Royal Field Artillery - Other Rank PoWs 1914

There are 197 men on this list of men from the Royal Field Artillery who were captured by the Germans on or before Christmas Day 1914. This data has been transcribed from the following Imperial War Museum collection:

B.O.2 1/120 is a single six-page typed list of RFA men sent by Colonel-in-Chief RH and RFA records, Woolwich, London SE18 on 7th February 1919

My full transcription of these men (not reproduced here) also contains the home address and/or next of kin address of all of the men. 

The full transcription is available for sale for £25. Contact me if you would like to purchase a copy.

For more information about these so-called 'Princess Mary tin PoWs' see my 1914 PoWs page. The majority of these men will also have records published by the International Committee of the Red Cross. Searching is free; finding your man is another matter entirely.

55481 Gunner G Aldridge, 46428 Gunner R Allan, 73000 Driver Allpress, 27163 Gunner J Anstey, 69161 Gunner G G Aston

48125 Corporal Baird, 54086 Corporal J Bartle, 58491 Corporal W Beck, 71691 Gunner A W Beckwith, 67522 Gunner J A Bell, 71476 Gunner G Bennett, 32018 Sergeant W Bennett, 33124 Gunner T J L Biggie, 32462 Gunner P W Bishop, 50620 Gunner S Bishop, 58189 Driver W A Black, 22958 Driver J Blackhall, 73341 Shoeing Smith J Blackham, 73423 Gunner D Blake, 30372 Bombardier G Bland, 57841 Bombardier D G Blanks, 54021 Bombardier W Brothers, 75788 A/Bombardier George Brough, 70789 Gunner T J L Brown, 34243 Bombardier H Buckley, 70902 Driver A L Buckman, 69894 Gunner T Burt, 70751 Gunner W Butler

66619 Bombardier W Campbell, 69913 Gunner W A Cane, 74205 Bombardier R M Carey, 15931 Sergeant W F Carnegie, 72952 Driver A Cartlidge, 67500 Gunner J Cass, 73719 Bombardier J G Cawte, 73770 Gunner S Charlton, 16280 Corporal H Chesters, 82625 Driver J C Cingel, 57220 Gunner G E Clark, 75571 Gunner H W Clifford, 76432 Gunner T F Clouting, 62218 Gunner A W Colley, 17795 Driver S H Collinson, 72165 Gunner W J Corkery, 73631 Driver H C Cornish, 55931 Gunner M R Cosgrave, 48846 Driver A J Cox, 28068 Sergeant F Cox, 23825 Sergeant A Crabtree, 820 Sergeant C Croft, 71123 Gunner H Crofts, 76437 Driver D Currie

11778 Driver R A Davies, 11521 Driver C Davis, 27783 Battery Sergeant Major C E Davis, 70741 Gunner H Deas, 47869 Corporal T Dennett, 50155 Bombardier P Dickson, 71080 Bombardier T F Draper, 59195 Driver A Duncan

28542 Gunner A Edmonds, 67771 Gunner F Ellis, 74417 Gunner D Estall, 71414 Gunner E Etheridge, 37774 Driver G W Evans, 61399 Driver R Evans, 69586 Driver C W Farmer, 24488 Driver G H Fell, 3373 Battery Sergeant Major S E Firth, 70661 Gunner W Fosberry, 75726 Bombardier A Fowler, 13025 Driver P J Fox, 77649 Driver F R Francis, 45201 Gunner G A Francis, 64431 Gunner Fred T Frost

51623 Bombardier G Gallant, 72394 Bombardier H V Gaurd, 76359 Gunner S C Getley, 26684 Bombardier J Gidlow, 84799 Battery Sergeant Major W R Goble, 77113 Driver A Goodson, 75317 Bombardier P R Greenlees, 52078 Gunner A V Gregory, 68904 Bombardier F Grogan

43075 Driver H Hammond, 77751 Gunner H M Hammond, 51612 Gunner S H Hartwell, 63866 Driver A Hassan, 45899 A/Bombardier Henry Hayes, 68521 Gunner A Henderson, 73682 Gunner J A Hinds, 71526 Gunner J Hughes, 62662 Gunner E Humphreys, 42777 Corporal A J Hunter, 55929 Bombardier P Hunter, 73766 Gunner S H Hunter, 52299 Bombardier E Hymas

31123 Gunner M Kelly, 76344 Gunner T Kershaw, 46581 Gunner P J Kidd, 34233 Driver C Kirkham, 74913 Gunner G Knowles

75996 Driver A Lewis, 22052 Saddler-Corporal T D Little

40344 Driver W Manley, 71426 Driver F Martin, 75900 Bombardier S Matthews, 14965 Gunner C Maurice, 54491 Bombardier R Mayger, 904 Driver G Mayhew, 51520 Gunner S McClure, 60463 Sergeant McKown, 67448 Gunner J Miller, 46080 Gunner J Moore, 32704 Battery Sergeant Major R A Morrow, 69500 Driver D Mulholland, 78232 Gunner W Munt, 71234 Gunner S Murray

62443 Driver G Needham, 50821 Bombardier R C Neill, 74231 Gunner A Newman, 71779 Driver George H Nichols, 55494 Driver H North

69467 Gunner P O'Brien, 15861 Gunner J Ockwell, 74412 Gunner E O'Connor

56490 Driver A W Parsons, 66158 Driver J M Pearston, 60738 Gunner W Pierce, 32136 Bombardier W Plumb, 69495 Trumpeter Henry Charles Poulter, 47214 Driver G A Prette, 75547 Driver J Price, 66296 Bombardier G A Purvess, 40602 Gunner T A Pyle

63451 Gunner R Quinn

41302 Bombardier H Raines, 31383 Corporal E T Ribbens, 50611 Bombardier A A Richardson, 51602 Bombardier J Richardson, 65939 Gunner R W Roberts , 26275 Driver H G Robinson, 69889 Gunner J Rogers, 32601 Sergeant W Rogers, 63390 Driver B Russell

70971 Bombardier A Shepherdly, 40027 Driver H W Sills, 29487 Gunner W Silsby, 69822 Gunner A L Smith, 74199 Gunner A L Smith, 54251 Bombardier G W Smith, 59251 Bombardier E Sparkes, 40781 Gunner T Steed, 67646 Driver J Stephens, 43015 Shoeing Smith J Stobble, 76411 Gunner J W Strong, 76655 Driver W R Summers

48177 Gunner J Tastard, 23534 Gunner G Taylor, 32145 Sergeant F W Tolman, 74225 Gunner William Towers, 25627 Sergeant J H Tozer, 59666 Driver W Traquair, 66568 Gunner R H Turnbull, 69390 Driver W Turner

45727 Sergeant F W Underhill

77811 Gunner A Valvona, 61199 Driver E A Vaughan

23638 Sergeant B W Walker, 59926 Corporal L J Warner, 38895 Driver W Warner, 35063 Sergeant A Warren, 47496 Gunner H Waters, 68731 Gunner H Watts, 73581 Gunner W Watts, 62747 Driver A W Webb, 57977 Driver A E Weeks, 38881 Gunner Henry Isaac Weever, 48786 Gunner E Wellard, 41692 Driver G Wells, 33266 Sergeant B W Westley, 33618 Gunner A R Westwick, 72711 Gunner H Wey, 36631 Gunner S C White, 40355 Bombardier F Williams, 64318 Bombardier G Williams, 67181 Gunner W D Williams, 68629 Gunner A Wilson, 67525 Sergeant G Wilson, 77469 Gunner W J Wilson, 68621 Gunner W Witchall, 73439 Gunner W Woodgate, 46825 Gunner F C Woodman, 26491 Gunner A A W Woodsford

71713 Shoeing Smith C L Young, 94988 Gunner H H Young, 64953 Gunner J J Young,

Royal Engineers - Other Rank PoWs 1914

There are 84 men on this list of men from the Royal Engineers who were captured by the Germans on or before Christmas Day 1914. This data has been transcribed from the  following Imperial War Museum collections:

B.O.2 1/179 is a 4-page typed list of Royal Engineers who were PoWs prior to 25th December 1914.  List sent by captain for colonel in charge of Infantry Records, Chatham, 11th January 1919
B.O.2 1/180 is a 3-page typed list of Royal Engineers who were PoWs prior to 25th December 1914.  List sent by the Royal Engineers Prisoners of War Committee, Brompton Barracks, Chatham on 20th December 1918

My full transcription of these men (not reproduced here) also contains the home address and/or next of kin address of all of the men. 

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


For more information about these so-called 'Princess Mary tin PoWs' see my 1914 PoWs page. The majority of these men will also have records published by the International Committee of the Red Cross. Searching is free; finding your man is another matter entirely.

I research soldiers! 

Contact me if you need help with your military ancestor.

24530 Lance-Corporal J Atkins

14864 Sapper J R Barber, 24601 Lance-Corporal F J Baxter, 28065 Corporal A O Balfour, 9360 Sapper P Bishop, 16564 Sapper A R Blakemore, 16672 Sapper F Bone, 28033 Corporal G V Boys, 24160 Pioneer M Brady, 12439 Sergeant B Brown, 18535 Driver T Butcher, 18715 Sergeant A Butler, 10519 Sapper J J Butler

20903 Sapper L C Canham, 14070 Sapper P Carr , 24745 Pioneer F R Carter, 5837 Sapper Cheeseman, 17225 Lance-Corporal S Clark, 11760 Sapper F Coleman, 20988 Driver J H Cook

27097 Sapper A J David, 28687 CSM J Dennis, 15888 Sapper M Doyle

25355 Pioneer L Elsmore

23546 Sapper F Fiddler, 14619 Sapper H Foster, 25205 Pioneer P Freeman

27864 Corporal A Gilford, 20426 Sapper G R Green

10225 Sapper A J Hammond, 23668 Sapper George F Hargreaves, 16499 Sapper W Harrington, 9032 Sapper R Hobbs, 28077 Corporal W P B Hollis, 23194 Sergeant A Holmes, 25051 Pioneer L C Hosken, 15982 Driver J W Howarth, 28220 Corporal D Humphreys

27856 Corporal F J Jackson, 21006 Pioneer A Johnson

24234 Driver F Kendall

28017 M C Cpl D J Leather, 15006 Sapper J List, 19232 Driver John B Livett

17115 Sapper E Mabley, 17643 Sapper R J Manwaring, 24636 Sapper S J Martin, 27853 Corporal H P Matthews, 23182 Pioneer A Maund, 15450 Sapper H G Mclachlan, 1751 Sergeant W Miles, 24566 Pioneer J Mills, 24521 Sapper W Moses, 21842 Sapper F C Motham, 9108 Sapper J Murphy, 27073 Sapper L Murphy

3968 Lance-Corporal G A Nash, 24894 Pioneer Christopher Norton, 20286 Sapper W H Patman, 29631 Sergeant E C G Pearcey, 16620 Sapper R M Phillips, 16024 Driver D J Prater

18955 Sapper George S Rice, 17566 Sapper C Ryan

23306 Sergeant C Schulze, 24850 Pioneer A V E Smith, 24786 Pioneer G Smith, 26596 Sapper J A H Smith, 1611 Sapper T E Smith, 28107 Corporal R Steele, 9421 2nd Corporal R H Stone, 26533 Pioneer H L Style, 24355 2nd Corporal E W Swayne

505 Sergeant Frederick John Taylor, 26537 Pioneer H E Tilley, 16770 Sapper A B Trenouth, 14090 E T Troke

22514 Sapper W J Watson, 17776 Sapper E E Weeks, 23489 Sapper S T Wesson, 15647 Sapper A Womack, 17467 Sapper R Woodhead, 18673 Sapper E W Wrighton

24527 Pioneer J Young

Army Service Corps - Other Ranks PoWs 1914

There are 60 men on this list of men from the Army Service Corps who were captured by the Germans on or before Christmas Day 1914. This data has been transcribed from the  following Imperial War Museum collections:

B.O.2 1/121 is a typed list sent by the ASC Prisoners of War Fund containing details of three ASC men who were PoWs prior to 25th December 1914 and who had since died (letter to Sir Ernest Goodhart dated 16th January 1919)
B.O.2 1/122 is a double-sided typed list sent by the ASC Prisoners of War Fund containing details of ASC men who were PoWs prior to 25th December 1914  (letter to Sir Ernest Goodhart dated 16th January 1919)
B.O.2 1/123 is a three-page typed list sent by the ASC Prisoners of War Fund containing details of ASC men who were PoWs prior to 25th December 1914  (letter to Sir Ernest Goodhart dated 16th January 1919)

My full transcription of these men (not reproduced here) also contains the home address and/or next of kin address of all of the men. For more information about these so-called 'Princess Mary tin PoWs' see my 1914 PoWs page. The majority of these men will also have records published by the International Committee of the Red Cross. Searching is free; finding your man is another matter entirely.
The full transcription is available for sale for £20. Contact me if you would like to purchase a copy.

I research soldiers! 

Contact me if you need help with your military ancestor.

MS/506 Driver William Aris, M/27062 Lance-Corporal E R Armstrong.

A/528 Driver T Bashford, C/2409 Driver C E P Bate, S/21313 Sergeant F Batey, T/23677 Driver C O Bertram.

T/31111 Driver W Cairns, T/33358 Driver R Clarke, C/2021 Private E Collinson, M/27620 Acting Corporal R D Crichton, C/3261 Private J G Curl.

M/23317 Corporal E R Dalton, M/23405 Lance-Corporal P Desmond, T/27645 Acting Corporal G Dickey, T/14624 Driver F Dixon, T/27568 Driver G Donnelly.

T/28110 Driver F Furniss, MS/2259 Driver C W Fursdon.

A/466 Driver A Govier, S/32494 Driver R Groom.

T/28063 Driver H Hack, MS/147 Driver J M R Hayward, SS/1482 Private L G Hedgecock, T/2436 Driver R Hegarty, T/29186 Driver T Henry, T/24840 Driver Albert Hiscock, C/190 Private H Howes.

T/14732 Sergeant H E Innalls.

M/32175 Private F H Jones.

MS/2672 Private S A J Lovett.

T/23409 Driver A C Matthews, T/28540 Driver T McDonald, T/28321 Driver J McKernan, MS/1537 Private George Claridge Mealing, M/28034 Corporal D F Millard, C/3005 Private D Mitchell, M2/120906 Private E S Moon, T/22517 Driver Charle Henry Mount, T/22530 Private W W Murkett.

T/30766 Lance-Corporal James Edward Norton.

T/22640 Driver C E Pearce, MS/2904 Private G E Pick.

MS/85 Private S R Robbins.

M/21094 Staff Sergeant H Sainsbury, T/27845 Driver A Scott, CMT/235 Driver A A Scott, T/30392 Lance-Corporal Alexander Smith, MS/3201 Private H W Stevens, T/30251 Driver Harold Sugden.

T/28630 Driver A Thompson, S/28563 Private W Timms, T/29185 Driver W H Tubb.

M2/118687 Private G F Wand, MS/3351 Private A E Whalley, T1SR/363 Private J White, T/17606 Private L Wiggens, T/25380 Private J Wilken, 25380 Driver James Wilkins, T/31451 Private H H Williams.

T/28997 Private H Young.

Highland Light Infantry - Other Rank PoWs 1914

There are 148 men on this list of men from the Highland Light Infantry who were captured by the Germans on or before Christmas Day 1914. This data has been transcribed from the  following Imperial War Museum collections:

B.O.2 1/144: a 5-page hand-written list sent to Sir Ernest Goodhart by HLI (Regular Battalions) Prisoners of War Help Committee, dated 24th December 1918
B.O.2 1/145: a 4-page typed list, of which the 4th page refers to Hampshire Regt PoWs and NOT HLI.  No date.
B.O.2 1/146: a single page hand-written list from Mrs A A Wolfe-Murray and 2nd HLI Prisoners of War Care Committee.  No date.

My full transcription of these men (not reproduced here) also contains the home address and/or next of kin address of all of the men.  For more information about these so-called 'Princess Mary tin PoWs' see my 1914 PoWs page. The majority of these men will also have records published by the International Committee of the Red Cross. Searching is free; finding your man is another matter entirely.

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

I research soldiers! 

Contact me if you need help with your military ancestor.

10591 Private T Allen, 11381 Lance-Corporal W Anderson, 11402 Corporal William G Armstrong, 10319 Private James Atkins.

11538 Private A Ball, 11379 Private W Ball, 11018 Private G Bell, 11838 Private I Blackadder, 10794 Private Thomas Blaney, 9898 Private George Bond, 11013 Private John Bowman, 11125 Private George Brialey, 5337 CSM Robert Brisbane, 10433 Private Ernest Brown, 10449 Private George C Brown, 11549 Private Robert Brown, 11293 Private Albert E J Burgess, 11466 Private Stephen Burns, 10402 Private William G Burns.

11454 Private James Campbell, 11568 Corporal Paul Campbell, 11608 Private D Carmichael, 11063 Private Andrew Cleland, 9980 Sergeant George H J Connelly, 10751 Private Edward Connor, 9632 Private J Copeland, 11967 Private Robert Croft, 11668 Private James P Davidson, 11652 Private Norman W Dibley, 10904 Private William Dixon, 10514 Private J Docherty, 9765 Private P Doherty, 11239 Private J Donnachie, 11562 Lance-Corporal A Drugan.

11128 Private W Eaglesham, 11968 Lance-Corporal S Esson, 8075 Private J Fairweather, 11218 Lance-Corporal J Fraser.

11506 Private S Gaw, 11388 Private H Gibson, 11680 Private R Gillespie, 11460 Private W Gilliland, 10278 Private A Gillon, 11362 Private W Gough, 11617 Private C Graham, 8663 Private Darkin Hartog, 8508 Lance-Corporal C Head, 11458 Private Andrew Henderson, 11624 Private Robert Henry, 12036 Private Thomas Howe, 10250 Private H Hughes, 11311 Private Charles Hullock, 9904 Private F Hutchins.

11826 Private Patrick Jinks, 10555 Sergeant George A Johnson, 11533 Private James Johnstone, 11192 Lance-Corporal William Johnstone.

12237 Private J Kane, 9982 Lance-Corporal James M M Kellie, 11561 Private James Kennedy, 10807 Private James Knowles.

11368 Private Robert Lafferty, 7166 Private Stanley W Lamond, 8955 Sergeant John Lawson, 11735 Private M Lenaghan, 11263 Private Arthur W Lewis, 10068 Private R Liddell, 11326 Private Alexander Logan, 11087 Private Andrew Logie, 11678 Private J Lyttle.

11196 Piper T Macdonald, 10525 Lance-Corporal L Machin, 11688 Private John M Mackenzie, 7777 Sergeant John B Marshall, 11198 Private James Matthews, 11792 Private Bernard McAdams, 11178 Private P McAdams, 11174 Private Thomas McCabe, 7108 Private D McDougal, 11055 Private Hugh McGlashan, 11660 Private J McIntosh, 10791 Private John McKay, 11551 Lance-Corporal Alexander McKenzie, 11596 Private D McKinstrey, 11656 Private Norman McLeod, 10167 Sergeant A McMillan, 11643 Private Neil McNeil, 8128 Private W McQueen, 10037 Private J McReadie, 1234 Private Ewan McTeagle, 11057 Private W Melvin, 10420 Lance-Corporal G Messan, 5170 CSM W Miller, 10349 Lance-Corporal T Mitchell, 11137 Private A Morrow, 7677 Sergeant A Mortimer, 10775 Private John Mullen, 8986 Private Patrick Murphy, 11249 Private John Murray, 10800 Private W Murray.

11170 Private S Newlands, 8980 Private W Nicholson

8158 Lance-Corporal J O'Hare, 11213 Private C Olding.

11094 Private H Patterson, 9421 Private John F Peck, 11559 Private Charles Porter, 7853 Sergeant David Potter.

11813 Private Harry Ramsay, 10352 Private John Reddy, 11489 Lance-Corporal James L Robertson, 9364 Private D Rose, 11574 Private John Ross, 11285 Private Frederick G D Rouse.

11421 Lance-Corporal Frank Saggers, 11261 Lance-Corporal Frank Salisbury, 10983 Private P Salton, 10756 Private Ernest Sargeant, 10427 Private William T Sayers, 10821 Private David Scott, 11762 Private W Sedley, 10434 Private T Shellard, 11067 Private Peter Skivine, 11823 Private W Small, 10640 Private A Smith, 10446 Private Herbert S Solly, 11439 Corporal A Strathdee.

12021 Private Robert Tarburn, 11917 Private Ernest J Tew, 9742 Private W Tough, 11364 Private P Traynor, 10361 Private J Vennard.

11862 Private John Wallace, 11059 Private W Walsh, 10457 Corporal A Ward, 10633 Private A Welfare, 11407 Private R Welsh, 11229 Private W White, 10760 Private Robert Wildgoose, 10973 Private J Willis, 9130 Private A Wilson, 9269 Private J Wilson, 10230 Lance-Corporal R Wilson, 10764 Private E Wiltcher, 9129 Sergeant W Wolstencroft, 10647 Private C Wright.

11684 Private T Young, 10953 Private W Young.

The image at the top of this post is courtesy The Imperial War Museum and shows men of the 9th (Glasgow Highlnders) Battalion in trenches during the First World War.

Sherwood Foresters - Other Rank PoWs 1914

There are 530 men on this list of Sherwood Foresters soldiers who were captured by the Germans on or before Christmas Day 1914. This data has been transcribed from the  following Imperial War Museum collections:

B.O.2 1/285: a thirty-page typed list of Sherwood Foresters Prisoners of War.  No date or sender.
B.O.2 1/286: a fifteen-page typed list of Sherwood Foresters Prisoners of War dated 6th Jan 1919 and date stamped 28 Jan 1919 by Lichfield Infantry Record Office. Addresses and ranks appear to pre-date information contained in B.O.2 1/285.

My full transcription of these men (not reproduced here) also contains the home address and/or next of kin address of all of the men. For more information about these so-called 'Princess Mary tin PoWs' see my 1914 PoWs page. The majority of these men will also have records published by the International Committee of the Red Cross. Searching is free; finding your man is another matter entirely.

The full transcription is available for sale for £25. Contact me if you would like to purchase a copy.

 I research soldiers! 

Contact me if you need help with your military ancestor.

9820 Lance-Corporal J Adams, 12242 Private J Addison, 9822 Private C H Allen, 8594 Private H Allen, 12013 Private A Allitt, 9445 Private W H Allott, 9565 Private P Altoft, 10060 Private C Anderson, 11972 Private H Ashall, 10013 Corporal W Ashmore, 9191 Private J Ashton, 8956 Private R Aspinall, 10374 Sergeant E Astill, 11913 Private J Astill, 11870 Private G Atkins, 8685 Private J Attenborough, 9909 Private F Attenborough, 11944 Private A Ault.

11402 Private A Bacon, 8825 Private J Bailey, 8703 Private J Bailey, 8541 Private T Bailey, 11906 Private W Bailey, 9321 Private A Ball, 8480 Private W Banks, 10000 Private W Barber, 12152 Corporal B Barker, 9362 Private B Barnaby, 8877 Private R Barnett, 10833 Private S Barnett, 12133 Private H Barrowcliffe, 12212 Private C W Bartholomew, 10076 Private A H Barton, 8773 Private J Beard, 10052 Private S Beardmore, 9142 Private J H Beardsmore, 8901 Private E Beasley, 10028 Corporal C E Beck,  9287 Private G F Beckett, 11826 Corporal N Bennett, 10718 Corporal R Bennett, 10955 Private S Bennett, 11478 Corporal W Berral, 9170 Corporal H Beswick, 9568 Private E Bewley, 9053 Private J Billyard, 9317 Private G Blakeway, 9186 Private J Bland, 11985 H B D Bohan 12161, Private H V Bond, 12172 Private A Bonsall, 9908 Private G Booth, 8517 Private J Bowler, 9875 Lance-Corporal W Bowman,9723 Private J Bradshaw, 6280 Corporal T Bradshaw, 9947 Private A E Braithwaite, 9136 Private J Brannan, 12053 Corporal L Bray, 8884 Lance-Corporal F Brentnall, 12258 Private W Brett, 11752 Corporal P Brinklow, 10298 Drummer W Brittle, 9048 Private G Broadhurst, 9543 Private T Brown, 9164 Private W Brownlow, 8706 Private T Bull, 8534 Corporal W Burbury, 9644 Sergeant P Burke, 9780 Private F Burman, 8641 Private W Burns, 12156 Private A Burrows, 11899 Private C Burton, 10067 Private W Burton, 9665 Private J Bush.

9231 Private J Campion, 9456 Corporal J Carter, 8634 Private P Chamberlain, 12225 Private F Chantry, 8849 Private C Chapman, 12169 Private H Chapman, 11409 Private H Cheek, 11827 Corporal T H Chell, 10015 Private C Chesterton, 9266 Private A China, 9489 Lance-Corporal A Clark, 10016 Private G Clarke, 9787 Private J Clarke, 12046 Lance-Corporal H J Clay, 12115 Private A Cole, 9899 Private C Colley, 11320 Private J W Collings,10164 Private W Collis, 9330 Private T Colson, 12124 Corporal F Coltman, 11828 Corporal W Comery, 9676 Lance-Corporal A Conley, 6995 Private F H Cooper, 12099 Private J W Cooper, 8939 Private A Corker, 11019 Private A Corner, 11984 Private S Costall, 9563 Private H Cosway, 8832 Private E Cotteridge, 12227 Private N Cox, 5921 Sergeant H Cragg, 9751 Private T Crane, 8632 Private J Crawford, 9323 Private A Cresswell, 9451 Corporal C Crinage, 8546 Private G Crocker, 9892 Private R Crooks, 8628 Private J Cunningham, 11454 Corporal G Cutler, 9494 Private W Cutts, 12308 Private W H Cutts.

9792 Private B Davenport, 9219 Private J Davidson, 12138 Private W Davidson, 8797 Private C Davis,  11994 Private J Dawes, 6960 Private H Daykin, 9410 Private E Dennis, 9978 Private S Dennison, 11401 Private F G Dibden, 9363 Private E Dicken, 9383 Private E Dickerson, 9905 Private J Dickinson, 11774 Private H Dickson, 8664 Private H C Dobbs, 9083 Private H J Doncaster, 9638 Private A Dove, 8813 Private J Drake, 12126 Private W Drakefield, 10707 Private W Drury, 9547 Private W Drury, 9483 Private W Dudson.

12052 Private Charles Arthur Earl, 9530 Private William Henry Eatherington, 8526 Corporal W F Ellicock, 9745 Private E Elms, 11682 Drummer F Else, 10124 Private E Elsmore.

9811 Private A Farmer, 9944 Private C Farrant, 9129 Private W Farrow, 9028 Private J Fawcett, 11260 Private G Fearis, 11882 Private A Fell, 9830 Private A Fisher, 10836 Private L Fisher, 9394 Private T Fitzgerald, 7330 Private G Fletcher, 10612 Corporal W Fletcher, 10129 Lance-Corporal John Flint, 10139 Lance-Corporal E W Ford, 9481 Private A Fowler, 9235 Private J Fowler, 12101 Private W Fox, 12042 Private E Frost, 9637 Sergeant H Fulton.

11917 Private A Gale, 10654 Private E Gale, 12193 Private J H Garner, 9771 Private W H Gasson, 10711 Sergeant J Geary, 12209 Private J Geddes, 9926 Sergeant Charles George, 6457 Private W Gerrard, 8668 Private A Giddings, 10167 Private J W Gilbert, 8622 Lance-Corporal A Gill, 9509 Private J Gilliatt, 10006 Private T W L Gothard, 9943 L/Cpl Thomas Grant, 10582 Private W Green, 10292 Corporal T E Greenhalgh, 10798 Private A Greenwood, 15183 Private R Gribble, 9233 Private William Grierson, 12122 Private E Grigg, 7194 Private J Grimwood.

8709 Private J Hackett, 10880 Private T Hall, 9697 Private G Hallam, 12058 Private G H Hallam, 12044 Corporal J F Hallam, 11196 L/Cpl William James Hallam, 10165 Sergeant A Handley, 12106 Lance-Corporal A Hanson, 8844 Private J Harding, 9741 Private H Hardy, 9627 Private H Harker, 10625 Private J Harris, 9148 Private G Harrison, 9662 Private W Harrison, 10109 Private E Harvey, 12155 Corporal E Harvey, 9687 Sergeant Harvey, 8760 Private T Hatherley, 12154 Private T A Hawley, 10090 Private W Haycox, 9273 Private W H Hazard, 8766 Lance-Corporal G Heard, 9803 Private H Heard, 10043 Private Thomas Hemsley, 9699 Lance-Corporal L Henshaw, 10091 Pte William Henry Herbert, 3858 Private Charles Herrington, 10250 Private F Herrod, 11420 Private W Heslop, 8574 Private A Heys, 12210 Lance-Corporal C Hibbert, 10593 Private G Hibbert, 8940 Private G Hickey, 8538 Sergeant J Hickton, 9419 Private Walter H Hilditch, 9275 Private T Hill, 10881 Sergeant G H Hillier, 15909 Private T C Hillyard, 10180 Private A Hodgkinson, 11829 Private S F Hodson, 9139 Sergeant J Hoey, 10093 Private W Hollis, 8433 Private W Holloway, 8636 Private W Holloway, 9399 Private W Hooton, 12234 Private J W Hopewell, 9791 Private F Hornbuckle, 8511 Private J Hoult, 8646 Private F Housley, 10122 Corporal E Howard, 9138 Private J Howie, 9990 Private J Huskins.

9250 Private G Jackson, 9907 Sergeant W Jamieson, 18812 Private A Johnson, 12074 Private J Johnson, 12201 Private W Johnson, 12213 Private E Jones, 12102 Private F Jones, 11916 Private L Jones, 11832 Corporal F Jordan, 9352 Lance-Corporal Keeley, 10524 Sergeant Keeton, 9742 Corporal Kelly, 11456 Sergeant Kelly, 9910 Private Kerr, 8590 Private Kershaw, 11995 Private King 12314 Private Kirk, 11015 Private Kirkham, 12085 Private Knowles, 9462 Private Knowles, 8872 Private Kyle

10229 Private James Henry Lane, 8871 Lance-Corporal W Langham, 11979 Private S Lea, 9831 Private W Lee, 9319 Private Sydney Leigh, 9290 Private W Lester, 10089 Private J H Ley,  9370 Private A Litchfield, 8406 Private E Lomas, 9081 Private George Oliver Lowe, 12031 Private B Lye, 10021 Private D Lynch, 10648 Private C Lyons.

8840 Private J Maddocks, 9252 Private Maddocks, 9521 Private F Mahon, 12005 Private T Mahon, 10036 Private S Mantle, 10458 Lance-Sergeant B Marriott, 9369 Private J Marriott, 8518 Private F Marsh, 9874 Private L Marsh, 11855 Lance-Corporal F Marshall, 10912 Private J Marshall, 9738 Sergeant W Marshall, 10853 Corporal Mason, 11585 Private E Matthews, 9477 Private J Matthews, 9657 Private Matthews, 10370 Corporal F Mawson, 8730 Private J H May, 10132 Private J S McCulloch, 12061 Lance-Corporal McNulty, 9765 Private John Charles Mead,  11179 Corporal C W Mee, 8472 Private F Mee, 10664 Private S Mee, 11149 Private T Mee, 9573 Private W Mellors, 10637 Corporal Merriman, 11965 Private T Merry, 9849 Lance-Corporal W H Merry, 9593 Private W Midwood, 12011 Private Albert Miller, 10221 Private T C Miller, 9840 Private Miller, 12017 Private Morris, 10501 Private A Morritt, 10320 Sergeant Mortimer, 9708 Corporal H Moss, 12108 Private Mullins, 8600 Private C Mycock.

8681 Private Abraham Naden, 11429 Private J Naden, 9243 Private W Neal, 9187 Lance-Corporal Eric E Needham, 12037 Private H Needham, 10930 Corporal W H Needham, 8821 Private J Newbold, 9756 Private William George Newbold, 9999 Private P Newborn, 11887 Private W Newbury, 9686 Private A Newton, 12111 Private W Newton, 8820 Private E Niblett, 8593 Private Leonard Nicholas, 10653 Corporal J Nicholls, 11863 Private R Nobles, 6299 Private J North.

11566 Private W O'Brien, 10243 Private Frank O'Connor, 10814 Private R O'Connor, 10668 Lance-Corporal R Oldfield, 9060 Private T Oscroft, 8804 Private A Owen.

9255 Private F Palmer, 11098 Corporal F Parfitt, 11208 Private E W Parr, 11648 Corporal W Parrish, 10816 Private J W Partridge, 10502 Private A Pattison, 18250 Private Robert Peace, 10290 Private Robert Peace, 10638 Private A Peach, 9123 Private F Pearson, 9855 Private A Peck, 9063 Private Bertie Penney, 6366 Corporal Frank Perkins, 9366 Corporal Frank Perkins, 10161 Private H Perkins, 9322 Private W Perry, 12322 Sergeant Percy Phillips, 9057 Private E Pike, 9759 Private A Platts, 11592 Corporal A Pleasance, 8586 Private W Plenty, 9798 Private W Plumtree, 10094 Acting Sergeant H Potter, 12001 Private E Poxon, 8918 Private W Pratt, 9761 Private V Pritchard, 8587 Private J H Pryor, 10765 Private O Pursglove, 11765 Corporal W Pykett.

12018 Private H S Raby, 11850 Private F Radford, 8785 Lance-Corporal G Radford, 12279 Private S Radford, 10198 Private S A Radford, 10133 Private C Rasdall, 9737 Private J Read, 12084 Private A Reaney, 9620 Private B Redgate, 9971 Sergeant W Reid, 9017 Private J Renshaw, 12033 Corporal J W Revill, 18971 Lance-Corporal A Rhodes, 11775 Private G Richardson, 11766 Private G H Rick, 9996 Private L Rippon, 9711 Corporal F Roberts, 8717 Private J Roberts, 10585 Lance-Corporal W Roberts, 11692 Sergeant G Robinson, 9504 Private J W Robinson, 9249 Private J Robottom, 9650 Private G Rockley, 9561 Private J Rockley, 8990 Private Thomas Rogers, 10128 Private E Rollett, 9157 Private W Rose, 11124 Corporal A E Ross, 9132 Private E Rowe.

9931 Private S Sault, 11039 Private J W Sawyer, 9511 Private W Sawyer, 11878 Private H Scott, 6537 CSM J Seagrave, 9736 Private A Sedgewick, 11793 Private W Sellars, 10096 Private A Seymour, 8359 Sergeant A Seymour, 9390 Private C Shakespeare, 10251 Lance-Corporal A Sharpe, 11952 Private A Shaw, 7319 Sergeant E Shaw, 11613 Private W H Shaw, 9970 Lance-Corporal E Shearman, 11822 Private E Shenton, 9283 Private W Shepherd, 12163 Private W Sheriff, 10029 Private J Sherlock, 9211 Private H Shilcock, 12081 Private W P Shilton, 10138 Private W Shirt, 11867 Private Ernest Arthur Sibbert, 12034 Corporal J Simms, 9883 Private C Singleton, 9691 Private J Slack, 10072 Private R Smalley, 9635 Private H Smeeton, 9316 Private A Smith, 8468 Private E Smith, 9922 Corporal F Smith, 9693 Private G Smith, 11861 Private G A Smith, 8601 Private J Smith, 8544 Private J Smith, 10114 Lance-Corporal J H Smith, 12162 Corporal P Smith, 1468 Private S C Smith, 9520 Private Thomas Smith, 12057 Private W Smith, 8402 Corporal W Smith, 9012 Private F Soar, 9690 Private Frederick Sowter, 8961 Private W Spencer, 9411 Corporal J Spray, 9402 Corporal C Spybey, 11680 Private C Staples, 10046 Corporal E Staples, 9392 Private J Staples, 4464 Sergeant John Staples, 8881 Lance-Corporal A Stapleton, 9867 Private J Startin, 9230 Private G Steadman, 12103 Private W Steele, 8560 Private F Stevens, 12168 Private A Stevenson, 9628 Private E Stevenson, 9877 Private W Stevenson, 11757 Private S Stewardson, 12129 Corporal H Straw, 9572 Private T Stroud, 9707 Lance-Corporal J Stubbs, 12110 Lance-Corporal H Styring, 11455 Private S Swain, 12144 Private H Swift, 11002 Private J L Symons.

12125 Private A Tanner, 10838 Private A Taylor, 10819 Private F Taylor, 9532 Private Frank Taylor, 12107 Private Fred Taylor, 10922 Sergeant G Taylor, 10963 Sergeant L Taylor, 6932 Sergeant James Tebbutt, 9415 Private E Theobald, 11562 Sergeant C Thompson, 9897 Private F Thompson, 9010 Private G Thorley, 6973 CSM H Thorpe, 11140 Corporal F Tindall, 10431 Sergeant P Tingle, 9997 Private F Tombs, 10235 Private G Tomlinson, 6547 Lance-Corporal H Tongue, 8934 Private T Toole, 9684 Corporal J Topham, 10918 Corporal A Towle, 5901 Sergeant T Toy, 8727 Corporal H Trussell, 12303 Private W Tulley, 9103 Private J Tunnicliffe, 11963 Private D Turner, 5169 CSM J Turner, 10208 Private R Turner, 8694 Lance-Corporal F Tyers.

9924 Sergeant Allan Walden, 9335 Private C Walker, 11999 Corporal J Walker, 9870 Private S Walker, 12223 Sergeant W Walker, 8898 Private G H Walters, 8470 Private J Ward, 10353 Sergeant C Wardle, 9100 Sergeant C Watson, 12255 Private H Watson, 12060 Private W Watts, 8700 Private C Weaver, 9534 Private J Webber, 9408 Private E Welch, 9014 Corporal H Wells, 9227 Private Herbert Wells, 12093 Private Albert West, 9435 Private Arthur West, 11871 Private S West, 9688 Private C Weston, 9418 Private F Whitehurst, 10852 Private C Whittington, 5941 Private G Whitworth, 8401 Private A Wilde, 11628 Corporal W Wilkes, 9912 Corporal J Williamson, 10105 Lance-Corporal F Wilson, 10693 Private H A Wilson, 11877 Private W Winfield,  Private T Winston, 9557 Private T Winterton, 9772 Private A Withers, 9318 Corporal F A Wood, 12304 Private Thomas Wood, 9558 Private C Woodhouse, 8914 Private H Woodward, 8670 Sergeant G Wright, 8448 Private J W Wright, 9151 Private W E Wright, 8638 Private W E Wright, 9160 Private W Wyld.

8900 Private F Yeomans, 5342 Sgt-Major S G Yeomans, 8865 Private H Young.

'A' Special Company, 1st Battalion, Special Brigade, Royal Engineers

This photograph was taken in France in August 1916 and shows men of 'A' Special Company, 1st Battalion, Special Brigade, Royal Engineers; a gas company. All of these men had transferred into the Royal Engineers from infantry battalions and the man I was researching is Samuel Athron who stands on the back row, far left.

Helpfully, Samuel had identified the forenames of eight of his companions, with the missing man - Larrat Sarcan, back row, far right - identified on the reverse.

Using Samuel Athron's new regimental number as the starting point, and running some simple searches on my British Army Ancestors website, I was quickly able to identify ALL of his companions in this photograph. I started with the uncommon names like Stronach, Sarcan and Walby and, identifying a pattern with the first three digits of the Royal Engineers numbers, plus the prior service with infantry units, quickly mapped out more details. Here are the men:

128749 2nd Cpl Samuel Athron; formerly 21844 York & Lancaster Regiment

128748 Pioneer Horace R Webster; formerly 24053 York & Lancaster Regiment

128729 Pioneer Arthur Hudson; formerly 24043 York & Lancaster Regiment

128336 Pioneer John A Murray; formerly 24391 Worcestershire Regiment

129349 Pioneer Larrat W Sarcan; formerly 22240 York & Lancaster Regiment

129599 Sgt John Stronach; formerly 1411 Gordon Highlanders

128747 Pioneer Harold F Walby; formerly 24056 York & Lancaster Regiment

128574 Pioneer Peter Makin; formerly 26946 KOYLI 

129073 2nd Cpl Gladstone Stoker; formerly 27677 Northumberland Fusiliers

128742 Pioneer Leonard Smalley; formerly 24047 York & Lancaster Regiment

Arthur Hudson and John Stronach both have surviving service records. Note too that the majority of the men have connections with northern regiments, with 60% of this small sample having formerly served with the York & Lancaster Regiment. 

The Special Cylinder Companies of the Royal Engineers were formed as part of the British Army's response to the German gas attacks of 1915 and there are distinct patterns of regimental numbering within these companies. In other words, it is mostly possible to identify the particular gas company that a man served with, from his regimental number.

A fascinating photo, courtesy of Samuel's son, David Athron, and a nice research project to work on. I am particularly pleased that I was able to identify all of the men in this photo and I have added their individual head and shoulders shots to the British Army Ancestors gallery.

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15th Hussars - Other Rank PoWs 1914

These men of the 15th Hussars were all captured 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 Imperial War Museum's collection, specifically item B.O.2 1//161 which is a five-page hand-written letter (two lists, with many identical details but some unique information against some men) dated 13th Jan 1919.   My full transcription of these men (not reproduced here) also contains the home address of all of the men.

The full transcription is available for sale as part of a Hussars PoW roll - 350+ names in all - for £20. Contact me if you would like to purchase a copy.

For more information about these so-called 'Princess Mary tin PoWs' see my 1914 PoWs page. The majority of these men will also have records published by the International Committee of the Red Cross. Searching is free; finding your man is another matter entirely.

3401 Corporal F Abbott, 728 Lance-Corporal F Aspinall, 4502/40335 Private W Atkins. 

7323 Private W Baker, 8640 Lance-Corporal G Ball, 123 Private F G Batt, 10189 Private J Blake, 2342 Private F A Butler.

4562/40345 Private W Cameron, 7318 Private G Causey, 7476 Private M Crow.

7362 Private E Dallard, 4742 Trumpeter Day.

8308 Private H Edwards.

8607 Private H Fudge.

7368 Corporal C Garforth, 4774/46407 Lance-Corporal Charles Gogarty, 746 Trumpeter G Goode, 5968 Private H Grant.

7403 Private G Hill.

656 Private A Johnson, 2494 Lance-Corporal F Johnson, 496 Private F W Johnson. 

4507/46336 Lance-Corporal A Lyons.

4412/46318 Saddler D McDonald, 4710 Private A McFarlane.

4475 Private W S Nicholson.

124 Private F Painter, 3564/46295 Private W Parsons, 3211 Private F Pearce, 3172 Private W Pearce, 1836 Private J Phillips.

4501 Cpl Ernest J Roffey, 4501 Corporal W Roffey, 4725/46387 Private J Rooke.

998 Private G Slack, 1055 Saddler C Stunt.

2616 Private G J Trump.

1033 Private W Webb, 5450 Private H Wells, 7231 Trumpeter Whitmore, 7332 Private G Wingrove, 4756/46398 Sergeant Ernest V Winyard.

566 Private A Young.

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Happy Birthday - 10 years old

I see that this Army Service Numbers 1881-1918 blog is ten years old today and as I launched it when I was living in India, it seems fitting that the image on this post should be from the Durbar that took place in Delhi in 1911. The new King Emperor George V and his wife Queen Mary were regally entertained with all the pomp and ceremony one might have expected.

Queen Victoria's army and the armies of her son, King Edward VII, and his son, King George V, remain a passion for me. In the last ten years I have written over 500 posts for this blog, not to mention countless posts for my other blogs. Last year, I launched a new initiative, British Army Ancestors, a site where you can upload photographs of your soldier ancestors and which also works rather well as a fast free search of over 11.6m British Army records sourced from The National Archives and elsewhere. It's free to search but you'll need to pay to view records.

In the meantime, I will continue to post information on this blog and I welcome comments, although the sheer volume of correspondence I receive means that sometimes my responses are delayed. 

So thanks for supporting this blog and in the meantime, "Happy Birthday to Army Service Numbers 1881-1918, Happy Birthday to Army Service Numbers 1881-1918..."

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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.

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V Platoon, B Coy, 23rd Manchester Regiment

These men all appear in the Manchester City Battalions, Book of Honour published by Sherratt and Hughes in 1916. I've had a copy on my shelf for years and it's a very useful reference work; essential in fact for anyone with an interest in the Manchester Regiment.

There were eight service battalions, numbering from the 16th through to the 23rd Battalion and the book features photos of the men in platoon order, with separate photos for officers, NCOs, and bands. The big frustration with the book is that although the photos are accompanied by lists of names of the men who appear, it is impossible - for the most part - to identify who is who. Apart from some ordering by rank, there appears to be no logic to the way in which the names are recorded. I've puzzled over this for years but I'm still no closer to arriving at an answer.

Nevertheless, it is possible to identify some men and the crop above is a good example of this. The man on the left wears the rank insignia of a company quartermaster sergeant. He is seated next to an officer - a lieutenant judging by his cuffs - and he in turn sits next to the company sergeant major. The book tells us that these men are Lt J E Rothband, 21529 CQMS J Hunt and 23015 CSM W Gorin.

Jacob (Jack) Eustace Rothband, above,  was killed in action at Mametz Wood on the 19th July 1916. He was 37 years old and is buried in Flatiron Copse Cemetery at Mametz. Photo from British Jewry Book of Hnour 1914-1920.

21529 Warrant Officer Class 2 John Hunt later served in the Tank Corps with the number 75480. He died in 1919 and is buried under a  Commonwealth War Graves headstone in Boltonj (Heaton) Cemetery. He was 25 years old.

28515 CSM Walter Gorin was an old soldier who had originally joined the 3rd Gloucestershire regiment as an 18-year-old in 1897 and subsequently enlisted with the Grenadier Guards in 1899, serving in South Africa. He would be killed in action on the 20th July 1916 whilst serving with the 23rd Manchester Regiment.  The Manchester City Battalions book incorrectly records his regimental number as 23015.

I have added this photo to these men's profiles on my British Army Ancestors website. For more information on the numbering in these City Battalions, see my earlier posts:

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)

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