (see the 28th London Regiment for instance, which was up to 10400 by January 1917), but the majority of TF battalions did not.

But what about those high five digit numbers - 300** etc - which appear as Territorial Force numbers?

Army Council Instruction 1245 of 11th August 1917 explains why:

1245.3
A recruit on being posted to a regular or TF unit, either on being called up under the Military Service Acts or on voluntary enlistment, will be allotted a regular number, with the exception of recruits posted to battalions of the London Regiment or to units of Corps which do not contain any regular unit (ie The Honourable Artillery Company [which was also supposed to be part of the London Regiment] and Royal Defence Corps.

So those high five digit numbers are conscripts or volunteers who have been posted to TF battalions but given numbers from the main series of numbering normally found in the regular/service battalions. Incidentally, and having referenced the 5th Londons earlier, we also see five digit numbers appearing in numbers beginning 105** through to 110**,for the 5th Londons in July 1916. The battalion suffered heavy casualties on the diversionary attack on Gommecourt on 1st July 1916 and these five digit numbers are all drafts from the 2/7th Middlesex Regiment and other London Regiment battalions - 616 in total - to replace those men lost on July 1st. I've given more details on these five digit 5th London Regiment numbers in a separate post. Of these 616 transferees, at least 130 were killed in action or died of wounds whilst serving with the 5th Londons, in a continuation of the Somme battles in September and October 1916.

The other five digit numbers that appear in TF battalions in large groups are those which appear for some Supernumerary Company men attached to TF battalions, but again, that will be the subject of a future post.

Know your ancestor's armys service number? Find him with a FREE 14 day trial of Ancestry.co.uk - Click here!

Grenadier Guards

The Grenadier Guards is the most senior regiment of the Guards Division of the British Army and can trace its history back to 1656. It was unaffected by the 1881 Cardwell reforms and by 1881, was numbering in the high 7000s.

Service records for ALL of the following army service numbers survive in the WO 363 and WO 374 series at the National Archives. Also access these on Ancestry.co.uk.

7863 joined on 15th December 1881
7914 joined on 17th January 1882
8360 joined on 18th May 1883
9107 joined on 21st January 1884

In 1885 The Grenadier Guards reached number 9999 and so, in accordance with Queen's Regulations, immediately commenced a new series from 1.

139 joined on 1st December 1885
301 joined on 5th July 1886
794 joined on 29th january 1887
1371 joined on 3rd March 1888
1949 joined on 6th August 1889
2210 joined on 6th January 1890
3226 joined on 15th October 1891
3512 joined on 3rd February 1892
4220 joined on 13th February 1893
4707 joined on 29th January 1894
5162 joined on 21st January 1895
5808 joined on 23th May 1896
6327 joined on 3rd February 1897
7432 joined on 26th May 1898
7815 joined on 5th January 1899
8513 joined on 1st January 1900
9355 joined on 21st January 1901
10060 joined on 1st January 1902
10674 joined on 9th January 1903
11365 joined on 1st March 1904
11931 joined on 10th January 1905
12811 joined on 7th August 1906
13051 joined on 4th January 1907
13752 joined on 19th May 1908
14220 joined on 2nd February 1909
14648 joined on 17th February 1910
15164 joined on 13th march 1911
15795 joined on 26th March 1912
16247 joined on 25th January 1913
16866 joined on 2nd January 1914

The First World War

The Grenadier Guards had three battalions at the outbreak of the Great War and it would add a 4th Battalion, a 5th (Reserve) Battalion (both in August 1914) and a 1st Provisional Battalion (in August 1918). All battalions followed the same numbering sequence.

17168 joined on 8th August 1914
17745 joined on 1st September 1914
19626 joined on 3rd October 1914
20264 joined on 9th November 1914
21297 joined 8th December 1914
21530 joined on 4th January 1915
22727 joined on 3rd February 1915
23244 joined on 4th March 1915
23754 joined on 23rd April 1915
23984 joined on 31st May 1915
23981 joined on 1st June 1915
24179 joined on 27th September 1915
24213 joined on 2nd October 1915
24283 joined on 6th November 1915
24627 joined on 6th December 1915
25069 joined on 12th January 1916
25450 joined on 8th February 1916
25579 joined on 3rd March 1916
25764 joined on 17th April 1916
25853 joined on 18th May 1916
26014 joined on 21st June 1916
26162 joined on 13th July 1916
26288 joined on 7th August 1916
26477 joined on 4th September 1916
26759 joined on 12th October 1916
27274 joined on 14th November 1916
27499 joined on 3rd December 1916
28181 joined on 2nd January 1916
29003 joined on 5th February 1917
29578 joined on 15th March 1917
29846 joined on 16th April 1917
29881 joined on 4th May 1917
29939 joined on 13th June 1917
30079 joined on 3rd July 1917
30115 joined on 10th August 1917
30137 joined on 6th September 1917
30216 joined on 9th November 1917
30253 joined on 30th December 1917
30355 joined on 29th January 1918
30688 joined on 14th February 1918
30836 joined on 25th March 1918
30939 joined on 2nd April 1918
32570 joined on 2nd May 1918
34684 joined on 10th June 1918
35026 joined on 3rd July 1918
35133 joined on 11th November 1918

The postcard above was sent by 6680 Sergeant Edward William Helyer of Number 4 Company, Grenadier Guards on 25th September 1914 (see below). Less than a month later he was dead, killed in action at the First Battle of Ypres on 20th October 1914. The Grenadier Guards suffered catastrophic casualties at this battle, all but four officers and 200 men of the 1st Battalion, and four officers and 140 men of the 2nd Battalion, falling in action. Sergeant Helyer was born in Hackney and his number indicates that he joined the Grenadier Guards between June and November 1897. He is possibly the cross-legged soldier sitting in the middle as this man is wearing Boer War medal ribbons.

Sergeant Helyer has no known grave and is commemorated on panel 57 of the Menin Gate at Ypres, Belgium.




Find Grenadier Guards army service records and army service numbers with a FREE 14 day trial of Ancestry.co.uk - Click here!


THE GRENADIER GUARDS IN THE GREAT WAR 1914-1918





From the Naval & Military Press:


"The Grenadier Guards began the war with three battalions of which only one, the 2nd, was committed to the BEF; it was in the 4th Guards Brigade, 2nd Division. As soon as war was declared the 4th (Reserve) Battalion was formed and within five days 1,700 reservists had reported. In September 1914 the 7th Division was formed and the 1st Battalion was allocated to 20th Brigade of the new division. On 14th July 1915 another Grenadier battalion was formed and numbered the 4th, the Reserve battalion then became the 5th. A month later the 4th battalion went to France to join the newly created Guards Division, and it was at this stage, also, that the 3rd Battalion, which hitherto had been retained in London by Kitchener for some undefined reason, was sent out to join the new division. Thus, by August 1915 there were four battalions of Grenadiers on the Western front where they remained for the rest of the war. By the end the Regiment had suffered 11,915 casualties of which 203 Officers and 4,508 Other Ranks were dead, seven VCs had been won and 34 Battle Honours awarded.

"This, as might be expected, is a very good history with detailed descriptions of the fighting and of the conditions the men endured. The author tells the story in chronological order; vol I takes the record of the four battalions to the end of 1915, vol II to the German offensive of March 1918 and vol III to the armistice and beyond to the division’s march into Germany. Each volume is paginated separately with its own contents list though the chapters run consecutively through all three. Each chapter covers a specific period and the chapter heading indicates which battalions are involved. There are plenty of maps to support the narrative, showing tactical details.

"Among the appendices are the Roll of Honour, a list of officers wounded with dates, lists of Awards, Mentions in Despatches and of Divisional Certificates of Gallantry and an account of the 7th (Guards) Entrenching Battalion. There is a table naming all other ranks who were commissioned during the war showing the regiment or corps to which they went. Finally there is an index to the names of officers."



Read my other posts on numbering in the Foot Guards regiments:

Coldstream Guards
Scots Guards
Irish Guards
Welsh Guards

Coldstream Guards

Here are some sample army service numbers and corresponding enlistment/joining dates for the Coldstream Guards between the years 1881 and 1918. The regiment is the oldest regiment in the British Army in continous active service. It was unaffected by Cardwell's 1881 reforms and did not start numbering from 1 in 1881 but continued with the series it had been using.

The regiment comprised two regular battalions up until 1897 when a third battalion was added. During the First World War, a 4th (Pioneer) Battalion was formed, and also a 5th (Reserve) Battalion. The regiment had no Territorial Force or service battalions.

5166 joined on 16th August 1881
5243 joined on 30th January 1882
5426 joined on 27th January 1883
6058 joined on 8th March 1884
6469 joined on 20th January 1885
6846 joined on 3rd March 1886
7113 joined on 7th March 1887
7391 joined on 6th March 1888
7628 joined on 31st January 1889
8039 joined on 28th March 1890
8438 joined on 14th April 1891
9095 joined on 1st June 1892
9498 joined on 24th June 1893
9727 joined on 12th February 1894

The Coldstream Guards reached number 9999 in 1895 and so, in accordance with Queen's Regulations, immediately commenced a new series from 1.

130 joined on 22nd June 1895
400 joined on 7th February 1896
773 joined on 22nd January 1897
1327 joined on 8th January 1898
2521 joined on 6th March 1899
3212 joined on 10th January 1900
4036 joined on 28th January 1901
4526 joined on 8th January 1902
5068 joined on 2nd April 1903
5314 joined on 1st January 1904
5969 joined on 3rd January 1905
6617 joined on 14th February 1906
7106 joined on 23rd January 1907
7617 joined on 13th January 1908
8251 joined on 9th January 1909
8577 joined on 10th January 1910
9086 joined on 25th April 1911
9438 joined on 22nd January 1912
9934 joined on 6th January 1913
10549 joined on 14th January 1914

The First World War

11147 joined on 25th August 1914
11366 joined on 1st September 1914
13101 joined on 5th October 1914
13547 joined on 9th November 1914
14067 joined on 5th December 1914
14531 joined on 5th January 1915
15220 joined on 1st February 1915
15619 joined on 2nd March 1915
15944 joined on 3rd April 1915
16068 joined on 13th May 1915
16269 joined on 2nd June 1915
16508 joined on 31st July 1915
16584 joined on 3rd August 1915
16844 joined on 9th September 1915
17066 joined on 3rd November 1915
17592 joined on 9th December 1915
17778 joined on 17th January 1916
18296 joined on 7th April 1916
18393 joined on 24th May 1916
18410 joined on 1st June 1916
18554 joined on 19th July 1916
18737 joined on 14th August 1916
19091 joined on 7th October 1916
19959 joined on 3rd November 1916
20546 joined on 7th December 1916
21276 joined on 9th January 1917
21553 joined on 10th February 1917
21775 joined on 2nd March 1917
22174 joined on 14th April 1917
22261 joined on 6th June 1917
22443 joined on 16th July 1917
22495 joined on 5th November 1917
22524 joined on 10th December 1917
22532 joined on 8th January 1918
23117 joined on 16th March 1918
23563 joined on 10th April 1918
28053 joined on 13th May 1918

My data currently ends in May 1918.

18445 Lance-Corporal Arthur James Boldero of the Coldstream Guards, a distant relative of mine, was killed in action on 28th March 1918. He was 34 years old and married, and his number indicates that he joined the regiment in June 1916. Arthur is buried in Bucquoy Road Cemetery, Ficheux.

Find the Coldstream Guardsman in your family. Search army service records and army service numbers with a FREE 14 day trial of Ancestry.co.uk - Click here!

COLDSTREAM GUARDS 1914-1918

From the Naval & Military Press:

The Coldstream Guards had three battalions in August 1914, all three committed to the BEF: the 1st Battalion was in the 1st (Guards) Brigade, 1st Division; the 2nd and 3rd were both in 4th Guards Brigade, 2nd Division. As soon as war broke out a Reserve battalion (the 4th) was formed which provided drafts of 16,860 all ranks during the course of the war. In July 1915 a further battalion was raised as the Guards Pioneer Battalion for the Guards Division which was then being formed. This battalion was numbered 4th and the reserve battalion became the 5th. In all the Regiment suffered 14,137 casualties of which the dead numbered 180 officers and 3,860 other ranks. Seven VCs were won and 36 Battle Honours awarded.

"The author died in 1926 before he could correct or even read the proofs of any part of his history, and this aspect of his work was carried through by a committee which decided to leave the text as he wrote it, apart from minor corrections of dates and fact. Volume I takes the story to the end of the Somme offensive, volume II begins with the situation at the end of 1916 after the Somme and carries through to the return of the Regiment to London in March 1919 and the Royal Review on the 22nd of that month when the Guards Division marched past their Colonel in Chief, the King.

"This is a well written history in which the author gives a good and detailed account of the Regiment’s actions, often with casualty details following various battles and nominal rolls of officers present for duty. He also comments on the wider issues, some of which had nothing to do with the Coldstream Guards.

"Appendices include the war service record of all officers who served in the Regiment with any awards; awards to the Other Ranks; VC citations; list of those commissioned from the ranks (410 of them) and the regiments or corps to which they went and finally the Roll of Honour of officers. There is no index."

Read my other posts on numbering in the Foot Guards regiments:

Grenadier Guards
Scots Guards
Irish Guards
Welsh Guards

28th (County of London) Battalion, The London Regiment (Artists' Rifles)

The 28th (County of London) Battalion, The London Regiment (Artists' Rifles), had its origins in the 20th Middlesex (Artists) Volunteer Rifle Corps. Its headquarters was at 17 Dukes Road, Euston (now the home of the Contemporary Ballet Trust). The following information is taken from Wikipedia:

"The Artists Rifles [the apostrophe on Artists' was officially dropped in 1937] was a popular unit for volunteers. It had been increased to twelve companies in 1900 and was formed into three sub-battalions in 1914, and recruitment was eventually restricted by recommendation from existing members of the battalion. It particularly attracted recruits from public schools and universities. On this basis, following the outbreak of the First World War, a number of enlisted members of the Artists' Rifles were selected to be officers in other units. This exercise was so successful that, early in 1915, selected Artists' officers and NCOs were transferred to run a separate Officers Training Corps, the remainder being retained as a fighting unit. Over fifteen thousand men passed through the battalion during the war, more than ten thousand of them becoming officers. The battalion eventually saw battle in France in 1917 and 1918, and suffered higher casualties than those of any other battalion. Members of the Regiment won eight Victoria Crosses, fifty-six Distinguished Service Orders and over a thousand other awards for gallantry."

Here are some army service numbers and corresponding joining dates for the Artists' Rifles:

96 joined on 8th April 1908
665 joined on 23rd March 1909
1099 joined on 15th October 1912
1258 joined on 28th October 1913
1344 joined on 30th June 1914
1528 joined on 6th August 1914
2124 joined on 2nd September 1914
2824 joined on 6th October 1914
2883 joined on 9th November 1914
3049 joined on 14th December 1914
3167 joined on 14th January 1915
3270 joined on 1st February 1915
3443 joined on 5th March 1915
3622 joined on 9th April 1915
3908 joined on 27th May 1915
4126 joined on 25th June 1915
4791 joined on 27th October 1915
5603 joined on 30th November 1915
6076 joined on 11th December 1915
6420 joined on 3rd January 1916
7393 joined on 22nd February 1916
7913 joined on 9th June 1916
8121 joined on 5th July 1916
8181 joined on 5th August 1916
8246 joined on 11th September 1916
8618 joined on 7th October 1916
9144 joined on 2nd November 1916
9779 joined on 12th December 1916
10304 joined on 3rd January 1916

When the Territorial Force was re-numbered in 1917, the 28th Londons were allocated numbers within the range 760001 to 780000. These new six digit numbers start appearing in January 1917. See also the Artists Rifles Association website for more information about the battalion.

I've taken the photograph on this post from Frank Long's album on Flickr. It shows soldiers of the Artists' Rifles in 1915 shortly before they embarked for France. Fewer than half of these men would return to England, although Frank's grandfather, Francis Charles Long (fourth from left on the back row), was one of those who did.

Was there an Artist in your family? Search army service records and army service numbers with a FREE 14 day trial of Ancestry.co.uk - Click here!

Read my other posts on numbering in the London Regiment battalions:

City of London Battalions

1st (City of London) Battalion (Royal Fusiliers)
2nd (City of London) Battalion (Royal Fusiliers)
3rd (City of London) Battalion (Royal Fusiliers)
4th (City of London) Battalion (Royal Fusiliers)
5th (City of London) Battalion (Rifle Brigade)
6th (City of London) Battalion (Rifles)
7th (City of London) Battalion
8th (City of London) Battalion (Post Office Rifles)

County of London Battalions

9th (County of London) Battalion (Queen Victoria's Rifles)
10th County of London) Battalion (Hackney) [Originally Paddington Rifles]
11th (County of London) Battalion (Finsbury Rifles)
12th (County of London) Battalion (The Rangers)
13th (County of London) Battalion (Kensington)
14th (County of London) Battalion (London Scottish)
15th (County of London) Battalion (Prince of Wales's Own Civil Service Rifles)
16th (County of London) Battalion (Queen's Westminster Rifles)
17th (County of London) Battalion (Poplar & Stepney Rifles)
18th (County of London) Battalion (London Irish Rifles)
19th (County of London) Battalion (St Pancras)
20th (County of London) Battalion (Blackheath & Woolwich)
21st (County of London) Battalion (First Surrey Rifles)
22nd (County of London) Battalion (The Queen's)
23rd (County of London) Battalion
24th (County of London) Battalion (The Queen's)
25th (County of London) Cyclist Battalion

The Inns of Court Regiment

In common with The Honourable Artillery Company, The Inns of Court Regiment (which could trace its history back to 1584) was allowed to retain its pre 1908 title. Although early attestation papers from 1908 and 1909 show the battalion as the 27th (County of London) Battalion, The London Regiment (Inns of Court), it was never really known by this name; just simply, Inns of Court (or The Devil's Own). The battalion consisted largely of men who were connected with the law courts and up until the end of the First World War, over 14,000 men passed through the battalion, with over 11,000 of these gaining commissions.

Here are some sample numbers and joining dates for the Inns of Court Regiment:

312 joined on 30th June 1908
439 joined on 2nd November 1909
582 joined on 13th November 1911
618 joined on 29th February 1912
1244 joined on 23rd September 1914
1814 joined on 16th October 1914
2044 joined on 9th November 1914
3217 joined on 12th April 1915
3919 joined on 2nd June 1915
4914 joined on 19th July 1915
5323 joined on 2nd August 1915
5916 joined on 1st September 1915
6583 joined on 4th October 1915
7195 joined on 4th November 1915
8232 joined on 7th December 1915
8589 joined on 3rd January 1916
9279 joined on 3rd February 1916
9571 joined on 15th April 1916
9628 joined on 4th october 1916
9703 joined on 2nd November 1916
10169 joined on 18th December 1916
10548 joined on 22nd January 1917
11359 joined on 24th May 1917
12009 joined on 17th September 1917
12668 joined on 1st March 1918
12991 joined on 28th April 1918
13083 joined 20th May 1918
13218 joined on 5th June 1918
13524 joined on 15th July 1918
13787 joined on 9th August 1918
14044 joined on 23rd September 1918
14124 joined on 9th October 1918

Although a Territorial Force Battalion, the Inns of Court was not re-numbered in 1917. The image on this post is taken from The Dacorum Heritage Trust website.

Find ancestors in the Inns of Court with a FREE 14 day trial of Ancestry.co.uk - Click here!

Also read my other posts on numbering in the London Regiment battalions:

City of London Battalions

1st (City of London) Battalion (Royal Fusiliers)
2nd (City of London) Battalion (Royal Fusiliers)
3rd (City of London) Battalion (Royal Fusiliers)
4th (City of London) Battalion (Royal Fusiliers)
5th (City of London) Battalion (Rifle Brigade)
6th (City of London) Battalion (Rifles)
7th (City of London) Battalion
8th (City of London) Battalion (Post Office Rifles)

County of London Battalions

9th (County of London) Battalion (Queen Victoria's Rifles)
10th County of London) Battalion (Hackney) [Originally Paddington Rifles]
11th (County of London) Battalion (Finsbury Rifles)
12th (County of London) Battalion (The Rangers)
13th (County of London) Battalion (Kensington)
14th (County of London) Battalion (London Scottish)
15th (County of London) Battalion (Prince of Wales's Own Civil Service Rifles)
16th (County of London) Battalion (Queen's Westminster Rifles)
17th (County of London) Battalion (Poplar & Stepney Rifles)
18th (County of London) Battalion (London Irish Rifles)
19th (County of London) Battalion (St Pancras)
20th (County of London) Battalion (Blackheath & Woolwich)
21st (County of London) Battalion (First Surrey Rifles)
22nd (County of London) Battalion (The Queen's)
23rd (County of London) Battalion
24th (County of London) Battalion (The Queen's)
25th (County of London) Cyclist Battalion
28th (County of London) Battalion (Artists Rifles)

Honourable Artillery Company

The Honourable Artillery Company (HAC) is the oldest surviving regiment in the British Army and can trace its history back to 1296. It is still headquartered at Bunhill Fields just beyond the City of London boundaries.

Under the terms of the 1907 Territorial and Reserve Forces Act of 1907, the HAC was due to be re-named the 26th (County of London) Battalion. It was however, (and presumably after stringent protests by various people of influence) allowed to retain its original name, and thus the 26th Battalion title was never used. In addition, the Honourable Artillery Company Act, passed in 1908 protected the Company's property and privileges.

In 1914, The HAC comprised two batteries of horse artillery (each with an ammunition column), and an infantry section of four companies. The army service numbers and corresponding joining dates below, relate only to the infantry. In addition, there were other series of numbers (prefixed D and M) which are also not considered below.

7 joined on 27th April 1908
196 joined on 26th April 1909
269 joined on 21st November 1910
624 joined on 23rd January 1911
320 joined on 28th October 1912
799 joined on 13th November 1913
2322 joined on 4th September 1914
2667 joined on 25th November 1914
2781 joined on 9th December 1914
3016 joined on 25th January 1915
3052 joined on 3rd February 1915
3218 joined on 8th March 1915
3426 joined on 26th April 1915
3569 joined on 26th May 1915
3765 joined on 7th June 1915
4027 joined on 4th July 1915
4275 joined on 30th August 1915
4367 joined on 27th September 1915
4575 joined on 25th October 1915
4656 joined on 1st November 1915
6594 joined on 5th January 1916
7044 joined on 17th February 1916
7178 joined on 8th March 1916
7509 joined on 28th April 1916
7553 joined on 4th May 1916
8546 joined on 10th August 1916
9022 joined on 21st September 1916
9181 joined on 4th October 1916
9320 joined on 3rd November 1916
9551 joined on 1st December 1916
9928 joined on 17th January 1917
10137 joined on 1st February 1917
10511 joined on 1st March 1917
10809 joined on 8th May 1917

Although the HAC was a Territorial Force battalion, men serving with the infantry companies were not renumbered in 1917 and newly enlisted men post January 1917 were given numbers in the original series. Men serving with the RHA batteries of the HAC were renumbered.

The image on this post is taken from the Jeaffreson pedigree website and shows 5019 Private Ronald Percy Jeaffreson who volunteered to serve his King and Country in September 1915 and who, according to his army service number with the HAC, must have joined the regiment around 10th November that year. He was killed in action at Bullecourt on 3rd May 1917 aged 19 years, and is commemorated on Bay 1 of the Arras Memorial.

Did you have ancestors in the HAC? Find them today with a FREE 14 day trial of Ancestry.co.uk - Click here!

HONOURABLE ARTILLERY COMPANY IN THE GREAT WAR 1914-1919

From the Naval & Military Press:

"The HAC, a Territorial regiment, was unique in that it was composed of both artillery and infantry, and it is also the oldest regiment in the British Army. In August 1914 it consisted of an infantry battalion and two field artillery batteries, “A” and “B”. On the outbreak of war, as with other TF units, they all formed second line units and eventually third line, though none of the latter went overseas. Because many members of the HAC were taking commissions in the Royal Garrison Artillery in the summer of 1916, it was decided to form an HAC Siege Battery; this was done in November 1916 and it was designated “309th Siege Battery, RGA.” (See link and information below).

"The 1st Battalion went to France in September 1914 and remained there throughout the war. The 2nd Battalion followed in October 1916, joined the 7th Division and in November 1917 went with it to Italy where it remained to the end. The newly created 309th Siege Battery went to France in April 1917 and fought there to the end of the war. The two first line artillery batteries sailed for Egypt in April 1915 and served with the Egyptian Expeditionary Force in the desert and in Palestine while the two second line batteries, “2/A” and “2/B”, both went to France in June 1917 as part of the 126th Army Field Artillery Brigade.

"Each of the units has a section to itself and each section has its own chapters numbered separately. The story begins with the 1st Battalion, then follow ‘A’ Battery. ‘B’ Battery, the Siege Battery, 2nd Battalion, 2/A Battery, 2/B Battery and finally the third line units and the regimental Depot. There is a combined regimental Roll of Honour, arranged alphabetically (officers and men together), and each entry gives name and christian names (no regimental number); the date he joined the HAC; his unit (battalion or battery); the date he went overseas; the date and circumstances of death and place of death. In a number of cases more information on the man’s service is given. Likewise the list of Honours and Awards is a combined one giving service details of each recipient (there were two VCs to the 1st Battalion), and members of the HAC receiving awards while serving with other units are shown in a separate list, again with service details. There are three indexes, one of people, one of places and one of units. There are some interesting photos and though the maps are clear they lack tactical/operational details. Nevertheless this is a good, well-written history, clearly intended for the members of the Regiment."

LONDON GUNNERS. THE STORY OF THE H.A.C. SIEGE BATTERY IN ACTION

As mentioned above, this separate history (also republished by the Naval & Military Press) concentrates on 309 Siege Battery.

"Army Council Instruction (ACI) 2268 of 6th December 1916 authorised the formation, in London, of No.309 (Honourable Artillery Company) Siege Battery, R.G.A. from personnel of the H.A.C. with effect from 27th November 1916. It was to be equipped with four 6-inch B.L. Howitzers. After five months training in various camps in the UK the Battery landed at Le Havre on 27th April 1917 with a full complement of 137 officers and men, and a week later it went up to the line in Ypres as one of the five batteries comprised in the 88th Heavy Artillery Group. Later, in February 1918 the number of howitzers was increased to six bringing the personnel strength up to 180 all ranks.Throughout the war the total number posted to the battery was 401 of whom 5 officers and 34 other ranks were killed and six officers and 64 other ranks wounded. Thirty-one left the battery to take up commissions in other batteries. The nominal roll is provided in an appendix showing the dates of joining the battery; the names of those who died are boxed.

"This book provides not only an accurate history of the battery but also a representative account of life in a howitzer battery on active service. In his War Books Cyril Falls refers to it as one of the very best of unit narratives which is high praise indeed. It certainly does bring out another side of the war, that of action and existence well behind the front line trenches, on the receiving end of enemy counter-battery fire and counter bombardments; this war was essentially a war of the guns."

Also read my posts on numbering in the London Regiment battalions:

City of London Battalions

1st (City of London) Battalion (Royal Fusiliers)
2nd (City of London) Battalion (Royal Fusiliers)
3rd (City of London) Battalion (Royal Fusiliers)
4th (City of London) Battalion (Royal Fusiliers)
5th (City of London) Battalion (Rifle Brigade)
6th (City of London) Battalion (Rifles)
7th (City of London) Battalion
8th (City of London) Battalion (Post Office Rifles)

County of London Battalions

9th (County of London) Battalion (Queen Victoria's Rifles)
10th County of London) Battalion (Hackney) [Originally Paddington Rifles]
11th (County of London) Battalion (Finsbury Rifles)
12th (County of London) Battalion (The Rangers)
13th (County of London) Battalion (Kensington)
14th (County of London) Battalion (London Scottish)
15th (County of London) Battalion (Prince of Wales's Own Civil Service Rifles)
16th (County of London) Battalion (Queen's Westminster Rifles)
17th (County of London) Battalion (Poplar & Stepney Rifles)
18th (County of London) Battalion (London Irish Rifles)
19th (County of London) Battalion (St Pancras)
20th (County of London) Battalion (Blackheath & Woolwich)
21st (County of London) Battalion (First Surrey Rifles)
22nd (County of London) Battalion (The Queen's)
23rd (County of London) Battalion
24th (County of London) Battalion (The Queen's)
25th (County of London) Cyclist Battalion
28th (County of London) Battalion (Artists Rifles)