Devonshire Regiment, 3rd (Special Reserve) Battalion

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

With the creation of the Special Reserve in 1908, the Devonshire Regiment effectively lost a battalion. Prior to this date, as well as its two regular battalions, it also fielded two militia battalions, the 3rd and 4th Battalions. Wiht the creation of the Special Reserv, the 4th Battalion was abandoned, men now being given the option to sign up to the 3rd (Special Reserve) Battalion. As far as regimental numbering in the battalion was concerned. Men who were still serving with the 3rd (Militia) Battalion simply joined the 3rd (Speical Reserve) Battalion with their old regimental numbers. 4th (Militia) Battalion men who now opted to join the 3rd (Special Reserve) Battalion were given new numbers from the 3rd Battalion series which was, itself, a continuation of the militia number series. There are many examples in surviving service records of serving militia men joining the Special Reserve in 1908 but only signing up for the unexpired portion of their militia service.

Men joining the militia and special/extra reserve were not career soldiers. They were men who had completed a period of training alongside career soldiers at the regimental depot but they then went back to their homes, turning out annually for drills and camp. Men of the Militia and the Special Reserve signed up for six years' service and knew, in the event of war, that they would be called upon to fill gaps in the regular battalions. A glance at most 1914 Star rolls will show plenty of evidence of Special Reserve men who served alongside career soldiers. Sometimes their numbers are prefixed by the number of their battalion - typically a 3/ or 4/ in most line infantry regiments - but just as often there will be no prefix.

The first 3rd (Special Reserve) Battalion number I have on my database - and there will be many earlier ones thatn this - is 4893 Samuel Rowe who was a time-expired soldier with 12 years' service under his belt. He was also a serving member of the 4th (Militia) battalion and when he joined the 3rd (Special Reserve) Battalion on the 27th June 1908 he only signed up for 2 years and 200 days which was the unexpired portion of his militia service. The new number he was issued with was from the series which had been in use for the 3rd (Militia) Battalion. 

Here then, are some sample numbers for the 3rd (Special Reserve) Battalion, Devonshire Regiment:

4956 joined on the 27th June 1908 

3/5749 joined on the 12th May 1909

5947 joined on the 24th January 1910

6206 joined on the 18th April 1911

3/6597 joined on the 29th October 1912

3/6679 joined on the 12th February 1913

3/7040 joined on the 15th August 1914

3/7180 joined on the 1st September 1914

3/7743 joined on the 7th October 1914

The regimental number series was unique to the 3rd Miltia/Special Reserve Battalion but care needs to be exercised when determining if a man's number belongs to this series or to the series that was issued from the regimental depot to men joining as career soldiers. For example, looking at the sequence above, it can be seen that the number 7000 would have been issued to a 3rd Bn man between February 1913 and August 1914 (and more likely to have been July or August 1914 for that matter). However, the same number would have been issued to a career soldier who joined the regiment in July 1902. See my article on regimental numbering in the 1st & 2nd Battalions of The Devonshire Regiment.

And if all of this is still confusing, have a read of some of the articles towards the bottom of the Army Service Numbers 1881-1918 index. 

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To search for Devonshire Regiment photos, check my British Army Ancestors website.  

Devonshire Regiment - 7th (Cyclist) Bn (TF) - 1910-1914

This post will look at regimental numbering in the 7th Battalion, Devonshire Regiment between 1908 and 1914.

The 7th Battalion had no direct Volunteer Force predecessor although it had its nucleus in cyclist sections of the 1st and 5th Volunteer Force Battalions. The 7th Battalion (TF) was formed on the 11th June 1908 with the recruiting area defined as "not restricted, but preferably the south coast of Devon."

The Territorial Year Book for 1909 recorded that the battalion strength was eight officers and 252 men. 137 Sgt W D Pyne was the best shot of the battalion and at the annual camp in 1908, 104 officers and men attended for eight days whilst 96 officers and men attended for 15 days.

The following year, The Territorial Year Book for 1910 recorded that the strength was 19 officers and 413 men. 128 Pte J L Mogridge was the best shot in 1909 and at the annual camp 108 officers and men attended for 8 days whilst 236 officers and men attended for 15 days. Camp for 1910 was scheduled for Totnes from the 23rd July.

The battalion was headquartered at Exeter, and its eight companies drew men from the following areas.

A Company: Torquay, with a drill station at Broad Clyst
B Company: Exeter, with drill stations at Topsham and Woodbury
C Company: Exeter

D Company: Cullompton, with drill stations at Bradninch and Silverton
E Company: Crediton
F Company: Dartmouth
G Company: Plymouth
H Company: Torquay

The battalion was attached to Southern Command

Understanding the company distribution is important if you know where your 7th Battalion soldier lived as it would likely suggest the company he served with. For instance, men living in Crediton and wishing to join this battalion would have logically been assigned to E Company, serving together in that company with men from the same area. 

I have fewer numbers in my 7th Devonshire Regiment database than for some other battalions and so I start here in 1910. Here are some sample regimental numbers and joining dates for the 7th Battalion, Devonshire Regiment.

387 joined on the 8th March 1910
671 joined on the 11th May 1911
736 joined on the 12th March 1912
819 joined on the 26th February 1913
1005 joined on the 18th June 1914
1077 joined on the 7th August 1914
1155 joined on the 12th October 1914
1560 joined on the 7th November 1914
1625 joined on the 1st December 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 1555 he would have joined the battalion between February 1911 and December 1912.

The undated image that I have borrowed for this post shows a First World War era cyclist. To search for photos of your Devonshire Regiment ancestors, check my British Army Ancestors website.

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Devonshire Regiment - 6th Battalion (TF) - 1908-1914

This post will look at regimental numbering in the 6th Battalion, Devonshire Regiment between 1908 and 1914.

The 6th Battalion was formed on the 1st April 1908, taking in men from the former 4th Volunteer Battalion. It was headquartered at Barnstaple.

The Territorial Year Book for 1909 recorded that the battalion strength was 25 officers and 523 men. At the annual camp in 1908, 243 officers and men attended for eight days whilst 207 officers and men attended for 15 days.

The following year, The Territorial Year Book for 1910 recorded that the strength was 27 officers and 853 men. At the annual camp in 1909, 408 officers and men had attended for 8 days whilst 411 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: Barnstaple, with a drill station at Muddiford
B Company: Okehampton, with drill stations at Hatherleigh, Bow, and Sticklepath
C Company: Bideford, with drill stations at Appledore, Parkham, and Hartland
D Company: Torrington, with drill stations at St Giles, Holsworthy, and Ashwater
E Company: South Molton, with drill stations at Witheridge, Molland, and Chittlehampton
F Company: Chulmleigh, with drill stations at Winkleigh, King's Nympton, Burrington, and Crediton
G Company: Combe Martin, with drill stations at Berrynarbor,Braunton and Croyde
H Company: Barnstaple

Understanding the company distribution is important if you know where your 6th Battalion soldier lived as it would likely suggest the company he served with. For instance, men living in South Molton and wishing to join this battalion would have logically been assigned to E 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.

386 joined on the 1st April 1908
665 joined on the 16th February 1909
1203 joined on the 28th April 1910
1442 joined on the 1st July 1911
1479 joined on the 22nd February 1912
1724 joined on the 9th June 1913

1825 joined on the 9th January 1914
2240 joined on the 26th August 1914

Use these regimental numbers to approximate when a man would have joined the 6th Battalion between 1908 and August 1914. For example if your man's number was 1500 he would have joined the battalion between February 1912 and June 1913.

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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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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Devonshire Regiment - 4th Battalion (TF) - 1908-1914

This post will look at regimental numbering in the 4th Battalion, Devonshire Regiment between 1908 and 1914.

The 4th Battalion was formed on the 1st April 1908, taking in men from the former 1st and 3rd Volunteer Battalions which had been amalgamated to meet the requirements of the Territorial Forces Act of 1907. The 1st Volunteer Battalion claimed to be the oldest Volunteer Battalion.

The Territorial Year Book for 1909 recorded that the battalion strength was 34 officers and 791 men. Private H Squires was the best shot of the battalion and at the annual camp at East Anstey in 1908, 403 officers and men attended for eight days whilst 222 officers and men attended for 15 days.

The following year, The Territorial Year Book for 1910 recorded that the strength was 28 officers and 932 men. At the annual camp at Whitchurch Down in 1909, 463 officers and men had attended for 8 days whilst 260 officers and men had attended for 15 days. Camp for 1910 was scheduled for West Down South from the 23rd July.

The battalion was headquartered at Exeter, and its eight companies drew men from the following areas.

A Company: Exeter, with a drill station at Broad Clyst
B & C Companies: Exeter

D Company: Exmouth, with drill stations at Budleigh Salterton and Lympstone
E Company: Tiverton, with drill stations at Bampton and Dulverton
F Company: Sidmouth, with drill stations at Ottery St Mary, Newton Poppleford, Honiton and Colyton
G Company: Cullompton, with drill stations at Burelscombe and Uffculme
H Company: Axminster, with drill stations at Chardstock and Lyme Regis

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 4th Battalion soldier lived as it would likely suggest the company he served with. For instance, men living in Tiverton and wishing to join this battalion would have logically been assigned to E Company. (Note that such logic was abandoned after 4th August 1914).

Here are some sample regimental numbers and joining dates for the 4th Battalion, Devonshire Regiment.

33 joined on the 1st April 1908
429 joined on the 2nd March 1909
1394 joined on the 7th October 1910
1411 joined on the 20th February 1911
1772 joined on the 6th December 1912
2234 joined on the 6th November 1913
2279 joined on the 5th August 1914
2440 joined on the 5th 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 1555 he would have joined the battalion between February 1911 and December 1912.

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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The Western Times - Devonshire

I came across this article in The Western Times whilst looking for something else completely unrelated, but it does serve as a useful reminder of just how helpful newspapers can be when it comes to military research.

I have yet to check other issues of this publication and so I don't know whether this was a one-off, but I suspect not. Reporting regimental orders for the week, The Western Times records:

4TH BATT. DEVON REGIMENT

Regimental numbers - regimental numbers have been assigned the under-mentioned recruits: No 1622 Pte E Connett, No 1623 Pte T J Cowell, No 1624 Pte R W G Dare, No 1625 Pte R J Roderidge, No 1626 Pte S Ward, all of F Company; No 1627 Pte E Dunsett, G Company; No 1628 Pte G H Norman and No 1629 Pte R H Pulman, C Company...

F Company was based at Sidmouth, G Company at Cullompton and C Company at Exeter, suggesting the men who joined these companies probably came from these areas.

This is extremely useful information, particularly as service records in WO 363 for this regiment and the DCLI seem to be more scarce than those for many other line infantry regiments. A quick check on British Army Ancestors reveals that whilst some of these men did serve during the First World War, some had clearly been discharged before 1914, or did not serve overseas, and there are no surviving service records for any of these men.

The Western Times also reports discharges from the army as well as events affecting the 4th Wessex Brigade, RFA and Royal Engineers companies; all in all a very useful discovery.

Dorsetshire & Devonshire Regimental numbers

Today's naughty-step nomination goes to The Keep Military Museum - Home of the Regiments of Devon & Dorset - for lifting information from this blog and publishing it on its Army Numbers page without crediting the source. Not only bad manners, but also poor archival practice, I would have thought.

I am quite happy for the information that I publish here to be used  - after all, that's why I publish it in the first place. But I also expect that if information is re-published elsewhere it should be properly credited. A 'thank you' or better still, a link back to the site is not too much to ask, is it?

And whilst I am at it, I need to correct the information that The Keep has published for the Dorsetshire Regiment (which was obviously NOT lifted from this blog).

1. "By 1899 men in the 1st and 2nd Battalions The Dorsetshire Regiment were being allocated numbers in the 4000-5000 range." Oh no they weren't. The number 4000 had been issued back in August 1893 and 5000 had been issued in August 1896 (4999 was issued to George Smith on the 19th August). By January 1899 the regiment was issuing numbers in the 58** range. For example, George Frampton was given the number 5836 when he joined the regiment at Dorchester on the 9th January 1899.

2. "The 4th Battalion (Territorial Army) were reorganised in 1908 and their numbers started with 1 in that year. Those who served overseas were renumbered in 1917 to a 6 digit number. The 4th Dorsets were allocated a batch of numbers starting with 200,000." Not correct. Back in 1914 it was the Territorial Force (TF), rather than Territorial Army, and it wasn't reorganised in 1908, but rather came into being on the 1st April, replacing the old Volunteer Force. When the TF was re-numbered in 1917, ALL serving members were issued with new five or six-digit numbers. This included not only men who were serving overseas, but men serving at home and even men who had been killed in action weeks or months before but who had not been officially confirmed as having been killed. The number block for the 4th Battalion, Dorsetshire Regiment was 200001 to 225000.

3. "Men in the 5th and 6th Service Battalions of the Dorsetshire Regiment in World War I often had numbers in the 10,000-11,000 range."  Yes they did, but there are also men in the 5th Battalion who had numbers in the late 9,000 range as well. Note too, that many men in these battalions would have had numbers far higher than 11,000. 

It worked like this - and this pattern was replicated across very many line infantry regiments. When new service battalions started to be created in August 1914, the regimental numbers issued to new recruits followed on from the series that had previously been used for men in the regular battalions. The Dorset Regiment had reached 9816 by July 6th 1914, and my lowest August 1914 number is 9828 issued on the 5th August. From this point, men joining the newly formed 5th Battalion (formed in August 1914) would have been issued with numbers in continuation of the regular number series. The 6th Battalion was not formed until September 1914 and by this time the regiment was numbering in the 11000s.

4. "Soldiers with numbers in the 19,000 block were reinforcements sent to the 5th Battalion The Dorsetshire Regiment to replace casualties. Many of these came from the 3rd Battalion The Somerset Light Infantry (special reservists) or North Somerset Yeomanry." I didn't know that, and if this is true it's useful information.

5. "The Dorset Yeomanry also had a new figure number system introduced in 1908. In 1916 they too were renumbered using numbers in a batch 230,0001 to 235,000." The Dorset Yeomanry (Queen's Own) started numbering from 1 in April 1908 but they were re-numbered in early 1917, not 1916, and the number block was 230001-235000.

The photo I have used on this post is of Super Nanny Jo Frost and is taken from the BBC News website. (Note to The Keep - that's how you credit someone else's work).

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3rd (Militia Battalion) Devonshire Regiment

It's been a little while since I posted regimental numbers here - too many 1914 Prisoners of War to be looking at - but as I'm giving a talk on regimental numbers in Devon this weekend, it's perhaps apt that this post should look at numbering in the 3rd (Militia) Battalion of the Devonshire Regiment.

What follows is a snapshot of enlistments between 1892 and 1900.  I will follow this with a separate post on the 4th (Militia) Battalion and in due course, as time permits, I will expand the series to take in other years. Both the 3rd and 4th Battalions maintained separate number series although as we shall see, looking at the series side by side, it is virtually impossible for some years, to tell one battalion apart from the other.

2480 joined on 10th February 1892
2657 joined on 13th February 1893
2888 joined on 26th November 1896
3030 joined on 16th March 1897
3250 joined on 12th March 1898
3546 joined on 5th June 1899
3640 joined on 25th April 1900

My source for this information was mostly surviving papers in WO 96, now easily accessible online through Findmypast. Whilst quite a few Devonshire militia records survive, frustratingly many do not distinguish between the 3rd and 4th Battalion (and the fact that in many cases, the recruiting sergeant was a sergeant belonging to the 4th Battalion is no guarantee that the man went into the 4th Battalion).

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The Devonshire Regiment - 1st & 2nd Battalions

There are nearly 36,000 Devonshire Regiment service and pension 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.

Prior to 1st July 1881, the Devonshire Regiment was the 11th Regiment of Foot. It started a new regimental number series from this date, some examples of which I list below. Use this list as a guide to determine when your own ancestor might have joined this regiment - but note that this list is for regular enlistments only. Special Reserve and Territorial Force battalions operated their own distinct regimental number series.

245 joined on 21st May 1882
483 joined on 2nd June 1883
737 joined on 2nd January 1884
1259 joined on 29th July 1885
1435 joined on 3rd February 1886
1736 joined on 5th July 1887
2009 joined on 18th February 1888
2337 joined on 2nd January 1889
3007 joined on 11th June 1890
3231 joined on 29th May 1891
3442 joined on 25th January 1892
3653 joined on 26th January 1893
3985 joined on 10th August 1894
4226 joined on 22nd June 1895
4742 joined on 29th July 1896
4793 joined on 4th January 1897
4969 joined on 5th January 1898
5267 joined on 4th January 1899
5974 joined on 22nd March 1900
6503 joined on 3rd January 1901
6914 joined on 10th March 1902
7269 joined on 12th January 1903
7607 joined on 24th January 1904
7906 joined on 9th March 1905
8130 joined on 8th May 1906
8290 joined on 13th February 1907
8615 joined on 23rd January 1908
8928 joined on 8th March 1909
9005 joined on 24th July 1910
9218 joined on 4th January 1911
9598 joined on 30th July 1912
9720 joined on 28th May 1913
9952 joined on 31st March 1914

When Britain went to war with Germany a few months later, men joining the newly forming service battalions of the Devonshire Regiment were issued service numbers which belonged to the same series as that which had been in use for the regular battalions. 10102 enlisted with the Devons for a term of regular service - 7 years with the Colours and 5 on the Reserve - on 14th August 1914. 10121 issued for war-time service only, the following day.

The image above (taken from a cigarette card) shows Private Thomas William Henry Veale of the 8th Devonshire Regiment who was awarded the Victoria Cross for "most conspicuous bravery" at High Wood, The Somme on 20th July 1916. His medals are held by the Devonshire Regiment Museum at Dorchester

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Devonshire Regiment literature from the Naval & Military Press


1st Battalion, Devonshire Regiment during the Boer War, 1899-1902
The Devonshires took a leading role in the relief of Ladysmith after a lengthy siege by the Boers. They subsequently fought at Inagane and Lydenburg in Natal and South-eastern Transvaal. Their battle honours included the charge at Wagon Hill outside Ladysmith, and the night action at Elandslaagte. In his introductoion, Gen. William Kitchener calls attention to the main qualities of the Devon men who served under him: their ‘dogged devotion to duty’ which helped overcome the Boers’ stubborn resistance; their improvisation and their smart turnout in the worst of conditions. ‘In conclusion’ writes Kitchener, "a more determined crew I never wish to see, and a better regiment to back his orders a General can never hope to have." Iliustrated with 25 photographs and two maps. Also includes Roll of Honour.

Devonshire Regiment 1914-1918

When war broke out in 1914 the Devonshire Regiment consisted of two regular battalions, a Special Reserve Battalion and four Territorial battalions. By the end of the war the total was twenty-nine. This history contains the account of the operations of those battalions which took an active part in the war which earned them two VCs and sixty battle honours at a cost of 5,787 dead. They served on the Western Front, in Italy, Macedonia, Egypt, Palestine, India and in Mesopotamia.

C T Atkinson is among the foremost of the Great War divisional and regimental historians and this book is typical of his standard of writing and composition. He has provided a continuous narrative in a chronological order, bringing in the various battalions as they came onto the stage in the relevant theatre of war. He has made use of war diaries, not only of the battalions but also, where appropriate of brigades and divisions. He was also able to make use of collected accounts of various actions and experiences of those who took part in them, giving the point of view of the man in the trenches. One third of the book, some 250 pages, contains the complete list of honours and awards, including Mention in Despatches, and the Roll of Honour, listed alphabetically by battalions.

Through Hell to Victory

This book deals exclusively with the 2nd Devons (23rd Brigade, 8th Division) during the last year of the war. It describes what the battalion did in the early days of 1918, touches briefly on their movements in January, deals fully with the March retreat in the face of the German offensive, follows them in the fighting to save Amiens and goes on to describe at length the battalion’s heroic stand at the Bois des Buttes, under the shadow of the Chemin des Dames, on the 27th May and following days. For this action the battalion was awarded the Croix de Guerre with Palm. This account comes not from official records but from the information of those who took part, and it took the author more than a year to assemble all the details. The casualties in the action at the Bois des Buttes, as given in the regimental history, amounted to twenty three officers and 528 men killed or missing.