I'll return to the service battalions of the Manchester Regiment later on, but for this post, here are some army service numbers and corresponding joining dates for the 5th Manchesters, a Territorial Force battalion which, prior to 1908, had been the 1st Volunteer Battalion, The Manchester Regiment. The battalion's headquarters was at Wigan.
602 joined on 7th June 1908
847 joined on 30th March 1909
1193 joined on 15th August 1910
1212 joined on 19th January 1911
1367 joined on 7th May 1912
1583 joined on 8th May 1913
1941 joined on 22nd April 1914
2029 joined on 5th August 1914
2213 joined on 1st September 1914
2623 joined on 5th October 1914
2774 joined on 9th November 1914
3127 joined on 15th December 1914
3241 joined on 4th January 1914
3367 joined on 1st February 1915
3383 joined on 3rd April 1915
3493 joined on 11th May 1915
3698 joined on 21st June 1915
3789 joined on 5th July 1915
3980 joined on 16th August 1915
4147 joined on 30th September 1915
4221 joined on 18th October 1915
4327 joined on 17th November 1915
4351 joined on 7th December 1915
4405 joined on 24th January 1916
4451 joined on 4th February 1916
4721 joined on 1st March 1916
5040 joined on 8th May 1916
5261 joined on 3rd August 1916
5555 joined on 25th September 1916
5961 joined on 16th October 1916
6141 joined on 9th November 1916
6214 joined on 1st January 1917
When the Territorial Force was re-numbered in 1917, the 5th Manchesters was allocated the block of numbers between 200001 and 250000. Here are some army service numbers and joining dates for six digit TF numbers for the 5th Manchesters (with original numbers, where known, in brackets). I'll add to this list in time.
200054 originally joined on 5th May 1909
200113 originally joined on 30th May 1912 (1431)
200265 originally joined on 20th February 1914
200480 originally joined on 1st September 1914 (2213)
200700 originally joined on 7th October 1914
200757 originally joined on 5th November 1914
200918 originally joined on 15th December 1914
200972 originally joined on 5th January 1915
201328 originally joined on 21st July 1915 (3889)
201539 originally joined on 20th October 1915
201601 originally joined on 25th November 1915
201993 originally joined on 10th May 1916 (5114)
202415 originally joined on 28th September 1916 (5585)
202994 originally joined on 6th January 1917 (6511)
All of these men would have originally been given TF numbers from the original series.
Read my other posts on the Manchester Regiment:
The Manchester Regiment, The Regular Battalions 1881-1914
The Manchester Regiment, Special & Extra Reserve Battalions 1908-1914
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
I also offer a comprehensive, fast and cost-effective military history research service. Follow the link for more information.
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 service records, pension records and medal index cards for the 5th Manchesters with a FREE 14 day trial to Ancestry.co.uk - Click here!
I am researching my husband's grandfather who joined the 149th County Palatine Brigade in Feb 1915, reg number L/9497. My query is that we have just found an octagonal green identification tag with his name, religion and the following reg number: L/48369. Please are you able to shed any light on this?
ReplyDeleteIt's not immediately obvious I'm afraid. What was his name?
ReplyDeleteSoldiers wore two ID tags. One was supposed to be left on their body in the event that they were killed. This didn't always work however, as I have both tags for my great uncle who was KIA in October 1918 and consequently now has no known grave.
Thanks for your reply. His name was James McCoy and he survived the war. He was awarded the MSM for his service in the Balkans in 1917. I found the listing in the London Gazette. We also have the original Certificate of Transfer to the Reserve, dated 5th May 1919, and his regiment number is given as 9497 and his date of enlistment as 20th February 1915. I was unable to find his WW1 service record in the National Archives, but I am trying to find evidence of where he was born as we cannot find a birth record for him either.
ReplyDeleteI'm at rather a loss to explain the second number, I'm afraid. His medal cards only make note of the L/9497 number. Two suggesions for you:
ReplyDelete1. There is an old thread on the Great War Forum about the 149th County Palatine Brigade. It might be worth posting on there. Here's the link: http://1914-1918.invisionzone.com/forums/index.php?showtopic=1199
2. You might consider joining the Manchester Regiment forum and posting the same query there: http://www.themanchesters.org/forum/index.php
Paul
Trying to find the final service number for the poet Wilfred Owen, Lt 5th Manchesters. No number shown on search of service records. Any suggestions please?
ReplyDelete@David Lister, he was an officer and so no regimental number.
ReplyDeleteI’m looking for information and photographs of lance corporal Cyril Burrows 200529 thanks in advance
ReplyDeleteRobert, this would be a chargeable research project. See here: http://armyservicenumbers.blogspot.com/p/research.html
ReplyDelete