Army Service Numbers 1881-1918

21 January 2009

Irish Guards 1900-1918

The Irish Guards was formed on 1st April 1900 as a result of Army Order 77 which stated, "Her Majesty the Queen, having deemed it desirable to commemorate the bravery shown by the Irish regiments in the recent operations in South Africa, has been graciously pleased to command that an Irish regiment of Foot Guards be formed. This regiment will be designated The Irish Guards”. Two hundred Irish soldiers who transferred from the Grenadier Guards formed the nucleus of the regiment.

Here are some army service numbers and corresponding joining dates for the Irish Guards from 1900 to 1918:

1 joined on 1st April 1900
663 joined on 14th January 1901
1285 joined on 7th April 1902
1552 joined on 6th January 1903
1881 joined on 27th January 1904
2286 joined on 20th May 1905
2494 joined on 9th January 1906
2703 joined on 15th January 1907
2927 joined on 14th January 1908
3279 joined on 2nd March 1909
3504 joined on 2nd March 1910
3933 joined on 1st November 1911
4002 joined on 3rd January 1912
4414 joined on 31st March 1913
4809 joined on 5th June 1914

The First World War

5053 joined on 31st August 1914

5089 joined on 4th September 1914
5661 joined on 10th October 1914
5886 joined on 4th November 1914
6173 joined on 15th December 1914
6356 joined on 1st January 1915
6755 joined on 11th February 1915
6981 joined on 4th March 1915
7301 joined on 2nd April 1915
8043 joined on 5th May 1915
8547 joined on 2nd June 1915
9036 joined on 1st July 1915
9458 joined on 6th August 1915
9787 joined on 13th September 1915
9888 joined on 8th October 1915
10106 joined on 10th November 1915
10347 joined on 1st January 1916
10833 joined on 5th February 1916
11322 joined on 29th June 1916
11475 joined on 16th September 1916
12270 joined on 20th August 1917
12541 joined on 25th January 1918
12933 joined on 12th April 1918
13901 joined on 23rd August 1918

Pictured, author Rudyard Kipling's beloved son John (Jack) Kipling who, as a Second Lieutenant with the 2nd Battalion, Irish Guards, was killed in action on 27th September 1915. His body was never found. My thanks to Stuart Wilson of the Sons of Galloway website for tidying up the image.

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

FURTHER RESEARCH

Irish Guards service and pension records: Ancestry.co.uk

Irish Guards in the Great War - 1st and 2nd Battalions

http://www.naval-military-press.com/product.php?productid=28558&partner=PaulNixon

"When war broke out in August 1914 the 1st Battalion (there was only one battalion, then) was in Wellington Barracks (London), one of the four guards battalions that made up the 4th (Guards) Brigade, 2nd Infantry Division. The battalion landed in France on 13 August 1914. In July 1915 Kitchener obtained the permission of the King to form a Guards Division, an idea he had not shared with the War Cabinet nor with the C in C in France. As there were only ten battalions of Guards at the time, including the recently (February 1915) formed Welsh Guards, he gave orders for another Grenadier and Irish Guards battalion to be raised to make up the required twelve battalions; a fourth Coldstream battalion was also formed as the divisional Pioneer battalion. Thus, on 18 July 1915 the 2nd Battalion Irish Guards came into existence, formed from the 2nd Reserve Battalion which itself had been created in August 1914.

"Rudyard Kipling followed the same pattern with both 1st & 2nd Battalions, concentrating on the events that affected the battalions and making use of official and private records, diaries and personal interviews with officers and men of the battalions. The book teems with Kipling's characteristic powers of description, his meticulous eye for detail and his empathy with fighting men at their last extremity as he narrates the Guards' progress from Mons to the Armistice via the fighting at La Bassee, Loos, Laventie, Ypres, the Somme, Gouzeaucourt and Arras."

Short History of the Irish Guards 1900-1927

"This little book was a response to the Army Authorities requiring a study of Regimental History as part of the syllabus for the Second and Third Class Certificates of Education, and for NCOs’ promotion exams. The Irish Guards had been formed only in 1900, and so to give this short history a wider scope two chapters were included, one on the history of the Irish regiments and the other on the Brigade of Guards. Contents include details on the service careers of the Colonels of the Regiment - Roberts, Kitchener, French and Cavan ; Battle Honours; succession of commanding officers; VCs and sporting events."

Read my other posts on numbering in the Foot Guards regiments:

Grenadier Guards
Coldstream Guards
Scots Guards
Welsh Guards

Identify a Foot Guards soldier by his uniform: Identifying the Guards - Army Ancestry

20 January 2009

Scots Guards 1881-1919

The Scots Guards can trace its lineage back to 1642. It was unaffected by the 1881 Cardwell reforms and by 1881, was numbering in the 5000s. Here is a sample of army service numbers and corresponding enlistment/joining dates for the Scots Guards.

5349 joined on 14th June 1881
5547 joined on 16th August 1882
5626 joined on 12th April 1883
6044 joined on 14th January 1884
6914 joined on 4th September 1885
7062 joined on 18th January 1886
7405 joined on 1st February 1887
8110 joined on 2nd November 1888
8149 joined on 18th January 1889
8534 joined on 3rd March 1890
9202 joined on 16th October 1891
9402 joined on 1st February 1892
9992 joined on 6th February 1893

Shortly after this number was issued, the Scots Guards reached 9999 and, in accordance with Queen's Regulations, commenced a new series of numbers, starting from 1.

442 joined on 23rd June 1894
916 joined on 20th December 1895
1124 joined on 5th August 1896
1294 joined on 5th February 1897
1891 joined on 24th January 1898

In 1899, with Great Britain at war with South Africa, the Scots Guards raised a 3rd Battalion. This was eventually disbanded in 1906.

3017 joined on 24th January 1899
3238 joined on 6th February 1900
3996 joined on 22nd July 1901
4421 joined on 22nd April 1902
4802 joined on 4th February 1903
5167 joined on 5th January 1904
5818 joined on 3rd January 1905
6461 joined on 14th March 1906
6675 joined on 3rd January 1907
7076 joined on 20th April 1908
7320 joined on 12th January 1909
7628 joined on 15th April 1910
7897 joined on 27th April 1911
8465 joined on 22nd November 1912
8517 joined on 21st January 1913
8901 joined on 10th March 1914

The First World War

The Scots Guards formed a 3rd (Reserve) Battalion on 14th August 1914. This was eventually disbanded on 10th March 1919

9053 joined on 8th August 1914
9871 joined on 3rd September 1914
11454 joined on 1st October 1914
11907 joined on 3rd November 1914
12548 joined on 10th December 1914
12778 joined on 1st January 1915
13367 joined on 1st February 1915
13645 joined on 11th March 1915
13807 joined on 5th April 1915
13960 joined on 26th May 1915
14205 joined on 27th July 1915
14227 joined on 2nd August 1915
14424 joined on 20th September 1915
14500 joined on 30th October 1915
14590 joined on 9th November 1915
14853 joined on 6th December 1915
15010 joined on 6th January 1916
15278 joined on 16th February 1916
15397 joined on 15th March 1916
15514 joined on 15th April 1916
15590 joined on 15th May 1916
15771 joined on 21st June 1916
15775 joined on 4th July 1916
15872 joined on 8th August 1916
15890 joined on 7th September 1916
15937 joined on 4th October 1916
16166 joined on 17th November 1916
16225 joined on 8th December 1916
16357 joined on 10th January 1917
16466 joined on 2nd February 1917
16601 joined on 9th March 1917
16776 joined on 21st May 1917
16860 joined on 14th June 1917
17025 joined on 21st September 1917
17257 joined on 25th January 1918
17453 joined on 2nd April 1918
17782 joined on 4th May 1918
18628 joined on 8th June 1918
19104 joined on 17th February 1919

Note the huge influx of men between May and June 1918.

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

Further research

Scots Guards pensions and service records on Ancestry.co.uk

From The Naval & Military Press:

Scots Guards in the Great War
"This book is set out in chronological order, and though the battalions were not in the same division during the first twelve months of the war their actions are not recorded under separate headings. Thus both battalions were in action during First Ypres and they both appear in the chapter covering that battle. Apart from war diaries, there are extracts from letters and other contributions from those who were there making up the narrative and the result is a plain, straightforward account."

Read my other posts on numbering in the Foot Guards regiments:

Grenadier Guards
Coldstream Guards
Irish Guards
Welsh Guards

Identify a Foot Guards soldier by his uniform: Identifying the Guards - Army Ancestry

19 January 2009

Five digit Territiorial Force numbers

Don't be fooled into thinking that because your ancestor had a five digit number, he couldn't have served with a Territorial Force battalion. He could have.

As we have seen with London Regiment men, the majority of the battalions (the 5th London Regiment being a notable exception) started numbering from 1 in 1908 and continued with the same series up until at least January 1917 when the first six digit numbers start to be issued. At that point in time, those men still serving were issued with new numbers in order of seniority. So the earliest enlistment from 1908 would have been issued with the lowest six digit number and so on.

Taking the 7th Manchester Regiment as an example, number 67 (who was probably a serving Volunteer with the 4th Volunteer Battalion, Manchester Regiment) joined the 7th Manchesters on 1st April 1908. In January 1917 he was still on the Regiment's books and was given the new number 275211. (The 7th Manchesters was allocated the block of numbers 275001 to 300000).

So for this battalion - and the majority of Territorial Force (TF) battalions - men with single, double and triple digit numbers (up to 500 or more) are generally 1908 enlistments, with four digit numbers starting to appear - for the most part (although Cyclist Battalions are generally an exception) - in 1910 and 1911. (The 7th Manchesters had reached 884 by March 1909 and 1135 by January 1910). Some battalions did in fact get into five digits before the new six digit renumbering happened in 1917 (see the 28th London Regiment for instance, which was up to 10400 by January 1917), but the majority of TF battalions did not.

But what about those high five digit numbers - 300** etc - which appear as Territorial Force numbers?

Army Council Instruction 1245 of 11th August 1917 explains why:

1245.3
A recruit on being posted to a regular or TF unit, either on being called up under the Military Service Acts or on voluntary enlistment, will be allotted a regular number, with the exception of recruits posted to battalions of the London Regiment or to units of Corps which do not contain any regular unit (ie The Honourable Artillery Company [which was also supposed to be part of the London Regiment] and Royal Defence Corps.

So those high five digit numbers are conscripts or volunteers who have been posted to TF battalions but given numbers from the main series of numbering normally found in the regular/service battalions. Incidentally, and having referenced the 5th Londons earlier, we also see five digit numbers appearing in numbers beginning 105** through to 110**,for the 5th Londons in July 1916. The battalion suffered heavy casualties on the diversionary attack on Gommecourt on 1st July 1916 and these five digit numbers are all drafts from the 2/7th Middlesex Regiment and other London Regiment battalions - 616 in total - to replace those men lost on July 1st. I've given more details on these five digit 5th London Regiment numbers in a separate post. Of these 616 transferees, at least 130 were killed in action or died of wounds whilst serving with the 5th Londons, in a continuation of the Somme battles in September and October 1916.

The other five digit numbers that appear in TF battalions in large groups are those which appear for some Supernumerary Company men attached to TF battalions, but again, that will be the subject of a future post.

Know your ancestor's armys service number? Find him with a FREE 14 day trial of Ancestry.co.uk - Click here!

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

16 January 2009

Grenadier Guards 1881-1918

The Grenadier Guards is the most senior regiment of the Guards Division of the British Army and can trace its history back to 1656. It was unaffected by the 1881 Cardwell reforms and by 1881, was numbering in the high 7000s.

Service records for ALL of the following army service numbers survive in the WO 363 and WO 374 series at the National Archives. Also access these on Ancestry.co.uk.

7863 joined on 15th December 1881
7914 joined on 17th January 1882
8360 joined on 18th May 1883
9107 joined on 21st January 1884

In 1885 The Grenadier Guards reached number 9999 and so, in accordance with Queen's Regulations, immediately commenced a new series from 1.

139 joined on 1st December 1885
301 joined on 5th July 1886
794 joined on 29th january 1887
1371 joined on 3rd March 1888
1949 joined on 6th August 1889
2210 joined on 6th January 1890
3226 joined on 15th October 1891
3512 joined on 3rd February 1892
4220 joined on 13th February 1893
4707 joined on 29th January 1894
5162 joined on 21st January 1895
5808 joined on 23th May 1896
6327 joined on 3rd February 1897
7432 joined on 26th May 1898
7815 joined on 5th January 1899
8513 joined on 1st January 1900
9355 joined on 21st January 1901
10060 joined on 1st January 1902
10674 joined on 9th January 1903
11365 joined on 1st March 1904
11931 joined on 10th January 1905
12811 joined on 7th August 1906
13051 joined on 4th January 1907
13752 joined on 19th May 1908
14220 joined on 2nd February 1909
14648 joined on 17th February 1910
15164 joined on 13th march 1911
15795 joined on 26th March 1912
16247 joined on 25th January 1913
16866 joined on 2nd January 1914

The First World War

The Grenadier Guards had three battalions at the outbreak of the Great War and it would add a 4th Battalion, a 5th (Reserve) Battalion (both in August 1914) and a 1st Provisional Battalion (in August 1918). All battalions followed the same numbering sequence.

17168 joined on 8th August 1914
17745 joined on 1st September 1914
19626 joined on 3rd October 1914
20264 joined on 9th November 1914
21297 joined 8th December 1914
21530 joined on 4th January 1915
22727 joined on 3rd February 1915
23244 joined on 4th March 1915
23754 joined on 23rd April 1915
23984 joined on 31st May 1915
23981 joined on 1st June 1915
24179 joined on 27th September 1915
24213 joined on 2nd October 1915
24283 joined on 6th November 1915
24627 joined on 6th December 1915
25069 joined on 12th January 1916
25450 joined on 8th February 1916
25579 joined on 3rd March 1916
25764 joined on 17th April 1916
25853 joined on 18th May 1916
26014 joined on 21st June 1916
26162 joined on 13th July 1916
26288 joined on 7th August 1916
26477 joined on 4th September 1916
26759 joined on 12th October 1916
27274 joined on 14th November 1916
27499 joined on 3rd December 1916
28181 joined on 2nd January 1916
29003 joined on 5th February 1917
29578 joined on 15th March 1917
29846 joined on 16th April 1917
29881 joined on 4th May 1917
29939 joined on 13th June 1917
30079 joined on 3rd July 1917
30115 joined on 10th August 1917
30137 joined on 6th September 1917
30216 joined on 9th November 1917
30253 joined on 30th December 1917
30355 joined on 29th January 1918
30688 joined on 14th February 1918
30836 joined on 25th March 1918
30939 joined on 2nd April 1918
32570 joined on 2nd May 1918
34684 joined on 10th June 1918
35026 joined on 3rd July 1918
35133 joined on 11th November 1918

The postcard above was sent by 6680 Sergeant Edward William Helyer of Number 4 Company, Grenadier Guards on 25th September 1914 (see below). Less than a month later he was dead, killed in action at the First Battle of Ypres on 20th October 1914. The Grenadier Guards suffered catastrophic casualties at this battle, all but four officers and 200 men of the 1st Battalion, and four officers and 140 men of the 2nd Battalion, falling in action. Sergeant Helyer was born in Hackney and his number indicates that he joined the Grenadier Guards between June and November 1897. He is possibly the cross-legged soldier sitting in the middle as this man is wearing Boer War medal ribbons.

Sergeant Helyer has no known grave and is commemorated on panel 57 of the Menin Gate at Ypres, Belgium.

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

Further Research:

Grenadier Guards pension and service records on Ancestry.co.uk

First or Grenadier Guards 2nd and 3rd Battalions in South Africa 1899-1902

This book is worth the investment for the 3rd Battalion rolls alone. I bought my copy from N&M Press some years ago and it's been very useful reference source.

http://www.naval-military-press.com/first-or-grenadier-guards-in-south-africa-1899-1902.html?&partner=PaulNixon

The Grenadier Guards in the Great War 1914-1918

This is a well-written account which comes in one soft-bound volume from N&M Press. Among the appendices are the Roll of Honour, a list of officers wounded with dates, lists of Awards, Mentions in Despatches and of Divisional Certificates of Gallantry and an account of the 7th (Guards) Entrenching Battalion. There is a table naming all other ranks who were commissioned during the war showing the regiment or corps to which they went. There is also an index to the names of officers.

Also read my other posts on numbering in the Foot Guards regiments:

Coldstream Guards
Scots Guards
Irish Guards
Welsh Guards

Identify a Foot Guards soldier by his uniform: Identifying the Guards - Army Ancestry

15 January 2009

Coldstream Guards 1881-1918

Here are some sample army service numbers and corresponding enlistment/joining dates for the Coldstream Guards between the years 1881 and 1918. The regiment is the oldest regiment in the British Army in continous active service. It was unaffected by Cardwell's 1881 reforms and did not start numbering from 1 in 1881 but continued with the series it had been using.

The regiment comprised two regular battalions up until 1897 when a third battalion was added. During the First World War, a 4th (Pioneer) Battalion was formed, and also a 5th (Reserve) Battalion. The regiment had no Territorial Force or service battalions.

5166 joined on 16th August 1881
5243 joined on 30th January 1882
5426 joined on 27th January 1883
6058 joined on 8th March 1884
6469 joined on 20th January 1885
6846 joined on 3rd March 1886
7113 joined on 7th March 1887
7391 joined on 6th March 1888
7628 joined on 31st January 1889
8039 joined on 28th March 1890
8438 joined on 14th April 1891
9095 joined on 1st June 1892
9498 joined on 24th June 1893
9727 joined on 12th February 1894

The Coldstream Guards reached number 9999 in 1895 and so, in accordance with Queen's Regulations, immediately commenced a new series from 1.

130 joined on 22nd June 1895
400 joined on 7th February 1896
773 joined on 22nd January 1897
1327 joined on 8th January 1898
2521 joined on 6th March 1899
3212 joined on 10th January 1900
4036 joined on 28th January 1901
4526 joined on 8th January 1902
5068 joined on 2nd April 1903
5314 joined on 1st January 1904
5969 joined on 3rd January 1905
6617 joined on 14th February 1906
7106 joined on 23rd January 1907
7617 joined on 13th January 1908
8251 joined on 9th January 1909
8577 joined on 10th January 1910
9086 joined on 25th April 1911
9438 joined on 22nd January 1912
9934 joined on 6th January 1913
10549 joined on 14th January 1914

The First World War

11147 joined on 25th August 1914
11366 joined on 1st September 1914
13101 joined on 5th October 1914
13547 joined on 9th November 1914
14067 joined on 5th December 1914
14531 joined on 5th January 1915
15220 joined on 1st February 1915
15619 joined on 2nd March 1915
15944 joined on 3rd April 1915
16068 joined on 13th May 1915
16269 joined on 2nd June 1915
16508 joined on 31st July 1915
16584 joined on 3rd August 1915
16844 joined on 9th September 1915
17066 joined on 3rd November 1915
17592 joined on 9th December 1915
17778 joined on 17th January 1916
18296 joined on 7th April 1916
18393 joined on 24th May 1916
18410 joined on 1st June 1916
18554 joined on 19th July 1916
18737 joined on 14th August 1916
19091 joined on 7th October 1916
19959 joined on 3rd November 1916
20546 joined on 7th December 1916
21276 joined on 9th January 1917
21553 joined on 10th February 1917
21775 joined on 2nd March 1917
22174 joined on 14th April 1917
22261 joined on 6th June 1917
22443 joined on 16th July 1917
22495 joined on 5th November 1917
22524 joined on 10th December 1917
22532 joined on 8th January 1918
23117 joined on 16th March 1918
23563 joined on 10th April 1918
28053 joined on 13th May 1918

My data currently ends in May 1918.

18445 Lance-Corporal Arthur James Boldero of the Coldstream Guards, a distant relative of mine, was killed in action on 28th March 1918. He was 34 years old and married, and his number indicates that he joined the regiment in June 1916. Arthur is buried in Bucquoy Road Cemetery, Ficheux.

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

Further research:

Coldstream Guards service and pension records on Ancestry.co.uk

From the Naval & Military Press

Coldstream Guards 1914-1918
Appendices include the war service record of all officers who served in the Regiment with any awards; awards to Other Ranks; VC citations; list of those commissioned from the ranks (410 of them) and the regiments or corps to which they went and finally the Roll of Honour of officers. Recommended.

Read my other posts on numbering in the Foot Guards regiments:

Grenadier Guards
Scots Guards
Irish Guards
Welsh Guards

Identify a Foot Guards soldier by his uniform: Identifying the Guards - Army Ancestry

14 January 2009

28th (County of London) Battalion, The London Regiment (Artists' Rifles)

The 28th (County of London) Battalion, The London Regiment (Artists' Rifles), had its origins in the 20th Middlesex (Artists) Volunteer Rifle Corps. Its headquarters was at 17 Dukes Road, Euston (now the home of the Contemporary Ballet Trust). The following information is taken from Wikipedia:

"The Artists Rifles [the apostrophe on Artists' was officially dropped in 1937] was a popular unit for volunteers. It had been increased to twelve companies in 1900 and was formed into three sub-battalions in 1914, and recruitment was eventually restricted by recommendation from existing members of the battalion. It particularly attracted recruits from public schools and universities. On this basis, following the outbreak of the First World War, a number of enlisted members of the Artists' Rifles were selected to be officers in other units. This exercise was so successful that, early in 1915, selected Artists' officers and NCOs were transferred to run a separate Officers Training Corps, the remainder being retained as a fighting unit. Over fifteen thousand men passed through the battalion during the war, more than ten thousand of them becoming officers. The battalion eventually saw battle in France in 1917 and 1918, and suffered higher casualties than those of any other battalion. Members of the Regiment won eight Victoria Crosses, fifty-six Distinguished Service Orders and over a thousand other awards for gallantry."

Here are some army service numbers and corresponding joining dates for the Artists' Rifles:

96 joined on 8th April 1908
665 joined on 23rd March 1909
1099 joined on 15th October 1912
1258 joined on 28th October 1913
1344 joined on 30th June 1914
1528 joined on 6th August 1914
2124 joined on 2nd September 1914
2824 joined on 6th October 1914
2883 joined on 9th November 1914
3049 joined on 14th December 1914
3167 joined on 14th January 1915
3270 joined on 1st February 1915
3443 joined on 5th March 1915
3622 joined on 9th April 1915
3908 joined on 27th May 1915
4126 joined on 25th June 1915
4791 joined on 27th October 1915
5603 joined on 30th November 1915
6076 joined on 11th December 1915
6420 joined on 3rd January 1916
7393 joined on 22nd February 1916
7913 joined on 9th June 1916
8121 joined on 5th July 1916
8181 joined on 5th August 1916
8246 joined on 11th September 1916
8618 joined on 7th October 1916
9144 joined on 2nd November 1916
9779 joined on 12th December 1916
10304 joined on 3rd January 1916

When the Territorial Force was re-numbered in 1917, the 28th Londons were allocated numbers within the range 760001 to 780000. These new six digit numbers start appearing in January 1917. See also the Artists Rifles website for more information about the battalion.

I've taken the photograph on this post from Frank Long's album on Flickr. It shows soldiers of the Artists' Rifles in 1915 shortly before they embarked for France. Fewer than half of these men would return to England, although Frank's grandfather, Francis Charles Long (fourth from left on the back row), was one of those who did.

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

13 January 2009

The Inns of Court Regiment

In common with The Honourable Artillery Company, The Inns of Court Regiment (which could trace its history back to 1584) was allowed to retain its pre 1908 title. Although early attestation papers from 1908 and 1909 show the battalion as the 27th (County of London) Battalion, The London Regiment (Inns of Court), it was never really known by this name; just simply, Inns of Court (or The Devil's Own). The battalion consisted largely of men who were connected with the law courts and up until the end of the First World War, over 14,000 men passed through the battalion, with over 11,000 of these gaining commissions.

Here are some sample numbers and joining dates for the Inns of Court Regiment:

312 joined on 30th June 1908
439 joined on 2nd November 1909
582 joined on 13th November 1911
618 joined on 29th February 1912
1244 joined on 23rd September 1914
1814 joined on 16th October 1914
2044 joined on 9th November 1914
3217 joined on 12th April 1915
3919 joined on 2nd June 1915
4914 joined on 19th July 1915
5323 joined on 2nd August 1915
5916 joined on 1st September 1915
6583 joined on 4th October 1915
7195 joined on 4th November 1915
8232 joined on 7th December 1915
8589 joined on 3rd January 1916
9279 joined on 3rd February 1916
9571 joined on 15th April 1916
9628 joined on 4th october 1916
9703 joined on 2nd November 1916
10169 joined on 18th December 1916
10548 joined on 22nd January 1917
11359 joined on 24th May 1917
12009 joined on 17th September 1917
12668 joined on 1st March 1918
12991 joined on 28th April 1918
13083 joined 20th May 1918
13218 joined on 5th June 1918
13524 joined on 15th July 1918
13787 joined on 9th August 1918
14044 joined on 23rd September 1918
14124 joined on 9th October 1918

Although a Territorial Force Battalion, the Inns of Court was not re-numbered in 1917. The image on this post is taken from The Dacorum Heritage Trust website.

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

Honourable Artillery Company

The Honourable Artillery Company (HAC) is the oldest surviving regiment in the British Army and can trace its history back to 1296. It is still headquartered at Bunhill Fields just beyond the City of London boundaries.

Under the terms of the 1907 Territorial and Reserve Forces Act of 1907, the HAC was due to be re-named the 26th (County of London) Battalion. It was however, (and presumably after stringent protests by various people of influence) allowed to retain its original name, and thus the 26th Battalion title was never used. In addition, the Honourable Artillery Company Act, passed in 1908 protected the Company's property and privileges.

In 1914, The HAC comprised two batteries of horse artillery (each with an ammunition column), and an infantry section of four companies. The army service numbers and corresponding joining dates below, relate only to the infantry. In addition, there were other series of numbers (prefixed D and M) which are also not considered below.

7 joined on 27th April 1908
196 joined on 26th April 1909
269 joined on 21st November 1910
624 joined on 23rd January 1911
320 joined on 28th October 1912
799 joined on 13th November 1913
2322 joined on 4th September 1914
2667 joined on 25th November 1914
2781 joined on 9th December 1914
3016 joined on 25th January 1915
3052 joined on 3rd February 1915
3218 joined on 8th March 1915
3426 joined on 26th April 1915
3569 joined on 26th May 1915
3765 joined on 7th June 1915
4027 joined on 4th July 1915
4275 joined on 30th August 1915
4367 joined on 27th September 1915
4575 joined on 25th October 1915
4656 joined on 1st November 1915
6594 joined on 5th January 1916
7044 joined on 17th February 1916
7178 joined on 8th March 1916
7509 joined on 28th April 1916
7553 joined on 4th May 1916
8546 joined on 10th August 1916
9022 joined on 21st September 1916
9181 joined on 4th October 1916
9320 joined on 3rd November 1916
9551 joined on 1st December 1916
9928 joined on 17th January 1917
10137 joined on 1st February 1917
10511 joined on 1st March 1917
10809 joined on 8th May 1917

Although the HAC was a Territorial Force battalion, men serving with the infantry companies were not renumbered in 1917 and newly enlisted men post January 1917 were given numbers in the original series. Men serving with the RHA batteries of the HAC were renumbered.

The image on this post is taken from the Jeaffreson pedigree website and shows 5019 Private Ronald Percy Jeaffreson who volunteered to serve his King and Country in September 1915 and who, according to his army service number with the HAC, must have joined the regiment around 10th November that year. He was killed in action at Bullecourt on 3rd May 1917 aged 19 years, and is commemorated on Bay 1 of the Arras Memorial.

Did you have ancestors in the HAC? Find them today with a FREE 14 day trial of Ancestry.co.uk - Click here!

HONOURABLE ARTILLERY COMPANY IN THE GREAT WAR 1914-1919

From the Naval & Military Press:

"The HAC, a Territorial regiment, was unique in that it was composed of both artillery and infantry, and it is also the oldest regiment in the British Army. In August 1914 it consisted of an infantry battalion and two field artillery batteries, “A” and “B”. On the outbreak of war, as with other TF units, they all formed second line units and eventually third line, though none of the latter went overseas. Because many members of the HAC were taking commissions in the Royal Garrison Artillery in the summer of 1916, it was decided to form an HAC Siege Battery; this was done in November 1916 and it was designated “309th Siege Battery, RGA.” (See link and information below).

"The 1st Battalion went to France in September 1914 and remained there throughout the war. The 2nd Battalion followed in October 1916, joined the 7th Division and in November 1917 went with it to Italy where it remained to the end. The newly created 309th Siege Battery went to France in April 1917 and fought there to the end of the war. The two first line artillery batteries sailed for Egypt in April 1915 and served with the Egyptian Expeditionary Force in the desert and in Palestine while the two second line batteries, “2/A” and “2/B”, both went to France in June 1917 as part of the 126th Army Field Artillery Brigade.

"Each of the units has a section to itself and each section has its own chapters numbered separately. The story begins with the 1st Battalion, then follow ‘A’ Battery. ‘B’ Battery, the Siege Battery, 2nd Battalion, 2/A Battery, 2/B Battery and finally the third line units and the regimental Depot. There is a combined regimental Roll of Honour, arranged alphabetically (officers and men together), and each entry gives name and christian names (no regimental number); the date he joined the HAC; his unit (battalion or battery); the date he went overseas; the date and circumstances of death and place of death. In a number of cases more information on the man’s service is given. Likewise the list of Honours and Awards is a combined one giving service details of each recipient (there were two VCs to the 1st Battalion), and members of the HAC receiving awards while serving with other units are shown in a separate list, again with service details. There are three indexes, one of people, one of places and one of units. There are some interesting photos and though the maps are clear they lack tactical/operational details. Nevertheless this is a good, well-written history, clearly intended for the members of the Regiment."

LONDON GUNNERS. THE STORY OF THE H.A.C. SIEGE BATTERY IN ACTION

As mentioned above, this separate history (also republished by the Naval & Military Press) concentrates on 309 Siege Battery.

"Army Council Instruction (ACI) 2268 of 6th December 1916 authorised the formation, in London, of No.309 (Honourable Artillery Company) Siege Battery, R.G.A. from personnel of the H.A.C. with effect from 27th November 1916. It was to be equipped with four 6-inch B.L. Howitzers. After five months training in various camps in the UK the Battery landed at Le Havre on 27th April 1917 with a full complement of 137 officers and men, and a week later it went up to the line in Ypres as one of the five batteries comprised in the 88th Heavy Artillery Group. Later, in February 1918 the number of howitzers was increased to six bringing the personnel strength up to 180 all ranks.Throughout the war the total number posted to the battery was 401 of whom 5 officers and 34 other ranks were killed and six officers and 64 other ranks wounded. Thirty-one left the battery to take up commissions in other batteries. The nominal roll is provided in an appendix showing the dates of joining the battery; the names of those who died are boxed.

"This book provides not only an accurate history of the battery but also a representative account of life in a howitzer battery on active service. In his War Books Cyril Falls refers to it as one of the very best of unit narratives which is high praise indeed. It certainly does bring out another side of the war, that of action and existence well behind the front line trenches, on the receiving end of enemy counter-battery fire and counter bombardments; this war was essentially a war of the guns."