Black Watch - 7th Battalion (TF) - 1908-1914

This post will look at regimental numbering in the 7th (Fife) Battalion (TF), The Black Watch (Royal Highlanders) between 1908 and 1914.

The 7th Battalion was formed on the 1st April 1908 and prior to this had been the 6th (Fifeshire) Volunteer Battalion of the Black Watch (Royal Highlanders). The Territorial Year Book for 1909 recorded that the battalion strength was 38 officers and 701 men. Sergeant A Wilkie of H Company was the best shot of the unit. 524 men attended camp in 1908 for 8 days and 139 attended for 15 days.

The following year, The Territorial Year Book for 1910 recorded that the strength was 34 officers and 1002 men and at the annual camp at Largoward in 1909, 675 officers and men had attended for eight days whilst 167 officers and men had attended for 15 days. Private H Dexter of C Company was the best shot of the unit. Camp in 1910 was scheduled from the 16th July at Kinghorn.

By August 1914 the battalion was headquartered at St Andrews with recruits drawn from the following areas:

A Company: Dunfermline

B Company: Lochgelly

C Company: Kircaldy

D Company: Cowdenbeath

E Company: Cupar, with drill stations at Newburgh, Auchtermucht and Abernethy

F Company: Leven with drill stations at Colinsburgh and Largoward

G Company: St Andrews, with drill stations at Guardbridge, Anstruther and Crail

H Company: Leslie, with drill stations at Markinch and Thornton

The battalion formed part of the Black Watch Infantry Brigade with Scottish Coast Defences.

Here are some sample regimental numbers and joining dates for the the 7th Battalion (TF), The Black Watch (Royal Highlanders).

61 joined on the 2nd April 1908
746 joined on the 27th January 1909

1294 joined on the 31st March 1910

1397 joined on the 25th January 1911
1655 joined on the 11th April 1912
1786 joined on the 14th January 1913
2025 joined on the 30th April 1914
2083 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 1500 he would have joined the battalion between January 1911 and April 1912.

Remember. I research soldiers!

Drop me a line 

To search for photos of your Black Watch ancestors, check my British Army Ancestors website.

Black Watch - 6th Battalion (TF) - 1908-1914

This post will look at regimental numbering in the 6th (Perthshire) Battalion (TF), The Black Watch (Royal Highlanders) between 1908 and 1914.

The 6th Battalion was formed on the 1st April 1908 and prior to this had been the 4th Volunteer Battalion of the Black Watch (Royal Highlanders). The Territorial Year Book for 1909 recorded that the battalion strength was 17 officers and 354 men. 109 men attended camp in 1908 for 8 days and 133 attended for 15 days.

The following year, The Territorial Year Book for 1910 recorded that the strength was 23 officers and 752 men and at the annual camp in 1909, 349 officers and men had attended for eight days whilst 392 officers and men had attended for 15 days. Camp in 1910 was scheduled from the 16th July at Annsmuir.

By August 1914 the battalion was headquartered at Tay Street in Perth with recruits drawn from the following areas:

A Company: Perth

B Company: Perth

C Company: Dunblane, with drill stations at Bridge of Allan, Doune and Callander

D Company: Grieff, with a drill station at Comrie

E Company: Balirgowrie, with drill stations at Coupar, Angus and Alyth

F Company: Auchterarder with drill stations at Blackford and Dunning

G Company: Birnam, with drill stations at Pitlochry, Ballinluig, Stanley, Luncarty and Blair Atholl

H Company: Aberfeldy, with drill stations at Kenmore, Fortingall, Grandtully and Killin

The battalion formed part of the Black Watch Infantry Brigade with Scottish Coast Defences.

Here are some sample regimental numbers and joining dates for the the 6th Battalion (TF), The Black Watch (Royal Highlanders).

331 joined on the 9th April 1908
499 joined on the 23rd March 1909

867 joined on the 28th February 1910

990 joined on the 14th February 1911
1113 joined on the 16th February 1912
1369 joined on the 12th February 1913
1492 joined on the 5th February 1914
1827 joined on the 10th 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 1000 he would have joined the battalion between February 1911 and February 1912.

Remember. I research soldiers!

Drop me a line 

To search for photos of your Black Watch ancestors, check my British Army Ancestors website.

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.

Remember. I research soldiers!

Drop me a line 

To search for photos of your Black Watch ancestors, check my British Army Ancestors website. 

Image source used on this blog post is unknown.

Black Watch - 4th Battalion (TF) - 1908-1914

This post will look at regimental numbering in the 4th Battalion (TF), The Black Watch (Royal Highlanders) between 1908 and 1914.

The 4th Battalion was formed on the 1st April 1908 and prior to this had been the 1st (City of Dundee) Volunteer Battalion of the Black Watch (Royal Highlanders). The Territorial Year Book for 1909 recorded that the battalion strength was 21 officers and 487 men. 182 men attended camp in 1908 for 8 days and 248 attended for 15 days.

The following year, The Territorial Year Book for 1910 recorded that the strength was 23 officers and 664 men and at the annual camp at Balshandie in 1909, 241 officers and men had attended for eight days whilst 297 officers and men had attended for 15 days. Camp in 1910 was scheduled from the 16th July.

By August 1914 the battalion was headquartered in Dundee with all recruits drawn from that city.

Here are some sample regimental numbers and joining dates for the the 4th Battalion (TF), The Black Watch (Royal Highlanders).

216 joined from the Volunteer Force on the 6th April 1908
638 joined on the 18th February 1909

1077 joined on the 2nd February 1911
1292 joined on the 7th March 1912
1599 joined on the 5th March 1913
1924 joined on the 7th May 1914
2036 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 1111 he would have joined the battalion between February 1911 and March 1912.

Remember. I research soldiers!

Drop me a line 

To search for photos of your Black Watch ancestors, check my British Army Ancestors website.

3rd (Special Reserve) Battalion, Black Watch (Royal Highlanders)

This post will look at regimental numbering in the 3rd (Special Reserve) Battalion, Black Watch (Royal Highlanders) between 1908 and September 1914.

Men signed up for six years' service on the understanding that they were "liable to be called out or detained whilst called up for training, in case of imminent national danger, or great emergency, on permanent service in the United Kingdom, or elsewhere..." and furthermore that they "could be detained in army service for the unexpired portion of [their] term of service in the Army Reserve and for a further period not exceeding 12 months..." And when Britain went to war in August 1914, that is exactly what happened. Men in the Special Reserve were called up and were soon forming drafts to replace casualties in the regular battalions which, in the case of the Black Watch, were the 1st and 2nd Battalions.

The regimental numbering sequence used by the 3rd (Special Reserve) Battalion was entirely separate from the numbering series used by the 1st and 2nd Battalions and in fact was a continuation of the number series that had been used by the 3rd (Militia) Battalion before the militia was replaced by the Special Reserve in April 1908. 

Here then, are some regimental numbers for the 3rd Battalion, Black Watch; all of these issued sequentially. Use these sample regimental numbers to ascertain when a man would have joined this particular battalion.

760 joined on the 18th March 1908
3/998 joined on the 3rd February 1909

3/1315 joined on the 10th January 1910
3/2102 joined on the 29th March 1912
3/2407 joined on the 3rd December 1913
3/2474 joined on the 27th February 1914
3/2642 joined on the 6th August 1914
3/3425 joined on the 1st September 1914

The 3/ prefix was used inconsistently which means that it can be confusing when it comes to trying to ascertain, from a man's regimental number alone, whether that men was a regular soldier or a man who had originally joined the Special Reserve. For instance, whilst the number 2407, above, was issued to a Special Reservist in December 1913, the same number 2407 (albeit from a different number series) would have been issued to a man signing up as a regular in 1912.

For information on numbering in the regular battalions have a look at my post here: 1st and 2nd Battalions, Black Watch. 

Black Watch (Royal Highlanders) - PoW Other Ranks 1914

The following men were serving with the Black Watch (Royal Highlanders) when they became prisoners of war of the Germans on or before Christmas Day 1914. There are 53 names in this list; quite a modest total by the standards of 1914.  Read more about this Prisoner of War data source on my 1914 PoWs page.

This data has been transcribed from the following sources which are now housed at the Imperial War Museum:

1. B.O.2 1/99. A two-page typed letter from the Irish Women's Association to the officer i/c of records, Black Watch, asking for address details of men.  Letter dated 6th March 1919
2. B.O.2 1/101. A single-sided hand-written letter confirming the men's date of capture.  Letter dated 27th December 1918
3. B.O.2 1/102. A typed letter from the Black Watch Relief Fund to the officer i/c Records. Dates of capture and comments are handwritten. Letter dated 18th December 1918.
4. B.O.2 1/103. A two-page typed letter from the Black Watch Relief Fund to the Hon Sec, Princess Mary's Xmas Fund giving names and addresses of "Prisoners of war captured before December 1914". Letter dated 19th December 1918.
5. B.O.2 1/104 is single-sided typed letter from TF Record Office, Perth to Mrs Donachie enlosing the late Pte Donachie's tin.  Letter dated 18th May 1916.
6. B.O.2 1/106. A three-page typed letter from Major Rennie,  Infantry Record Office, No 1 District, Perth, to Sir Ernest Goodhart, dated 30th January 1919.

The majority of the men were regular soldiers serving with the 1st and 2nd Battalions, but there are also men listed here who were Territorials, serving with the 1/5th (Angus & Dundee) Battalion (Territorial Force).

My full transcription of this Black Watch Prisoners of War roll call of other ranks (not reproduced here) also contains the home address or next of kin address, and date of capture against many of the men's names. Note that date of capture is also included, in many cases, on these men's medal index cards.

The full transcription is available for sale as a download or CD for £20. Contact me if you would like to purchase a copy.

783 Sergeant Allan Adam
9389 Private H Alexander
87 Private John Andrews
1646 Private G Ballantine
139 Private G Black
1507 Private J Bruce
700 Private Bryant
9806 Private W Cairney
2595 Private J Clift
2230 Private W Craigie
305 Private George Cunningham
7530 Private T Dilly
2365 Private John Donachie
2514 Private E Downton
9677 Bandsman W Egerton
1819 Private D Ferguson
71 Private G Forrester
Private G Gibson
1589 Private C Glover
1369 Private J Gordon
9879 Private F Hemmingway
2391 Private E Hendry
9657 Private A Imrie
9327 Private R Ireland
9414 Private J Lawson
7135 Private W Loudfoot
9752 Sergeant J MacGregor
7224 Private L MacQueen
5973 Private W Manson
2658 Private J McDade
9752 Sergeant J McGregor
2222 Corporal A McIntosh
7298 Private P McNay
9945 Drummer W Morrison
8321 Private W Muir
9568 Private W Murrie
2619 Private Scott Oram
2280 Private P Phinn
8269 Private W Rodgers
9939 Private G Rowan
7808 Private G Selvester
1337 Sergeant W O Smith
327 Private W Squire
75 Corporal Strachan
9289 Private J Thompson
2116 Private G Watson
8240 Private H Whitcombe
3/2391 Private J L Whitton

The roll also includes the names of a handful of men who have a 1915 date of capture against their names. As they appear in the original archive, I am also including them here:

7786 Private T Mathie
2735 Corporal  James McRobbie
9818 Corporal T Neil
3282 Private P Pennycook
230 Private G Smith

The image on this post shows the Pipe Band of the Black Watch at Edinburgh Castle c1905.

I also offer a comprehensive, fast and cost-effective military history research service. Follow the link for more information.

The Black Watch (Royal Highlanders) - 1st & 2nd Battalions

This post will look at numbering in the two regular battalions of The Black Watch between 1881 and 1914. Service records for all of the sample numbers and dates below survive in the series WO 363 and WO 364 at the National Archives (and also online at Ancestry.co.uk) and WO 97 (on line courtesy of Find My Past).

In fact, there are over 28,000 Black Watch pension and service records (for this regiment - and its antecedents) in various War Office series held at the National Archives. Clicking on the link will take you to the results on Findmypast but you will need a subscription or Pay-Per-View credits to actually view the records. Some of these records can also be viewed on-line on Ancestry although Findmypast has by far the most comprehensive service record collection.

Use the regimental numbers and dates on which these were issued, below, to determine parameters for when your own Black Watch ancestor would have joined up. Note though that these numbers are only for regular enlistments. Special Reserve and Territorial Force battalions operated completely separate regimental number sequences.

The Black Watch (Royal Highlanders) was formed on the 1st July 1881; the 1st Battalion from the 42nd (Royal Highland) Regiment of Foot (The Black Watch), and the 2nd Battalion from the 73rd (Perthshire) Regiment of Foot. The newly formed regiment was established as the county regiment for Fifeshire, Forfarshire and Perthshire. It started numbering from 1 in July 1881.

22 joined on 14th July 1881
1152 joined on 18th February 1882
2074 joined on 22nd March 1883
2222 joined on 16th January 1884
2566 joined on 8th January 1885
2852 joined on 5th January 1886
3177 joined on 2nd February 1887
3658 joined on 19th January 1888
3882 joined on 16th May 1889
4049 joined on 11th March 1890
4530 joined on 22nd April 1891
4962 joined on 28th March 1892
5290 joined on 4th July 1893
5460 joined on 8th January 1894
5916 joined on 28th January 1895
6359 joined on 25th February 1896
6642 joined on 18th March 1897
6874 joined on 13th January 1898
7226 joined on 14th March 1899
7228 joined on 27th February 1900

During the South African War the Black Watch raised three Volunteer Service Companies. Men joining the 1st VSC in January 1900 were issued numbers in continuance of the series then in use for the regular 1st and 2nd Battalions and not allowing the clear one thousand digit gap that had been stipulated in AO 29 of the 2nd January that year. Numbers in the range 7540 to 7666 were issued to these men and on the 17th February 1900, the 1st VSC comprising three officers: Captain Cook, Lieutenant Hunter and Lieutenant McArthur,and 114 men embarked aboard SS Gascon for South Africa.

Men joining the 2nd VSC were issued numbers from within a wide range of numbers which I had originally noted as within the range 8522 to 9024. More work needed here.

Men joining the 3rd VSC in January 1902 were issued numbers between 9083 and 9176.

Meanwhile, numbering of regular enlistments in the regular battalions continued apace:

8083 joined on 16th January 1901
8525 joined on 2nd January 1902
9424 joined on 13th January 1903
9735 joined on 11th January 1904
9999 enlisted on 29th September 1904

A new number series commences
Queen’s regulations for the Army, 1895 had stated: “The regimental series of numbers will commence with 1. The numbers will be given in sequence, according to the date of application. When the series approaches 9,999, application should be made to the Adjutant-General in sufficient time to obtain authority to commence a new series.” The new King’s Regulations of 1904 which permitted infantry regiments to number up to 19,999 came too late for the Black Watch which reached 9,999 in September 1904 and immediately started a new series from 1.

12 enlisted 2nd October 1904
182 joined on 20th March 1905
495 joined on 18th January 1906
876 joined on 5th April 1907
1243 joined on 30th March 1908
1580 joined on 28th January 1909
1791 joined on 4th February 1910
1955 joined on 6th January 1911
2333 joined on 10th April 1912
2560 joined on 18th August 1913
2652 joined on 20th January 1914

The First World War
When Britain went to war in August 1914, men joining the new service battalions were issued with numbers from the same series that had, up until that point, been the sole preserve of the regiment’s two regular battalions. The only difference between men enlisting for war-time service only and those enlisting as career soldiers, was that the former’s numbers were supposed to be prefixed with the letter S/.

Recruitment rates 1881-1911

Between 1st July 1881 and 22nd April 1891, The Black Watch recruited 4,530 men, a very high average of 461 men each year. Of the sixty-nine infantry regiments recruiting at this time, The Black Watch was the most successful Scottish regiment and the third most successful infantry recruiter over all.

The following decade though, was not so kind. Recruiting dipped to a yearly average of 364 men with the Black Watch recruiting nearly a thousand men less than it had done the in the 1880s. Between the 22nd April 1891 and 16th January 1901, the regiment recruited 3,553 men.

Recruitment picked up again in the early years of the twentieth century. The Black Watch added 3871 men to its books between January 1901 and January 1913 and finished the decade as the thirteenth most successful British Army infantry recruiter.

1st Battalion stations 1881-1914

1881 Edinburgh
1882 Egypt
1885 Sudan
1889 Malta
1892 Gibraltar
1893 Egypt
1893 Mauritius (half battalion)
1893 South Africa (half battalion)
1897 Subathu (entire battalion)
1899 Sitapur
1901 South Africa
1902 Edinburgh
1904 Fort George
1906 Curragh
1908 Limerick
1911 Edinburgh
1912 Aldershot
1914 France & Flanders (from August)

2nd Battalion stations 1881-1914
1881 Portsmouth
1884 Aldershot
1889 Belfast
1892 Limerick
1894 Glasgow
1897 York
1899 South Africa
1902 Umballa
1905 Solon
1906 Dalhousie
1908 Barian (northern Punjab)
1911 Calcutta
1914 Bareilly
1914 France & Flanders (from October)

The photo

I've borrowed the image on this post from the Royal Highlanders website and I hope this acknowledgement will be sufficient to permit me to re-publish it here. It shows those men of the 3rd (Dundee Highland) Volunteer Battalion who served with the 1st VSC during the 2nd South African War. The men are named as follows:

Rear (left to right) - Private J. Kelly, Private J. Gray, Private A. Greig, Bugler A. Chalmers, Private J. Duncan, and Private H. Harris.

Middle (left to right) - Lance Corporal D. Florence, Private J. Jack, Private W. Cosgrove, Private J. Cameron, Private H. Low, Lance Corporal A. Malcolm.

Front (left to right) - Corporal J. Burt, Lance Sergeant G. Brander, Sergeant J. Gegan, Lieutenant Harry Kebel Smith (Dundee), Lance Sergeant L. Bisset, Corporal W. Carnegie, Corporal W. Donaldson.

Not Shown - Private E. S. High, Private T. Sprunt, Private J. G. Sweeney, and Private D. T. Thomson.

I also offer a comprehensive, fast and cost-effective military history research service. Follow the link for more information.

Further Reading

History of the Black Watch in the Great War 1914-1918

The Black Watch (Royal Highlanders), entered the Great War with two regular, one Special Reserve battalion (the 3rd) and four Territorial Force (TF) battalions (4th to 7th). By the end of the war the total had grown to twenty-two battalions (Becke), twenty-five according to the History's foreword. Thirty thousand served in the Regiment in France, Belgium, Salonika, Palestine and Mesopotamia and of these 8,390 died. The Regiment was awarded 69 Battle Honours. Three VCs were won and a fourth was awarded to a Black Watch officer in 1917 whilst he was commanding the 1st Lincolnshire Regiment.

This three-volume history is outstanding. Vol 1 deals with the Regular and the Special Reserve battalions, Vol 2 the TF battalions and Vol 3 the New Army (Service or Kitchener) battalions. Common to all three volumes are the Preface, Foreword (by the Colonel of the Regiment) and the page listing the Regiment's Battle Honours. In each volume the battalions are treated separately and for all the front line battalions, following the narrative describing their war service there are the same six appendices: Record of Officers' Service, Summary of Casualties, Officer casualty list, Other Rank casualty list, Honours and Awards and finally the list of Actions and Operations. In Volume 1 there is a seventh appendix to the 1st and 2nd Battalion narratives - a list of Other Ranks of each battalion who were commissioned during the war. In the case of the TF the second and third line battalions, which did not leave the UK, all are dealt with together. There is a bonus in Volume 2; at the end there is a section on the Royal Highlanders of Canada represented by the 13th, 42nd and 73rd Canadian Infantry Battalions, giving a brief account of their actions with appendices showing for each battalion a summary of killed, list of Honours and Awards and list of Actions and Operations. As regimental histories go, this is as detailed as they come.

Note. Original sets of these books sell for upwards of £200 which makes these modern re-prints something of a bargain.

With a Highland Regiment in Mesopotamia (2nd Battalion)

On the outbreak of  the First World War, the 2nd Battalion, Black Watch was stationed in Bareilly, India, where it had been since the end of the Boer War. On mobilization it formed part of the Bareilly Brigade of the 7th (Meerut) Division and went to France with the Indian Corps, landing in France in October 1914. At the end of 1915 the Indian Corps was withdrawn from France and sent to Mesopotamia where the battalion arrived on the last day of 1915< Before the week was out it was in action at Shaikh Saad (6th-8th Jan 1916) where it had some 60 killed. The Official History speaks of 400 casualties in the battalion.

This account covers about 18 months, to the capture of Samarrah on 24th April 1917 when the winter campaign of 1916-17 came to an end. There are not many battalion histories dealing solely with the war in Mesopotamia (there was only one British division in that theatre, the 13th) and that makes this narrative interesting, not only from the point of view of the numerous actions in which the battalion was involved, but also because of the descriptions of the country, the inhabitants and the conditions in which they fought - the casualty lists shows disease, heat stroke and suffocation among the causes of death.

Two of the chapters consist of articles written by the CO. The full casualty roll of the other ranks is given from 1st Jan 1916 to 15th Jun 1917 with the names arranged in regimental number order, starting with 72 Sgt T.Archer. It shows the date, cause and place of death and place of burial; many of these are shown as on the battlefield with grid reference. There is also a full list of officers who served in the battalion showing in each case dates of movements such as date and place of embarkation and disembarkation, date of any casualty.

The Royal Highland Regiment, The Black Watch, Formerly 42nd and 73rd Foot, medal roll 1801-1911

This is an extremely useful resource for historians, medallists and genealogists. Here are nominal rolls of officers and men of the two regiments present at the various campaigns and battles for which medals were awarded. Prior to 1881 they were two separate regiments and the lists are shown under 42nd and 73rd Foot. In 1881 they became the 1st and 2nd Battalions of the Black Watch and are listed accordingly.

This detailed record Covers the Peninsula War and Waterloo and continues with the Kaffir Wars, Crimean War, Indian Mutiny, Gold Coast, Egypt, Suakin, Sudan and on to South Africa (1899-1902). Where there were clasps awarded for battles in a campaign the entitlement to a particular clasp is shown. A remarks/comments column provides additional information on individuals such as deaths, casualties, discharges, desertions, forfeitures. Victoria Cross awards (with citations), and those of the DSO, DCM, MSM and LSGC constitute separate lists as do awards to Volunteers and Territorials. Also included are the affiliated Royal Highlanders of Canada (5th Regiment) and the New South Wales Scottish Rifle Regiment.

Regimental numbering series

Section XXII of the Queen's Regulations for the Army 1895 reads as follows:

31. The regimental series of numbers will commence with 1. The numbers will be given in sequence, according to the date of application. When the series approaches 9999, application should be made to the Adjutant-General in sufficient time to obtain authority to commence a new series. In the Royal Artillery the series will extend to 99,999, in the Royal Engineers to 29,999, and in the Army Service Corps and Medical Staff Corps to 19,999.

Fast forward nine years to the King's Regulations for the Army 1904 (Provisional) and paragraph 2144 reads:

The regimental series of numbers will commence with 1. The numbers will be given in sequence, according to the date of application. The series will extend to 49,999 in the Royal Horse Artillery and Royal Field Artillery, and to 49,999 in the Royal Garrison Artillery; to 29,999 in the Royal Engineers and Army Service Corps; to 19,999 in each regiment of foot guards, infantry of the line, and Royal Army Medical Corps; and to 9,999 in cavalry regiments and in corps not named above. When these numbers have been reached, a new series will be commenced.

Concerning ourselves just with infantry regiments for now, the point about commencing a new series of numbers is important. In the example I gave a couple of days ago with numbering in the regular battalions of The Essex Regiment, I showed that there was a continual uninterrupted sequence which had reached number 9242 by July 1908 and had reached the 10,000s by 1914. For the most part, recruiting in infantry regiments was a desperately slow business but there are a number of regiments which, having reached 9999, started a new series of numbers and I'm going to note those regiments here.

The Argyll & Sutherland Highlanders
By August 1907 this regiment had passed the 9999 mark and was numbering in the 10500s. By 1908 however, a new series had commenced, number 2 being issued on 16th June that year.

I am at a loss to explain why this regiment started re-numbering from 1 in 1908. Under existing King's Regulations it should have continued numbering up to 19,999. Possibly the decision to start afresh had something to do with the newly created Territorial Force battalions starting their numbering series from 1 (albeit in April that year). I don't know the answer but I'd like to know.

The Black Watch (Royal Highlanders)
Had reached 9981 by September 10th 1904 and by 1905 was on a new series of numbers. Number 209 was issued on 2nd May 1905.

The Gordon Highlanders
Like the A&S Highlanders, men in the two regular battalions of this regiment were already numbering in the 10,000s when they commenced a new series. On 27th April 1908, number 10717 was issued to a new Gordon Highlanders recruit but by March 2nd 1909 a new series was already well under way with number 274 issued on this date.

The King's Royal Rifle Corps
Reached number 9981 by March 1897 and two months later, on May 14th, was already well into a new series of numbers with number 274 issued on this date.

The Lancashire Fusiliers
Had reached 9504 by March 12th 1903 and on September 8th 1904 issued number 445 of a new number series.

The Manchester Regiment
Started a new number series in 1904. Number 9992 was issued on 8th June and on July 8th, number 39 was issued to a new recruit.

The Northumberland Fusiliers
Started re-numbering in 1903. Number 9998 was issued on December 1st and 9999 the following day. It was at this point that the regiment commenced a new numbering series from 1 and by April 6th 1904 numbering had already reached 165.

The Rifle Brigade
Note, this regiment did not start numbering from 1 in 1881 but continued with the numbering sequence already in place. By 18th November 1881 the Rifle Brigade had reached number 5043 and four years later by 12th January 1889 it had reached 9919. Number 12 of a new number series was issued on 13th February 1889. By August 1903, this regiment (which had four regular battalions) was approaching 9999 (number 9932 was issued on 15th August) and applied to commence a new series. Number 27 was issued to a Rifle Brigade recruit on 7th January 1904.

The Royal Warwickshire Regiment
Reached 9968 by February 1904. Number 108 in a new series of numbers had been issued by June that year.

Note, the above refers to infantry regiments only. I will deal with the Guards regiments in future posts.

Find your army ancestors today with a FREE 14 day trial to Ancestry.co.uk - Click here!


I also offer a comprehensive, fast and cost-effective military history research service. Follow the link for more information.