This post will look at numbering in the 18th (Queen Mary's Own) Hussars between 1881 and 1906. 1881 is an arbitrary date chosen purely to conform to the parameters of this blog. The regiment though, was raised in 1858 (although two cavalry regiments had formerly been numbered 18th. See the sketch details on the image above for a brief outline of the regiment's history up until the Second South African War of 1899-1902.
1906 is chosen as the end date because it was from late 1906 or early 1907 that the line cavalry regiments stopped numbering by individual regiment and started numbering by corps instead.
The database and information on this blog have been compiled as a result of studying service records in WO 97 (British Army pensions to 1913), WO 363 (WW1 service records) and WO 364 (WW1 pension records). All of these series are now online. Click on the links for further information.
2450 joined on 10th January 1881
2497 joined on 15th August 1882
2534 joined on 9th january 1883
2665 joined on 5th January 1884
2783 joined on 2nd January 1885
3050 joined on 1st July 1886
3132 joined on 1st April 1887
3204 joined on 28th January 1888
3398 joined on 26th March 1889
3614 joined on 28th January 1890
3706 joined on 27th February 1891
3801 joined on 4th January 1892
3958 joined on 25th October 1892
4017 joined on 11th January 1893
4206 joined on 3rd May 1894
4407 joined on 10th January 1895
4564 joined on 24th August 1896
4623 joined on 1st October 1897
4691 joined on 20th June 1898
4801 joined on 13th february 1899
5281 joined on 11th August 1900
5810 joined on 17th January 1901
6102 joined on 16th July 1902
6247 joined on 9th February 1903
6328 joined on 19th April 1904
6460 joined on 13th January 1905
6667 joined on 14th January 1906
The last number in my database for this cavalry regiment before the Hussars started numbering by corps is 6900 which was issued on the 6th November. There would have been another seven weeks worth of numbering in this regiment - another twenty to thirty recruits perhaps - and then it was all change in numbering for the line cavalry. When the numbering changed to numbering by corps, one number series was effectively shared by all the Hussars regiments, another number series by the Dragoons, a third number series by the Lancers.
For further reading on numbering in the line cavalry regiments have a look at these posts:
The Queen's and King's Regulations affecting regimental numbers
Cavalry Numbering in 1906
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12 comments:
can you tell me the when the following soldier enlisted
8450 David Hewitt
18th hussars
Best wishes
Draperju
Hello Alain, trust all is well.
The number dates to March 1912. 8459 attested 12th March 1912.
Hello Paul
Would you be able to tell me when
3278 Sergeant Edward Baldry enlisted.
I know he was in South Africa and got a DCM but I am trying to finf out as much about him as possible.
Many Thanks in advance
Steve
I can provide a good deal of information about this man, Steve, but please note this is a chargeable service these days due to the weight of enquiries. Please drop me a line via the RESEARCH tab on this blog if you would like me to pursue this.
Paul
One to add to your database:
3958 William HARRIS - Attestation (18th Hussars) 25 October 1892.
Rgds,
Taff E
Thank you, Taff E. Now added, above.
Paul
Another for your database:
6687 Pte L D Pearson (enlisted 18th Hussars on 13 Feb 06 and later served with the 10th Hussars).
That fits, doesn't it? I do have data beyond 1906 but this is where the numbering by regiment stops, to be replaced in 1907 by numbering by corps. Thanks for taking the time to post.
Paul
I see the latest entry here was 3 years ago ... are you still reading this? I'm interested in finding out when (and maybe where????) my grandfather - 5052 Walter Reginald Bruton enlisted in the 18th Hussars. From your posting here it seems to be between 13/2/1899 and 11/8/1900. Thanks in advance for any info. Roger Bruton - rog@bruton.fr
Yes, I'm still reasding this. If you go to the home page you'll see that I am still posting. The number could date to the period you indicate or it could have been later, post 1907 when the cavalry began numbering by corps. His age might give you clues here.
Dear Paul
I am interested to know when my great uncle Harry Dean L/Corporal 6277 of the 18th Hussars who died of gas poisoning on the 25th May 1915 actually joined. As a family we have recently come into possession of his medals which were lost to us for a number of years. I realise that this would be paid for information but was curious as to if much information is available concerning him that is not available on such sites such as ancestry.co.uk etc.
Kind Regards
Steve Dean
Steve, thanks for taking the time to comment, and also for uploading Harry Dean's photo to my British Army Ancestors website: http://britisharmyancestors.co.uk/photo-details/?id=7265336&q=6277+dean
The answer is that Ancestry and Findmypast pretty much have surviving First World War records tied up between them but for men where no records survive, it's a case of detective work and using free sites like mine to get to the answers. Harry's regimental number dates to the first half of September 1910 when the Hussars were numbering by CORPS rather than by individual regiment.
Paul
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