Army Service Numbers 1881-1918: a 2018 retrospective

As 2018 draws to a close, here's what I achieved this year.

• Including this one, I published 48 Army Service Numbers blog posts
• I wrote 36 Army Ancestry Research  blog posts
• I answered over 500 British Army research enquiries 
• I wrote 23 blog posts on my British Army Ancestors website and added several hundred photos. I know of at least two success stories where members of the public have found ancestors as a result of this new initiative and I remain committed to it
• I set up a British Army Ancestors Facebook page and publish mini biographies daily. Today's post, for instance, features Walter Holmes of the 20th Public Schools Battalion, Royal Fusiliers who is the man seated in the right in the photo at the top of this post.

In addition to the blogging and the tweeting (somewhat reduced this year, and for that matter, I am undecided whether I will stay with Twitter) and the research enquiries, I also continued with my own research projects. I have still to complete Times casualties published in March 1915 but I did complete my transcription of soldiers overseas who were enumerated in the 1911 census. I also completed the publication of my Princess Mary tin data: British soldiers who were captured on or before Christmas Day 1914.

I also ventured into the world of digital publishing. Having won two large book auctions in 2017 I now have digital, fully OCRd copies of the Rifle Brigade Chronicle and King's Royal Rifle Corps Chronicles to 1920. I have a complete run of the RB Chronicle from 1890 to 1920 but I am missing the years 1915 and 1919 for the KRRC Chronicle. I also set up separate pages on this blog offering books for sale and original photographs for sale.

So what else is in store for 2019?

I will continue with the daily posting on the British Army Ancestors Facebook page and I plan enhancements for the site. I may start posting 1911 Census transcriptions on my British Army Ancestors site, and I certainly plan more indexing of men in the army who were enumerated on returns in England, Wales and Ireland.

I will probably post fewer posts on this blog in 2019 but having celebrated 10 years of publishing on this platform this year, I look forward to the start of another decade's publishing.

To all visitors to this blog, I wish you a very happy 2019.

I research soldiers! 

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RAMC - Other Rank PoWs 1914

There are 365 men on this list of men from the Royal Army Medical Corps who were captured by the Germans on or before Christmas Day 1914. I have transcribed this data from the following Imperial War Museum collection:

B.O.2 1/127 is nine-page typed list sent by officer i/c RAMC records (letter to Sir Ernest Goodhart dated 13th February 1919)

My full transcription of these men (not reproduced here) also contains the home address of the majority of the men. 

The full transcription is available for sale for £25. Contact me if you would like to purchase a copy.

For more information about these so-called 'Princess Mary tin PoWs' see my 1914 PoWs page. The majority of these men will also have records published by the International Committee of the Red Cross. Searching is free; finding your man is another matter entirely.

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482 Private G W Adams, 5548 Private J Adams, 3154 Private J B Allan, 3102 Private H Allen, 380 Private R Allen, 5352 Private E Allenby, 3021 Private F I Allery, 8288 Staff Sergeant M Andrews, 3324 Private R Archibald, 6736 Private A C Austin, 5256 Private W A Austin, 3198 Private H E Axten. 

5182 Private G Banister, 3107 Private A Barnacle, 2931 Private W Barnsfather, 3220 Private P Barnwell, 19736 Private C G Bates, 2805 Private J Bell, 7780 Private B Benians, 6800 Private W H Bennett, 6593 Bugler A V Berry, 2916 Private E Betts, 2703 Private T Biggins, 4071 Private W H Blackburn, 8382 Private H Blackman, 5832 Private P Bolger 7349 Private C A Bolton 18816 Sergeant G W Bond 2394 Private I Bowden 7081 Private R Bowles, 7502 Private J G Boyde, 2475 Private R Brady, 3117 Private G H Bramwell, 5073 Private T G N Brands, 6896 Private T Bray, 3303 Private P Brazil, 1081 Private A Bremner, 2739 Private G W Bristow,4448 Private J Brookfield, 3155 Private O Brooks, 1054 Private J S Broom, 1868 Sergeant E B Browne, 19548 Private C E Buckley, 5981 Private W C Bunfield. 

8256 Private E Calvert, 19742 Sergeant F G Cannon, 8653 Private J Canty, 330 Private P Carberry, 6 Private G Cardwell, 3672 Private J Carroll, 3128 Private F J Carter, 7253 Private R Cartier, 6893 Private A Chubb, 14299 Private J Clifford, 8257 Private F Cockburn, 2918 Private F Cockell, 19860 Private H Cockhill, 2796 Private L Cohen, 15698 Staff Sergeant H C F Collier, 18237 Private J Collins, 8146 Private T R L Collinwood, 3088 Private H Conlon, 3031 Private I Connole, 516 Private R Connolly, 16224 Private G Constable, 2417 Private W Constable, 2662 Private R E Conway, 8349 Private W Cook, 18413 Corporal C W Cooke, 997 Corporal T F Corbett, 15700 Private R Corfield, 2533 Private R I Cotton, 6422 Private J Cowie, 2982 Private S R Cowley, 15918 Private C P Craig, 7183 Private J Craig, 4172 Private P Cremin, 2464 Private J Crickett, 6813 Private A O Cromwell, 570 Sergeant G B Crooke, 1345 Private A Crooks, 2874 Private T Cropper, 19828 Private R A Cross, 102 Private D H Crotey, 598 Private W H Cullingford, 3222 Private H Curtis, 7016 Private T Cuthbert.

3163 Private F Dart, 12318 Private F C Dart, 3093 Private J W Davies, 5163 Private R T Davies, 7547 Private T Davies, 6659 Private D Davis, 6123 Private J Delaney, 17966 Private A Denney, 2663 Private M Donoghue, 7167 Private M Donohoe, 7180 Private N Doubleday, 2657 Private D Doyle, 3936 Private A A Duffy, 1216 Private J Dunne, 5169 Private J Durkin, 15299 Private C Dyer, 7668 Private E S Dyer.

7559 Private G Eden, 7627 Private C Edwards, 12791 Private H G Elkins, 12590 Private S Ellingford, 2091 Private T W Elwood, 11236 Sergeant B A Embelin, 109 Corporal A G Emment, 8222 Private C Evans, 12303 Private P S Evans.

3567 Private T Fahey, 3193 Private A Farrell, 18317 Private A Farrell, 2178 Private H E Felstead, 3011 Private W Field, 1841 Private S E Fielding, 1330 Private T M Fisher, 4342 Private T Fitt, 18321 Private A S Fleming, 3497 Private A Foakes, 6973 Private G Foley, 18735 Private W F W Forge, 5966 Private J Forsyth, 15684 Private A Foster, 1852 Private C Frame, 2845 Private G Furber. 

15864 Private W Gale, 7573 Private I Galloway, 7522 Private C W Gambling, 343 Private P Garry, 18234 Private R G Gibbons, 4183 Private S H Girling, 340 Private J Glass, 18197 Private F Good, 6204 Private P Gough, 4434 Private R Graham, 6628 Private A Grant, 9749 Private W Gray, 356 Private G H Green,  2179 Private W Green,  1307 Private J Greenley, 5321 Private W Graham, 6584 Private A G Gwilt. 

2414 Private A S Haggis 7388 Private P G Hancox 2981 Private H Hanke 7511 Private O Harbord 7435 Private H Harrington 18700 Private F Harris 20337 Private F Hatcher 4586 Private A Hazell 17157 Private M Heaver 3632 Private A Henderson 121 Private T B Herbert 7086 Private L C Higgins 6643 Private A F Hill 2174 Private R Hill 4733 Private W Hill 2775 Private W T Hill 6565 Private H Hobbs 2161 Private T R L Hogg 7112 Private F Holtsbaum 18742 Private C Honeybone 2373 Private C C Hope 5819 Private H Hopper 18486 Private T W Huff 4057 Private H Hughes 18593 Private L Hughes 9158 Private W Hurford 4157 Private P Hutchinson

698 Private H Ide 

3140 Private A R Jarvis 1965 Private A C Jebbitt 621 Private R F Jenkins 5741 Private S A Johnson 13459 Private L Johnston 892 Private W Johnston 20356 Corporal W A Jones 1698 Private J Joseph 

5049 Private A Kellett 18528 Private H Kenyon 3221 Private R Keys 1092 Private E King 4169 Private H A King 7957 Private N Kirkham 

13922 Private W Lacey 2735 Private R B Lamb 4785 Private I Lancaster 2915 Private J H Langston 3490 Private M Larry 3130 Private L Lawn 14566 Private A H Lawrence 4647 Private C Lawson 19906 Private S G Letchford 3053 Private F W Lewis 1248 Private C Ley 19352 Corporal A Lightfoot 3194 Private R Lillis 1793 Private A E Lines 147 Private W Lintott 3436 Private O List 16885 Private T Longworth 5870 Private A T Lott 3257 Private A Lovatt 4580 Private F Lowrie 7510 Private S H Lyon 

1843 Staff Sergeant C A Mack 7339 Private J M Main 17006 Private R Mair 2914 Private H Manley 8364 Private A V Mann 501 Private A Marshal 14018 Private P A Massey 5535 Private C H Masters 14870 Private W Mathes 7735 Private W T Maxwell 3899 Private F J Mayes 168 Private I McCarthy 3147 Private J McCarthy 11583 Quartermaster Sergeant W McCarthy 3390 Private A McClay 14922 Private A McDowell 567 Private G McGowan 12490 Private J McKay 6964 Private W Mead 3182 Private W Meehan 10542 Sgt-Major A E Mendell 3375 Private T Middleton 2532 Private H Miller 19004 Private W H Mills 3179 Private G Mitchell 18752 Private W G Mitchell 6674 Private C Moore 7887 Private H Moore 3457 Private M Moore 14941 Private W Moore 17565 Private A E Morgan 3184 Private H S Morris 4617 Private F W Moss 2702 Private T Mullin 2342 Private F W Murray 

6 Private W J Nelms 170 Private D M Newall 3058 Private W H Nicholls 

6687 Private J Oakley 157 Private J O'Brien 524 Private C O'Callaghan 7299 Private T O'Connor 1847 Staff Sergeant R W Ogg 2980 Private W O'Neill 

15696 Corporal W A Page 3236 Private J Palmer 18690 Corporal A E Parkins 5 Private C Patterson 390 Private R Paul 3032 Private W H Pereira 1016 Private R Perston 9198 Private A T Petherbridge 7129 Private C Philpott 2777 Private H Pickford 16253 Private J N Pilling 20028 Private G E Pinckney 15899 Private H G Piper 135 Private F J Pontin 16242 Private A Porter 541 Private E H D Pratt 11968 Private G S Preece 19160 Sergeant F J Preston 6054 Private W G Pugh 

688 Private J Radford 678 Staff Sergeant L Reed 351 Private E Reilly 3205 Private O Reilly 3062 Private W Reilly 3204 Private E Richardson 3207 Private G Richardson 3258 Private R Richardson 3012 Private H Roberts 8892 Private J I Robertson 351 Private J Robinson 916 Private I Roche 15289 Staff Sergeant H R M Rodman 2660 Private E W Rogers 12402 Staff Sergeant T E Rondell 3106 Private F Rose 19028 Private W Russell 11582 Sgt-Major J Ryan 

3132 Private P G Sayer 3233 Private I Scarisbrick 15904 Private A Seeley 8175 Private M Shaw 17540 Private W Shergold 16852 Sergeant G I Short 1861 Corporal J E R Simmons 18957 Sergeant A C Smith 9274 Private B Smith 6441 Private E Smith 18418 Staff Sergeant G Smith 668 Private J Smith 3141 Private J Smith 3208 Private W Smith 19895 Sergeant W Smith 3882 Private F Spencer 6972 Private W R Stanley 6381 Private J Steele 2436 Private C H Stockbridge 11627 Staff Sergeant H Stocker 7505 Private W C H Stroud 5611 Corporal E A Swatton 6727 Private R L Symonds 

19023 Sergeant A Tarbet 1377 Private G Taylor 3217 Private H Taylor 3577 Private J B Taylor 5271 Private S J H Taylor 7587 Private E A Theobald 7652 Private A Thomson 17965 Sergeant T J J Thomson 6854 Private R W Thornton 18604 Staff Sergeant W Tindall 2701 Private D Tormey 3185 Private J Toussaint 2797 Private E G Towells 7251 Private A Trickett 3125 Private A J Trimby 13056 Private A Turner 3025 Private W Tyson 

7602 Private W Vaughan 15643 Private T Vesey 14561 Private F A Vowles 

6575 Private W H Wallis 3478 Private H Walsh 7955 Private J Walsh 509 Private M T Walsh 14582 Private G Ward 6878 Private J Ward 4116 Private E C Warner 1111 Private W D Warrad 17492 Private S Warrington 168 Private T Watkins 5481 Private J C Watts 11424 Sergeant E Weavis 6410 Private E Wells 1325 Private C W Westlake 15716 Private J Whiffin 15995 Private J Whittaker 701 Private A B Wilkins 699 Private A S Wilkins 20703 Private W Wilkins 178 Corporal A E A Wilkinson 3148 Private C A Williams 5912 Private R Williams 5912 Pte Robert Williams 534 Private W Williams 2019 Private S J Williamson 3145 Private C W M Wills 50 Lance-Corporal H Wilson 19453 Sergeant A C Wingate 1 Private F S Wood 922 Private C Woods 6586 Private T H Woods 14843 Private T G Wort

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Army Ordnance Corps - Other rank PoWs 1914

Because I'm essentially a kind-hearted soul, I've included these men's home addresses in this extract of AOC men captured by the Germans on or before Christmas Day 1914. The source of this information is B.O.2 1/128, a two-page typed list sent by the Royal Army Ordnance Corps Prisoners of War Help Committee to Sir Ernest Goodhart on the 18th December 1918. 

For more information on the collection of which these records form a small part, please read my 1914 PoWs page.

The unfortunate Pows are:

T184 Armourer Quartermaster-Sergeant W H Bonaker A944 Armourer Staff-Sergeant G Broome; 1 Selsey Avenue, Selsey Road, Smethwick 09847 Private E C Evans; 23 Elton Road, Mount Pleasant, Exeter T183 Acting Quartermaster-Sergeant W Farmer; 20 Malt Hill, Grantham A1093 Armourer Staff-Sergeant A Hudson; c/o Mrs T Coates, High Street, Helmsley (RSO), Yorks 026298 Private H J Marks; 35 Mortimer Street, Trowbridge, Wilts S6121 Acting Staff-Sergeant E McCahey; 3 Macoma Road, Plumstead, London A860 Armourer Quartermaster-Sergeant D J Niblock; 40 Newton Road, Sparkhill, Birmingham A/900 Armourer Staff-Sergeant W Nichols; 1 Melrose Avenue, Walford Road, Sparkbook, Birmingham 03668 Private J Palmer; 36 Lime Street, South Moor, Stanley, County Durham T969 Armourer Staff-Sergeant A K Trench; 66 Chesterfield Road, St Andrews Park, Bristol

I research soldiers! 

Contact me if you need help.