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24 October 2021

West Yorkshire Regiment - 4th (Extra Reserve) Battalion

West Yorkshire Regiment colours

This post will look at regimental numbering in the 4th (Extra Reserve) Battalion of the West Yorkshire Regiment between 1908 and 1914. T
he Special Reserve and the Extra Reserve were the natural heirs to the militia battalions which, for the most part they replaced in 1908. My 2009 article on the Creation of the Special Reserve in 1908 may be helpful here.

Both West Yorkshire Regiment militia battalions survived in all but name when the Special Reserve was created in 1908. Men who were then serving with the 3rd (Militia) Battalion, were asked if they wanted to continue to serve with the newly formed 3rd (Special Reserve) Battalion, and men who were then serving with the 4th (Militia) Battalion, were asked if they wanted to contunue to serve with the newly formed 4th (Extra Reserve) Battalion. 

Men joining the militia and special/extra reserve were not career soldiers. The Army Book for the British Empire, published in 1893 provided a useful summary of the militia when it noted:

"Its object is to maintain in the United Kingdom a trained body of men available "in case of imminent national danger or great emergency" to supplement the regular army in the defence of the country.

"It offers military service to the class of men willing to give it for a month in the year for training of for the term of their engagement on emergency, but whose avocations do not lead them to become either regular soldiers or volunteers."

Most 1914 Star rolls show plenty of evidence of Special Reserve and Extra Reserve men who served alongside career soldiers. Sometimes their numbers are prefixed by the number of their battalion - typically a 3/ or 4/ in most line infantry regiments - but just as often there will be no prefix.

Confusingly, for those with an interest in West Yorkshire Regiment regimental numbers, the series used by the 4th Battalion pretty much kept pace with the series used by the 3rd Battalion, but both were distinct series and that is important to remember. Also important to note is that when these men were called up as drafts for the regular 1st and 2nd Battalions from August 1914, they retained their original 3rd and 4th Battalion regimental numbers.

Here are some sample regimental numbers and joining dates for the 4th (Extra Reserve) Battalion, West Yorkshire Regiment:

5727 joined on 27th June1908, but this number had originally been issued to this man when he joined the 4th (Militia) Bn in 1903
6886 joined on 1st June 1909
7322 joined on 31st January 1910
7411 joined on 16th February 1911
7656 joined on 2nd May 1912
7845 joined on 26th February 1913
8067 joined on 25th February 1914
8277 joined on 5th August 1914

Do also read of some of the articles towards the bottom of the Army Service Numbers 1881-1918 index
Remember. I research soldiers!

To search for West Yorkshire Regiment photos, check my British Army Ancestors website 

West Yorkshire Regiment - 3rd (Special Reserve) Battalion

West Yorkshire Regiment colours

This post will look at regimental numbering in the 3rd (Special Reserve) Battalion of the West Yorkshire Regiment between 1908 and 1914. T
he Special Reserve and the Extra Reserve were the natural heirs to the militia battalions which, for the most part they replaced in 1908. My 2009 article on the Creation of the Special Reserve in 1908 may be helpful here.

Both West Yorkshire Regiment militia battalions survived in all but name when the Special Reserve was created in 1908. Men who were then serving with the 3rd (Militia) Battalion, were asked if they wanted to continue to serve with the newly formed 3rd (Special Reserve) Battalion, and men who were then serving with the 4th (Militia) Battalion, were asked if they wanted to contunue to serve with the newly formed 4th (Extra Reserve) Battalion. 

Men joining the militia and special/extra reserve were not career soldiers. The Army Book for the British Empire, published in 1893 provided a useful summary of the militia when it noted:

"Its object is to maintain in the United Kingdom a trained body of men available "in case of imminent national danger or great emergency" to supplement the regular army in the defence of the country.

"It offers military service to the class of men willing to give it for a month in the year for training of for the term of their engagement on emergency, but whose avocations do not lead them to become either regular soldiers or volunteers."

Most 1914 Star rolls show plenty of evidence of Special Reserve and Extra Reserve men who served alongside career soldiers. Sometimes their numbers are prefixed by the number of their battalion - typically a 3/ or 4/ in most line infantry regiments - but just as often there will be no prefix.

Confusingly, for those with an interest in West Yorkshire Regiment regimental numbers, the series used by the 3rd Battalion pretty much kept pace with the series used by the 4th Battalion, but both were distinct series and that is important to remember. Also important to note is that when these men were called up as drafts for the regular 1st and 2nd Battalions from August 1914, they retained their original 3rd and 4th Battalion regimental numbers.

Here are some sample regimental numbers and joining dates for the 3rd (Special Reserve) Battalion, West Yorkshire Regiment:

6207 joined on 27th June1908, but this number had originally been issued to this man when he joined the 3rd (Militia) Bn in 1902
7695 joined on 22nd February 1909
7907 joined on 13th January 1910
8108 joined on 31st May 1911
8363 joined on 12th July 1912
8533 joined on 27th May 1913
8703 joined on 26th January 1914
8869 joined on 12th August 1914
9723 joined on 2nd September 1914
10198 joined on 3rd October 1914

Do also read of some of the articles towards the bottom of the Army Service Numbers 1881-1918 index
Remember. I research soldiers!

To search for West Yorkshire Regiment photos, check my British Army Ancestors website 

Connaught Rangers - 4th (Extra Reserve) Battalion

Connaught Rangers regimental insignia

This post will look at regimental numbering in the 4th (Extra Reserve) Battalion of the Connaught Rangers between 1908 and 1914. T
he Special Reserve and the Extra Reserve were the natural heirs to the militia battalions which, for the most part they replaced in 1908. My 2009 article on the Creation of the Special Reserve in 1908 may be helpful here.

Both Connaught Rangers militia battalions survived in all but name when the Special Reserve was introduced in 1908. Men who were then serving with the 4th (Militia) Battalion, were asked if they wanted to continue to serve with the newly formed 3rd (Special Reserve) Battalion, and men who were then serving with the 5th (Militia) Battalion, were asked if they wanted to contunue to serve with the newly formed 4th (Extra Reserve) Battalion. 

Men joining the militia and special/extra reserve were not career soldiers. The Army Book for the British Empire, published in 1893 provided a useful overview of the militia when it noted:

"Its object is to maintain in the United Kingdom a trained body of men available "in case of imminent national danger or great emergency" to supplement the regular army in the defence of the country.

"It offers military service to the class of men willing to give it for a month in the year for training of for the term of their engagement on emergency, but whose avocations do not lead them to become either regular soldiers or volunteers."

Most 1914 Star rolls show plenty of evidence of Special Reserve and Extra Reserve men who served alongside career soldiers. Sometimes their numbers are prefixed by the number of their battalion - typically a 3/ or 4/ in most line infantry regiments - but just as often there will be no prefix.

Confusingly, for those with an interest in Connaught Rangers regimental numbers, the series used by the 4th Battalion pretty much kept pace with the series used by the 3rd Battalion, but both were distinct series and that is important to remember. Also important to note is that when these men were called up as drafts for the regular 1st and 2nd Battalions from August 1914, they retained their original 3rd and 4th Battalion regimental numbers.

Extra Reserve numbering appears to begin in August 1908 with numbers below circa 3800 all being men who formerly served with the 5th (Militia) Battalion and simply re-used their old militia regimental numbers. 

Here are some sample regimental numbers and joining dates for the 4th Connaught Rangers:

3325 joined on 2nd August 1908 (but this number had originally been issued to this man when he joined the 5th (Militia) Bn in April 1905
4082 joined on 6th January 1909
4218 joined on 1st January 1910
4423 joined on 18th February 1911
4606 joined on 2nd April 1912
4663 joined on 8th January 1913
4769 joined on 23rd January 1914
4857 joined on 3rd September 1914
5078 joined on 28th December 1914

Do also read of some of the articles towards the bottom of the Army Service Numbers 1881-1918 index
Remember. I research soldiers!

To search for Connaught Rangers photos, check my British Army Ancestors website 

Connaught Rangers - 3rd (Special Reserve) Battalion

Connaught Rangers, Gale & Polden


This post will look at regimental numbering in the 3rd (Special Reserve) Battalion of the Connaught Rangers between 1908 and 1914. The Special Reserve and the Extra Reserve were the natural heirs to the militia battalions which, for the most part, they replaced in 1908. My 2009 article on the Creation of the Special Reserve in 1908 may be helpful here.

Both Connaught Rangers militia battalions survived in all but name when the Special Reserve was introduced in 1908. Men who were then serving with the 4th (Militia) Battalion, were asked if they wanted to contunue to serve with the newly formed 3rd (Special Reserve) Battalion, and men who were then serving with the 5th (Militia) Battalion, were asked if they wanted to contunue to serve with the newly formed 4th (Extra Reserve) Battalion. 

Men joining the militia and special/extra reserve were not career soldiers. The Army Book for the British Empire, published in 1893 provided a useful overview of the militia when it noted:

"Its object is to maintain in the United Kingdom a trained body of men available "in case of imminent national danger or great emergency" to supplement the regular army in the defence of the country.

"It offers military service to the class of men willing to give it for a month in the year for training of for the term of their engagement on emergency, but whose avocations do not lead them to become either regular soldiers or volunteers."

Most 1914 Star rolls show plenty of evidence of Special Reserve and Extra Reserve men who served alongside career soldiers. Sometimes their numbers are prefixed by the number of their battalion - typically a 3/ or 4/ in most line infantry regiments - but just as often there will be no prefix.

Confusingly, for those with an interest in Connaught Rangers regimental numbers, the series used by the 3rd Battalion pretty much kept pace with the series used by the 4th Battalion, but both were distinct series and that is important to remember. Also important to note is that when these men were called up as drafts for the regular 1st and 2nd Battalions from August 1914, they retained their original 3rd and 4th Battalion regimental numbers.

Speical Reserve numbering appears to begin in August 1908 with numbers below circa 3000 all being men who formerly served with the 4th (Militia) Battalion and simply re-used their old militia regimental numbers. 

Here are some sample regimental numbers and joining dates for the 3rd Connaught Rangers:

2523 joined on 2nd August 1908 (but this number had originally been issued to this man when he joined the 4th (Militia) Bn pre-1899
3559 joined on 3rd November 1908
3669 joined on 11th September 1909
3699 joined on 1st February 1910
3869 joined on 1st February 1911
4093 joined on 29th August 1912
4155 joined on 21st January 1913
4261 joined on 12th January 1914
4311 joined on 10th September 1914
4483 joined on 7th October 1914
4740 joined on 2nd November 1914
5118 joined on 1st December 1914

Do also read of some of the articles towards the bottom of the Army Service Numbers 1881-1918 index
Remember. I research soldiers!

To search for Connaught Rangers photos, check my British Army Ancestors website