Somerset Light Infantry - 5th Bn (TF)

This post will look at regimental numbering in the 5th (Territorial Force) Battalion, Prince Albert's (Somerset Light Infantry) between 1908 and 1914. 

Until the 1st April 1908, the 5th Battalion, Somerset Light Infantry had been the 2nd Volunteer Battalion, Somerset Light Infantry and by 1914 it was headquartered at Taunton, its eight companies drawing men from the following areas: 

A Company: Taunton

B Company: Williton, with drill stations at Watchet, Minehead and Washford

C Company: Bridgwater, with a drill station at North Petherton

D Company: Langport, with drill stations at Highbridge & Somerton

E Company: Yeovil, with drill stations at Martock and Langport

F Company: Crewkerne, with a drill station at South Petherton

G Company: Wellington, with drill stations at Milverton and Wiveliscombe

H Company: Chard, with a drill station at Iminster

By August 1914 the battalion formed part of the South Western Infantry Brigade in the Wessex Division. 

Here are some sample regimental numbers and joining dates for the the 5th Battalion, Prince Albert's (Somerset Light Infantry).

404 joined on the 18th April 1908 

853 joined on the 10th March 1909

1066 joined on the 11th February 1910 

1234 joined on the 21st February 1911 

1530 joined on the 11th April 1912 

1837 joined on the 7th July 1913 

2035 joined on the 2nd April 1914 

2197 joined on the 12th August 1914 

A reserve or ‘second-line’ battalion was formed at Taunton in September 1914, the original 5th Battalion now becoming the 1/5th Battalion and the new reserve battalion becoming the 2/5th Battalion. A 3/5th Battalion would be formed at Taunton in March 1915. The 2/5th Battalion - along with the 2/4th Battalion -  was serving overseas (in India) as early as December 1914, but the 3/5th Battalion only ever remained in the UK, feeding recruits through to, for the most part, the 1/5th Battalion. All three battalions - the 1/5th, 2/5th, 3/5th - issued numbers from the same regimental number series and from 1917 reissued numbers to serving soldiers and to new recruits from a brand new numbers series which began at 240001 and extended to 265000. 

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 1700 and lived in Yeovil, he would have joined the battalion between April 1912 and July 1913 - and probably served with E Company. 

The image on this post shows the 3/5th Battalion football team in 1916.

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

To search for photos of your Somerset Light Infantry ancestors, check my British Army Ancestors website.

Somerset Light Infantry - 4th Bn (TF)

This post will look at regimental numbering in the 4th (Territorial Force) Battalion, Prince Albert's (Somerset Light Infantry)  between 1908 and 1914. 

Until the 1st April 1908, the 4th Battalion, Somerset Light Infantry had been the 1st Volunteer Battalion, Somerset Light Infantry and by 1914 it was headquartered at Lower Bristol Road, Bath, its eight companies drawing men from the following areas: 

A Company: Bath

B Company: Bath

C Company: Keynsham, with drill stations at Brislington, Whitchurch and Bitton

D Company: Frome, with drill stations at Bruton, Mells and Wenstrow

E Company: Weston-super-Mare, with drill stations at Winscombe and Cheddar

F Company: Castle Cary, with drill stations at Shepton Mallet and Evercreech

G Company: Midsomer Norton, with drill stations at Radstock, Bishop Sutton and Peasedown St John

H Company: Glastonbury, with a drill station at Wells

By August 1914 the battalion formed part of the South Western Infantry Brigade in the Wessex Division. 

Here are some sample regimental numbers and joining dates for the the 4th Battalion, Prince Albert's (Somerset Light Infantry).

480 joined on the 28th April 1908 

1058 joined on the 22nd March 1909

1204 joined on the 24th January 1910 

1458 joined on the 27th July 1911 

1555 joined on the 1st March 1912 

1815 joined on the 1st April 1913 

2082 joined on the 10th March 1914 

2497 joined on the 6th September 1914 

A reserve or ‘second-line’ battalion was formed at Bath 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 at Bath in March 1915. The 2/4th Battalion was serving overseas (in India) as early as December 1914, but the 3/4th Battalion only ever remained in the UK, feeding recruits through to, for the most part, the 1/4th Battalions. All three battalions - the 1/4th, 2/4th, 3/4th - issued numbers from the same regimental number series and from 1917 reissued numbers to serving soldiers and to new recruits from a brand new numbers series which began at 200001 and extended to 240000. 

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 1234 and lived in Midsomer Norton, he would have joined the battalion in the first quarter of 1910 and probably served with G Company. 

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

To search for photos of your Somerset Light Infantry ancestors, check my British Army Ancestors website.

Somerset Light Infantry - regimental number analysis

Some while back I posted a list of men of the Somersetshire Light Infantry who had been captured by the Germans on or before Christmas Day 1914. You can read my Somerset Regiment PoWs post by clicking on the link. Anyway, here are those men again in regimental number order:

4661 Sergeant Patrick Williams, 4789 Sergeant H Lugg  

5324 Private G Hawthorne, 5446 Lance-Corporal W Knight, 5456 Private F Allen, 5569 Private O Veale, 5806 Sergeant W Tooze, 5878 Private W Fear, 5968 Sgt Bugler J Prince  

6029 Private T Biggs, 6188 Private J Duxberry, 6296 Private W J Crockson, 6359 Private R Roberts, 6453 Private P Garter, 6590 Private G Morgan, 6596 Private C Webber, 6609 Private J Appleton,  6637 Private W Chapman, 6653 Private J Mounce, 6661 Private James S Wilkins, 6681 Private G Willis, 6689 Private T Murley, 6700 Private S Dyer, 6703 Private G Wills, 6712 Private J Arthur,  6739 Private Arthur Burt, 6774 Private C Bailey, 6778 Private P Phillips, 6926 Private J Anderson  6950 Private C Bullock, 6956 Private Frank Stone, 6960 Private H Soper, 6975 Private W Coleman, 6997 Corporal D Gillespie, 6999 Private W Oates  

7004 Private J Dredge, 7028 Corporal J Willis, 7043 Private J Branchflower, 7045 Private A Ford, 7061 Private W Baldwin, 7092 Private H Gunningham, 7101 Private C Holder, 7103 Private A Gray, 7108 Private A Gray, 7129 Private H Gillard, 7167 Corporal W Care, 7196 Private D Golden, 7227 Private J Tucker, 7234 Private F Long, 7274 Lance-Corporal T Smale, 7279 Private H Burt, 7289 Private R Kates, 7303 Private J Meadon, 7307 Private C Hacker, 7315 Private A Bowsher, 7338 Corporal E Davies, 7341 Private E Derrick, 7344 Private C Greet, 7360 Private T Hampshire,7360 Private T Humphries, 7361 Private P Francis, 7369 Private S Summerhayes, 7412 Private F Smith, 7413 Private J Houlding, 7418 Private G Hann, 7421 Lance-Sergeant C Wills, 7464 Private J Ford,  7471 Private H Joyce, 7478 Private C Stokes, 7489 Private Albert S Pitt  7498 Private J Derrick  7505 Private W Harding  7512 Corporal C H A Dally, 7534 Private T Whalley 7545 Private A Wathen  7563 Private H Nash  7570 Private F J Young, 7576 Private T French, 7581 Private W Cousins, 7613 Private L Grant, 7615 Private H Compton, 7620 Private F Stokes, 7634 Private F Weston, 7667 Private C Pafford, 7667 Private W Coombs, 7690 Private F Parsons, 7727 Private E Kerby, 7732 Private A Garland, 7741 Private Charles Barber, 7778 Sergeant W Ford, 7792 Private W Hill, 7795 Private H Hawkins, 7823 Private W Jones, 7824 Private J Langdon 7835 Private George Popham  7843 Private V Tout  7903 Lance-Corporal W Spencer  7918 Private C O'Hare, 7933 Private W J Sawyer, 7936 Lance-Corporal C Craven, 7940 Private A Drew, 7964 Private F Chapman, 7978 Private Frederick McCready, 7987 Lance-Corporal James S White, 7990 Private S Balbin, 7990 Private S H Belbin, 7996 Private B Wallace  

8035 Private A Dawson, 8037 Private E Squires, 8059 Lance-Corporal J Lee, 8185 Sergeant E Rogers, 8198 Lance-Corporal J Davis, 8263 Lance-Corporal J Butler, 8294 Corporal A Phipps, 8328 Private J Stoker, 8343 Private F Mitchell, 8346 Corporal A Heath, 8354 Private F Hucklesby, 8409 Private L Hartridge, 8429 Private F Lewis, 8496 Private F Pugsley, 8498 Private C Weeks, 8574 Private J Withers, 8604 Lance-Corporal E Hayward, 8609 Corporal F Cobb, 8735 Private D Hall, 8742 Private P Smart, 8834 Private A Whitlock, 8843 Lance-Corporal E Goodman, 8942 Private C Medhurst, 8955 Private B Furzer, 8962 Bugler J West, 8981 Lance-Corporal C Bird, 9057 Private W Sullivan, 9074 Lance-Corporal F Pocock, 9109 Corporal R Collins, 9125 Private C Williams, 9149 Private W Rainey, 9150 Private J Oliver, 9166 Private P A Phillips, 9191 Lance-Corporal W Dunster, 9203 Private W Clifford, 9213 Private E J Masters, 9220 Bugler A Bell, 9254 Private W Margetts, 9327 Private W Phillips, 9329 Private W Randell, 9366 Lance-Corporal W E Morgan, 9373 Lance-Corporal J Hawkins, 9399 Private W H Webb, 9412 Private R Wiltshire, 9418 Private F Cox, 9426 Private L Everall, 9463 Private R Buller, 9481 Bugler A White, 9482 Private S Hines, 9513 Private F Phillips, 9515 Private H Trask, 9517 Lance-Corporal Harry Sarsfield, 9519 Private J Havard, 9523 Private E W Davidge, 9527 Private H King, 9531 Private P Harris, 9545 Lance-Corporal A Cross,  9547 Lance-Corporal E Hopkins, 9552 Private A James, 9553 Private J Smith, 9568 Lance-Corporal S Southwood, 9583 Private S Cossins, 9595 Private E Poole, 9618 Private W Porter, 9626 Private Thomas J Legg, 9632 Private W Taylor, 9636 Private S Driscoll, 9637 Private A English, 9641 Private A E Hanks, 9641 Private A Hawks, 9656 Private Samuel S Sims, 9675 Private J Hollick,  9677 Private H Day, 9682 Private A Peppin,  9684 Private F Linham, 9694 Private H Burgess, 9726 Private T Reynolds,  9727 Private G Garland,  9731 Private M Hargett. 

Using my post on Somersetshire regimental numbers as a reference source it should, on the face of it, be a relatively easy task to work out when the men above enlisted. 4661 Sergeant Williams is the longest serving man here and his number indicates that he joined the regiment in May or June 1896. At the other end of the scale, 9731 Private Morley Hargett can only have joined the regiment in May 1914. These men were thus a mixture of seasoned old hands - many of these men recalled from the army reserve - and recent recruits; men who in the normal; course of events should still have been completing their training rather than facing Von Kluck's army in Belgium.

But there were other men in the same regiment who served overseas alongside these career soldiers and these were the men of the Special Reserve. Whereas a career soldier joined the army for 12 years - a combination of colour service and reserve service - a man joined the Special Reserve for a period of six years and did all his soldiering, very much on a part-time basis, at home in the UK. Nevertheless, these men were aware that in the event of war they could be called out to replace casualties in the regular battalions. And this is precisely what happened.

The Special Reserve, heirs to the militia which had ceased to exist in 1908, had their own regimental number series (often the same number series that had been used by the militia) and in many cases there was a duplication of numbers which were also being used by the regular battalions. So in the case of the Somerset Light Infantry, for instance, numbers in the 6000s were being issued to men enlisting as career soldiers (destined for the 1st and 2nd Battalions) between 1901 and 1903 whilst numbers in the 6000s, but from an entirely different number series, were being issued to men of the 3rd (Special Reserve) Battalion who joined the regiment between 1909 and 1914. 

In some cases these men of the Special Reserve are easy enough to spot because their numbers are prefixed with the number 3/. However, this convention was not universally adopted and it still catches people out or makes like difficult when trying to understand precisely when a man joined up. I'm paraphrasing here, but I'm often asked questions along the lines of "My grandfather had the number 6300 which according to your site would have been issued to him in 1902 when he was nine years old!" The answer, of course, is that grandad was a member of the Special Reserve and he joined the regiment in 1913 when he was 20.

The photo on this post is of 8037 Ernest Squires, a career soldier, who appears in the list above and spent most of the war in a German PoW camp.

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

Somerset Light Infantry - PoW Other Ranks 1914

This is an edited roll of men serving with the Somerset Light Infantry, who were captured by the enemy and became Prisoners of War on or before the 25th December 1914. Read more about this data source on my 1914 PoWs page.

This data has been transcribed from the following sources at the Imperial War Museum:

1. B.O.2 1/287. This is an eight-page handwritten letter and list of Somerset Light Infantry Prisoners of War submitted by the Somerset Prisoners of War Help Committee and dated 20th December 1918.
2. B.O.2 1/288. This is a 16-page handwritten letter and list of Somerset Light Infantry Prisoners of War submitted 6th January 1919. This list appears to pre-date B.O.2 1/287

My full transcription of this Somerset Light Infantry PoW collection (not reproduced here) also contains the following information against some or all of the names:

Date of capture
Home address
Next of kin
Next of kin's address
Notes

The longest serving man here was 4461 Sergeant Patrick Williams who joined the regiment in June 1896. The most recent recruit appears to have been the exquisitely named, Morley Archibald Hargett, whose number suggests he joined the regiment in May or June 1914.

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

5456 Private F Allen, 6926 Private J Anderson, 6609 Private J Appleton, 6712 Private J Arthur 

6774 Private C Bailey, 7990 Private S Balbin, 7061 Private W Baldwin, 7741 Private Charles Barber
7990, Private S H Belbin, 9220 Bugler A Bell, 6029 Private T Biggs, 8981 Lance-Corporal C Bird, 7315 Private A Bowsher, 7043 Private J Branchflower, 9463 Private R Buller, 6950 Private C Bullock, 9694 Private H Burgess, 6739 Private Arthur Burt, 7279 Private H Burt, 8263 Lance-Corporal J Butler.

7167 Corporal W Care, 7964 Private F Chapman, 6637 Private W Chapman, 9203 Private W Clifford, 8609 Corporal F Cobb, 6975 Private W Coleman, 9109 Corporal R Collins, 7615 Private H Compton, 7667 Private W Coombs, 9583 Private S Cossins, 7581 Private W Cousins, 9418 Private F Cox, 7936 Lance-Corporal C Craven, 6296 Private W J Crockson, 9545 Lance-Corporal A Cross. 

7512 Corporal C H A Dally, 9523 Private E W Davidge, 7338 Corporal E Davies, 8198 Lance-Corporal J Davis, 8035 Private A Dawson, 9677 Private H Day, 7341 Private E Derrick, 7498 Private J Derrick, 7004 Private J Dredge, 7940 Private A Drew, 9636 Private S Driscoll, 9191 Lance-Corporal W Dunster, 6188 Private J Duxberry, 6700 Private S Dyer.

9637 Private A English, 9426 Private L Everall 

5878 Private W Fear, 7045 Private A Ford, 7464 Private J Ford, 7778 Sergeant W Ford, 7361 Private P Francis, 7576 Private T French, 8955 Private B Furzer 

.6453 Private P Garter, 7732 Private A Garland, 9727 Private G Garland, 7129 Private H Gillard, 6997 Corporal D Gillespie, 7196 Private D Golden, 8843 Lance-Corporal E Goodman, 7613 Private L Grant, 7108 Private A Gray, 7103 Private A Gray, 7344 Private C Greet, 7092 Private H Gunningham 

7307 Private C Hacker, 8735 Private D Hall, 7360 Private T Hampshire, 9641 Private A E Hanks, 7418 Private G Hann, 7505 Private W Harding, 9731 Private M Hargett, 9531 Private P Harris, 8409 Private L Hartridge, 9519 Private J Havard, 7795 Private H Hawkins, 9373 Lance-Corporal J Hawkins, 9641 Private A Hawks, 5324 Private G Hawthorne, 8604 Lance-Corporal E Hayward, 8346 Corporal A Heath, 7792 Private W Hill, 9482 Private S Hines, 7101 Private C Holder, 9675 Private J Hollick, 9547 Lance-Corporal E Hopkins, 7413 Private J Houlding, 8354 Private F Hucklesby, 7360 Private T Humphries 

9552 Private A James, 7823 Private W Jones, 7471 Private H Joyce. 

7289 Private R Kates, 7727 Private E Kerby, 9527 Private H King, 5446 Lance-Corporal W Knight. 

7824 Private J Langdon, 8059 Lance-Corporal J Lee, 9626 Private Thomas J Legg, 8429 Private F Lewis, 9684 Private F Linham, 7234 Private F Long, 4789 Sergeant H Lugg. 

9254 Private W Margetts, 9213 Private E J Masters, 7978 Private Frederick McCready, 7303 Private J Meadon, 8942 Private C Medhurst, 8343 Private F Mitchell, 6590 Private G Morgan, 9366 Lance-Corporal W E Morgan, 6653 Private J Mounce, 6689 Private T Murley. 

7563 Private H Nash. 

6999 Private W Oates, 7918 Private C O'Hare, 9150 Private J Oliver. 

7667 Private C Pafford, 7690 Private F Parsons, 9682 Private A Peppin, 9513 Private F Phillips, 6778 Private P Phillips, 9166 Private P A Phillips, 9327 Private W Phillips, 8294 Corporal A Phipps, 7489 Private Albert S Pitt, 9074 Lance-Corporal F Pocock, 9595 Private E Poole, 7835 Private George Popham, 9618 Private W Porter, 5968 Sgt Bugler J Prince, 8496 Private F Pugsley. 

9149 Private W Rainey, 9329 Private W Randell, 9726 Private T Reynolds, 6359 Private R Roberts, 8185 Sergeant E Rogers. 

9517 Lance-Corporal Harry Sarsfield, 7933 Private W J Sawyer, 9656 Private Samuel S Sims, 7274 Lance-Corporal T Smale, 8742 Private P Smart, 9553 Private J Smith, 7412 Private F Smith, 6960 Private H Soper, 9568 Lance-Corporal S Southwood, 7903 Lance-Corporal W Spencer, 8037 Private E Squires, 8328 Private J Stoker, 7478 Private C Stokes, 7620 Private F Stokes, 6956 Private Frank Stone, 9057 Private W Sullivan, 7369 Private S Summerhayes. 

9632 Private W Taylor, 5806 Sergeant W Tooze, 7843 Private V Tout, 9515 Private H Trask, 7227 Private J Tucker. 

5569 Private O Veale. 

7996 Private B Wallace, 7545 Private A Wathen, 9399 Private W H Webb, 6596 Private C Webber, 8498 Private C Weeks, 8962 Bugler J West, 7634 Private F Weston, 7534 Private T Whalley, 9481 Bugler A White, 7987 Lance-Corporal James S White, 8834 Private A Whitlock, 6661 Private James S Wilkins, 9125 Private C Williams, 4661 Sergeant Patrick Williams, 6681 Private G Willis, 7028 Corporal J Willis, 7421 Lance-Sergeant C Wills, 6703 Private G Wills, 9412 Private R Wiltshire, 8574 Private J Withers 

7570 Private F J Young

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Somerset Light Infantry 1881-1914

Prince Albert’s Light Infantry (Somersetshire Regiment) was formed on 1st July 1881 from the 13th (1st Somersetshire) (Prince Albert’s Light Infantry) Regiment of Foot.

The newly formed regiment was established as the county regiment for Somersetshire and started numbering from 1 in 1881. On the 13th December 1881, Prince Albert’s Light Infantry (Somersetshire Regiment) became Prince Albert’s (Somersetshire Light Infantry). Numbering in the regiment was unaffected.

This post will look at army service numbers issued to men joining the regular battalions of the Somerset Light Infantry between the regiment's formation in 1881 and the outbreak of war in August 1914. As with all my other posts on army service numbers, what follows should be considered a snapshot of numbering in the regiment; a series of break points published here to help researchers determine when their own Somerset Light Infantry relative joined the regiment.

There are over 20,000 Somerset Light Infantry serviceand pension records (for this regiment - and its antecedents) in various War Office series held at the National Archives. Clicking on the link above 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.

I've compiled the list below as a result of looking at service records in the WO 97, WO 363 and WO 364 series (and the majority of these records are in WO 364). These are held at the National Archives in their original state (WO 97) and on microfilm, although the WO 363 and WO 364 records are now available via both the Ancestry website and Findmypast. Findmypast has indexed far more of these records than you'll find on Ancestry so their version of these crucial records is well worth checking out. Ancestry is also currently offering a FREE 14 day trial. The WO 97 Chelsea Pensioner records (and many other smaller series) are accessible through Find My Past.  

19 joined on 13th September 1881
238 joined on 21st December 1882
501 joined on 11th October 1883
846 joined on 5th December 1884
1059 joined on 22nd January 1885
1377 joined on 8th January 1886
1841 joined on 1st January 1887
2229 joined on 16th February 1888
2449 joined on 14th January 1889
2744 joined on 6th February 1890
3163 joined on 30th May 1891
3486 joined on 14th January 1892
3960 joined on 13th March 1893
4047 joined on 22nd January 1894
4359 joined on 18th March 1895
4665 joined on 9th June 1896
4823 joined on 22nd April 1897
5101 joined on 15th April 1898
5388 joined on 15th February 1899
5891 joined on 15th February 1900

During the South African War, the Somerset Light Infantry raised one volunteer service company and allocated numbers within the range 6781 to 6915 to the men who joined it. The 1st VSC started numbering in January 1900 and was complete by February.

6049 joined on 18th June 1901
6398 joined on 9th April 1902
6753 joined on 19th February 1903
7262 joined on 7th March 1904
7628 joined on 25th January 1905
7880 joined on 22nd January 1906
8097 joined on 9th January 1907
8583 joined on 20th January 1908
8881 joined on 3rd December 1909
8936 joined on 14th February 1910
9182 joined on 25th April 1911
9347 joined on 21st February 1912

In 1912 the regiment became Prince Albert’s (Somerset Light Infantry). Numbering was again unaffected.

9546 joined on 3rd February 1913
9748 joined on 9th June 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 in use by the two regular battalions.

Recruitment Rates 1881-1911

Between 1st July 1881 and 30th May 1891, The Somerset Light Infantry recruited 3,163 men, an average of 319 men each year. Of the sixty-nine infantry regiments recruiting at this time, the Somerset Light Infantry was the fifty-first most effective recruiter of infantry.

Recruitment dropped away further over the next decade and up until the 18th June 1901, the regiment added just under 2,900 men to its books, an average of 286 new recruits a year.

Recruiting in the regiment picked up in the 1900s however, and by 25th April 1911 the regiment was issuing number 9182 to its latest recruit. For the decade, the regiment recruited at an average rate of 319 men per annum, and for the years since July 1881 it had averaged 308 new soldiers each year.

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

Further Reading

The following titles have been re-printed by The Naval & Military Press.

History of the Somerset Light Infantry 1685-1914

History of the Somerset Light Infantry 1914-1919

The History and the Book of Remembrance of the 1/5th Battalion (Prince Albert's) Somerset Light Infantry
In actual fact this history covers the 1/5th and 2/5th Battalions and includes a roll of honour for each.