Cheshire Regiment - 7th Battalion (TF) - 1908-1914

This post will look at regimental numbering in the 7th Battalion, Cheshire Regiment between 1908 and 1914.

The 7th Battalion was formed on the 1st April 1908, taking in men from the former 5th Volunteer Battalion. The Territorial Year Book for 1909 recorded that the battalion strength was 20 officers and 677 men. The battalion had firing ranges at Congleton, Macclesfield and Nantwich, and Sergeant G Barton was the best shot of the battalion. At the annual camp at Abergavenny in 1908, 203 officers and men attended for eight days whilst 642 officers and men attended for 15 days.

The following year, The Territorial Year Book for 1910 recorded that the strength was 28 officers and 974 men. At the annual camp at Conway in 1909, 173 officers and men had attended for 8 days whilst 818 officers and men had attended for 15 days.

having been headquartered at Congleton in 1908 and 1909, by 1914 the battalion's HQ had re-located to Macclesfield, and the battalion's eight companies drew men from the following areas.

A Company: Congleton

B Company: Congleton, with a drill statioin at Bollington

C & D Companies: Macclesfield

E Company: Winsford

F Company: Nantwich, with a drill station at Crewe

G Company: Sandbach

H Company: Wilmslow

The battalion formed part of the Cheshire Infantry Brigade in the Welsh Division.

Understanding the company distribution is important if you know where your 7th Battalion soldier lived as it would likely suggest the company he served with. For instance, men living in Sandbach and wishing to join this battalion would have logically been assigned to H Company. (Note that such logic was abandoned after 4th August 1914).

Here are some sample regimental numbers and joining dates for the 7th Battalion, Cheshire Regiment.

34 joined on the 7th April 1908
1133 joined on the 31st March 1909
1232 joined on the 2nd December 1910
1251 joined on the 5th January 1911
1466 joined on the 30th May 1912
1573 joined on the 27th January1913
1888 joined on the 17th March 1914
2018 joined on the 6th August 1914

Use these regimental numbers to approximate when a man would have joined this battalion between 1908 and August 1914. For example if your man's number was 1234 he would have joined the battalion between December 1910 and January 1911. 

The photo on this post was originally published in The Tatler on the 20th October 1915 and shows officers of the 2/5th Battalion, Cheshire Regiment.

Cheshire Regiment - 6th Battalion (TF) - 1908-1914

This post will look at regimental numbering in the 6th Battalion, Cheshire Regiment between 1908 and 1914.

The 6th Battalion was formed on the 1st April 1908, taking in men from the former 4th Volunteer Battalion. The Territorial Year Book for 1909 recorded that the battalion strength was 35 officers and 652 men. The battalion had a firing range at Coombes Moss, 16 miles from its HQ at The Armoury, Stockport and Sergeant L Darwent was the best shot of the battalion. At the annual camp in 1908, 221 officers and men attended for eight days whilst 372 officers and men attended for 15 days.

The following year, the The Territorial Year Book for 1910 recorded that the strength was 35 officers and 845 men. At the annual camp at Conway in 1909, 192 officers and men had attended for 8 days whilst 590 officers and men had attended for 15 days. Brigade camp in 1910 was scheduled for Aberystwyth from the 15th May.

By 1914 the battalion was still headquartered at Stockport, and the battalion's eight companies drew men from the following areas.

A & B Companies: Stalybridge

C Company: Hyde

D Company: Glossop, with a drill station at Hadfield

E, F, G & H Companies: Stockport

The battalion formed part of the Cheshire Infantry Brigade in the Welsh Division.

Understanding the company distribution is important if you know where your 6th Battalion soldier lived as it would likely suggest the company he served with. For instance, men living in Hyde and wishing to join this battalion would have logically been assigned to C Company. (Note that such logic was largely abandoned after 4th August 1914).

Here are some sample regimental numbers and joining dates for the 6th Battalion, Cheshire Regiment.

310 joined on the 14th April 1908
658 joined on the  23rd February 1909
919 joined on the 9th February 1910
1124 joined on the 5th December 1911
1171 joined on the 25th January 1912
1318 joined on the 21st January 1913
1609 joined on the 25th February 1914
2545 joined on the 29th September 1914

Use these regimental numbers to approximate when a man would have joined this battalion between 1908 and September 1914. For example if your man's number was 1234 he would have joined the battalion between January 1912 and January 1913.

Cheshire Regiment - 5th Battalion (TF) - 1908-1914

This post will look at regimental numbering in the 5th (Earl of Chester's) Battalion, Cheshire Regiment between 1908 and 1914.

The 5th Battalion was formed on the 1st April 1908, taking in men from the former 2nd and 3rd Volunteer Battalions. The Territorial Year Book for 1909 recorded that the battalion strength was 28 officers and 754 men. The battalion had a firing range at Altcar, 26 miles from its HQ at 8 Black Friars, Chester, and Colour Sergeant W H Harvey was the best shot of the battalion. At the annual camp at Abergavenny in 1908, 177 officers and men attended for eight days whilst 477 officers and men attended for 15 days.

The following year, the The Territorial Year Book for 1910 recorded that the strength was 30 officers and 895 men. Private F Osmond was the best shot of the unit and at the annual camp in 1909 (at Conway), 95 officers and men had attended for 8 days whilst 665 officers and men had attended for 15 days.

By 1914 the battalion was headquartered at Vounteer Street, Chester and the battalion's companies drew men from the following areas.

A Company: Altrincham, with a drill station at Knutsford

B Company: Chester, with a drill station at Kelsall

C Company: Sale, with a drill station at Cheadle

D Company: Hartford

E Company: Chester

F Company: Frodsham, with a drill station at Lymm

G Company: Runcorn

H Company: Hartford

The battalion formed part of the Cheshire Infantry Brigade in the Welsh Division.

Understanding the company distribution is important if you know where your 5th Battalion soldier lived as it would likely suggest the company he served with. For instance, men living in Hartford and wishing to join this battalion would have logically been assigned to D or H Company. (Note that such logic went out of the window after 4th August 1914).

Here are some sample regimental numbers and joining dates for the 5th Battalion, Cheshire Regiment.

104 joined on the 7th April 1908
565 joined on the 17th February 1909
1210 joined on the 16th February 1910
1285 joined on the 14th February 1911
1512 joined on the 22nd April 1912
1723 joined on the 3rd February 1913
1961 joined on the 26th February 1914
2212 joined on the 9th August 1914

Use these regimental numbers to approximate when a man would have joined this battalion between 1908 and August 1914. For example if your man's number was 1234 he would have joined the battalion between February 1910 and February 1911. 

The photo on this post was originally published in The Tatler on the 20th October 1915 and shows officers of the 2/5th Battalion, Cheshire Regiment.