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6 March 2021

Cameronians (Scottish Rifles) - 6th Battalion (TF) - 1908-1914


This is my final post on the Territorial Force battalions of the Cameronians (Scottish Rifles) and this one will focus on the 6th Battalion. This was the only one of the four Territorial Force battalions to be headquartered outside Glasgow and it was administered by the Lanarkshire County Association whereas the other three battalions were all administered by the City of Glasgow Association. In this post I will look at regimental numbering in the 6th Battalion (TF), The Cameronians (Scottish Rifles) between 1908 and 1914.

The 6th Battalion was formed on the 1st April 1908 and prior to this had been the 2nd Volunteer Battalion, Scottish Rifles. The Territorial Year Book for 1909 recorded that the battalion strength was 25 officers and 722 men. 352 men attended camp in 1908 for 8 days, with eight 300 men attending for 15 days.

The following year, The Territorial Year Book for 1910 recorded that the strength was 25 officers and 957 men and at the annual camp at Troon in 1909, 363 officers and men had attended for eight days whilst 589 officers and men had attended for 15 days. Colour-Sergeant T Lavin was the best shot of the unit. Camp in 1910 was scheduled from the 16th July at Denny.

The battalion was headquartered at Muirhall, Hamilton drew its recruits from the following areas:

A Company: Muirhall, Hamilton
B Company: Muirhall, Hamilton
C Company: Uddingston
D Company: Larkhall, with a drill station at Strathaven
E Company: Bothwell, with a drill station at Palace Colliery
F Company: Blantyre
G Company: Motherwell
H Company: Motherwell

The battalion formed part of the Scottish Rifle Brigade with the Lowland Division.

Here are some sample regimental numbers and joining dates for the the 6th Battalion (TF), The Cameronians (Scottish Rifles). The battalion started a new number series beginning at 1 on the 1st April 1908.

3 joined on the 1st April 1908
798 joined on the 26th February 1909
1144 joined on the 8th March 1910
1326 joined on the 9th February 1911
1610 joined on the 15th April 1912
1707 joined on the 4th April 1913
1975 joined on the 26th March 1914
2180 joined on the 7th August 1914

Use the regimental numbers above to estimate when a man would have joined this battalion between 1908 and August 1914. For example if your man's number was 1500 he would have joined the battalion between February 1911 and April 1912. Furthermore, if he came from Motherwell, he probably served in G or H Company. 

The photograph on this post shows officers of the 1/6th Battalion. It was published in The Tatler on the 28th April 1915.

You may find these related posts of interest:

3rd (Special Reserve) Battalion
4th (Extra Reserve) Battalion

Remember. I research soldiers!

To search for photos of your Scottish Rifles ancestors, check my British Army Ancestors website.
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Cameronians (Scottish Rifles) - 8th Battalion (TF) - 1908-1914


The 8th Battalion, Cameronians (Scottish Rifles) was formed on the 1st April 1908 and prior to this had been the 4th Volunteer Battalion, Scottish Rifles. The Territorial Year Book for 1909 recorded that the battalion strength was 25 officers and 584 men. Sergeant J Miller was the best shot of the unit. 112 men attended camp in 1908 for 8 days, 33 men attended for between 9 and 14 days, and an impressive total of 408 men attended for 15 days.

The following year, The Territorial Year Book for 1910 recorded that the strength had increased to 25 officers and 938 men and at the annual camp in 1909, 223 officers and men had attended for eight days whilst 655 officers and men had attended for 15 days. Private W J Clark of A Company was the best shot of the unit. Camp in 1910 was scheduled from the 16th July at Denny.

The battalion was headquartered at 149 Cathedral Street, Glasgow and, in common with the 5th and 7th Battalions was administered by the City of Glasgow County Association, drawing all of its recruits from Glasgow. It also formed part of the Scottish Rifle Brigade in the Lowland Division.

Here are some sample regimental numbers and joining dates for the the 8th Battalion (TF), The Cameronians (Scottish Rifles). The battalion did not start a new regimental number series from 1 on the 1st April 1908, but rather continued with the number series that had been in use for the 4th Volunteer Battalion. There is a wealth of surviving service records for men of this battalion who joined in April 1908, many of these numbers in the 4000s and lower. These are all men who joined from the 4th VB, bringing their old VB numbers with them.

7366 (formerly 4th VB) joined on the 6th April 1908
8145 joined on the 13th February 1909
8604 joined on the 31st January 1910
8733 joined on the 13th March 1911
8852 joined on the 22nd April 1912
9157 joined on the 27th February 1914
9403 joined on the 5th August 1914
9638 joined on the 29th September 1914

By December 1914 the battalion reached number 9999 and started a new number series from 1.

Use the regimental numbers above to estimate when a man would have joined this battalion between 1908 and September 1914. For example if your man's number was 9500 he would have joined the battalion between  August and September 1914. 

The photo shows a regular soldier of The Cameronians (Scottish Rifles) when he was stationed in India.

3rd (Special Reserve) Battalion
4th (Extra Reserve) Battalion
 
Battalion history, With the 8th Scottish Rifles 1914-1919, available from Naval & Military Press.


Remember. I research soldiers! Drop me a line 

To search for photos of your Scottish Rifles ancestors, check my British Army Ancestors website.
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5 March 2021

Cameronians (Scottish Rifles) - 7th Battalion (TF) - 1908-1914


Here's another Scottish Rifles post. This time I will be looking at regimental numbering in the 7th Battalion (TF), The Cameronians (Scottish Rifles) between 1908 and 1914.

The 7th Battalion was formed on the 1st April 1908 and prior to this had been the 3rd Lanark Rifle Volunteers. The Territorial Year Book for 1909 recorded that the battalion strength was 35 officers and 453 men. Colour Sergeant J L Main was the best shot of the unit. 193 men attended camp in 1908 for 8 days, with 196 men attending for 15 days.

The following year, The Territorial Year Book for 1910 recorded that the strength was 8 officers and 774 men and at the annual camp at Troon in 1909, 360 officers and men had attended for eight days whilst 391 officers and men had attended for 15 days. Private W J Clark of A Company was the best shot of the unit. Camp in 1910 was scheduled from the 16th July at Denny.

The battalion was headquartered at Victoria Road, Glasgow and, in common with the 5th and 8th Battalions was administered by the City of Glasgow County Association, drawing all of its recruits from Glasgow. It too formed part of the Scottish Rifle Brigade with the Lowland Division.

Here are some sample regimental numbers and joining dates for the the 7th Battalion (TF), The Cameronians (Scottish Rifles). The battalion started a new regimental number series from 1 on the 1st April 1908, the bulk of the numbers in 1908 being issued to serving members of the old Volunteer Force predecessor battalion.

22 joined on the 1st April 1908
554 joined on the 15th March 1909
964 joined on the 9th March 1910
1034 joined on the 28th January 1911
1110 joined on the 30th January 1912
1228 joined on the 5th February 1913
1409 joined on the 21st January 1914
1616 joined on the 7th August 1914

Use the regimental numbers above to estimate when a man would have joined this battalion between 1908 and August 1914. For example if your man's number was 1500 he would have joined the battalion between January and August 1914. 

3rd (Special Reserve) Battalion
4th (Extra Reserve) Battalion

Remember. I research soldiers!

To search for photos of your Scottish Rifles ancestors, check my British Army Ancestors website.
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Cameronians (Scottish Rifles) - 5th Battalion (TF) - 1908-1914


In this post I will look at regimental numbering in the 5th Battalion (TF), The Cameronians (Scottish Rifles) between 1908 and 1914.

The 5th Battalion was formed on the 1st April 1908 and prior to this had been the 1st Lanarkshire Volunteer Rifle Corps. The Territorial Year Book for 1909 recorded that the battalion strength was 40 officers and 592 men. Sergeant D Reid was the best shot of the unit. Thirty officers and 339 men attended camp in 1908 for 8 days, with eight officers and 123 men attending for 15 days.

The following year, The Territorial Year Book for 1910 recorded that the strength was 37 officers and 896 men and at the annual camp at Troon in 1909, 531 officers and men had attended for eight days whilst 313 officers and men had attended for 15 days. Colour-Sergeant Instructor Kensit was the best shot of the unit. Camp in 1910 was scheduled from the 16th July at Denny.

The battalion was headquartered at 261 West Princes Street, Glasgow and, togther with the 7th and 8th Battalions of the same regiment, was administered by the City of Glasgow County Association. The battalion drew all of its recruits from the City of Glasgow and formed part of the Scottish Rifle Brigade with the Lowland Division.

Here are some sample regimental numbers and joining dates for the the 5th Battalion (TF), The Cameronians (Scottish Rifles). Unlike the majority of newly formed Territorial Force battalions, the 5th Scottish Rifles did not start a new regimental number series from 1 but carried on from where the old Volunteer Force numbering had left off.

5161 joined on the 13th April 1908
5882 joined on the 22nd March 1909
6106 joined on the 17th February 1910
6268 joined on the 15th March 1911
6345 joined on the 23rd February 1912
6601 joined on the 9th May 1913
6736 joined on the 27th January 1914
6820 joined on the 5th August 1914

The battalion reached the number 9999 in September 1915 and then commenced a new number series beginning from 1. (So beware gleeful eBay sellers proclaiming "low number!" when selling their 5th Battalion Scottish Rifles medals. Here, a low number does not equal an early enlistment. Gets me every time).

Use the regimental numbers above to estimate when a man would have joined this battalion between 1908 and August 1914. For example if your man's number was 6000 he would have joined the battalion between March 1909 and February 1910. 

The photo on this post shows officers of the 1/5th Battalion. It was published in The Tatler on the 28th April 1915.

Also see these related posts:

3rd (Special Reserve) Battalion

Remember. I research soldiers!

To search for photos of your Scottish Rifles ancestors, check my British Army Ancestors website.
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