Marc Thompson Posted 24 January , 2009 Share Posted 24 January , 2009 I am currently researching Pte L/10048 William Charles Garrard 2/East Surrey's who died 17/03/15 and is buried in Longuenesse (St.Omer) Souvenir Cemetery. I have acquired all the normal sources of information on Pte Garrard and will contact the Surrey History Centre in the hope of obtaining some further background on his military service. In relation to this, can anyone provide a possbile date of enlistment given his regimental no. L/10048 and tell me what the 'L' prefix signifies? Many thanks Marc Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SteveE Posted 25 January , 2009 Share Posted 25 January , 2009 can anyone provide a possbile date of enlistment given his regimental no. L/10048 and tell me what the 'L' prefix signifies? Marc L/ prefix indicates a regular soldier. Attestation dates of some of the East Surrey men with service numbers around Garrard's.... 20 Apr 1910 = 10002 Robert Chambers 23 Apr 1910 = 10003 Arthur Charles Chandler 14 May 1910 = 10013 Edward Thomas Alfred Baker 17 Jun 1910 = 10028 Joseph Kidd 13 Sep 1910 = 10045 Charles Henry Jones 18 Oct 1910 = 10068 John Manton 22 Oct 1910 = 10073 Albert Brooks 25 Oct 1910 = 10078 William Chandler Hope it helps. Steve Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jay dubaya Posted 25 January , 2009 Share Posted 25 January , 2009 L/ prefix indicates a regular soldier. of the Home Counties Regiments Jon Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SteveE Posted 25 January , 2009 Share Posted 25 January , 2009 Marc Detais are from Surrey History Centre's "Surrey Recruitment Registers" CD 1. Attested for 3rd Battalion East Surrey Regiment in June 1910 (Vol.37 Page 92).... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SteveE Posted 25 January , 2009 Share Posted 25 January , 2009 2. Attested for East Surrey Regiment three months later in October 1910 (Vol. 35 Page 67).... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SteveE Posted 25 January , 2009 Share Posted 25 January , 2009 L/ prefix indicates a regular soldier. of the Home Counties Regiments More precisely all those in No. 10 Grouped Regimental District plus the Royal Fusiliers as I've been reprimanded in the past for including Sussex as a 'Home County' Regards Steve Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Marc Thompson Posted 25 January , 2009 Author Share Posted 25 January , 2009 Great stuff! Many thanks Steve, that is really useful. Marc Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jay dubaya Posted 25 January , 2009 Share Posted 25 January , 2009 More precisely all those in No. 10 Grouped Regimental District plus the Royal Fusiliers as I've been reprimanded in the past for including Sussex as a 'Home County' Thanks for the clarification Steve Jon Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Rocketeer_64 Posted 2 November , 2009 Share Posted 2 November , 2009 I am currently researching Pte L/10048 William Charles Garrard 2/East Surrey's who died 17/03/15 and is buried in Longuenesse (St.Omer) Souvenir Cemetery. I have acquired all the normal sources of information on Pte Garrard and will contact the Surrey History Centre in the hope of obtaining some further background on his military service. In relation to this, can anyone provide a possbile date of enlistment given his regimental no. L/10048 and tell me what the 'L' prefix signifies? Many thanks Marc Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Rocketeer_64 Posted 2 November , 2009 Share Posted 2 November , 2009 Hi I'm related to William Garrard and have done some background work on his history and can help with some information. If you wish to find out any more please contact me by email Regards Richard Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Muerrisch Posted 2 November , 2009 Share Posted 2 November , 2009 of the Home Counties Regiments Jon The phrase 'Home counties regiments' has crept in by the back door, and was never official. The prefixes seem to have been invented [and a very good idea too] c. 1908, which may indicate that this was an attempt to get round the problems of 'duplicate' numbers with the new SR and TF battalions. Trouble with the prefixes is the spasmodic use: first you see them, then you don't: medals, headstones, MiCs etc might or might not use them. Steve E. clearly learns from my rebukes! as ever, well intended. Nothing gets an old Sussex man's goat quicker than his county being attributed 'home'! As does nothing quicker than saying a Hove man [Grumpy eg] comes from Brighton. Amongst other things, Hove is the home of Sussex CCC, and was the home of the Albion. And had an excellent County Grammar School until the levelling down process. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ASA1 Posted 5 May , 2010 Share Posted 5 May , 2010 Hi Richard, I'm currently researching the men from Carshalton who died during the war. The Surrey Recruitment Register shows that William was born in the area although he had obviously moved by the time he enlisted. Would be grateful if you could let me have any further info you might have about him. Kind Regards, ASA1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
David_Underdown Posted 5 May , 2010 Share Posted 5 May , 2010 ASA1, I see you've already picked up the fact that Frank Pickering is listed in the CCCBR roll of honour, don't know if you've seen that the site has recently been updated with pictures from teh Thiepval Memorial, http://www.cccbr.org.uk/rolls/casualties/d...p;casID=1548192. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ASA1 Posted 6 May , 2010 Share Posted 6 May , 2010 Hi David, I hadn't - many thanks for the pointer. ASA1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Muerrisch Posted 7 May , 2010 Share Posted 7 May , 2010 of the Home Counties Regiments Jon Nearly! A common misconception ...... the R Sussex used L/ and Sussex is not, and never was, a Home County, being nowhere contiguous with London. No. 10 Grouped Regimental District, plus R Fus., plus R.Sx all used the prefix. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SteveE Posted 7 May , 2010 Share Posted 7 May , 2010 Nearly! A common misconception ...... the R Sussex used L/ and Sussex is not, and never was, a Home County, being nowhere contiguous with London. No. 10 Grouped Regimental District, plus R Fus., plus R.Sx all used the prefix. It's an old thread Grumps you've already put this one right on an earlier post As an aside, have I missed something? Weren't the Royal Sussex part of No. 10 Grouped Regimental District? Regards Steve Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
trenchtrotter Posted 7 May , 2010 Share Posted 7 May , 2010 L in front of a Middlesex Regt soldier (2nd Battalion): would that be a "home counties" or pre war? Regards TT Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SteveE Posted 7 May , 2010 Share Posted 7 May , 2010 L in front of a Middlesex Regt soldier (2nd Battalion): would that be a "home counties" or pre war? TT Possibly both. The regiments in No. 10 Grouped Regimental District (Middlesex, Queen's Royal West Surrey, East Surrey, East Kent, Royal West Kent and Royal Sussex) plus the Royal Fusiliers used the L/ prefix to denote soldiers on regular engagements. It's not certain when these regiments started using the prefix but Grumpy, in his work on "Regimental and Army Numbers of the British Line Infantry Soldier", suggests 1907 or 1908 as a possibility but there's some evidence to suggest it could be as early as 1902/3 for some of the regiments, Grumpy's the man who may have the answers. In your man's case I believe the number will have been issued sometime from 1907/8 onwards when the Middlesex joined No. 10 District. Regular engagements didn't stop when war commenced so the L/ prefix continued to be used, I'm sure your man's number could be used to determine when roughly it was issued. It would be interesting to know when the use of the L/ prefix ceased, I suspect on the advent of the seven-digit number, Grumpy?. Regards Steve Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Muerrisch Posted 8 May , 2010 Share Posted 8 May , 2010 It's an old thread Grumps you've already put this one right on an earlier post As an aside, have I missed something? Weren't the Royal Sussex part of No. 10 Grouped Regimental District? Regards Steve Yes, sorry I did not make that clear, R Sx part of 10 Group not part of Home Counties [us Hove boys are a bit touchy about not being tainted with London!] Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Muerrisch Posted 8 May , 2010 Share Posted 8 May , 2010 Paul Nixon's work shows L prefix can be dated back to end of SA war c. 1902. These prefixes were never used in any whole-hearted and consistent way: they may or not be found in a soldier's documents, on his medals, or on his headstone. In theory and very possibly in fact, a prewar enlistment could easily have carried his number complete with prefix right through to the renumbering of 1920. For more insight, visit Paul's blog, and look for regular enlistments into the regiments of the No. 10 group, plus R Fus. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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