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

This post will look at regimental numbering in the 5th Battalion, Devonshire Regiment between 1908 and 1914.

The 5th Battalion was formed on the 1st April 1908, taking in men from the former 2nd and 5th (Hay Tor) Volunteer Battalions which had been amalgamated to meet the requirements of the Territorial Forces Act of 1907. It was headquartered at Millbay, Plymouth.

The Territorial Year Book for 1909 recorded that the battalion strength was 33 officers and 693 men. Private F Slade of F Company (Torquay) was the best shot of the battalion and at the annual camp in 1908, 279 officers and men attended for eight days whilst 306 officers and men attended for 15 days.

The following year, The Territorial Year Book for 1910 recorded that the strength was 37 officers and 821 men. Corporal W Coways was the best shot this year and at the annual camp at Whitchurch Down in 1909, 273 officers and men had attended for 8 days whilst 493 officers and men had attended for 15 days. Camp for 1910 was scheduled for West Down South from the 23rd July.

The battalion's eight companies drew men from the following areas.

A Company: Tavistock
B Company: Plymouth
C Company: Plymouth, with drill stations at Ivybridge & Kingsbridge
D Company: Devonport
E Company: Newton Abbot, with a drill station at Chudleigh
F Company: Teignmouth, with drill stations at dawlish and Torquay
G Company: Moretion Hampstead, with drill stations at Bovey Tracey and Chagford
H Company: Totnes, with drill stations at Ashburton and Buckfastleigh

The battalion formed part of the Devon & Cornwall Infantry Brigade in the Wessex 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 Devonport and wishing to join this battalion would have logically been assigned to D Company. (Note that such logic was largely abandoned after 4th August 1914).

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

861 joined on the 20th November 1908
978 joined on the 17th March 1909
1044 joined on the 20th January 1910
1354 joined on the 22nd February 1911
1591 joined on the 2nd September 1913
1803 joined on the 26th May 1914
1887 joined on the 7th August 1914
2094 joined on the 3rd September 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 1900 he would have joined the battalion between August and September 1914.

The undated image on this post shows men of the 4th Battalion band. To search for photos of your Devonshire Regiment ancestors, check my British Army Ancestors website.

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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.

Norfolk Regiment - 5th Bn (TF)

In this post I will be looking at regimental numbering in the 5th (Territorial Force) Battalion, Norfolk Regiment between 1908 and 1914. 

On the 1st April 1908, the 5th Battalion, Norfolk Regiment was formed from what had previously been the 3rd Volunteer Battalion, Norfolk Regiment. The newly formed 5th (TF) Battalion was headquartered at East Dereham and distributed as follows:

A Company: King's Lynn

B Company: Downham, with drill stations at Hunstanton, Thornham, Hilgay and Stoke Ferry

C Company: Fakenham, with drill stations at Wells, Syderstone, Aylsham and Corpusty

D Company: Dereham, with drill stations at Castle Acre and Swaffham

E Company: Sandringham, with drill stations at Dersingham, Wolderton, Hillington and West Newton

F Company: Cromer, with drill stations at Melton Constable, Holt, Sheringham, North Walsham, and Gunton

G Company: Great Yarmouth

H Company: Great Yarmouth

By August 1914 the battalion formed part of the Norfolk & Suffolk Infantry Brigade in the East Anglian Division. 

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

353 joined on the 22nd April 1908 

1323 joined on the 14th May 1910 

1480 joined on the 10th May 1911 

1582 joined on the 3rd January 1912 

1816 joined on the 14th January 1913 

2077 joined on the 13th January 1914 

2187 joined on the 4th August 1914 

A reserve or ‘second-line’ battalion was formed at East Dereham in September 1914, the original 5th Battalion now becoming the 1/5th Battalion and the new reserve battalion becoming the 2/5th Battalion. A 3/5th Battalion was formed at East Dereham in early 1915 but never served overseas.  All three battalions - the 1/5th, 2/5th, 3/5th - issued numbers from the same regimental number series and from 1917 reissued numbers to serving soldiers and to new recruits from a brand new regimental numbers series which began at 240001 and extended to 265000. 

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 had the number 1700 and lived in Holt he would have joined the battalion between January 1912 and January 1913 - and probably served with F Company. 

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To search for photos of your Norfolk Regiment ancestors, check my British Army Ancestors website.

Yorkshire Regiment - 5th Bn (TF)

This post will look at regimental numbering in the 5th (Territorial Force) Battalion, Alexandra Princess of Wales's Own (Yorkshire Regiment) between 1908 and 1914. 

On the 1st April 1908, the 5th Battalion, Yorkshire Regiment was formed from the amalgamation of the 2nd Volunteer Battalion, East Yorkshire Regiment, and the 2nd Volunteer Battalion, Yorkshire Regiment. The 2nd VB, East Yorkshire Regiment had had six companies at Howden, Bridlington, Beverley, Driffield, Market Weighton and Hessle. Meanwhile, the 2nd VB, Yorkshire Regiment had had seven under-strength companies at Malton, Hovingham, Scarborough (two companies and the HQ), Hemsley and Pickering. The newly formed 5th (TF) Battalion was headquartered at Scarborough and distributed as follows:

A Company: Market Weighton, with drill stations at Pocklington, Newbald and Stamford Bridge

B Company: Bridlington, with drill stations at Filey, Hunmanby and Flamborough

C Company: Beverley, with a drill station at Cottingham

D Company: Driffield, with a drill station at Sledmere

E Company: Scarborough

F Company: Scarborough

G Company: Pickering, with drill stations at Helmsley, Kirbymoorside, Grosmont, Ebberston and Thornton Dale

H Company: Malton, with drill stations at Sand Hutton, Sheriff Hutton and Hovingham

By August 1914 the battalion formed part of the York & Durham Infantry Brigade in the Northumbrian Division. 

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

29 joined on the 4th May 1908 

726 joined on the 2nd March 1909

1022 joined on the 19th February 1910 

1149 joined on the 29th March 1911 

1244 joined on the 16th April 1912 

1453 joined on the 2nd May 1913 

1608 joined on the 20th March 1914 

1784 joined on the 12th August 1914 

A reserve or ‘second-line’ battalion was formed at Scarborough in September 1914, the original 5th Battalion now becoming the 1/5th Battalion and the new reserve battalion becoming the 2/5th Battalion. The Long, Long Trail website picks up the story of the 2/5th:

"Moved to Darlington in November 1914 and Benton in April 1915. Later moved to Catterick. On 1 March 1915 came under orders of 189th Brigade, 63rd (2nd Northumbrian) Division, which was broken up in July 1916. All category A1 men, now deemed by the Military Service Act to be available for overseas service, were posted. On 9 November 1916, battalion transferred to 220th Brigade, 73rd Division and moved to Blackpool. By January 1917 was at Chelmsford. 29 March 1918, disbanded in England."

A 3/5th Battalion was formed at Scarborough in March 1915 but never served overseas.  All three battalions - the 1/5th, 2/5th, 3/5th - issued numbers from the same regimental number series and from 1917 reissued numbers to serving soldiers and to new recruits from a brand new regimental numbers series which began at 240001 and extended to 265000. 

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 had the number 1500 and lived in Driffield, he would have joined the battalion in 1913 - and probably served with D Company. 

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To search for photos of your Yorkshire Regiment ancestors, check my British Army Ancestors website.

East Yorkshire Regiment - 5th (Cyclist) Bn (TF)

This post will look at numbering in the 4th (Territorial Force) Battalion of the East Yorkshire Regiment between 1908 and 1914. Information on this post has been compiled as a result of looking at service records in the WO 363 and WO 364 series at the National Archives; now also widely available online from various providers.

The 5th East Yorkshire Regiment had no Volunteer Force predecessor although it got off to a flying start in April 1908 when 90 NCOs and men who had formerly served with the Cyclist Company of the 1st Volunteer Battalion signed up to the newly formed 5th (Cyclist) Battalion. The newly formed 5th Battalion, which was headquartered at Park Street, Hull commenced a new number series from 1 in April 1908 and drew its men from the following areas:

A, B, C & D Companies: Hull

E Company: Howden, with drill stations at North Cave and Staddlethorpe

F Company: Beverley, with drill stations at Hessle, Market Weighton and Pocklington

G Company: Bridlington, with drill stations Driffield, Hunmanby and Filey

H Company: Hornsea, with drill stations at Hedon and Withernsea

The battalion was attached to Northern Command.

440 joined on 16th November 1908
468 joined on 1st March 1909
618 joined on 23rd August 1910
633 joined on 23rd January 1911
704 joined on 18th March 1912
836 joined on 27th May 1913
882 joined on 2nd January 1914
1042 joined on 17th 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 had the number 800 and lived in Hull, he would probably have joined the battalion in 1913 and would have served with one of the Hull companies (A to D). 

Remember. I research soldiers! Drop me a line if you need help 

To search for photos of your East Yorkshire Regiment ancestors, check my British Army Ancestors website.

Somerset Light Infantry - 5th Bn (TF)

This post will look at regimental numbering in the 5th (Territorial Force) Battalion, Prince Albert's (Somerset Light Infantry) between 1908 and 1914. 

Until the 1st April 1908, the 5th Battalion, Somerset Light Infantry had been the 2nd Volunteer Battalion, Somerset Light Infantry and by 1914 it was headquartered at Taunton, its eight companies drawing men from the following areas: 

A Company: Taunton

B Company: Williton, with drill stations at Watchet, Minehead and Washford

C Company: Bridgwater, with a drill station at North Petherton

D Company: Langport, with drill stations at Highbridge & Somerton

E Company: Yeovil, with drill stations at Martock and Langport

F Company: Crewkerne, with a drill station at South Petherton

G Company: Wellington, with drill stations at Milverton and Wiveliscombe

H Company: Chard, with a drill station at Iminster

By August 1914 the battalion formed part of the South Western Infantry Brigade in the Wessex Division. 

Here are some sample regimental numbers and joining dates for the the 5th Battalion, Prince Albert's (Somerset Light Infantry).

404 joined on the 18th April 1908 

853 joined on the 10th March 1909

1066 joined on the 11th February 1910 

1234 joined on the 21st February 1911 

1530 joined on the 11th April 1912 

1837 joined on the 7th July 1913 

2035 joined on the 2nd April 1914 

2197 joined on the 12th August 1914 

A reserve or ‘second-line’ battalion was formed at Taunton in September 1914, the original 5th Battalion now becoming the 1/5th Battalion and the new reserve battalion becoming the 2/5th Battalion. A 3/5th Battalion would be formed at Taunton in March 1915. The 2/5th Battalion - along with the 2/4th Battalion -  was serving overseas (in India) as early as December 1914, but the 3/5th Battalion only ever remained in the UK, feeding recruits through to, for the most part, the 1/5th Battalion. All three battalions - the 1/5th, 2/5th, 3/5th - issued numbers from the same regimental number series and from 1917 reissued numbers to serving soldiers and to new recruits from a brand new numbers series which began at 240001 and extended to 265000. 

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 had the number 1700 and lived in Yeovil, he would have joined the battalion between April 1912 and July 1913 - and probably served with E Company. 

The image on this post shows the 3/5th Battalion football team in 1916.

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To search for photos of your Somerset Light Infantry ancestors, check my British Army Ancestors website.

King's (Liverpool Regiment) - 5th Battalion (TF)

This post will look at regimental numbering in the 5th Battalion, King's (Liverpool Regiment) between 1908 and 1914. 

The 5th Battalion was a Territorial Force unit which was formed on the 1st April 1908 and, prior to this, had been the 1st Volunteer Battalion, the King's Liverpool Regiment. In 1908, as The Territorial Year Book for 1909 records, the battalion strength comprised 26 officers and 599 men. 237 men attended camp at Peel, on the Isle of Man in 1908 for 8 days and 250 attended for 15 days. Best shot of the unit was Sergeant C Smith.

The following year, The Territorial Year Book for 1910 recorded that the strength of the battalion in 1909 stood at 33 officers and 1016 men; a significant increase on the previous year. At the annual camp that year, 925 officers and men attended for eight days whilst 650 officers and men attended for 15 days. Best shot of the unit was Sergeant J Marwood.

The battalion was headquartered at 65 St Anne Street, Liverpool and recruited in Liverpool and the surrounding district. Here are some sample regimental numbers and joining dates for the the 5th (Rifle) Battalion, King's (Liverpool Regiment).

200 joined on the 1st April 1908 
640 joined on the 2nd February 1909 
1164 joined on the 5th January 1910 
1328 joined on the 29th March 1911 
1386 joined on the 10th January 1912 
1548 joined on the 29th January 1913 
1820 joined on the 4th March 1914 
1954 joined on the 4th August 1914 

The battalion appears to have recruited well from 1909 and with the outbreak of war in August 1914, a reserve battalion was formed in September 1914. The original 5th Battalion now became the 1/5th Battalion and the new reserve battalion became the 2/5th Battalion. A 3/5th Battalion would be formed in May 1915.

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 had the number 1345 he would have joined this battalion at some time between 29th March 1911 and 10th January 1912.

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Black Watch - 5th Battalion (TF) - 1908-1914

This post will look at regimental numbering in the 5th (Angus & Dundee) Battalion (TF), The Black Watch (Royal Highlanders) between 1908 and 1914.

The 5th Battalion was formed on the 1st April 1908 and prior to this had been the 2nd & 3rd Volunteer Battalions of the same regiment; the 'Angus' and 'Dundee' battalions. The headquarters of the battalion was at Arbroath and the county Territorial Association for Forfarshire administered the first six companies whilst companies G and H were administered by the Association at Dundee. 

The fact that two separate county associations administered companies in the same battalion means that there were two separate regimental number series in play; at least for a time. One series was used for men joining companies A to F, and another series was used for men joining companies G & H. The companies were distributed as follows:

A Company: Kirriemuir, with drill stations at Glamis and Newtyle
B Company: Forfar
C Company: Montrose, with a drill station at Craigo
D Company: Brechin, with a drill station at Edzell
E Company: Arbroath, with a drill station at Friockheim
F Company: Arbroath, with drill stations at Carnoustie and Monifieth
G Company: Dundee
H Company: Dundee

The Territorial Year Book for 1909 recorded that the battalion strength was 34 officers and 650 men. The best shot of the unit that year was Lance-Sergeant D K Mitchell.

The following year, The Territorial Year Book for 1910 recorded that the strength was 667, all ranks, and at the annual camp that year, 369 officers and men had attended for eight days whilst 298 officers and men had attended for 15 days. Camp in 1910 was scheduled from the 16th July.

Here are some sample regimental numbers and joining dates for the 5th Battalion (TF), The Black Watch (Royal Highlanders). The numbers come from the series operated by the Forfarshire Association.

54 joined from the 2nd Volunteer Force Battalion on the 3rd April 1908
1028 joined on the 17th May 1909
1222 joined on the 7th April 1910

1387 joined on the 6th February 1911
1516 joined on the 1st October 1911
1846 joined on the 9th February 1914
1978 joined on the 6th 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 1111 he would have joined the battalion between May 1909 and April 1910.

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Image source used on this blog post is unknown.

The Buffs (East Kent Regiment) - 5th Battalion

This post will look at regimental numbering in the 5th (Weald of Kent) Battalion (TF), The Buffs (East Kent Regiment) between 1908 and 1914.

The 5th Battalion was formed on the 1st April 1908 and prior to this had been the 2nd Volunteer Battalion, the Buffs (East Kent Regiment). In 1908, as The Territorial Year Book for that year records, the battalion strength comprised 13 officers and 434 men. 102 men attended camp in 1908 for 8 days and 307 attended for 15 days.

The following year, The Territorial Year Book for 1910 recorded that the strength of the battalion in 1909 stood at 21 officers and 710 men. At the annual camp at Dover that year, 140 officers and men attended for eight days whilst 551 officers and men attended for 15 days. Camp in 1910 was scheduled to take place with the 4th Battalion from the 23rd July at Dover.

By August 1914 the battalion was headquartered at Ashford, and recruiting in the following parts of the county:  

A Company: Cranbrook, with a drill station at Benenden
B Company: Hawkhurst, with a drill station at Sandhurst
C Company: Headcorn, with drill stations at Staplehurst, Marden and Sutton Valence
D Company: Horsmonden, with drill stations at Goudhurst, Lamberhurst, Brenchley, Yalding and Paddock Wood
E Company: Ashford, with drill stations at Pluckley, Bethersden, Aldington and Ham Street
F Company: Ashford
G Company:Tenterden, with drill stations at Lydd, Woodchurch, New Romney, Appledore, Wittersham and Rolvenden
H Company: Ashford

The above information about company distribution is particularly useful if your ancestor enlisted with the 5th Buffs prior to August 1914. For argument's sake, if he lived in Ashford he would have been most likely to have joined E, F or H Company; if he was in the immediate vicinity of Sandhurst, B Company would have been the most likely company he served with.

Here are some sample regimental numbers and joining dates for the the 5th (Weald of Kent) Battalion (TF), The Buffs (East Kent Regiment).

121 joined from the 2nd Volunteer Force Battalion on the 10th April 1908
500 joined on the 3rd February 1909

874 joined on the 7th April 1910
932 joined on the 8th February 1911
1050 joined on the 1st November 1912
1141 joined on the 9th June 1913
1199 joined on the 26th February 1914
1358 joined on the 6th 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 600 and he lived in Headcorn, he would have joined the battalion some time after 3rd February 1909 and before April 1910. Furthermore, he probably served with C Company.

The undated photo at the top of this page shows band members of an unidentified battalion of the Buffs. There is an array of cloth insignia on display here.

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

This post will look at regimental numbering in the 5th (Cumberland) Battalion (TF), Border Regiment between 1908 and 1914.

The 5th Battalion was formed on the 1st April 1908 and prior to this had been the 3rd Volunteer Battalion (Cumberland). The Territorial Year Book for 1909 recorded that the battalion strength was 25 officers and 685 men and at the annual camp at Peel, Isle of Man in 1908, 585 officers and men had attended for eight days whilst 171 officers and men had attended for 15 days.

The following year, The Territorial Year Book for 1910 recorded that the strength was 26 officers and 969 men and at the annual camp in 1909 (at Conway), 273 officers and men had attended for eight days whilst 629 officers and men had attended for 15 days.

In August 1914 the battalion was headquartered at Workington and the battalion's companies drew men from the following areas.

A Company: Whitehaven

B & C Companies: Workington

D Company: Cockermouth
E Company: Egremont, with drill stations at St Bees and Cleator

F Company: Wigton

G Company: Frizington

H Company: Aspatria, with drill stations at Dearham and Bullgill

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 Wigton and wishing to join this battalion would have logically been assigned to F Company. (Note that this logic was abandoned after 4th August 1914).

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

63 joined from the Volunteer Force on the 1st April 1908
762 joined on the 25th February 1909

Like the 4th Battalion, Border Regiment, the 5th Battalion had recruited steadily (and a little faster than the 4th Battalion) since its inception and by the 12th May 1909 was issuing the number 940 to its latest recruit. Recruitment hereafter slowed down dramatically, as can be seen from the pattern of numbers issued in the ensuing years to August 1914.

1148 joined on the 28th February 1910
1262 joined on the 15th February 1911
1365 joined on the 12th February 1912
1553 joined on the 10th February 1913
1728 joined on the 20th March 1914
1925 joined on the 4th 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 1234 he would have joined the battalion between February 1910 and February 1911. 

Note that the 4th (Cumberland & Westmorland) Battalion of the Border Regiment had its own separate regimental number sequence which had also all started with the number 1 in April 1908.

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Suffolk Regiment - 5th Battalion

I was in 5th Suffolk territory today. En route to Bury St Edmunds, the headquarters of the 5th Battalion (and also home to a splendid Boer War Memorial, above) I passed through Sudbury. In the days before the Territorial Force was formed, Sudbury was home to two companies of the 2nd Volunteer Battalion, and the building which housed D Company is still standing and still in use by today's territorials. There, above the large red doorway, carved into stone, is the legend, "D Company, 2nd Vol Batt, Suffolk Regt". That gives me as good an excuse as any to write a little bit about the 5th Suffolk Regiment.

This post will look at numbering in the 5th Suffolk Regiment between 1908 and 1916. All of the number information below is taken from service records which survive in the WO 363 and WO 364 series at the National Archives. You can view these there, or on-line via Ancestry which is offering a FREE 14-day trial.

Prior to 1908, the companies of the Suffolk Regiment's 2nd Volunteer Battalion were distributed as follows:

A Company: Stowmarket
B Company: Eye
C Company: Sudbury
D Company: Sudbury
E Company: Bury St Edmunds
F Company: Bury St Edmunds
G Company: Haverhill
H: Company: Newmarket

When the 5th Suffolk Regiment was born on the 1st April 1908, the distribution of its companies was slightly different:

A Company: Stowmarket, with a drill station at Eye
B Company: Beccles, with a drill station at Bungay
C Company: Hadleigh, with a drill station at Bildeston
D Company: Sudbury, with drill stations at Long Melford and Bures
E Company: Bury St Edmunds, with a drill station at Barrow
F Company: Bury St Edmunds, with a drill station at Lavenham
G Company: Haverhill, with a drill station at Clare
H: Company: Newmarket, with a drill station at Mildenhall

The battalion started numbering from 1 in 1908.

26 joined on 6th April 1908
654 joined on 18th January 1909
1062 joined on 21st February 1910
1167 joined on 6th March 1911
1504 joined on 27th March 1912
1690 joined on 25th January 1913
1944 joined on 20th February 1914
2080 joined on 10th August 1914
2190 joined on 2nd September 1914
2577 joined on 22nd October 1914
2715 joined on 14th November 1914
2876 joined on 15th December 1914
2964 joined on 2nd January 1915
3187 joined on 15th February 1915
3223 joined on 8th March 1915
3267 joined on 17th April 1915
3362 joined on 3rd May 1915
3519 joined on 1st June 1915
3656 joined on 26th July 1915
3752 joined on 20th November 1915
3774 joined on 25th January 1916
3832 joined on 8th February 1916
4062 joined on 1st March 1916
4545 joined on 12th April 1916
5189 joined on 31st May 1916
5636 joined on 17th July 1916
5697 joined on 4th August 1916
5719 joined on 4th September 1916
5848 joined on 12th October 1916
6285 joined on 11th November 1916

When the Territorial Force was re-numbered in early 1917, the 5th Battalion, Suffolk Regiment was issued numbers within the block 240001 to 256000.

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Suffolk Regiment titles from The Naval & Military Press:


History of the 12th (The Suffolk Regiment) 1685-1913

A very detailed history by an experienced author who observes that he was much assisted by the wealth of personal diaries, journals and varied reminiscences of the old 12th. There are informative appendices such as the succession of Colonels with biographies, succession of COs and Adjutants, and a chapter on uniform, equipment and the Colours.

During the almost 230 years covered by this history, the Suffolks served in India (Seringapatam is a principal battle honour), in Africa during the Kaffir and Boer Wars, in New Zealand in the Maori War, on the NW Frontier in the 2nd Afghan War, in the West Indies and Mauritius. Colour plates depict uniforms, battle scenes and the Colours in 1686 and 1849. CLICK HERE TO ORDER.


History of the Suffolk Regiment 1914-1927

This volume begins on 1st January 1914 when the Suffolk Regiment consisted of the 1st and 2nd Battalions, the 3rd (Special Reserve) Battalion, and the 4th, 5th and 6th (Cyclist) Battalions of the Territorial Force. After the outbreak of war sixteen more battalions were raised and added, and in 1917 the Suffolk Yeomanry converted into the 15th Battalion, making a grand total of twenty-three. Battalions of the Regiment served in France and Flanders, Gallipoli, Macedonia, Egypt and Palestine, and at home.

This book, based on war diaries, private diaries, letters and interviews, tells the stroies of the men who served. 6,650 officers and men died for King and Country and two VCs were won and 73 Battle Honours awarded.

Given the scope of this volume and space considerations there is no Roll of Honour and the list of Honours and Awards is a very limited one showing only some of the more important honours gained. Inevitably some battalions get fuller treatment than others but the main events are clearly described.

The narrative appears in chronological order, beginning in 1914 with the 1st Battalion moving from Egypt to Khartoum and the 2nd Battalion in the Curragh with 14th Brigade, 5th Division, one of the original BEF divisions. As the story unfolds so the various battalions on active service are brought into the picture and the part they played in the battles is described. One chapter is given to the 3rd (Special Reserve) Battalion at home and another to all the other battalions that did not go on active service. There is a comprehensive, 26-page index. CLICK HERE TO ORDER.


Diary of Colonel Bayly, 12th Regiment, 1796-1803 (Seringapatnam 1799)

Entertaining, if bloody, account of the 12th Regiment of Foot in India and their struggles against Tippoo Sultan. CLICK HERE FOR FURTHER DETAILS.


Centurions of a Century

Nostalgic look back at Britain’s military campaigns, battles and leaders as well as (Suffolk) regimental actions and regimental life, all spread over more than a hundred years. Published in 1914, the book deals with Britain's colonial wars up until the death of Queen Victoria. CLICK HERE TO READ MORE.