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.