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25 August 2008

Essex Regiment numbers from 1914

In previous posts I gave:
Let me now continue with numbering in the Essex Regiment service battalions from August 1914.

 As I mentioned in a previous post, by March 1914, the two regular battalions of the Essex Regiment were numbering in the 10,400s. I have not seen an Army Council Instruction or any official documentation concerned with how the Essex Regiment treated numbering in the service battalions once Britain went to war in August 1914, but looking at the numbering sequences it would appear that a small block of numbers was retained for use by men who, during war-time, still wished to enlist for 7&5 (seven years with the Colours, five on the Reserve) and separate, larger blocks of numbers for men who were purely joining up for three years or duration.

Find photos of Essex Regiment soldiers on my British Army Ancestors website.


 But in the early days at least, it looks as though men who were purely enlisting for the duration of the war, were allocated numbers which were from the old regular battalion series - and they seem to have attested on all manner of forms. There is evidence in surviving attestation papers in the WO 363 and WO 364 series at the National Archives in London that men joining the Essex Regiment in August 1914 for three years or duration, attested on forms originally designed for regulars enlisting for 6&6 (AF. B.250), 8&4 (AF. B.224), 3&9 (AF. B.217) and 7&5 (AF.B.265). Army Form B.248, designed for men enlisting into the Special Reserve, was also used during that chaotic first month of war.
As the months went on, things seem to have settled down and, staying with the 1st and 2nd Battalions for a moment, number 10732 was issued to a man enlisting for 7&5 on 26th October 1914, and numbers 11003 and 11032 were issued on 14th July 1915 and 18th August 1915 respectively, to men who also enlisted as regular career soldiers with the Essex regiment on those dates. By these latter dates, men enlisting into the service battalions of the Essex regiment were receiving numbers in the 20,000s and 21,000s.

 Here are a few more numbers and joining dates for men enlisting in the service battalions of the Essex regiment:

12019 joined 24th August 1914
15181 joined 30th September 1914
15417 joined 28th October 1914
16408 joined 16th November 1914
16638 joined 29th December 1914
19770 joined 30th June 1915
23703 joined 10th November 1915
29165 joined 21st July 1916
36028 joined 17th January 1917

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11 comments:

  1. Jon Humphreys13 September 2011 at 20:39

    Hi,

    Wow what a great resource of information. Many thanks

    As you know so much more than anyone Ive come across about these service numbers can you assist me with a task.

    My great grandfather joined up in August 1914 in Chelmsford his service numer was 12162. He is supposed to have joined up with his best pal, Leslie. But this is all we know of him, other than he supposed to have been killed next to Percy in France some time later, we know that Percy Gusterson (my G.Grandfather) was in the Machine Gun Corps, and was attatched to start with to the 8th Essex. But Leslie is proving tricky to trace. (mainly due to not knowing his surname)

    Were the service number issued at the point of joining up? and if so would they have been consequtive?

    Many thanks in advance

    Jon

    ReplyDelete
  2. Paul Nixon13 September 2011 at 23:02

    Hello Jon

    You're right, it is tricky isn't it? I've not found any obvious candidates as a result of looking at men with the name Leslie and an essex regiment number beginning 121*. If Leslie was killed by his side then he was presumably in the same Essex Regiment battalion as your great-grandfather, or in the Machine Gun Corps.

    Soldiers Died notes four Essex Regiment men with the name Leslie who enlisted at Chelmsford. Three of these men served with the 5th Essex Regiment and the fourth joined up much later than Percy and was killed whilst serving with the 2nd Battalion.

    As for the issuing of numbers, men could join uo together but the numbers would not be issued until they presented at the depot. Numbers could then be issued sequentially but some battalions would group men alphabetically by surname and then number them - the South Down battalions of the Royal Sussex Regiment are a good example of this.

    If you've not already done so, do post this query on the Great war Forum and put the word Essex in the title of your post. There are some knowledgeable Essex Regt experts there who may be able to come up with an answer.

    Good luck with your search, and do let me know if you come up with anything. I did notice that there were other Essex men with numbers close to your great-grandfather's number who also subsequently transferred to the MGC and had numbers close to is MGC number.

    Incidentally, the MGC number appears to date to February 1916.

    Paul

    ReplyDelete
  3. Jon Humphreys14 September 2011 at 08:13

    Hi Paul

    Thank you so much for your speedy and informative response, Can I please ask how you search the Soldiers Died records, My online searches never allow me to search for the right options. I find Ancestry very hit and miss on its accuracy and Find my past wont let you search without a surname.

    I will as you suggest post this on the Great War Forum, I found that site last night and have joined and posted another query.

    Thank you once more.

    Jon

    ReplyDelete
  4. Paul Nixon22 October 2011 at 19:55

    Jon, I've only just seen this response as for some reason your comment ended up in the sapm folder on Blogger. Not sure how that happened.

    I always use Ancestry to search SDGW as the search on findmypast is not as flexible.

    I think I probably just entered Essex as the regiment and then did a wild card search. Hopefully by now though, you'll have had some luck on the Great War Forum.

    Best wishes

    Paul

    ReplyDelete
  5. Tessa29 January 2012 at 10:29

    I'm trying to find out more about my great grandfather Percy William Hammond,I know he was in the 11th battalion Essex Regiment. Is it possible to find his service number? Any help would be appreciated

    ReplyDelete
  6. Paul Nixon29 January 2012 at 12:14

    Tessa, his number was 19598 which dates to late May or early June 1915. His medal index card notes that he arrived overseas on the 30th September that year and was discharged on the 25th April 1915. He received the 1914/1915 Star trio of medals and also a silver war badge.

    Paul

    ReplyDelete
  7. Unknown29 December 2018 at 09:11

    Hi, I've come across your page while doing research on my Great x 3rd or 4th Uncle. I hope you may still pick this message up! His name was Arthur Robert Seaborn. Reg number 35119. We have found out he was KIA on 21/04/1917,and have even been able to locate his buriel site in France. However what I am really after is a photo of him. I have found many Private-ranked photos in that time but none of him. With records being a bit sketchy due to how long has passed, do you know where photos may be, if indeed one exists or is still about?

    Thank you.

    Carolyn

    ReplyDelete
  8. Paul Nixon9 January 2019 at 10:21

    Thanks for your comment, Carolyn. Have a look at my British Army Anncestors website and in particular the opening paragraph on the ABOUT section: https://britisharmyancestors.co.uk/about-us/

    ReplyDelete
  9. Tessa25 June 2019 at 12:51

    Hi
    I don't know if anyone still reads this particular thread but I've just noticed Jon's query. One of my relatives is Leslie Sidney Clarke - I believe he was in the Essex regiment, he lived in Ilford, signed up in 1914 and sadly died in 1917. Could he have been your great grandfather's friend?

    Thank you
    Tessa

    ReplyDelete
  10. AHJ22 October 2019 at 12:57

    Paul, I recently had cause to take an interest in a man who transferred into an unrecorded battalion of the Essex Regiment, I guessed rather late in the war, under the regimental number 68012. A short search of the numbers either side turned up 60820 Frederick Crole, and 60832 George Samuel Appleton who transferred, both from the 2/1st Highland Cyclist Battalion, to the 1/8th (Cyclist) Battalion The Essex Regiment on 12 and 13 December 1918, respectively. I hope it may be of use for the database. Regards, Anthony

    ReplyDelete
  11. Paul Nixon26 October 2019 at 10:02

    Well spotted, many thanks Anthony.

    ReplyDelete

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