5th Battalion, Durham Light Infantry

For no reason other than that I responded to a query about a 5th DLI man last night, here are some numbers and joining dates for the 5th Battalion, Durham Light Infantry, a Territorial Force battalion..

The battalion was headquartered in Stockton-on-Tees with A, B and C Companies also based there. D and E Companies were based in Darlington, F Company at Castle Eden (with a detachment at Trimdon), G Company at West Hartlepool and H Company at Darlington.  Knowing where the companies were situated is useful, particularly when looking at pre-war enlistments, the logic being that if Great Uncle Edgar served with "the Territorials" during the war, and you know that Great Uncle Edgar was born and bred in Castle Eden, the chances are that he served with the 5th DLI, and probably in F Company to boot (unless of course he joined the TF Engineers, ASC, Royal Artillery etc).  Anyway, here are some numbers and dates for the 5th DLI to the end of 1915.

341 joined on 4th April 1908
642 joined on 12th February 1909
1112 joined on 17th February 1910
1350 joined on 6th May 1911
1401 joined on 11th January 1912
1730 joined on 24th February 1913
1909 joined on 4th February 1914
2194 joined on 6th August 1914
2350 joined on 4th September 1914
2849 joined on 20th October 1914
2913 joined on 9th November 1914
3175 joined on 3rd December 1914
3282 joined on 4th January 1915
3387 joined on 1st February 1915
3422 joined on 4th March 1915
3523 joined on 15th April 1915
3568 joined on 5th May 1915
3658 joined on 20th June 1915
3718 joined on 7th July 1915
3814 joined on 3rd August 1915
4105 joined on 27th September 1915
4118 joined on 11th October 1915
4184 joined on 5th November 1915
4253 joined on 7th December 1915

When the TF was re-numbered in 1917, the 5th DLI was allocated the number block 200001 to 250000, the longest serving 5th DLI man on the battalion's books at that time being given the lowest number. 200010 is the lowest six digit number I have and that went to Fred Tuck who had formerly served with the 1st Volunteer Battalion, DLI and who joined the 5th DLI on 29th June 1908. Numbers 200001 to 200009 would have pre-dated Ted and in all probability would also have had former service with the Volunteer Force.

I've borrowed the image on this post from the Durham Light Infantry Association website.

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