The 10th Manchesters, headquartered at Oldham, was a Territorial Force battalion which, prior to 1908, had been the 6th Volunteer Battalion, the Manchester Regiment. I list below, sample army service numbers and corresponding joining dates for the 10th Battalion, The Manchester Regiment.
240 joined on 7th April 1908
517 joined on 28th January 1909
1056 joined on 3rd March 1910
1243 joined on 11th May 1911
1378 joined on 4th July 1912
1581 joined on 9th October 1913
1668 joined on 30th January 1914
1947 joined on 14th August 1914
2086 joined on 3rd September 1914
3044 joined on 2nd October 1914
3079 joined on 3rd November 1914
3101 joined on 2nd January 1915
3294 joined on 26th February 1915
3337 joined on 22nd March 1915
3356 joined on 6th April 1915
3458 joined on 7th May 1915
3661 joined on 3rd June 1915
3792 joined on 2nd July 1915
3838 joined on 18th August 1915
3851 joined on 4th September 1915
4023 joined on 4th October 1915
4285 joined on 8th November 1915
4454 joined on 9th December 1915
4517 joined on 21st January 1916
4785 joined on 17th February 1916
5056 joined on 10th March 1916
5232 joined on 20th April 1916
5253 joined on 1st May 1916
5423 joined on 24th July 1916
My data currently stops short here. I'll add to this though, in due course.
When the Territorial Force re-numbered in 1917, the 10th Battalion, Manchester Regiment, was allocated numbers within the block 375001 to 400000. Here are some six digit numbers for the 10th Manchesters.
375003 originally joined on 1st April 1908 (and was almost certainly a 6th VB man to boot)
375074 originally joined on 19th July 1909
375102 originally joined on 13th April 1911
375144 originally joined on 9th May 1912
375234 originally joined on 8th December 1913
375310 originally joined on 9th February 1914
375553 originally joined on 4th September 1914
375983 originally joined on 13th October 1914
376069 originally joined on 18th January 1915
376199 originally joined on 6th April 1915
376262 originally joined on 7th May 1915
376397 originally joined on 3rd June 1915
376469 originally joined on 2nd July 1915
376545 originally joined on 27th September 1915
376679 originally joined on 11th November 1915
376841 originally joined on 16th February 1916
377179 originally joined on 20th April 1916
377316 originally joined on 25th July 1916
377597 originally joined on 9th August 1916
377662 originally joined on 18th September 1916
377929 originally joined on 17th October 1916
There was a third series of numbers used by this battalion and that was for (mostly) National Reservists who joined Supernumerary Companies attached to the 10th Battalion. These men, who had often seen previous military experience - and in many cases, several years earlier - signed up for one year's service in the United Kingdom on Army Form. E.514. My data for these men is not extensive, but James Brierley, who joined up at Oldham on 23rd July 1915, is a typical Supernumerary Company man. He was 49 years old and indicated that he had previously served with the 4th King's Lancaster Regiment. When the Royal Defence Corps was formed the following year, he transferred to it, assigned to No. 309 Protection Company. His army service number as a 10th Bn Supernumerary man was 20063. When he joined the RDC (on 29th April 1916) he received a new number: 27064.
James Brierley's service record survives in the WO 363 series which can be accessed on-line via Ancestry.co.uk
Read my other posts on The Manchester Regiment:
The Manchester Regiment, The Regular Battalions 1881-1914
The Manchester Regiment, Special & Extra Reserve Battalions 1908-1914
5th Bn, Manchester Regiment (TF)
6th Bn, Manchester Regiment (TF)
7th Bn, Manchester Regiment (TF)
8th Bn, Manchester Regiment (TF)
9th Bn, Manchester Regiment (TF)
Manchester Regiment Service Battalion numbers 1914-1916
16th, 17th & 18th Manchesters (1st, 2nd and 3rd City Battalions)
19th, 20th & 21st Manchesters (4th, 5th and 6th City Battalions)
22nd, 23rd & 24th Manchesters (7th & 8th City Battalions and the Oldham Pioneers)
A Manchester Pal's War - 9814 Pte Harry Bardsley, 18th Manchesters
Caveat
It is wrong to assume that numbering sequences in battalions always followed a sequential pattern. They didn't. As the war progressed and casualties grew, large numbers of men were often transferred from one battalion to another and allocated numbers within blocks which did not fit the sequential patterning seen to date. This becomes particularly evident in most battalions from 1916 onwards. For an example of this, see my post on the 23rd London Regiment.
I also offer a comprehensive, fast and cost-effective military history research service. Follow the link for more information.
This post will look at numbers issued to men who joined the 7th and 8th City Battalions and the Oldham Pioneers. The information contained here is based on assumptions made through a study of surviving service papers for men who joined these battalions, and from Soldiers Died in The Great War (SDGW).
The scope of this post covers army service numbers issued to men in the above battalions between November 1914 and June 1915.
22nd Manchesters (7th City)
Numbering in this battalion appears to start at around 20001. The first number on my database for the 22nd Manchesters is 20002 which was issued on 26th November 1914 to George Ashton. The first number in this series on SDGW is 20005 Herbert Brigg who was killed in action on 1st July 1916
In common with the 16th to 21st Battalions of the Manchester Regiment, numbers were initially issued in blocks, (broadly) alphabetically by surname. SDGW gives:
20005 Brigg to 20045 Purcell (20051 is Ackers, 20063 is Tebay)
20070 Broome to 20134 Woolley
20135 Atkinson to 20175 Millward
Thereafter, the alphabetical sequence largely breaks down.
Here are some sample army service numbers and corresponding joining dates between November 1914 and May 1915 for the 19th Manchesters:
20002 joined on 26th November 1914
21046 joined on 4th December 1914
21174 joined on 6th January 1915
21407 joined on 25th April 1915
21429 joined on 27th May 1915
The approximate range of numbers allocated to the 19th Manchesters between September 1914 and May 1915 appears to be between 20001 and 21500. The last man recorded on SDGW within this range for the 22nd Manchesters is 21499 Private William Woollams.
23rd Manchesters (8th City)
Numbering in this battalion starts – at around 21501 - where numbering in the 22nd Manchesters leaves off. The first number on my database for the 23rd Manchesters is 21504 which was issued on 26th November 1914 to William Birch. The first number in this series on SDGW is 21512 issued to Charles Victor Clampitt.
There is some evidence of numbering alphabetically by surname as in previous City Battalions, but the patterns are not sufficiently defined to warrant listing these here.
Here are some sample army service numbers and corresponding joining dates between November 1914 and March 1915 for the 23rd Manchesters:
21504 joined on 26th November 1914
21838 joined on 3rd December 1914
22740 joined on 4th January 1915
22874 joined on 12th February 1915
22976 joined on 21st March 1915
The approximate range of numbers allocated to the 20th Manchesters between November 1914 and May 1915 appears to be between 21501 and 23000. The last man recorded on SDGW within this range for the 20th Manchesters is 22991 Private Robert Simion Hulme who was killed in action on 20th July 1916. The last number on my database within this range is 22993 which was issued to a man who joined the 23rd Manchesters on 23rd March 1915.
There is evidence that this battalion over-ran its allocated block of numbers. Service papers exist in WO 363 and WO 364 which show men being issued numbers in excess of 23000. The mistake appears to have been quickly noticed however with these numbers crossed out and replaced with new numbers in the 285** series which was the next series used by the 23rd Manchesters. These erroneous 23*** numbers only appear on attestation papers and not on medal index cards and appear to have been officially disregarded.
24th Manchesters (Oldham)
This was a pioneer battalion and, barring the 25th, 26th and 27th Battalions which were local reserve battalions, was the last of the Manchester Pals battalions.
Numbering in this battalion appears to start at around 14001 in November 1914 and extends to approximately 15500 in June 1915. The first number on my database for the 21st Manchesters is 14006 which was issued on 6th November 1914 to Joseph Travis Berry. The first number in this series on SDGW is 14005 issued to William Newton. There is no evidence in this battalion, of grouping men alphabetically by surname and then numbering them.
Here are some sample army service numbers and corresponding joining dates between November 1914 and June 1915 for the Oldham Pioneers.
14006 joined on 6th November 1914
14586 joined on 5th December 1914
14953 joined on 6th January 1915
15136 joined on 5th February 1915
15164 joined on 8th March 1915
15199 joined on 17th April 1915
15300 joined on 3rd May 1915
15472 joined on 4th June 1915
Like the 23rd Manchesters, the 24th Manchesters also overran its allocation of numbers and at least eighty men who had been given numbers in excess of 15500, had to be re-numbered from the series beginning 28001; the next series used by this battalion. As with the 23rd Manchesters, these erroneous 155** numbers only appear on attestation papers and not on medal index cards and appear to have been officially disregarded.
This concludes my brief look at the initial allocation of service numbers to the Manchester Pals Battalions. Later in 1915, three local reserve battalions, the 25th, 26th and 27th Battalions, would be formed as reserves for the Pals battalions but I’ll deal with these in a future post.
Read my other posts on the Manchester Regiment:
The Manchester Regiment, The Regular Battalions 1881-1914
The Manchester Regiment, Special Reserve & Extra Reserve 1908-1914
5th Bn, Manchester Regiment (TF)
6th Bn, Manchester Regiment (TF)
7th Bn, Manchester Regiment (TF)
8th Bn, Manchester Regiment (TF)
9th Bn, Manchester Regiment (TF)
10th Bn, Manchester Regiment (TF)
Manchester Regiment Service Battalion numbers 1914-1916
16th, 17th & 18th Manchesters (1st, 2nd and 3rd City Battalions)
19th, 20th & 21st Manchesters (4th, 5th and 6th City Battalions)
A Manchester Pal's War - 9814 Pte Harry Bardsley, 18th Manchesters
Caveat
It is wrong to assume that numbering sequences in battalions always followed a sequential pattern. They didn't. As the war progressed and casualties grew, large numbers of men were often transferred from one battalion to another and allocated numbers within blocks which did not fit the sequential patterning seen to date. This becomes particularly evident in most battalions from 1916 onwards. For an example of this, see my post on the 23rd London Regiment.
I also offer a comprehensive, fast and cost-effective military history research service. Follow the link for more information.
Was your ancestor a Manchester Pal? Search the Pals with a FREE 14 day trial to Ancestry.co.uk - Click here!
