26 June 2014

1st & 2nd Lovat's Scouts 1908-1914

These two regiments both had their origins in Imperial Yeomanry formations and of the two, certainly regarding numbering, the 1st Lovat's Scouts is easier to deal with.

My database begins in 1908 with three digit numbers which were probably originally issued to men joining the Imperial Yeomanry. By 1909 however, we're into four figures, thus:

1750 joined on 27th February 1909
1835 joined on 14th January 1910
1903 joined on 25th February 1911
2017 joined on 27th January 1912
2067 joined on 14th March 1913
2181 joined on 5th May 1914
2216 joined on 14th August 1914
2282 joined on 11th September 1914
2504 joined on 15th October 1914

The 2nd Lovat's Scouts are much harder to fathom due to the fact that this regiment was administered by three separate county associations, each of which issued men with numbers from different series. I have found very few early numbers for men who joined the Inverness Squadron or the Sutherland Squadron, more for men who joined the two Cromarty Squadrons which appear to have commenced their numbering at 4000 in 1908:

4010 joined on 14th January 1909
4076 joined on 25th March 1910
4125 joined on 9th March 1911
4180 joined on 7th May 1912
4125 joined on 21st February 1913
4265 joined on 23rd March 1914
4285 joined on 7th August 1914
4311 joined on 22nd September 1914

I am not sure how many of these three separate number series carried on beyond August 1914 but on the evidence I have in my database I have only seen numbers in the 5000 range and above.

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2 comments:

Unknown said...

Greetings!
Cracking bit of research on you're part!
My Grandad's brother joined the Lovat Scouts, but I am not sure when! His number in the Scouts was 3827. He was later in the 6th Camerons, where he was killed!
Allan MacAskill

Paul Nixon said...

Thanks for your compliments. His enlistment date could be determined but this would be a chargeable service. Please see RESEARCH tab on this blog for further information.

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