Coldstream Guards 1881-1918

Here are some sample army service numbers and corresponding enlistment/joining dates for the Coldstream Guards between the years 1881 and 1918. The regiment is the oldest regiment in the British Army in continous active service. It was unaffected by Cardwell's 1881 reforms and did not start numbering from 1 in 1881 but continued with the series it had been using.

 

The regiment comprised two regular battalions up until 1897 when a third battalion was added. During the First World War, a 4th (Pioneer) Battalion was formed, and also a 5th (Reserve) Battalion. The regiment had no Territorial Force or service battalions.

 

5166 joined on 16th August 1881
5243 joined on 30th January 1882
5426 joined on 27th January 1883
6058 joined on 8th March 1884
6469 joined on 20th January 1885
6846 joined on 3rd March 1886
7113 joined on 7th March 1887
7391 joined on 6th March 1888
7628 joined on 31st January 1889
8039 joined on 28th March 1890
8438 joined on 14th April 1891
9095 joined on 1st June 1892
9498 joined on 24th June 1893
9727 joined on 12th February 1894

 

The Coldstream Guards reached number 9999 in 1895 and so, in accordance with Queen's Regulations, immediately commenced a new series from 1.

 

130 joined on 22nd June 1895
400 joined on 7th February 1896
773 joined on 22nd January 1897
1327 joined on 8th January 1898
2521 joined on 6th March 1899
3212 joined on 10th January 1900
4036 joined on 28th January 1901
4526 joined on 8th January 1902
5068 joined on 2nd April 1903
5314 joined on 1st January 1904
5969 joined on 3rd January 1905
6617 joined on 14th February 1906
7106 joined on 23rd January 1907
7617 joined on 13th January 1908
8251 joined on 9th January 1909
8577 joined on 10th January 1910
9086 joined on 25th April 1911
9438 joined on 22nd January 1912
9934 joined on 6th January 1913
10549 joined on 14th January 1914

 

The First World War

11147 joined on 25th August 1914
11366 joined on 1st September 1914
13101 joined on 5th October 1914
13547 joined on 9th November 1914
14067 joined on 5th December 1914
14531 joined on 5th January 1915
15220 joined on 1st February 1915
15619 joined on 2nd March 1915
15944 joined on 3rd April 1915
16068 joined on 13th May 1915
16269 joined on 2nd June 1915
16508 joined on 31st July 1915
16584 joined on 3rd August 1915
16844 joined on 9th September 1915
17066 joined on 3rd November 1915
17592 joined on 9th December 1915
17778 joined on 17th January 1916
18296 joined on 7th April 1916
18393 joined on 24th May 1916
18410 joined on 1st June 1916
18554 joined on 19th July 1916
18737 joined on 14th August 1916
19091 joined on 7th October 1916
19959 joined on 3rd November 1916
20546 joined on 7th December 1916
21276 joined on 9th January 1917
21553 joined on 10th February 1917
21775 joined on 2nd March 1917
22174 joined on 14th April 1917
22261 joined on 6th June 1917
22443 joined on 16th July 1917
22495 joined on 5th November 1917
22524 joined on 10th December 1917
22532 joined on 8th January 1918
23117 joined on 16th March 1918
23563 joined on 10th April 1918
28053 joined on 13th May 1918

 

My data currently ends in May 1918.

 

18445 Lance-Corporal Arthur James Boldero of the Coldstream Guards, a distant relative of mine, was killed in action on 28th March 1918. He was 34 years old and married, and his number indicates that he joined the regiment in June 1916. Arthur is buried in Bucquoy Road Cemetery, Ficheux.


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Further research:

 

Coldstream Guards service and pension records on Ancestry.co.uk

From the Naval & Military Press

Coldstream Guards 1914-1918
Appendices include the war service record of all officers who served in the Regiment with any awards; awards to Other Ranks; VC citations; list of those commissioned from the ranks (410 of them) and the regiments or corps to which they went and finally the Roll of Honour of officers. Recommended.

Read my other posts on numbering in the Foot Guards regiments:

Grenadier Guards
Scots Guards
Irish Guards
Welsh Guards

Identify a Foot Guards soldier by his uniform: Identifying the Guards - Army Ancestry