3rd (Militia Battalion) Devonshire Regiment

It's been a little while since I posted regimental numbers here - too many 1914 Prisoners of War to be looking at - but as I'm giving a talk on regimental numbers in Devon this weekend, it's perhaps apt that this post should look at numbering in the 3rd (Militia) Battalion of the Devonshire Regiment.

What follows is a snapshot of enlistments between 1892 and 1900.  I will follow this with a separate post on the 4th (Militia) Battalion and in due course, as time permits, I will expand the series to take in other years. Both the 3rd and 4th Battalions maintained separate number series although as we shall see, looking at the series side by side, it is virtually impossible for some years, to tell one battalion apart from the other.

2480 joined on 10th February 1892
2657 joined on 13th February 1893
2888 joined on 26th November 1896
3030 joined on 16th March 1897
3250 joined on 12th March 1898
3546 joined on 5th June 1899
3640 joined on 25th April 1900

My source for this information was mostly surviving papers in WO 96, now easily accessible online through Findmypast. Whilst quite a few Devonshire militia records survive, frustratingly many do not distinguish between the 3rd and 4th Battalion (and the fact that in many cases, the recruiting sergeant was a sergeant belonging to the 4th Battalion is no guarantee that the man went into the 4th Battalion).

I also offer a comprehensive, fast and cost-effective military history research service. Follow the link for more information.

Royal Munster Fusiliers - PoW Other Ranks 1914

Here's an edited list of 670 Royal Munster Fusiliers whose names were included on lists of men who became prisoners of war on or before 25th December 1914. In fact whilst the vast majority of these men would have been 2nd Battalion men captured on 27th August 1914, there are also men included here who must have been captured in 1915 or later (see B.O.2 1/28 below). Read more about this data source on my 1914 PoWs page.

This data has been transcribed from the following sources at the Imperial War Museum:

1. B.O.2 1/22 is 13-page handwritten (and badly faded) list of Royal Munster Fusiliers men who were PoWs on or before 25th December 1914.  Sent by Infantry Record Office Cork, date stamped 1919.
2. B.O.2 1/25 is 5-page typed list of Royal Munster Fusiliers men who were PoWs on or before 25th December 1914.  Sent by Royal Munster Fusiliers Old Comrades Association in 1919
3. B.O.2 1/27 is a 3-page typed continuation of B.O.2 1/25
4. B.O.2 1/28 is a single page typed document  giving names of Royal Munsters Men, many of whom did not arrive overseas until 1915.  No clue as to document source or date.
5. B.O.2 1/29 is a six-page typed document  giving names of Royal Munster Fusiliers and their locations / PoW camps.  Addresses also written by hand but too faint to read and not transcribed unless over-written. No document source or date.

My full transcription of this Royal Munster Fusiliers PoW collection (not reproduced here) also contains the following information against some or all of the names:

Battalion
Home address
Next of kin
Next of kin's address
Prison camp
Notes

Tom Burnell's new book, Irishmen in the Great War, contains some interesting reports which are relevant to this list; in particular the Cork Examiner's article of October 1914 which reports what "we believe to be the first communication received from British soldiers who are prisoners of war in Germany. It is dated 14th inst and comes from Sergeant Murphy, Royal Munster Fusiliers..."

There are three Sergeant Murphys in the list below, but aside from reporting on the action of 27th August and noting where he is now being held prisoner, Sergeant Murphy also lists the regimental numbers of 87 C Company men, 2nd Battalion RMF who were also captured with him on the 27th. I've checked the numbers against the list below and they tally. I'm not reproducing that information here - go and buy Tom's book.

The full transcription is available for sale as a download or CD for £20. Contact me if you would like to purchase a copy.

9867 Private D Ahern, 7756 Private Walter Alcock, 8085 Private John Allen, 7534 Private John Anderson, 8134 Private Patrick Anderson, 10093 Private Richard Anglin, 9775 Bandsman Albert E Arnold, 7992 Private Albert H Atkins

Private J Bailey, Lance-Corporal E Barker, 8011 Private R Barlow, 8523 Private Cornelius Barrett, 6740 Private Francis Barrett, 10235 Private Michael Barry, 9506 Private T Behan, 7275 Private Humphrey Benson, Corporal G Bevan 2061, Private Bevan, 8781 Corporal M Birmingham, 8140 Private E Bolsta, 7454 Private F Bolton, 6360 Private F L Bourke, 10094 Private Patrick Bourke, 9613 Corporal John Bowen, 6365 Private Maurice Bowen, 9246 Lance-Corporal Frederick Boyce, 7882 Private J Boyle, 7882 Private M Boyle, 8002 Private Michael Braddish, 6848 Private William Braddish, 7799 Private J Bradley, 8097 Private William E Bradley, 4621 Sergeant James Bradshaw, 9752 Private J Breen, 10096 Private T Brennan, 7201 Private John Bresnan, 9960 Private David Bridgeman, 8443 Private D Broderick, 9766 Private J Broderick, 9138 Private R S Brooker, 5736 Sergeant John Browne, 8773 Private Humphrey Buckley, 8492 Bandsman Maurice Joseph Bunce, 4341 Private Patrick Burke, 6360 Private S Burke, 7712 Private F Burnes, 8183 Private J Butler, 7977 Private James W Butler, 7142 Private Richard Butler, 8545 Private G Byrne, 9989 Lance-Corporal P Byrne, 8543 Private T Byrne

5381 Private John Cahill, 7790 Private H Campbell, 6287 Private Henry Carty, 6333 Private D Casey, 6684 Private E Casey, 7234 Private J Cashman, 7118 Private J Cavanagh, 7013 Private J Cherry, 9834 Lance-Corporal J Cleary, 9824 Private M Coates, 9259 Private C Coffey, 7390 Private M Coffey, 5853 Private W Coffey, 9998 Private J Cogan, 7468 Private P Colchan, 9769 Private G Collins, 10039 Private John Collins, 5863 Private Joseph Collins, 5024 Private P Collins, 10028 Private P Collins, 5024 Private Patrick Collins, 7989 Private W Collson, 5639 Sergeant D Commane, 9925 Private W Condon, 7525 Private D Connolly, 7034 Corporal J Connolly, 7501 Private P Connolly, 7422 Private R Connolly, 6412 Private J D Considine, 8328 Private James Considine, 9363 Private W Considine, 6342 Private J Conway, 9719 Private T Conway, 10122 Private M Cooke, 10231 Private W Cooper, 9805 Private Matthew Corcoran, 7539 Sergeant S Cosgrove, 5968 Private Thomas Costelloe, 6525 Private L Cotter, 8099 Private F Couldry, 8460 Private J Cowan, 8178 Private E Crawley, 6560 Private J Creamer, 9958 Lance-Corporal M Creamer, 6405 Private J Creed, 8992 Private M Cremins, 7855 Lance-Corporal R Creswell, 10085 Private J Cronin, 9929 Private Patrick Cronin, 10044 Private T Cronin, 3699 Private Thomas Cronin, 7202 Private P Crowe, 6479 Private P Cullen, 7817 Private P Cullen, 4366 Sgt-Major P Cullinan, 4366 Sgt-Major P Cullinan, 10042 Private P Cullinane, 9250 Lance-Corporal C Culverwell, 6510 Private M Cummins, 7283 Private T Curtin, 9940 Private T Cushen

9763 Private C Daly, 7414 Private J Daly, 7771 Private M Daly, 10073 Private P Daly, 20308 Private Thomas Dandy, 6990 Private F C Danigher, 8542 Private W Davidson, 2260 Private J Davies, 6897 Lance-Corporal L C P Davis, 20237 Private J Dean, 7267 Private M Deasey, 7423 Private P Desmond, 8088 Private P Devereaux, 9860 Private J Dineen, 7950 Private W Dobson, 5304 Private H Doherty, 6465 Private J Donnelly, 7205 Private P Donnelly, 7883 Private B Donoghue, 7141 Private D Donoghue, 8929 Private J Donoghue, 9994 Private D Donovan, 6778 Private J Donovan, 9937 Private J Donovan, 10064 Private J Donovan, 8578 Private John Donovan, 9448 Private John Donovan, 8764 Private P Dorgan, 9221 Lance-Corporal Dorrell, 6270 Private Cornelius Downey, 7088 Private J Downey, 4328 Private R Downey, 6127 Private A Doyle, 7779 Private J Draddy, 7066 Private J Driscoll, 8064 Private T Driscoll, 6053 Private J Drury, 8654 Lance-Corporal Edward Duffield, 6889 Private J Duffy, 9329 Private J Duffy, 5434 Private D Duggan, 7224 Private John Duggan, 8428 Lance-Corporal M Duggan, 9400 Private R Duggan, 10050 Private Martin Duhig, 9614 Private R Duncliffe, 6314 Private M Dundon, 9345 Private H Dunne, 8309 Sergeant W Dwyer, 9219 Private F C Dyke, 7456 Private M Dynan

7665 Private J Earley, 10574 Private J Earley, 5488 Private J Earls, 9946 Sergeant F Eccles, 7532 Sergeant E Egan, 20477 Private R A Ellis, 8970 Private Walter S Emmette, 8296 Private J Enright, 6309 Private W Enright, 7509 Private P Ensko, 10126 Private T Evans, 8186 Private Evans

7296 Private J Falshee, 828 Lance-Corporal J Farrar, 760 Private T Farrell, 4402 Private M Ferriter, 6503 Private Field, 5477 Private D Finn, 7547 Private D Finn, 6970 Private T Finn, 9587 Private J Fitzgerald, 10079 Private J Fitzgerald, 4577 Private John Fitzgerald, 2733 Private M Fitzgerald, 9930 Private M Fitzgerald, 7027 Lance-Corporal T Fitzgerald, 7003 Private J Fitzgibbon, 9784 Private P Fitzgibbon, 7011 Sergeant J Fitzmaurice, 7130 Private M Fitzpatrick, 5305 Private E J Flanagan, 9350 Private J Fleming, 7933 Sergeant C W Flischer, 8231 Private P Flynn, 9783 Corporal W H Flynn, 10090 Private C Foley, 4503 Private J Foley, 9349 Private J Foley, 5911 Sergeant T Foley, 6570 Sergeant W Foley, 5859 Private Forde, 9059 Lance-Corporal E Forward, 9651 Sergeant D Fountaine, 7905 Private W Foy, 9289 Private D Fuller, 8819 Private J Furey

5344 Private H Gallagher, 9829 Private M Gallagher, 9964 Private J Galvin, 10052 Private J Galvin, 4771 Private D W Garvey, 9810 Private H Garvey, 7195 Sergeant C S Gibbons, 9155 Lance-Corporal L C Gibbons, 9926 Private M Gleeson, 7724 Private T Goadby, 8535 Private Richard Goodchild, 8418 Private P Goorey, 9982 Private H Gorman, 9615 Private Michael Gorman, 7587 Private J Gould, 6920 Private D Goulding, 6303 Private R Goulding, 7772 Private M Graham, 7910 Private J Gratton, 8262 Private M Griffin, 8670 Private Thomas Grogan

5955 Private J Hackett, 9240 Lance-Corporal F Hales, 20347 Private P Hall, 5421 Private P Halloran, 6113 Private J Halvey, 7416 Private J Hanley, 8743 Corporal J Hanley, 9811 Private Henry Harrington, 7697 Private T Harris, 7830 Private Christopher Hartnett, 7527 Private W Hartnett, 7706 Private J Harvey, 1481 Private William Hawley, 7961 Private Edward Hayes, 9799 Lance-Corporal H Hayes, 6151 Private M Hayes, 6457 Private T Hayes, 7666 Private J Haywood, 8528 Private A Healey, 6227 Private P Healey, 10089 Private Healey, 9751 Private T Healy, 6511 Private J Hegarty, 10201 Private W Hensey, 7816 Private M Herrity, 10104 Private F Hesketh, 9323 Private D Hickey, 9832 Private E Hickey, 9655 Private M Hickey, 7748 Private J Higgins, 9957 Private W Higgins, 9851 Private M Hinch, 9422 Corporal C Hogan, 8075 Private D Hogan, 7167 Private J Hogan, 6054 Private P Hogan, 5813 Private T Hogan, 7640 Private G Holmes, 7791 Private J Holmes, 7086 Private P Holohan, 7392 Private D Horgan, 7231 Private M Horgan, 9903 Private Horgan, 9871 Private J Horn, 7446 Private J Hornibrooke, 4426 Private J Horrigan, 7647 Private E Horton, 7384 Private A Hudson, 9670 Private M Humphreys, 10072 Private T Humphries, 2593 Private R A Hunter, 8301 Private J Hurley, 8866 Lance-Corporal J Hurley, 9643 Private P Hurley, 8194 Private M Hyland, 9831 Private J Hynes, 9292 Private John Hynes

1727 Private J M Igne

7774 Private F Jackson, 7644 Private J Jeavons, 7934 Private T Jenkins, 7986 Private A Johnstone, 9118 Sergeant Johnstone, 9426 Corporal Johnstone, 9990 Private H Jordan

9794 Private H Keatin, 7304 Private M Keatin, 7528 Private D Kelleher, 8181 Sergeant G Kelleher, 6955 Private J Kelleher, 9813 Private J Kelleher, 6468 Private P Kelleher, 7404 Private J Kelly, 7632 Private J M Kelly, 8411 Private M P Kelly, 8669 Corporal T Kelly, 4280 Private P Kelpie, 10161 Private M Kenefick, 9822 Private T Kennedy, 10160 Private B Kenny, 6567 Private M Kenny, 10112 Private M Kenny, 9006 Corporal C H Keyworth, 7239 Private C Kiely, 10063 Private D Kiely, 9061 Corporal J Kilburn, 7370 Sergeant A King, 7766 Private P King

5647 Private M Lacey, 9949 Private T Lane, 4656 Sergeant J Leahy, 9097 Private C Leary, 8039 Private W Lemage, 9830 Private J Leonard, 7769 Private P Levins, 8133 Sergeant J Lightfoot, 7734 Sergeant C Lister, 7374 Private J Lombard, 8092 Private M Lonergan, 9921 Private J Loughlin, 7812 Private J Loughry, 5921 Private J Lowe, 2212 Corporal R A Lowe, 5025 Private R Lube, 8677 Private C Lufkin, 7154 Drummer J Lyddy, 7228 Private D Lynch, 9607 Private D Lynch, 7569 Private P Lynch, 4519 Private T Lynch, 6785 Private D Lyne, 6816 Private A B Lyons, 6870 Corporal J Lyons, 8115 Private P Lyons, 5220 Private S Lyttle

8048 Sergeant J Mahoney, 4495 Private T Mahoney, 6520 Private T Mahoney, 5264 Private T Mallon, 7801 Private P Malone, 7288 Private W Malone, 9698 Private E Maloney, 8836 Private F Maloney, 10000 Private M Maloney, 7324 Private P Manifold, 9839 Private W Manley, 9978 Private J Manning, 6819 Private M Manning, 7877 Private W Marigold, 8049 Private J Marley, 7682 Private H T Marsden, 7944 Private D Marshall, 9109 Corporal J Mason, 7789 Private A Mayhew

6014 Private A McAllister, 6577 Private P McAteer, 6947 Private J McAuliffe, 7713 Private J McCann, 6389 Private C McCarthy, 6323 Private D McCarthy, 7074 Private E McCarthy, 6929 Private H T McCarthy, 7215 Private J McCarthy, 9133 Corporal J McCarthy, 10006 Drummer J McCarthy, 4432 Private M McCarthy, 10015 Private M McCarthy, 9979 Private W McCowan, 5845 Private J McDonagh, 7481 Private T McDonagh, 6707 Lance-Corporal C McDonald, 8451 Private T McElligott, 6219 Private J McEnally, 5829 CSM P McEvoy, 7102 Lance-Sergeant T McEvoy, 7116 Private J McFadgen, 5815 Private M McGillicuddy, 2197 Corporal J McGuire, 6020 Private C McInerney, 10128 Private M McInerney, 6875 Lance-Corporal R F McKechnie, 8165 Private P McKenna, 7602 Private R McKenna, 8017 Corporal G McKenzie, 7829 Private J McMahon, 7083 Private M McMahon, 8143 Private P McMahon, 3782 Private P J McMahon, 10055 Private J McManus, 9106 Corporal T McManus, 7056 Private J McNamara, 6872 Private B McSparron, 6583 Private J McSweeney

10030 Private D Meaney, 6305 Private M Meaney, 6371 Sergeant F Meara, 7006 Private J Meehan, 5715 Private P Meehan, 6445 Lance-Corporal E Mehigan, 7761 Private A Metcalf, 7588 Private J Milcoy, 7956 Drummer A Miller, 9263 Corporal J Milton, 7917 Private W Moffatt, 6374 Private T Molloy, 7786 Private J Moloney, 6000 Private P Moloney, 6016 Private P Moloney, 8728 Private C Monginie, 7098 Private H Moore, 8323 Lance-Corporal J Moore, 5959 Lance-Corporal M Moore, 8232 Private P Moore, 6001 Private T Moore, 7495 Private P Moran, 7702 Private A Moreland, 5765 Private A E Morgan, 7424 Private B Moriarty, 8874  Private M Moroney, 10076 Private M Morrison, 10026 Lance-Corporal P Morrison, 4521 Private E Morrissey, 8003 Private W Morrissey, 7922 Private C Moynihan, 7146 Private J Moynihan, 8709 Private M Mulcahy, 9794 Private W Mulcahy, 8448 Private W Mullane, 7843 Private E Mullen, 7859 Private H Murfitt

9434 Private B Murphy, 6888 Private C Murphy, 9954 Private C Murphy, 6304 Private J Murphy, 7041 Private J Murphy, 7173 Private J Murphy, 6845 Sergeant M Murphy, 7453 Sergeant M Murphy, 7648 Private M Murphy, 9595 Private P Murphy, 10082 Private P Murphy, 7171 Private S Murphy, 6659 Private T Murphy, 8254 Sergeant W Murphy, 7716 Private J Murray 

15147 Private N Murray, 9971 Private P Murray

9835 Private T Nash, 7289 Private T Naughton, 5079 Lance-Corporal W Nayler, 7443 Private J Nolan, 7565 Private M Noonan, 9002 Private D Norton, 8131 Private J Nunan

7991 Private C O'Brien, 5580 Private J O'Brien, 6686 Private J O'Brien, 8274 Private J O'Brien, 8483 Private J O'Brien, 8884 Sergeant J O'Brien, 7489 Private M O'Brien, 6679 Private M O'Brien, 7542 Private P O'Brien, 6190 Private P O'Brien, 7294 Private R O'Brien, 9739 Lance-Corporal T O'Brien, 7193 Private D O'Callaghan, 7392 Sergeant D O'Callaghan, 10005 Private M O'Callaghan, 7119 Private D O'Connell, 8259 Private D O'Connell, 9457 Private J O'Connell, 9797 Private J O'Connell, 7573 Private W O'Connell, 7182 Private A O'Connor, 7750 Private C O'Connor, 7374 Private D O'Connor, 7388 Private J O'Connor, 9357 Private J O'Connor,  9914 Private J O'Connor, 6516 Private M O'Connor, 7093 Private P O'Connor, 6564 Private R O'Connor, 9757 Lance-Corporal W O'Connor, 9096 Private M O'Donnell, 7651 Private F O'Donoghue, 9972 Private M O'Donoghue, 7652 Private S O'Donoghue, 9963 Private T O'Donoghue, 1398 Corporal D O'Donovan, 9656 Private D O'Driscoll, 10011 Lance-Corporal J O'Driscoll, 10049 Private W O'Driscoll, 10101 Private J Ogden, 4628 Lance-Corporal J O'Gorman, 5504 Private T O'Halloran, 8458 Private M O'Hara, 7558 Private C O'Leary, 7904 Private D O'Leary, 7960 Private E O'Leary, 7568 Private J O'Leary, 7061 Private C O'Mahoney, 9840 Private J O'Mahoney, 7473 Private P O'Mahoney, 7033 Private R O'Mahoney, 5922 Private B O'Neill, 7478 Private J O'Neill, 6977 Private O'Reilly, 6812 Private C O'Riordan, 9281 Private J Oscard, 6355 Private T O'Shaugnessey, 10059 Private D O'Shea, 4497 Private H O'Shea, 6963 Private H O'Shea, 6864 Private J O'Shea, 9973 Private J O'Shea, 9951 Private D O'Sullivan, 6033 Private J O'Sullivan, 6807 Private M O'Sullivan, 9636 Private W O'Sullivan, 6737 Private J O'Toole

7085 Private G Page, 9276 Corporal E Pallet, 3/4343 Private J Parker, 8031 Private A Parsons, 1713 Private T Patterson, 7687 Lance-Corporal C Paulson, 5961 Private J Phelan, 7924 Private V H Phillips, 10558 Private E J Pierce, 9696 Private M Power, 7997 Private P Power, 6541 Private J Pratchett, 6225 Private R Pratchett, 8077 Private J Purcell

4661 Corporal John Quigley, 9962 Private P Quilter, 10127 Private M Quinlan, 7680 Private P Quinlan, 10062 Private H Quinlivan, 6318 Private D Quinn, 7255 Private D Quinn, 10138 Private M Quinn, 5130 Private R Quinn, 10143 Private S Quinn, 5295 Lance-Corporal W Quinn, 6357 Private C Quirke, 9952 Private M Quirke

7103 Private J Rafter, 4819 Private W Randall, 8700 Private E Reardon, 9252 Lance-Corporal A Reeves, 7831 Private F W Reeves, 7667 Private J Regan, 1531 Private P Reidy, 6661 Private H Reynolds, 9870 Lance-Corporal W C Richardson, 7187 Private D Riordan, 10010 Private J Riordan, 9848 Private W Riordan, 6854 Private C Robinson, 6654 Private P Robinson, 797 Private A Roblin, 5522 Private C Roche, 7631 Private J Roche, 8023 Lance-Sergeant J T Rogers, 7325 Bandsman V H Rook, 9833 Private H Rooney, 10152 Private J S Rose, 5200 Sergeant J Ross, 2421 Sergeant W Rowley, 8808 Private C W Ryan, 6905 Lance-Corporal J Ryan, 10095 Private J Ryan, 6399 Private P Ryan, 8227 Lance-Sergeant P Ryan, 2002 Private W Ryan

7985 Private G Salathiel, 6706 Private D Santry, 6602 Private J Sayers, 8335 Private E Scanlon, 7244 Private J Scanlon, 9584 Private J Scanlon, 8336 Private M Scanlon, 9057 Private W Seamark, 7684 Private W Sel, 6751 Private D Sheridan, 7529 Bandsman J Sims, 7785 Private M Singleton, 9033 Sergeant W Slattery, 9102 Private A Smith, 7673 Private E Smith, 8027 Private W R Smith, 9113 Corporal G Springfield, 9961 Private E St Ledger, 1649 Private F G Stacey, 9843 Private J Stack, 7104 Private J Stafford, 7545 Private F Stevens, 9692 Lance-Corporal L Stewart, 700 Private H Storrie, 7762 Private M Stout, 6346 Private D Sullivan, 5820 Private E Sullivan, 5964 Private J Sullivan, 4895 Private J Sullivan, 9274 Private J Sullivan, 7503 Private P Sullivan, 5200 Private F Sunderland, 3810 Private M Sweeney

7858 Private T Talbot, 7946 Private W Taylor, 8385 Corporal H Thomas, 9121 Corporal A Tidey, 1551 Private T Tierman, 10120 Private T Timmons, 5671 Private J Tobin, 7811 Private T Tolan, 10070 Private J Torpey, 10561 Private T Tracey, 7242 Private W Turner, 10032 Private A Twomey, 10177 Private B Twomey, 9945 Private C Twomey, 7901 Private R Tyers

7598 Private S Vigar

7979 Private W Wain, 9645 Private E Walsh, 6029 Private J Walsh, 9907 Private P Walsh, 6093 Private H E Walton, 5999 Private J Ward, 10108 Private T Ward, 2030 Private W Watson, 6803 Sergeant J Weldrick, 7369 Private J C Western, 7599 Lance-Corporal E Wetheritt, 7726 Sergeant J W Wheeldon, 8136 Private J Wheeler, 6109 Private M Whelan, 7097 Private J Whelton, 8270 Private H White, 6809 Private J White, 7709 Private J Wild, 9258 Corporal T W Wiley, 6074 Sergeant A Wilkins, 9134 Private P Withers, 10451 Private F Woodger, 5634 Private T Woods, 5889 Corporal A Wooton, 7091 Private P Woulfe

7863 Lance-Corporal H Yeoman

The photograph on this post is reproduced courtesy of the Imperial War Museum. Q 113844 shows the 2nd Battalion, Royal Munster Fusiliers cheering the arrival of Lieutenant General Lomax to present the Connaught Shield to the battalion's team, Aldershot 1914. Many of these men would become casualties on 27th August 1914.

Dorsetshire Regiment - PoW Other Ranks 1914

Here's another depressingly long roll - 390 names - of regular soldiers of the BEF taken out of action on or before Christmas Day 1914. This is an edited roll of NCOs and men who were serving with the Dorsetshire Regiment at their time of capture. Read more about this data source on my 1914 PoWs page.

This data has been transcribed from the following sources at the Imperial War Museum:

1. B.O.2 1/32 is a typed list of names of men which was sent to Sir Ernest Goodhart by General Secretary G M Willis of the Dorset Guild of Workers on 06/01/1919
2. B.O.2 1/34 is a typed list of names date stamped 03/03/1919 by officer i/c No 2 Record Office, Lennards Buildings, Exeter
3. B.O.2 1/38 is a typed list of WOs, NCOs and men. Although this list (12 pages long) is date-stamped 10 Feb 1919 by the officer in charge No 2 Records, the ranks given appear to pre-date those contained in B.O.2 1/34. Addresses also appear to be less accurate and more prone to typographical error than those in B.O.2 1/34.

Note that names of some men who obviously arrived overseas later than 1914 have been known to appear in these PoW lists.

My full transcription of this Dorsetshire Regiment PoW collection (not reproduced here) also contains the following information against some or all of the names:

Home address
Next of kin
Next of kin's address
Notes

The longest serving man here is 4312 Private Walter Gawler whose number indicates that he enlisted in March 1894, over twenty years before his capture. Twenty-eight of these men were noit regular soldiers at all, but serving with the 3rd (Special Reserve) Battalion. The majority of these men had been with the battalion for a number of years, some of them for nearly six years, but 7210 Private Henry Chapman had only joined in August 1914 and by rights shouldn't have been overseas at all. His medal index card indicates that he didn't arrive in France until 18th December 1914 and so he must have been captured almost immediately. 

The full transcription is available for sale as a download or CD for £20. Contact me if you would like to purchase a copy.

7330 Lance-Corporal John Abbott
6675 Private Thomas Adams
7049 Private George Akins
7354 Private Arabi A Aldrich
6782 Private J W Allen
7999 Corporal George A Armstrong
5996 Private Frederick G Arnold
9529 Private William C Arnold
7901 Private S S Ashford
5860 Private Ernest John Astridge
7960 Private R Baggs
6825 Private Joseph J Bailey
5826 Private I B Baker
5967 Corporal E R H Banbury
5881 Private H H Barnard
5898 Corporal J W Barnes
7716 Private G W Barrett
3/5744 Private T W Barrett
7084 Private G Bates
6782 Private J W Bayliss
8002 Private C Beale
8630 Sergeant F Bear
8843 Corporal W Beer
6339 Private J W Belcher
7680 Private G Bevis
3/6520 Private J W Bishop
8139 Corporal J L Blunden
7891 Private A A Bodman
5913 Private W Bond
9544 Corporal H E Bowen
9525 Private A J Bown
9370 Corporal W S Brackstone
7455 Corporal W J Bray
9475 Private E Brison
5140 Corporal A W Brown
6452 Private W J Burden
6360 Private C Burns
7021 Private F Butcher
7021 Private F Butcher
9453 Private C Cailes
8273 Private G M Cailes
7698 Bandsman F Calley
7625 Private E Carne
3/5643 Private A Carpenter
9289 Private A S Carpenter
9541 Corporal P Carr
7211 Corporal A E Carter
3/6048 Private F Cave
7504 Private L Chalk
6579 Corporal H Chambers
3/5612 Corporal A R Chandler
3/7210 Private H J Chapman
7735 Private T Chapman
7870 Private J C Cheney
5676 Private A Chilvers
7059 Private J Chrystal
6633 Private H Clare
7086 Private E J Clark
8523 Bandsman E Clarke
7062 Corporal L H Clarke
7743 Drummer W E Clarke
7292 Sergeant E A Clifford
7306 Private F Cobb
9300 Lance-Corporal G Cole
6985 Private Albert George Collieson
7801 Private E Collins
9050 Private J Collinson
7701 Lance-Corporal A Constable
9392 Private W Cooper
7178 Corporal W Copley
7517 Private P J Couch
6687 Private J H Coulston
7630 Private J Cox
8041 Private J R Cox
7515 Corporal A F Creasey
8020 Private W Cripps
9312 Corporal A Crutch
7060 Private J Curtis
3/5747 Corporal L Dalton
6911 Private G Darby
6607 Private G Davis
3/5556 Private D Delaney
9560 Private H G Derrick
3/5533 Private A Dethridge
5837 Private S Dicker
9191 Private F Dicks
7287 Private J J Dine
6666 Private G W Dodd
6991 Lance-Corporal A S Douglas
9526 Drummer C E Downham
7384 Corporal B Drake
6765 Private W H Dubbin
9461 Private F A Dunaway
7744 Lance-Corporal E Dunn
7198 Private C Early
7568 Private E Early
8026 Corporal G A Eaton
6908 Private T Edwards
6937 Private J Eldridge
7799 Private W V Elford
6821 Private A J Ely
6922 Sergeant C Evans
3/6355 Private W Fee
9568 Private E F Fendley
8334 Sergeant W Ferguson
7388 Private E C Finch
6627 Private W Fisher
9707 Private A H Fletcher
6252 Lance-Corporal F L Flower
5873 Private G Follett
9491 Private A E Foot
8022 Private A Ford
9501 Private W G Forse
5929 Private W Fox
7998 Private A Frampton
7348 Corporal C Franklin
6571 Private A French
3/5542 Private F E Fryatt
9235 Corporal B W Fuller
6626 Private M R Gale
6995 Private H Game
3/5523 Corporal G E Garratt
7288 Private G Garrod
5000 Private E Gatehouse
6151 Private E C Gatehouse
8997 Corporal H Gates
8094 Private G A Gattrell
4312 Private W Gawler
7034 Private J Gay
7179 Corporal J Gibbons
8014 Private J F Godwin
8474 Lance-Corporal J W Gough
7275 Private H J Grace
6388 Private W Grainger
9380 Private A Gray
6112 Private B W Gray
6547 Private F Gray
8330 Private A Green
6867 Private C T Greenslade
3/5529 Corporal W Grew
7196 Corporal H M Griggs
9485 Lance-Corporal A V C Grosse
8204 Private E A Groves
9440 Private R A Gundry
7143 Lance-Corporal J H Gurnett
6847 Private H Gustar
7197 Private W H Guy
5943 Lance-Corporal N C Guyatt
8055 Private S Harder
6399 Private J Harding
7929 Private A H Harris
6820 Private H Harris
7602 Private A F Hart
3/5494 Corporal E Hart
8021 Private H Harvey
8342 Private R Harvey
8017 Private H Hasder
7666 Private H Haskell
7484 Private R Haskett
7056 Corporal J Hatch
5374 Corporal H Hatt
8382 Sergeant H J Hatton
6944 Private E J Hawes
9608 Private F W Hawker
7618 Private A Hawkins
8005 Private H Hawkins
6846 Private A G Hawthorne
6836 Private A Hayles
7952 Private E G Hayter
7495 Private F Hayward
7446 Private A Hemmings
7314 Lance-Corporal M Hemmings
7747 Private A Hewitt
6984 Sergeant R Hill
8106 Corporal A J Hinks
8068 Corporal G Hobbs
4411 Private F Hockey
6980 Private I T Hodge
7636 Private H Hodges
3/6653 Private J Holly
6276 Private F Hooper
6809 Bandsman A J Horton
6341 Private J Houghton
7988 Private H E House
7231 Private R S Hunt
8028 Private W A Hunt
6954 Private L M Hunter
5246 Private G H Hutton
8076 Private W G Hyson
6889 Private H Irving
6471 Private J Irving
6632 Private F Jackman
3/5641 Private L James
9477 Lance-Corporal E W Jarvis
7413 Private W R Jessop
9507 Private A F C Jewell
7214 Corporal C Jewell
7470 Private W H Johns
6807 Private E L Johnson
8042 Private B Keel
8307 Private E Keeping
6891 Sergeant W Kell
3/6054 Private R W Kelley
8643 Private W H Kellow
6934 Sergeant J Kelly
6635 Private E Kendall
7140 Sergeant D Kenny
7458 Private A J King
9603 Private G King
7669 Private G Kinge
7339 Private A B Kingswell
6569 Private C W Knight
5804 Corporal J G Knight
6850 Private B Lacy
6456 Private E Lambert
7813 Private F Lamboll
9539 Private W Lane
8183 Private E G Langdown
3/5563 Private F T Lawer
7690 Private A Lawrence
9446 Private A F Le Huquet
6897 Private J Lee
7505 Private E Lewis
6199 Private B Linham
7335 Lance-Corporal J R Little
6479 Corporal A E Loader
9558 Corporal J L E Lock
7667 Private F J Lockyer
6538 Private W Longman
8065 Private F Loveys
8416 Corporal T Low
5472 Corporal H Lowe
8995 Bandsman T Lyons
8606 Corporal H Main
9575 Private W T Maney
7101 Private J H Mann
6295 Private T J Mantell
8013 Private J T Maple
9172 Private F Markham
6458 Private F Martin
7542 Private S Martin
7512 Corporal C Masey
6285 Sergeant T Massey
7507 Sergeant W J Matcham
7983 Lance-Corporal A S H Maunder
7431 Corporal J McDonald
8144 Private A Meaden
6559 Private F G Meech
5551 Sergeant W Mees
7102 Private W Merchant
7186 Private F Miller
7027 Private W C Mitchell
7271 Corporal S G Mockridge
6826 Private H H Moore
6375 Private T Morey
7863 Private W Morgan
5346 Private W Murphy
7189 Private F R Mustchin
7409 Private A Myerson
7104 Lance-Corporal H Needle
6938 Corporal G Newman
7808 Private G Newman
8178 Private G Newman
9517 Private J O Newton
7702 Private F Nicholls
7302 Lance-Corporal T Nichols
6874 Private H Norman
8009 Private T Norman
6851 Private F Norris
7502 Private A Northover
7181 Private B Northover
9622 Private F Northover
7181 Corporal J B Northover
8219 Private A J Offer
7307 Private W Osborne
6916 Corporal F Pallett
7155 Private G A Parker
7205 Private T Parker
3/5696 Private W G Parratt
9452 Private J Paton
5905 Lance-Corporal William J Paull
6831 Private J Paul
8529 Private C G Payne
6800 Private F Payne
6881 Private H Pearce
6621 Private W Pearce
7948 Corporal J E Pearcey
7993 Sergeant E Pendleton
6549 Private F G Perry
8455 Lance-Sergeant W Perry
8863 Private C G Peskett
8994 Bandsman A J Pickett
6234 Private J Pike
6167 Private H Poole
7659 Private G Prosser
7663 Private R Quinton
6854 Corporal A Rabbitt
7128 Private S Reed
6443 Private C P Riggs
7687 Corporal H J Riggs
7564 Corporal W J Riggs
7581 Private H Ripley
7293 Private W S Robins
7437 Private T Roe
6662 Private G H Rowe
5316 Private J Russell
9538 Private G Ryan
9340 Private J Sansome
3/6000 Private W Sargent
7651 Private R Saunders
6878 Private H Scott
7759 Sergeant J Scott
9566 Private R E Sewell
8532 Private F Sharp
8908 Private T Sharrock
3/5538 Private J L Shepherd
3/6475 Sergeant A J Sheppard
8373 Private A Shiner
5821 Private B Shorto
7225 Private R J Sibley
3/6006 Private J Skinner
9229 Lance-Corporal R A Smith
3/6345 Private W A Smith
7754 Corporal G Snook
9174 Corporal A E Soane
9361 Private A Soder
6340 Private W G Spear
7711 Lance-Corporal S Spencer
6306 Private J Sperinck
9170 Lance-Corporal F Squibb
6586 Private F Stacey
7788 Private P Stanley
8853 Private C J Steele
9021 Private L J Stewart
5802 Corporal V W Stickley
9595 Private H Stokes
7276 Corporal G Sullivan
7738 Private R Swatridge
9422 Sergeant V A Taylor
7353 Private H Thompson
7093 Private A Thurlow
9327 Private G W Till
6615 Private J Till
7319 Corporal F Tilley
6676 Private H J Tilley
6994 Private H Tompkins
7283 Private G Tong
4719 Private A E Toohey
8438 Bandsman P F Toop
7606 Private Samuel Townshend
8012 Private W T Trowbridge
7692 Private C Tuck
7273 Private W Tunbridge
9478 Lance-Corporal I Turner
9666 Private W G Vickery
7615 Private T L Walker
7228 Lance-Corporal E F Ward
7567 Private A Watton
8097 Private A F Weeks
7397 Sergeant H W Weightman
6860 Private A L Welch
9178 Corporal F G West
6964 Corporal A G Westoby
9032 Private W J Wetherall
7749 Corporal B H Whensley
7090 Private C White
7662 Corporal C White
7677 Private C White
9499 Private C J White
7721 Private H White
7695 Private T White
3/6050 Corporal W White
3/6769 Private W G White
8366 Private S Wilkins
8493 Corporal G O Williams
3/5826 Private E Wills
6938 Private J Wills
6707 Lance-Corporal R T Wills
7448 Sergeant G Wilson
6361 Corporal A Winand
7435 Private G M Wood
7098 Corporal J Wood
9417 Lance-Corporal J W E Wood
8398 Private G Woodnutt
7857 Private G Woodrow
8006 Private J Wright
9534 Private W A E Wright
6383 Private W J Yeoman
7723 Private W Zebedee

The image on this post shows British troops just prior to the Battle of Mons. I've borrowed it from Bob Osborn's Yeovil History website.

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