4th (Extra Reserve) Battalion, King's (Liverpool Regiment)

This post will look at regimental numbering in the 4th (Extra Reserve) Battalion, King’s (Liverpool Regiment) between 1908 and August 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 Extra Reserve were called up and were soon forming drafts to replace casualties in the regular battalions which, in the case of the King’s (Liverpool Regiment), were the 1st and 2nd Battalions. 

The regimental numbering sequence used by the 4th (Extra Reserve) Battalion was entirely separate from the numbering series used by the 1st and 2nd Battalions and separate also from the numbering system in the 3rd (Special Reserve) Battalions. Both the 3rd and the 4th Battalions had been created in April 1908 with the demise of the 3rd and 4th (Militia) Battalions. Use these sample regimental numbers to ascertain when a man would have joined the 4th (Extra Reserve) Battalion, King’s (Liverpool Regiment). 

7072 joined on the 19th July 1908 

4/8153 joined on the 20th January 1909 

8423 joined on the 6th April 1910 

8652 joined on the 13th March1912 

8810 joined on the 25th July 1913 

8909 joined on the 18th March1914 

9103 joined on the 4th August 1914 

The 4/ prefix was used inconsistently and it can therefore be confusing at times when it comes to trying to ascertain, from a man's regimental number alone, whether he was a regular soldier or a man who had originally joined the Extra Reserve. For instance, whilst the number 9103, above, was issued to an Extra Reservist in August 1914, the same number would have been issued to a man signing up as a regular in 1904.

For photos of King's (Liverpool Regiment) soldiers don't forget to check out my British Army Ancestors website.

3rd (Special Reserve) Battalion, King's (Liverpool Regiment)

This post will look at regimental numbering in the 3rd (Special Reserve) Battalion, King’s (Liverpool Regiment) between 1908 and November 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 King’s (Liverpool Regiment), 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 separate also from the numbering system in the 4th (Extra Reserve) Battalions. Both the 3rd and the 4th Battalions had been created in April 1908 with the demise of the 3rd and 4th (Militia) Battalions. Use these sample regimental numbers to ascertain when a man would have joined the 3rd (Special Reserve) Battalion, King’s (Liverpool Regiment). 

9272 joined on the 30th June 1908 

9542 joined on the 24th June 1909 

9732 joined on the 4th March 1910 

9851 joined on the 18th April 1911 

10030 joined on the 5th January1912 

10290 joined on the 19th February 1913 

3/10628 joined on the 6th August 1914 

3/11991 joined on the 12th September 1914 

3/12339 joined on the 1st October 1914 

3/12628 joined on the 2nd November 1914 

The 3/ prefix was used inconsistently and it can therefore be confusing at times when it comes to trying to ascertain, from a man's regimental number alone, whether he was a regular soldier or a man who had originally joined the Special Reserve. For instance, whilst the number 9851, above, was issued to a Special Reservist in April 1911, the same number would have been issued to a man signing up as a regular in 1907.

For photos of King's (Liverpool Regiment) soldiers don't forget to check out 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.

Sherwood Foresters - 8th Bn (TF)

This post will look at regimental numbering in the 8th (Territorial Force) Battalion, The Sherwood Foresters (Nottinghamshire & Derbyshire Regiment) between 1908 and 1914. The 7th and the 8th Battalions of this regiment were administered by the Nottinghamshire County Association whereas the 5th and 6th Battalions were administered by the Derbyshire County Association.

Until the 1st April 1908, the 8th Battalion, Sherwood Foresters had been the 4th Nottinghamshire. By August 1914 it was headquartered at Newark, its eight companies drawing men from the following areas: 

A Company: Retford, with a drill station at Ollerton

B Company: Newark

C Company: Sutton-in-Ashfield

D Company: Mansfield

E Company: Carlton, with drill stations at Burton Joyce and Bingham

F Company: Arnold, with drill stations at Basford, Eastwood, Daybrook and Hucknall

G Company: Worksop, with a drill station at Shireoaks

H Company: Southwell with drill stations at Calverton and Farnsfield

By August 1914 the battalion formed part of the Notts & Derby Infantry Brigade in the North Midland Division. 

Here are some sample regimental numbers and joining dates for the the 8th Battalion, The Sherwood Foresters.

301 joined on the 1st April 1908 

952 joined on the 22nd August 1910 

1091 joined on the 25th March 1911 

1417 joined on the 19th March 1912 

1822 joined on the 19th May 1913 

1970 joined on the 17th March 1914 

2088 joined on the 9th August 1914 

A reserve or ‘second-line’ battalion was formed at Newark on the 11th September 1914, the original 8th Battalion now becoming the 1/8th Battalion and the new reserve battalion becoming the 2/8th Battalion. A 3/8th Battalion would be formed at Newark on the 26th February 1915. The 2/8th Battalion would serve overseas from February 1917 but the 3/8th never did so, becoming the 8th Reserve Battalion in April 1916 and ultimately being absorbed by the 7th Reserve Battalion. 

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 Mansfield, he would have joined in 1912 and probably served with D Company which was the Mansfield company. 

The photo I have used on this post shows officers of the 8th Battalion, Sherwood Foresters and was published in The Tatler on the 13th January 1915.

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

To search for photos of your Sherwood Foresters ancestors, check my British Army Ancestors website.

Sherwood Foresters - 6th Bn (TF)

Above, men of the 6th Bn march out of their annual camp, 1909.

This post will look at regimental numbering in the 6th (Territorial Force) Battalion, The Sherwood Foresters (Nottinghamshire & Derbyshire Regiment) between 1908 and 1914. The 5th and the 6th Battalions of this regiment were administered by the Derbyshire County Association whereas the 7th and 8th Battalions were administered by the Nottinghamshire County Association.

Until the 1st April 1908, the 6th Battalion, Sherwood Foresters had been the 2nd Volunteer Battalion, Sherwood Foresters and it was headquartered at 10 Corporation Street, Chesterfield, its eight companies drawing men from the following areas: 

A Company: Chesterfield

B Company: Chapel-en-le-Frith with drill stations at Edale, Hathersage, Peak Dale and Chinley

C Company: Buxton, with a drill station at Ashbourne

D Company: Bakewell, with a drill station at Stoney Middleton

E Company: Wirksworth, with drill stations at Cromford and Matlock

F Company: Staveley, with drill stations at Clowne, Eckington and Brimington

G Company: Claycross, with drill stations at New Tupton and South Wingfield

H Company: Whaley Bridge, with drill stations at New Mills, Disley and Hayfield

By August 1914 the battalion formed part of the Notts & Derby Infantry Brigade in the North Midland Division. 

Here are some sample regimental numbers and joining dates for the the 6th Battalion, The Sherwood Foresters.

21 joined on the 1st April 1908 

1134 joined on the 22nd April 1909

1216 joined on the 10th February 1910 

1317 joined on the 30th January 1911 

1524 joined on the 11th January 1912 

1870 joined on the 14th April 1913 

2121 joined on the 16th February 1914 

2250 joined on the 15th August 1914 

A reserve or ‘second-line’ battalion was formed at Chesterfield on the 14th September 1914, the original 6th Battalion now becoming the 1/6th Battalion and the new reserve battalion becoming the 2/6th Battalion. A 3/6th Battalion would be formed at Chesterfield on the 1st March 1915. The 2/6th Battalion would serve overseas from February 1917 but the 3/6th never did so, becoming the 6th Reserve Battalion in April 1916 and ultimately being absorbed by the 5th Reserve Battalion. 

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 1111 and lived in Bakewell, he would have joined probably in March or April 1911 and probably served with D Company which was the Bakewell company. 

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

To search for photos of your Sherwood Foresters ancestors, check my British Army Ancestors website.

Leicestershire Regiment - 4th Bn (TF)

This post will look at regimental numbering in the 4th (Territorial Force) Battalion, Leicestershire Regiment between 1908 and 1914. 

Until the 1st April 1908, the 4th Battalion, Leicestershire Regiment had been the 1st Volunteer Battalion, originally raised in 1859. The battalion was headquartered at Oxford Street, Leicester and its eight companies drew men from the following areas: 

A Company: Leicester 

B Company: Leicester, with a drill station at Anstey 

C Company: Leicester, with a drill station at Syston 

D, E, F & G Companies: Leicester 

H Company: Wigston 

By August 1914 the battalion formed part of the Lincoln & Leicester Brigade in the North Midland Division. Here are some sample regimental numbers and joining dates for the the 4th Battalion, Leicestershire Regiment. Numbers issued from about 1912 appear with the 4/ prefix: 

507 joined on the 17th June 1908 

826 joined on the 28th April 1909 

1138 joined on the 6th May 1910 

1313 joined on the 13th January 1911 

4/1477 joined on the 15th January 1912 

1773 joined on the 14th April 1913 

4/1958 joined on the 9th March 1914 

2046 joined on the 7th August 1914 

A reserve or ‘second-line’ battalion was formed at Leicester in September 1914, the original 4th Battalion now becoming the 1/4th Battalion and the new reserve battalion becoming the 2/4th Battalion. A 3/4th Battalion would be formed in 1915. The 2/4th Battalion would serve overseas from February 1917 but the 3/4th never did so, becoming the 4th Reserve Battalion in April 1916. 

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 2000 and lived in Wigston, he would have joined this battalion after March 1914 and probably served with H Company. 

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

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

Regimental numbers - Fast Facts

I need to re-state some basic facts once in a while and so if you're familiar with regimental numbering in the British Army up until 1920, you might just want to skip this post.

In 1920, Army Order 338 introduced a new system of  'army numbers'. Up until that point, men had been issued with regimental numbers by the regiment or corps that they joined.

Since 2008 this blog has detailed regimental and corps numbers issued between 1881 and 1918, with the focus on the period 1881 to 1914. I chose 1881 as my starting point because this was when the majority of the old infantry Regiments of Foot were officially re-designated along county or 'territorial' lines, and men joining these newly named regiments were, from 1st July 1881, issued with a number from a new number series which began at 1.

This system invariably meant that there was massive duplication of regimental numbers in the British Army. Furthermore, the regimental number series operated by the regular battalions of each regiment would prove to be just one of several series operated by the regiment.

A typical line infantry regiment could expect to administer one regimental number series for its regular battalions, and a separate number series for each militia battalion. Volunteer Force battalions also each had a separate regimental number series and later, and so too would EACH Territorial Force battalion. As if this wasn't confusing enough, some of these individual Territorial Force battalions operated their own multiple number series.

This blog has information on regimental numbering in ALL line infantry regiments, ALL household and line cavalry, ALL yeomanry, and much more besides.  Use the INDEX to find the regiment you are interested in BUT be careful.  As I said, regiments operated multiple regimental number series and understanding which battalion a man served with is the key to understanding what his service looked like.

The extract below shows regimental numbers issued by the King's (Liverpool Regiment) between 1908 and 1912. Here, straight away, you can see that there were nine separate series in use between those years. Later, in 1917, when the Territorial Force was re-numbered, serving members of the TF were all issued with new regimental numbers, the lowest number in each series being issued to the longest serving member of that battalion or TF unit. This re-numbering, designed to cut some of the confusion with duplicate numbering would have been better had not the new number series also been duplicated across battalions.  By my reckoning, when the new number blocks were introduced in 1917, 61 regiments started re-issuing numbers from a series which began with 200001!

So using the example above, if your King's (Liverpool Regiment) British Army Ancestor had the regimental number 10030, he could have been a regular soldier who joined the regiment some time before 1908, or he could have been a man who joined the 3rd (Special Reserve) Battalion in January 1912.  Similarly, if your ancestor was in the Territorial Force and had the number 1100, he could have served with any of the six TF battalions listed here - and he could have therefore joined up in either 1908, 1909 or 1910 depending on which battalion he joined. 

I have published a fraction of the information from my database on this blog. Contact me via the RESEARCH tab if you need help with your British Army Ancestors.

Some other points to bear in mind; this from Queen's Regulations for 1889:

There are two key points to bear in mind here. The first is the scope of the number series expressed in paragraph 38, particularly the point about applying to start a new series. As an example, between 1881 and 1914, the Rifle Brigade reached 9999 on two occasions and therefore started a new number series beginning with 1. So if we see a Rifleman from the Rifle Brigade with the number 5000, that number could date to 1882 (the Rifle Brigade did not start numbering from 1 in 1881) or 1897 or 1913.

The second point to note is paragraph 41. Regimental numbers were not re-issued. If a man was discharged from a regiment, walked around the block and then re-enlisted with the same regiment he would be issued with a new regimental number. I have published extracts from King's and Queen's Regulations on this blog. 

There is a lot of information that I have published over the years and I am happy to answer general questions. Post a comment and I'll post a response. For individual RESEARCH projects, contact me via the RESEARCH tab.

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. 

About Army Service Numbers 1881-1881

A couple of comments on this blog the other day made me think that I should perhaps just re-state its intent.

1. Army Service Numbers 1881-1918 does not purport to re-publish every regimental number ever issued and the date on which those numbers were issued. That would be bonkers, as well as quite clearly impossible.
2. By and large, with notable exceptions during the Second Anglo-South African War (Boer war) and from 1914 in some regiments, regimental numbers were issued sequentially as far as most units were concerned.
3. This means that if number 1234 was issued in on the 1st January 1904 and number 5678 was issued in on the 31st December 1910, regimental numbers between 1235 and 5677 must have been issued either on or between those two dates.
4. The regimental numbers I publish on this blog are therefore provided as guidance only. As a rule, for each line infantry regiment, I have published a single regimental number and enlistment date annually from 1881 (when a new regimental number sequence was introduced for infantry regiments) until 1914, and then monthly until December 1914.

In other words, the information you'll find on this blog provides broad guidance on when and how regimental numbers were issued in the British Army between 1881 and 1918. In fact it wasn't until 1920 that army numbers replaced regimental numbers and so in actual fact I should have titled this blog, "Regimental Numbers 1881-1918".

All numbers published here come from a far larger database which I have compiled over many years and which I still use daily as a rough ready-reckoner.

As far as I am aware, complete runs of regimental numbers and dates of issue do not survive for the majority of regiments. However, there are some notable exceptions:

1. The Guards regiments have pretty complete runs of men who joined up during this period as they still have in their possession both enlistment registers and papers. Of the five regiments, the Scots Guards have published many of their records on Findmypast, and more will follow next year. The other four Guards regiments are either still hanging on to their records - just - or have transferred them to the MoD.
2. The Honourable Artillery Company, the oldest regiment in the British Army, have a complete run of men as a result of their membership lists, nominal rolls, and service cards which are all published on Findmypast.

I know of no other complete regimental rolls although there are of course various battalion nominal rolls which survive or which have been compiled in later years.

I research soldiers! 

Contact me if you need help.

I've borrowed the photo on this post from the Radley College archive. Many of these boys, prefects when this was taken in 1913, would go on to serve their King and Country between 1914-1918.

Herefordshire Regiment enlistments 1908-1914

Undertaking some research for someone the other day into a man who served with the Herefordshire Regiment, reminds me that I have not, to date, posted anything on this regiment. Here then is some detail on regimental numbering in this regiment.

The Herefordshire Regiment was a wholly Territorial Force regiment headquartered at Hereford. Originally comprised of eight companies, pre-First World War, it recruited men from the following areas:

A & H Companies: Hereford, with drill stations at Peterchurch, Madley, Marden & Burghill

B Company: Ross, with a drill station at Upton Bishop

C Company: Ledbury, with drill stations at Colwall, Much Marcle & Bosbury

D Company: Kington, with drill stations at Presteigne and Eardisley

E Company: Ruardean, with a drill station at Littledean

F Company: Leominster, with a drill station at Bromyard

G Company: Rhayader with drill stations at Knighton, Chapel Lawn, Newbridge, Bucknell & Llandridnd Wells

Knowing the recruitment areas for men who joined prior to 4th August 1914 is important. For instance, if a man was living in Ruardean and joined the regiment pre-August 1914, the likelihood is that he would have served with E Company. By the time that Britain went to war in August 1914 however, such distinctions were lost as men flocked to the colours and were allocated to those companies which could accommodate them.

Originally designated simply as the 1st Herefordshire Regiment, the need to accommodate new recruits from September 1914 necessitated the formation of a new, reserve battalion. This battalion became the 2/1st Herefordshire Regiment whilst the original battalion was re-titled the 1/1st Battalion. In due course, in February 1915, a 3/1st Battalion would be formed.

All three battalion shared the same regimental number series which had begun with 1 in April 1908. The following sequence to the end of 1914 will give an idea of regimental number progression to the end of 1914.

107 joined on 17th April 1908

522 joined on 2nd February 1909

898 joined on 5th April 1910

1093 joined on 12th June 1911

1144 joined on 26th February 1912

1302 joined on 8th April 1913

1427 joined on 2nd April 1914

1564 joined on 6th August 1914

2021 joined on 2nd September 1914

2589 joined on 16th October 1914

2930 joined on 13th November 1914

3031 joined on 19th December 1914

In other words, more men joined the regiment between August and December 1914 than in the period April 1908 to July 1914. 

From September 1914 the majority of men joining the Herefordshire Regiment would join the 2/1st Battalion and many of these men would find themselves sent to France in August 1916 before transferring to the South Wales Borderers to help fill the gaps caused by casualties on the Somme. During the course of my research I came across the record of a Herefordshire Regiment man 42151 Pte Thomas Davies - who was badly wounded in early 1917 and I will tell his story in a separate post. It deserves to be told and he deserves to be remembered.

The photo that I have used on this page shows men of the 1st Herefordshire Regiment waiting on a station platform en route to Hereford in 1914. It comes from the Courtyard Centre for the Arts website.

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Army Service Numbers 1881-1918: a 2018 retrospective

As 2018 draws to a close, here's what I achieved this year.

• Including this one, I published 48 Army Service Numbers blog posts
• I wrote 36 Army Ancestry Research  blog posts
• I answered over 500 British Army research enquiries 
• I wrote 23 blog posts on my British Army Ancestors website and added several hundred photos. I know of at least two success stories where members of the public have found ancestors as a result of this new initiative and I remain committed to it
• I set up a British Army Ancestors Facebook page and publish mini biographies daily. Today's post, for instance, features Walter Holmes of the 20th Public Schools Battalion, Royal Fusiliers who is the man seated in the right in the photo at the top of this post.

In addition to the blogging and the tweeting (somewhat reduced this year, and for that matter, I am undecided whether I will stay with Twitter) and the research enquiries, I also continued with my own research projects. I have still to complete Times casualties published in March 1915 but I did complete my transcription of soldiers overseas who were enumerated in the 1911 census. I also completed the publication of my Princess Mary tin data: British soldiers who were captured on or before Christmas Day 1914.

I also ventured into the world of digital publishing. Having won two large book auctions in 2017 I now have digital, fully OCRd copies of the Rifle Brigade Chronicle and King's Royal Rifle Corps Chronicles to 1920. I have a complete run of the RB Chronicle from 1890 to 1920 but I am missing the years 1915 and 1919 for the KRRC Chronicle. I also set up separate pages on this blog offering books for sale and original photographs for sale.

So what else is in store for 2019?

I will continue with the daily posting on the British Army Ancestors Facebook page and I plan enhancements for the site. I may start posting 1911 Census transcriptions on my British Army Ancestors site, and I certainly plan more indexing of men in the army who were enumerated on returns in England, Wales and Ireland.

I will probably post fewer posts on this blog in 2019 but having celebrated 10 years of publishing on this platform this year, I look forward to the start of another decade's publishing.

To all visitors to this blog, I wish you a very happy 2019.

I research soldiers! 

Contact me if you need help.

7th Dragoon Guards - Other Rank PoWs 1914

There is just a handful of men from the 7th Dragoon Guards who appear on my so-called Princess Mary Tin PoW list. The original source material is now catalogued at The Imperial War Museum in B.O.2 1/52; no details of the compiler or sender noted.

6671 Corporal P F Cosgrave
6857 Private C Lewis
6924 Sergeant G W Naylor
6576 Private John Plain
6287 Private Herbert Wright

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Royal Marines - Other Rank PoWs 1914

The 333 men on this list were all serving with the Royal Marines when they were captured in 1914. The data comes from two sources now archived at the Imperial War Museum:

• B.O.2 1/187 is a 117-page typed list of Royal Naval Division men taken prisoner before Christmas 1914
• B.O.2 1/223 is a nine-page typed document sent by the Adjutant General, Royal Marines. Dated 13th January 1919.  Information noted in "Other Information" is "Present Disposal" 

My full transcription of these men (not reproduced here) also contains the home address and/or next of kin address of all of the men, plus date of birth and peacetime occupation for some.

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

For more information about these so-called 'Princess Mary tin PoWs' see my 1914 PoWs page. Any transcription errors are my own.

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Po/10901 & B/1221 Private J A Abell, Po/17367 Private A Aindow, Po/14759 & B/1217 Private H J Allen, Po/16966 Private A Allinson, Po/8861 & B/1134 Private J Andrews, Po/17439 Private A E Arbon

Po/16918 Private P Bailey, Po/11013 Private P G H Bailey, Po/17387 Private A E Balmer, Ply/10383 Sergeant J Balsom, Po/10228 Private J H Banyard, Po/16226 Private F J Barnard, Po/13674 Private F J Barnard, Po/16642 Private A J Barnes, Po/16849 Private C G Barnett, Po/14649 Private C G Barnett, Po/17262 Private F S Barney, Ply/8464 Private C E Barreyatt, Po/11980 & B/741 Private C Batham, Po/7140 & B/718 Private G Batts, RMA/3429 Sergeant G Beagley, RMA/3357 Colour-Sergeant G Beautyman, Po/14100 Sergeant E Beckett, B/1237 Private H Bell, Ch/11299 & B/1751 Private F Bigsworth, Po/12777 & B/1158 Private J Blendall, Po/17294 Private F Boniface, RMA/2716 Sergeant A E Bowles, Ch/14765 Private W H Brand, Po/15359 Private A J F Breslin, Po/16263 Private C Brewer, Po/12380 & B/1386 Private H M Brooks, Po/13333 Private H H Broomfield, Po/17407 Private H Broomhead, Po/2031 Colour-Sergeant A Brown, Po/15309 Private F C Brown, Po/12934 & RFR/B/987 Private A J Buckley, Ch/7481 Colour-Sergeant T A Bull, Po/9850/3/1173 Private O Burgess, Po/7122 Private J E A Burrow, Po/9850/RFR & B/1094 Private G Burt, Po/12208 & RFR/798 Private W J Burton, Po/10102 Colour-Sergeant Burton, Po/5112 Corporal J Bush, Ply/16384 Private S Butler 

Po/3421/RFR & a/508 Private A Calwell, Po/17345 Private J Canning, Po/8146 Private W G Capel, Po/17250 Private A Caplehorn, Po/10379 & RFR/B/1078 Private E H Catchpole, Po/17394 Private G Catchpole, Po/17243 Private G Cathray, Po/15052 & RFR/B/1344 Private G W Chambers, Ch/5334 QMSI J Chandler, Po/17390 Private J Chapman, Po/11569 & RFR/S/1296 Private J H Chapman, Po/9027 Private H A Chappell, Po/10912 Private E Chinn, Po/17373 Private B W Chinnery, Po/10903 Private J A Christie, Po/17077 Private F A Ciappesoni, Po/9532 & RFR/277B Private J Clark, Po/1162 Private J Clarke, Po/3421 Private W J Clarke, Po/15052 Private J W Clifton, Po/17406 Private G H Clint, Po/12965 & RFR/B/1066 Private S S Coates, Po/8045 A/RM Gunner T Cobb, Po/15689 Private J T Coker, Po/17279 Private J S Collett, Po/17270 Private L S Collett, Po/17031 Private G W Cook, Po/16968 Private W Cooper, Po/12797 Private D Coughlin, Po/15432 Private E Cousins, Po/16998 Private F Cowdry, Po/15684 Private W Cowell, Po/17318 Private B Cowley, Po/10903 & RFR/B/1232 Private J T Coxen, Po/13080 Private J T Coxon, Po/9532 Private M W Cranwell, Po/17253 Private W E Cummings, Po/9901 Colour-Sergeant W F Cursons

Po/16885 Private M S Dalton, Ply/16496 Private A Davidson, Po/16850 Private W Davidson, Po/17010 Private A Davis, Po/16580 Private W Davison, PO/17339 Private W R Dean, PO/17284 Private V H Deane, Po/8571 Colour-Sergeant C H Devanter, Po/9823 Private P Dickens, Po/5691 Corporal W Dilley, Po/17427 Private A J Dilloway, Po/10904 & RFR/B/1210 Private B G Dimond, Po/17352 Private F Dodds, Po/17405 Private N Dougherty, Po/2204 & RFR/B/181 Private E R Doughty, Po/12323 & RFR/B/1379 Private F H Dovey, Po/17275 Private F H W Drover, Po/17357 Private R W Dulley, Po/16940 Private J Duncan

Po/10042 & RFR/B/1079 Private J Eagles, Po/17377 Private S Edwards, Po/17379 Private A E Elliott, Po/15097 Pte C Evans, Ch/10904 Private C F Evans, L8/2651 Leading Seaman C Eveleigh, Po/4373/643 Lance-Corporal W A Everard

Ch/18520 Private W Fazackerley, Po/17083 Private A F Featherstone, Po/4199 Colour-Sergeant G Ferrison, Po/5898 Sergeant F W Field, Po/11194 & RFR/B/1256 Private J W W Fielder, Po/17228 Private W J Finlayson, Po/12868 Private W S Fleet, Po/9596/RFR & B/1042 Private G Ford, Ply/16397 Private W G Ford, Po/17256 Private G H Foster, Po/17251 Private F Fowler, Po/8406 Private C Franklin, Po/17343 Private T W H French, Po/6145 Colour-Sergeant H Fretton, Po/11189 Private C J Fry, Po/15661 Private N J T Fry, Po/3775 Sergeant H H Fullilove, Ch/3987 Colour-Sergeant J Furze

Po/16980 Pte G C Gibbs, Po/17043 Pte W J Gillam, Po/16982 Private H J Goddard, Po/10792 Colour-Sergeant A Grange, Po/5924 Sergeant A A Grant, Po/17022 Private S J Greenwood, Po/6349 &RFR/A/901 Private E C Grout, Po/13174 Corporal S Guttridge

Po/6798 & RFR/B/803 Private P J Haddrell, Po/11745 Private E Hall, Po/13884 & RFR/B/1070 Private W J Hall, Captain & Quarter Master J Hammond, Po/4856 & RFR/B/702 Private F Hampson, Po/11924 & RFR/B/1317 Private E Handsom, Po/10761 Private A E Harding, Po/11118 & RFR/B/629 Private B Hardwick, Po/11118 Private B Hardwick, Po/15397 Bugler H Harlow, Po/7769 & RFR/B/670 Private H Hastings, Po/17087 Private F Healey, Po/5979 & RFR/B/511 Private H G Hewitt, Po/7410 Sergeant J W Hicks, Po/17260 Private A Hill, Po/14913 & RFR/B/1260 Private C F Hind, Po/6135 Private C C Hobbs, Po/9055 & RFR/B/977 Private W J Hodges, Po/14268 & RFR/B/1212 Private P Hollaway, Po/17246 Private W Hooper, Po/17015 Private G Hopkinson, Po/9691 Private J Horsbrugh, Po/17055 Private S G Howard, Po/3252 & RFR B/480 Private J Hudson, Po/15701 Private H C Humby, Po/7741 Acting Sergeant-Major A Humphrey, Po/16902 Private G S Hunt, Po/8771 Private W G Hutchings

Po/10717 Private P E Jackson, Po/12354 Private W T Jackson, Ply/16380 Private J Jefferies, Po/17092 Private F Johnson, Po/13199 Sergeant G Johnson, Po/15619 Private F C Jones, Po/11706 Corporal M Joy, Po/16913 Private W Joyce

Po/17163 Bugler D Kearns, Ch/9080 & RFR/B/1009 Private C Kenton, Po/10446 & RFR/B/387 Private J W Kirk, RMB/1144 Band Corporal W J Knowles

Ch/5581 A Leatt, Po/17064 Private E C Lilley, Ply/16237 Private W Lockwood, Po/17277 Private E Lockyer, Po/5876 Colour-Sergeant P E Low, Po/17000 Private R Lumbkin, Ch/8222 Sergeant A E Lyne

Po/17410 Private E Mack, Po/12388 Private H E Mantell, 16999 A Markhurst, Po/15721 Private S Markwick, Po/C/15721 Private T S Markwick, Po/16609 Private A H Marshall, Po/17049 Private W Marsham, Po/17433 Private C B Maso, Po/16796 Private F E Masters, Po/16805 Private G May, Ply/11567 Sergeant J McArdle, Ply/10879 & RFR/S/1279 Private D McIlvenny, Ply/10803 & RFR/B/334 Private W McKay, Po/16282 Private J McKee, Po/17025 Private J McKenzie, Po/8157 & RFR/B/877 Private A McKinnon, Ch/10038 Corporal W H Meloy, Po/8837 & RFR/B/946 Private J C Meredith, Po/7944 & RFR/B/527 Private E F Merritt, Po/14871 Private F Merritt, RMA/3018 Colour-Sergeant S J Miller, Po/17021 Private W G Miller, Po/10774 & RFR/B/1204 Private G Millward , Po/11727 & RFR/B/1305 Private J Minshall, Ply/11015 Corporal A F Monro, Po/14653 & RFR B/1266 Private C T Moore, Po/16953 Private J A Moore, Po/6979 & RFR/B/626 Private T Moore, Po/15343 Private C E Morris, Ply/16349 Private J Morris , Po/9697 Colour-Sergeant J Morrison, Po/16904 Private H J Moulding, Ch/18525 Private W A Moule, Po/17317 Private F Muncaster, Po/16755 Private J T Murphy, Po/10047 Colour-Sergeant J M Murrell

Po/11750 Private T Nash, Po/17423 Private A E W Neate, Po/9119 & RFR/B/1000 Private J Newson, Po/14050 Private F I Newton, Po/14050 & RFR/B/1147 Private F J Newton, Ply/16356 E E Nicholls, Po/11676 Colour-Sergeant K C Nicoll, Po/16898 Private R A Norris

Po/13267 & RFR/A/915 Private F Oakes, Po/10106 & RFR/B/567 Private A H Oliver, Po/10339 Private W Osborne

Ch/9427 Private E Page, 1366/9427 Private E G Page, Po/11731 & RFR/B/1308 Private J Parker, Po/16784 Private W G Parrack, Po/3379 & RFR/A/804 Colour-Sergeant H E Parslow, Po/5637 Private W Patchcott, Po/16868 Bugler W Pearse, Po/15734 Private W Penfare, Po/16739 Private F R J Penfold, Po/9145 & RFRB/684 Private J Pople, Po/17009 Private H G Porter, Po/12371 Private E Porton, Po/3918 & RFR/A/576 Private H Poulson, Po/9199 Colour-Sergeant W J Pratt, Po/5333 Corporal A Preston, Po/9574 Private A Price, Po/3642 AB R T Puncher, Po/11600 & RFR/B/1384 Private M A Pym, CH/8284 &amp

RFR/B1383 Private E Quinn

Po/11187 &amp RFR/B/1234 Private E A Radford, Po/10263 & RFR/B/638 Private R Randall, Po/11825 & RFR/B/1315 Private J Redmond, Po/5664 & RFR/A/805 Private J Reed, Po/10995 Private M Regan, Po/10995 & RFR/B/1246 Private M Regan, Po/12366 & RFR/B/1390 Private F F Reynolds, Po/8914 & RFR/B/971 Private A W Ribbans, Po/16793 Private A Richardson, Po/15176 Private F W Robbins, Po/17347 Private H A Roberts, Po/9002 & RFR/B/973 Private M Robinson, Po/13902 & RFR/B/1002 Private A V Rowles, Po/10561 Private H Rozier, Po/9008 & RFR/B/657 Private J Rumble

Po/5271 & RFR/B/142 Private J F Sandall, RMB/1992 Musician J W Sanders, Po/17050 Private F W Sargison, Po/14696 Private C L Savage, Po/16911 Bugler T G Sawford, Po/17232 Private W E Scotney, Po/8404 & RFR/B/534 Private F G Sedman, Po/17408 Private H Shaw, Po/9604 & RFR/B/115 Private J Shell, Po/5810 Colour-Sergeant G Shepherd, Po/17633 Private E Shercold, Po/17033 Private S C Shergold, Ch/8911 & RFR/B/1317 Private J J Short, Po/13063 & RFR/B/861 Private E J Simmons, Po/10226 & RFR/B/575 Private C W Sims, Po/3948 Private W Sizer, Po/11988 & RFR/B/1334 Pensioner Private F G Smith, Ch/16409 Corps H W Smith, Po/17002 Pensioner Private L Smith, Po/16900 Private W Smith, Po/16874 Private W G Smith, Po/16873 Private F C Snelling, Po/10808 Private W Sonley, Po/11905 & RFR/B/1369 Private H Spackman, Po/14088 Sergeant O U Spearing, Po/2849 Sergeant G B Sperring, Po/17082 Private A H Stanton, RMA/10751 & RFR/B/325 Gunner J Steele, Po/8866 & RFR/A/611 Private J T Steele, Po/13331 Private A Stokes, Po/11504 Private H Stordy, Po/11004 Private H H Stordy, Po/17088 Private A J Summers

Po/17389 Private J Tatton, Po/8357 Corporal N Tether, Po/5218 & RFR/B/347 Private J J Thomas, Po/16228 Private W Thorn, Po/17005 Private H J Tilley, Po/14071 Private A C Tulley, Po/8529 & RFR/B/907 Private C H Turberfield, RMB/1938 Musician A J Turner, Po/12866 & RFR/B/1202 Private F Turner, Po/16944 Private J Tweedie

Po/12362 & RFR/B/1396 Private W Waldram, Po/15663 Private F C Walker, Po/10843 Private J Waller, Po/11686 Private L O Walton, Po/13229 & RFR/B/1269 Private E W Ward, Po/16917 Private F Warner, Po/17269 Private B W Warren, Po/10560 & RFR/B/1178 Private F Warren, Po/13849 Sergeant G H A Waskett, Po/12042 & RFR/B/908 Private E P Watson, Po/13698 & RFR/B/1249 Private W Watts, Po/17040 Private E D Waugh, Po/10819 Private R J West, Po/16869 Private T West, Ply/14110 Private C Wheelwright, Po/7504 Private E White, Po/17295 Private F A White, Po/17090 Private G W White, Po/17093 Private F Wicks, Po/15709 Private W J Wilkie, Po/3453 Pensioner Private C Wilkins, Po/16847 Private J Wilson, Po/15229 Private F Winterbourne, Po/14675 Private G Woodberry, Po/15776 Private J Woodland

RMB/1969 Musician G J Young, Po/12021 & RFR/B/1130 Private R Young