Welsh Regiment - 1st and 2nd Battalions

The Welsh Regiment was formed on the 1st July 1881; the 1st Battalion from the 41st (The Welsh) Regiment of Foot, and the 2nd Battalion from the 69th (South Lincolnshire) Regiment of Foot.

There are over 43,000 Welsh 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.

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

The newly formed regiment was established as the county regiment for Carmarthenshire, Glamorganshire and Pembrokeshire and started numbering from 1 in 1881.

16 joined on 26th July 1881
142 joined on 8th April 1882
309 joined on 1st March 1883
694 joined on 12th April 1884
1170 joined on 13th May 1885
1391 joined on 7th January 1886
1836 joined on 9th April 1887
2264 joined on 17th May 1888
2459 joined on 7th February 1889
2783 joined on 30th April 1890
3027 joined on 19th June 1891
3271 joined on 30th January 1892
4029 joined on 23rd May 1893
4238 joined on 15th March 1894
4643 joined on 1st March 1895
4943 joined on 16th March 1896
5197 joined on 25th March 1897
5507 joined on 26th January 1898
5931 joined on 15th August 1899
6245 joined on 1st January 1900

The Welsh Regiment raised three volunteer service companies during the South African War and allocated numbers as follows:

1st VSC: numbers within the range 7324 to 7526
2nd VSC: numbers within the range 7436 to 7584
3rd VSC: numbers range unknown

The 1st Volunteer Service Company arrived in South Africa on the 9th March 1900 and comprised four officers, one colour sergeant, seven sergeants, nine corporals, three lance-corporals, two drummers and 111 privates.  Three privates would die of disease.

The 2nd Volunteer Service Company arrived in South Africa on the 29th April 1901 and comprised two officers, one colour sergeant, six sergeants, three corporals, ten lance-corporals, two drummers and 82 privates.

The 3rd Volunteer Service Company arrived in South Africa on 3rd April 1902 and comprised one officer, one colour sergeant, three sergeants, one corporal, two lance-corporals, one bugler and 45 privates. One sergeant and two privates had previously served in South Africa with the 1st VSC.

6896 joined on 16th July 1901
7156 joined on 13th June 1902
8026 joined on 23rd September 1903
8160 Joined on 10th Feb 1904
8555 joined on 7th January 1905
8890 joined on 18th January 1906
9213 joined on 7th January 1907

9632 joined on 20th January 1908
10015 joined on 26th January 1909
10271 joined on 26th January 1910
10542 joined on 22nd February 1911

10643 joined on 25th January 1912
10887 joined on 13th January 1913
11192 joined on 20th July 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 19th June 1891, The Welsh Regiment recruited 3,027 men, a low average of 303 each year.  Of the sixty-nine infantry regiments recruiting at this time, The Welsh Regiment was the sixty-third most successful infantry recruiter.

The regiment’s fortunes improved dramatically in the 1890s however, and up until the 16th July 1901 it added a further 3,900 men to its books; a higher than average recruitment rate for the decade of 384 men.

The 1890s would be the Welsh Regiment’s most effective recruitment period but nevertheless, by 22nd February 1911, the regiment was issuing number 10542 to its latest recruit and could still boast a higher than average 380 men recruited per annum over the decade.

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

South Lancashire Regiment - 1st & 2nd Battalions

The Prince of Wales's Volunteers Regiment (South Lancashire Regiment) was formed on the 1st July 1881; the 1st Battalion from the 40th (2nd Somersetshire) Regiment of Foot, and the 2nd Battalion from the 82nd (Prince of Wales’s Volunteers) Regiment of Foot. 

The newly formed regiment was established as the county regiment for south central Lancashire and started numbering from 1 in 1881.

There are over 40,000 South Lancashire Regiment pension and service records (for this regiment - and its antecedents) in various War Office series held at the National Archives. Clicking on the link will take you to the results on Findmypast but you will need a subscription or Pay-Per-View credits to actually view the records. Some of these records can also be viewed on-line on Ancestry although Findmypast has by far the most comprehensive service record collection.

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

5 joined on 29th July 1881
349 joined on 5th January 1882
849 joined on 9th February 1883
1209 joined on 23rd June 1884
1410 joined on 2nd January 1885
1951 joined on 19th August 1886
2260 joined on 10th August 1887
2469 joined on 21st March 1888
2659 joined on 12th January 1889
3103 joined on 30th May 1890
3400 joined on 25th February 1891
3740 joined on 29th June 1892
3954 joined on 30th January 1893
4274 joined on 10th January 1894
4667 joined on 8th January 1895
4999 joined on 28th February 1896
5190 joined on 1st January 1897
5492 joined on 21st February 1898
5883 joined on 11th July 1899
6025 joined on 14th March 1900

The South Lancashire Regiment raised three volunteer service companies during the South African War.  Numbers were allocated as follows:

1st VSC: numbers within the range 7010 to 7176
2nd VSC: numbers within the range 7436 to 7584
3rd VSC: numbers 7500 to 7524

On 23rd February 1900, the 1st VSC comprising Captain F M Appleton, Lieutenant H H Lewis, Lieutenant E Robson and 113 men set sail for South Africa aboard the SS Avondale Castle.

6222 joined on 11th February 1901
6461 joined on 3rd February 1902
7280 joined on 4th November 1903
7407 joined on 11th February 1904
7919 joined on 9th January 1905
8237 joined on 7th July 1906
8655 joined on 27th April 1907
8928 joined on 30th May 1908
9254 joined on 15th February 1909
9373 joined on 4th February 1910
9677 joined on 8th October 1911
9803 joined on 14th June 1912
9955 joined on 1st January 1913
10167 joined on 1st January 1914

The First World War

When Britain went to war in August 1914, men joining the new service battalions were issued with numbers from the same series that had been used by the regiment’s two regular battalions. 

Recruitment rates 1881-1911

Between 1st July 1881 and 25th February 1891, The South Lancashire Regiment recruited 3,400 men, an average of 352 men each year.  Of the sixty-nine infantry regiments recruiting at this time, the South Lancashire Regiment was the twenty-ninth most effective infantry recruiter.

Recruitment in the 1890s dipped for The South Lancashire Regiment and by February 1901 it had added just 2800 men to its 1891 total, a disappointing average recruitment rate of 282 men per annum; the third lowest of all the infantry regiments for the decade.

From the low of the 1890s, recruitment in the regiment picked up in the first decade of the twentieth century and by October 1911 the regiment was issuing number 9677 to its latest recruit; an average recruitment rate for the decade of 324 men.

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

King's Own Scottish Borderers - 1st and 2nd Battalions

The War Office had intended that the regiment should be named The York Regiment (King’s Own Borderers) and with the regimental depot in York.  Instead, it became the King’s Own Borderers with its depot at Berwick-upon-Tweed.  It was formed on 1st July 1881 from the 25th (The York) Regiment of Foot (King’s Own Borderers) and started numbering from 1 in 1881.

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

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

15 joined on 31st October 1881
324 joined on 23rd September 1882
775 joined on 16th August 1883

1182 joined on 23rd October 1884
1460 joined on 22nd June 1885
1958 joined on 11th March 1886
2107 joined on 23rd February 1887

On 1st May 1887, the regiment’s name was changed again to The King’s Own Scottish Borderers; the regiment reorganised as the county regiment of Berwickshire, (which had been transferred from The Royal Scots’ district) and Dumfriesshire, Roxburghshire and Selkirkshire (which had all been transferred from The Royal Scots Fusiliers’ district).  Numbering was unaffected and continued sequentially.

2608 joined on 10th January 1888
3073 joined on 25th January 1889
3439 joined on 25th February 1890
3569 joined on 9th January 1891
3928 joined on 10th January 1892
4394 joined on 19th January 1893
4758 joined on 4th January 1894
5161 joined on 3rd January 1895

5603 joined on 20th January 1896
5926 joined on 22nd February 1897
6328 joined on 6th January 1898
6650 joined on 10th January 1899

In 1899 the Galloway (Kirkcudbright and Wigtown) recruiting area was transferred from the Royal Scots Fusiliers to the King’s Own Scottish Borderers.

6913 joined on 9th January 1900

During the South African War, the King’s Own Scottish Borderers’ two volunteer battalions contributed enough men to raised three volunteer service companies.  The regiment did not – at first - heed the Army Order regarding the numbering of VSC men and instead just continued with the next available number in the regular series.  Numbers were issued as follows:

1st VSC: numbers within the ranges 6927 to 7050 as well as the two numbers 7219 and 7306
2nd VSC: numbers within the ranges 7227 to 7330 and 8450 to 8496
3rd VSC: numbers 8516 to 8577

Exceptions to the above are the two numbers 7219 and 7306 which were issued to two 1st VSC men. Numbers in the 8400 and 8500 ranges date to 1901.

7437 joined on 18th January 1901
7802 joined on 20th January 1902
8168 joined on 19th January 1903
8634 joined on 11th January 1904
9113 joined on 4th January 1905
9649 joined on 11th October 1906
9820 joined on 18th July 1907
10209 joined on 5th May 1908
10374 joined on 15th February 1909
10780 joined on 18th March 1910
10941 joined on 17th January 1911
11230 joined on 8th January 1912
11534 joined on 29th April 1913
11791 joined on 13th January 1914

The First World War

When Britain went to war in August 1914, men joining the new service battalions were issued with numbers from the same series in use by the two regular battalions.

Recruitment rates 1881-1911

Between 1st July 1881 and 18th March 1891, The KOSB recruited 3,653 men, a high average of 375 men each year.  Of the sixty-nine infantry regiments recruiting at this time, The King’s Own Scottish Borderers was the eighteenth most successful infantry recruiter.

Recruiting improved over the following decade.  

Between 18th March 1891 and 18th January 1901 the regiment recruited a further 3,800 men, an average of 385 men a year.  The regiment improved its ranking during this decade and finished as the twelfth most successful infantry recruiter during this time.

Although recruitment fell away slightly during the early 1900s, the regiment nevertheless recruited at an average annual rate of 350 men and as early as January 1911 had issued number 10941 to its latest recruit.

Overall, for the period 1881 to 1911, the KOSB was the eighteenth most effective recruiting regiment.

Further Reading

The KOSB in the Great War

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

Royal Irish Rifles - 1st & 2nd Battalions

Here's a snapshot of Royal Irish Rifles enlistments from 1881. The Royal Irish Rifles was formed on 1st July 1881; the 1st Battalion from the 83rd (County of Dublin) Regiment of Foot, and the 2nd Battalion from the 86th (Royal County Down) Regiment of Foot.

The newly formed regiment was established as the county regiment for Antrim, Down and Louth and started numbering from 1 in 1881.

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

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

51 joined on 27th July 1881
207 joined on 3rd May 1882
319 joined on 9th May 1883
627 joined on 7th February 1884
1071 joined on 29th January 1885
1537 joined on 4th January 1886
1904 joined on 8th January 1887
2282 joined on 6th January 1888
2450 joined on 4th February 1889
2638 joined on 18th February 1890
2914 joined on 20th January 1891
3350 joined on 16th March 1892
3812 joined on 21st January 1893
4059 joined on 13th January 1894
4541 joined on 4th February 1895
4700 joined on 2nd January 1896
4992 joined on 15th January 1897
5422 joined on 3rd January 1898
5810 joined on 14th February 1899
6049 joined on 22nd January 1900

During the South African War, 17 officers and 400 other ranks of the London Irish volunteered to serve in South Africa. Of these, eight officers and 200 NCOs and men were selected for the City Imperial Volunteers and the volunteer service companies of the Royal Irish Rifles. The latter was commanded by Captain Charles Gerald Henty, son of the popular author (and Crimean War veteran) George Alfred Henry.

Men serving in the Royal Irish Rifles VSC were issued with numbers between 7131 and 7233.

6284 joined on 4th March 1901
6710 joined on 18th March 1902
7122 joined on 21st August 1903
7411 joined on 12th January 1904
7870 joined on 24th February 1905
8185 joined on 18th June 1906
8456 joined on 5th January 1907
8906 joined on 24th January 1908
9239 joined on 2nd January 1909
9377 joined on 24th January 1910
9559 joined on 16th January 1911
9910 joined on 15th January 1912
10133 joined on 5th June 1913
10353 joined on 19th March 1914

The First World War

When Britain went to war in August 1914, men joining the new service battalions of the Royal Irish Rifles for war-time service only were at first issued with numbers from the same number series above. This system appears to have been discontinued by October 1914 however, each service battalion having been allocated individual number series beginning at 1. Some of these new series commenced as early as September 1914.

Numbers up until around 20000 appear to be a combination of service battalion (mostly) and regular enlistments. Numbers over 20000 appear to be mostly (but not exclusively) regular enlistments.

Recruitment rates 1881-1911

Between 1st July 1881 and 20th January 1891, the Royal Irish Rifles recruited 2,914 men, an annual rate of just 304 men and the fifty-ninth most effective regiment out of sixty-nine. The years to 1891 saw a turnaround however with the regiment recruiting nearly 3,400 men and raising its annual recruitment rate to 331 men each year.

In the final decade to 1911, recruiting in the regiment slowed slightly but nevertheless the regiment improved its standing slightly overall, finishing midway in the ‘league table’ of infantry recruiting regiments in the British Army.

1st Battalion stations 1881-1914

1881 South Africa
1882 Guernsey
1889 Mullingar
1892 Fermoy
1894 Newry
1895 Aldershot
1897 Natal
1899 Dehra Dun
1903 Fyzabad
1906 Meerut
1909 Burma
1911 Kemptee
1913 Aden
1914 France & Flanders (from November)

2nd Battalions stations 1881-1914

1881 Bermuda
1883 Halifax, Nova Scotia
1886 Gibraltar
1887 Egypt
1888 Sudan
1891 Malta
1897 Poona
1899 South Africa
1903 Dublin
1906 Aldershot
1910 Dover
1912 Tidworth
1914 France & Flanders (from August)

Also see this Royal Irish Rifles case study.

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

8261 Frank Woodier, Cheshire Regiment

Here's Frank Woodier's acknowledgement of the British War Medal which he returned in 1921.  Frank had joined the army in 1906 and was therefore a reservist when war was declared.  He was captured, along with the bulk of the 1st Cheshire Regiment, on 24th August 1914 and spent most of the remainder of the war in captivity, escaping in May 1918.  His comments on the BWM made me smile: "Don't think much of it" he has written across the top right.  Perhaps he thought more of the DCM which he was also awarded.

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

"No medals - No service overseas"

Here's an interesting medal index card; interesting because it's a medal index card for a man who neither served overseas (and so received no medals) nor received a silver war badge.  As such, this card is something of a rarity but in the absence of a surviving service or pension record, it's still possible to sketch an outline service career for this man.

The HLI number is easy enough.  It belongs to the series issued to the first recruits to the 15th Battalion, Highland Infantry (1st Glasgow Pals) and dates to mid September 1914. 

The Training Reserve was formed on 1st September 1916 and the TR/2 prefix indicates either the 12th or 18th Training Reserve Brigade and probably either the 52nd TRB in the 12th Brigade (originally the 13th (Reserve) Battalion, HLI) or the 78th or 79th TRB in the 18th Brigade (originally the 19th and 20th (Reserve) Battalions, HLI respectively).

The Labour Corps was formed on 21st February 1917 but this number appears to date to some while after the formation of this corps and may have been part of a batch allocated to the 461st Home Service Employment Company in October 1917.

I can't explain the 30th London Regiment number.  The 30th was formed on the 1st January 1917 and drew six-digit numbers from the block 800001 to 820000.  However, John Cameron's number is a five-digit number and therefiore does not fit the pattern I would have expected it to do.

The Royal Defence Corps number dates to after the Armistice was signed.

All in all, an extensive service record spread over four years, and quite unusual to see it thus recorded.

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

3rd (King's Own) Hussars 1881-1906

This post will look at numbering in the 3rd (King's Own) Hussars between 1881 and 1906.  The cavalry regiments were unaffected by Cardwell's reforms which saw the majority of the infantry regiments being redesignated along territorial or county lines.  However, my starting point for this post, in keeping with the self-imposed parameters of this blog, is 1881.

The database and information on this blog have been compiled as a result of studying service records in WO 97 (British Army pensions to 1913), WO 363 (WW1 service records) and WO 364 (WW1 pension records).  All of these series are now online.  Click on the links for further information.

1826 joined on 1st December 1881
1900 joined on 14th August 1882
2008 joined on 28th August 1883
2111 joined on 21st April 1884
2252 joined on 29th August 1885
2343 joined on 11th August 1886
2417 joined on 14th February 1887
2525 joined on 10th February 1888
2658 joined on 22nd June 1889
2716 joined on 19th February 1890
2834 joined on 1st Feb 1891
3265 joined on 8th September 1892
3339 joined on 18th April 1893
3494 joined on 2nd July 1894
3540 joined on 19th January 1895
3656 joined on 12th February 1896
3741 joined on 2nd January 1897
3948 joined on 17th January 1898
4150 joined on 4th March 1899
No data for 1900
4208 joined on 1st May 1901
4391 joined on 19th September 1902
4617 joined on 22nd September 1903
4661 joined on 17th December 1904
4705 joined on 22nd January 1905
4770 joined on 5th September 1906

In late 1906 or early 1907 numbering in the cavalry changed and numbers were allocated to corps rather than to individual regiments within those corps. For further reading see:

1. Queen's & King's Regulations: regimental numbering.
2. Cavalry numbering in 1906.

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

15th (The King's) Hussars 1881-1905

This post will look at numbering in the 15th (King's) Hussars between 1881 and 1906.  The cavalry regiments were unaffected by Cardwell's reforms which saw the majority of the infantry regiments being re-designated along territorial or county lines.  However, my starting point for this post is 1881 although my data goes back a good deal further than this. 

The database and information on this blog have been compiled as a result of studying service records in WO 97 (British Army pensions to 1913), WO 363 (WW1 service records) and WO 364 (WW1 pension records).  All of these series are now online.  Click on the links for further information.

1767 joined on 19th May 1881
1862 joined on 5th January 1882
1988 joined on 26th May 1883
2109 joined on 16th April 1884
2205 joined on 13th February 1885
2305 joined on 27th June 1886
2403 joined on 5th January 1887
2537 joined on 13th February 1888
2641 joined on 27th March 1889
2737 joined on 20th March 1890
2814 joined on 1st March 1891
3054 joined on 26th July 1892
3132 joined on 23rd January 1893
3225 joined on 23rd January 1894
3383 joined on 7th January 1895
3491 joined on 22nd January 1896
3605 joined on 20th January 1897
3803 joined on 15th June 1898
3938 joined on 23rd January 1899
4115 joined on 7th May 1900
4205 joined on 16th May 1901
4313 joined on 24th February 1902
4354 joined on 15th January 1903
4653 joined on 6th September 1905

My last number on my 15th Hussars database prior to the change in numbering is 4664 on 1st October 1905. In late 1906 or early 1907 numbering in the cavalry changed and numbers were allocated to corps rather than to individual regiments within those corps. For further reading see:

1. Queen's & King's Regulations: regimental numbering.
2. Cavalry numbering in 1906.

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

History of the 15th The King's Hussars 1914-1927

 

 

This from Naval & Military Press:

 

In August 1914 the organisation of the infantry division called for a reconnaissance element which was provided by a squadron of cavalry, and it was the role of the 15th Hussars (15 H) to provide that squadron for each of the 1st, 2nd and 3rd Infantry Divisions. The other three divisions of the original BEF were served by squadrons of the 19th Hussars and so it may seem appropriate that when, in 1922, the number of cavalry regiments were reduced by amalgamations, the 15th combined with the 19th to form a new regiment - the 15th/19th Hussars. When war came in 1914 15 H had been back in England nearly two years after an overseas tour of fourteen years, and by 18th August the three squadrons were in France with their divisions. The first four chapters describe the involvement of the squadrons in the early fighting - Mons and the retreat, Marne, Aisne and Ypres. In April 1915 the regiment was re-formed as a single unit and posted to the newly formed 9th Cavalry Brigade in 1st Cavalry Division (as was 19 H); their places in the three infantry divisions were taken by Yeomanry. For the rest of the war the Regiment remained in the 9th Brigade, 3rd Cavalry Division, on the Western Front and fought in many actions as their twenty-three Battle Honours testify. They were awarded one of the earliest VCs to be won, Cpl Garforth.

 

There are five appendices, one of them is a diary of marches, billets and bivouacs of the Regiment from 27th July 1914 to 6th September 1919 and another most useful one gives the strengths of the Regiment (officers and other ranks) on various dates between 29th April 1915 and 31st March 1921; figures are also given for riding, draught and pack horses and mules. The casualty lists show not only fatalities but also wounded, identifying those wounded more than once, and those missing. There is a list of officers of the Regiment and attached officers who served between 1914 and 1922, and a list of NCOs and men who were commissioned during the war. There is an index.

19th (QAOR) Hussars 1881-1906

This post will look at numbering in the 19th (Queen Alexandra's Own Royal) Hussars between 1881 and 1906.  The cavalry regiments, of course, were unaffected by Cardwell's reforms which saw the majority of the infantry regiments being redesignated along territorial or county lines.  However, I'll stick to my convention of using 1881 as a starting point for these line cavalry regiments although my data goes back a good deal further than this. 

The database and information on this blog have been compiled as a result of studying service records in WO 97 (British Army pensions to 1913), WO 363 (WW1 service records) and WO 364 (WW1 pension records).  All of these series are now online.  Click on the links for further information.

2096 joined on 10th January 1881
2122 joined on 19th January 1882
2455 joined on 4th April 1883
2467 joined on 23rd February 1884
2669 joined on 9th April 1885
2868 joined on 25th January 1886
2896 joined on 7th January 1887
3074 joined on 11th April 1888
3319 joined on 3rd January 1889
3533 joined on 3rd February 1890
3711 joined on 23rd July 1891
3814 joined on 1st February 1892
3938 joined on 19th January 1893
4009 joined on 20th January 1894
4179 joined on 28th August 1895
4413 joined on 3rd February 1896
4525 joined on 3rd February 1897
4557 joined on 7th December 1898
4592 joined on 16th December 1899
4876 joined on 4th May 1900
5118 joined on 28th January 1901
5516 joined on 9th June 1902
5598 joined on 25th March 1903
5609 joined on 1st June 1904
5930 joined on 6th April 1905
6203 joined on 8th March 1906

My last number on my 19th Hussars database prior to the change in numbering is 6300 on 4th October 1906. In late 1906 or early 1907 numbering in the cavalry changed and numbers were allocated to corps rather than to individual regiments within those corps. For further reading see:

1. Queen's & King's Regulations: regimental numbering.
2. Cavalry numbering in 1906.

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

18th Hussars - 1881-1906

This post will look at numbering in the 18th (Queen Mary's Own) Hussars between 1881 and 1906.  1881 is an arbitrary date chosen purely to conform to the parameters of this blog.  The regiment though, was raised in 1858 (although two cavalry regiments had formerly been numbered 18th. See the sketch details on the image above for a brief outline of the regiment's history up until the Second South African War of 1899-1902.

1906 is chosen as the end date because it was from late 1906 or early 1907 that the line cavalry regiments stopped numbering by individual regiment and started numbering by corps instead.

The database and information on this blog have been compiled as a result of studying service records in WO 97 (British Army pensions to 1913), WO 363 (WW1 service records) and WO 364 (WW1 pension records).  All of these series are now online.  Click on the links for further information.

2450 joined on 10th January 1881
2497 joined on 15th August 1882
2534 joined on 9th january 1883
2665 joined on 5th January 1884
2783 joined on 2nd January 1885
3050 joined on 1st July 1886
3132 joined on 1st April 1887
3204 joined on 28th January 1888
3398 joined on 26th March 1889
3614 joined on 28th January 1890
3706 joined on 27th February 1891
3801 joined on 4th January 1892
3958 joined on 25th October 1892
4017 joined on 11th January 1893
4206 joined on 3rd May 1894
4407 joined on 10th January 1895
4564 joined on 24th August 1896
4623 joined on 1st October 1897
4691 joined on 20th June 1898
4801 joined on 13th february 1899
5281 joined on 11th August 1900
5810 joined on 17th January 1901
6102 joined on 16th July 1902
6247 joined on 9th February 1903
6328 joined on 19th April 1904
6460 joined on 13th January 1905
6667 joined on 14th January 1906

The last number in my database for this cavalry regiment before the Hussars started numbering by corps is 6900 which was issued on the 6th November.  There would have been another seven weeks worth of numbering in this regiment - another twenty to thirty recruits perhaps - and then it was all change in numbering for the line cavalry.  When the numbering changed to numbering by corps, one number series was effectively shared by all the Hussars regiments, another number series by the Dragoons, a third number series by the Lancers.

For further reading on numbering in the line cavalry regiments have a look at these posts:

The Queen's and King's Regulations affecting regimental numbers
Cavalry Numbering in 1906

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

14th (King's) Hussars 1881-1906

This post will look at numbering in the 14th (King's) Hussars between 1881 and 1906. 1881 is an arbitrary date chosen to conform with the parameters of this blog, but as can be seen above, the regiment had a long history.  December 1906 was when numbering in the line cavalry changed from numbering by regiment to numbering by corps.

The database and information on this blog have been compiled as a result of studying service records in WO 97 (British Army pensions to 1913), WO 363 (WW1 service records) and WO 364 (WW1 pension records).  All of these series are now online.  Click on the links for further information.

2042 joined on 16th September 1881
2076 joined on 2nd January 1882
2151 joined on 16th March 1883
2361 joined on 2nd January 1884
2503 joined on 16th July 1885
2590 joined on 2nd June 1886
2664 joined on 27th April 1887
2774 joined on 18th January 1888
2850 joined on 24th January 1889
2948 joined on 21st January 1890
3056 joined on 4th March 1891
3151 joined on 8th July 1892
3221 joined on 11th January 1893
3303 joined on 24th January 1894
3408 joined on 2nd January 1895
3529 joined on 27th January 1896
3675 joined on 5th May 1897
3817 joined on 9th May 1898
4086 joined on 16th January 1899
4347 joined on 6th February 1900
4500 joined on 9th March 1901
4812 joined on 12th March 1902
5058 joined on 5th June 1903
5161 joined on 14th April 1904
5344 joined on 3rd February 1905
5562 joined on 1st January 1906

In late 1906 or early 1907, numbering in the cavalry changed and numbers were allocated to corps rather than to individual regiments within those corps. 

For further reading see:

1. Queen's & King's Regulations: regimental numbering
2. Cavalry numbering in 1906.

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