Renumbering for service after 1919?

[Jock Bruce]

I'm increasingly aware that a fair number of men in the Seaforths (and probably other Highland regiments) were renumbered c.1919. These appear to be men serving on both 'duration' and TF attestations.

This is not the the 1920 Army-wide renumbering.

The new numbers are 5 digits, starting with 3. 1xxxx, 2xxxx and 4xxxx all appear to have been used for wartime 'duration' enlistments, usually with a S/ prefix. I haven't seen a wartime issue of a 3xxxx number, nor a 3xxxx number with an S/ prefix.

I haven't actually seen a set of service papers that confirms it, but my suspicion is that these are men who reengaged for service in the post-war army.

Any thoughts?

Jock

[Annette Burgoyne]

I have come across K.S.L.I. men who have been given new numbers but I am not sure if they are the 1920 Army-wide renumbering or not, the one chap I know did stay with the Army well into the 20's. All the ones I have found are five diget and start with a 4****. From what I know about my chaps, my guess is that they were reengaged for service in the post-war army but I can't be sure of this.

Annette

[Jock Bruce]

Annette,

thanks for that. I've convinced myself these are guys being renumbered in consequence of them changing their engagement i.e. TF men who chose to stay on after the TF was disembodied and 'duration' men who stayed past the duration.

I've seen 3xxxx renumbering for A&SH as well so that is maybe how the Perth Record Office did things - it was probably different for the regiments under other record offices.

The 1920 pan-Army system used 7-digit numbers, 4025001-4070000 for you mob.

Jock