Cameron Highlanders number question

[Guest KevinEndon]

On the memorial I am researching there are 11 O.R's with the Cameron Highlanders , 9 of which have a S prefix, 2 don't, can anyone tell me why and what does the letter S stand for.

L/Cpl JOHN DONALD MACKENZIE 9740

Pte WILLIAM WILLIS 3/5991

Pte JAMES GRAHAM S/10906

Pte ADAM REID S/10953

Pte PETER SMITH S/12018

L/Cpl ALEX RITCHIE S/13133

Pte JOHN JAMIESON S/15289

Pte JOHN MCCOSH S/15294

Pte DAVID GRAHAM S/16126

Pte HARRY LOCKHART S/16221

Pte JOHN THOMSON S/20519

Many thanks in advance

Kevin

[Guest]

Hi Kevin. It's something I should know, and when someone answers I will remember it. I think the S is for service, and probably a Bn that was formed just for the war. I imagine soldiers without an S joined before one with an S, but that's at best a guess, and at worst wrong

Someone who really knows willbe along soon

Cheers Mike

[PPCLI]

Hi Kevin,

'S' stands for Service and this prefix is associated with men who enlisted from August 1914 for the 'duration of war' only. The man with no prefix will be a regular soldier (* see edit), whereas the 3/ prefix denotes a Special Reservist.

Although for a different regiment (A&SH), a good guide to numbering is given in Paul Nixon's Army Service Numbers 1881-1918 blog.

Cheers,

Stuart

edit: you will have to check that this isn't one of the numerous cases where the S/ prefix has been omitted in error.

[Paul Nixon]

Further to Stuart's post, I can confirm that the number 9740 was issued by the Cameron Highlanders before Britain went to war with Germany - just. 9744 was issued on 15th July 1914 and so 9740 would have been close to this date.

Paul

[Guest KevinEndon]

Thank you pals, as always you all go the extra mile with information, that's what makes this forum the first stop when it comes to WW1 talk. I thank you all,

Kevin

[Patrick Watt]

Hi guys

Seeing your advice above, I wonder if anyone can help with my Cameron Highlanders numbering question. Whe the 4th Battalion was disbanded in February 1916 and posted to the Depot in Etaples some of its men were sent to No1 Entrenching Battalion and from May onwards were dispersed throughout the other Cameron Battalions.

Some of the men (particularly those who went to the 1st Batt) kept their original 4th Battalion numbers ie 250 or 2256 etc. But others were allocated a number such as 200221 under a specific army order. Yet more still were given a number such as S/23000 and a large amount given the numbers around S/40000 to S/45000.

Does anyone know why some were given different numbers to the others and when this would have occurred? Particularly the numbers with a 200 prefix.

I am trying to find out what happened to the men of this Battalion and it's proving a tricky task!!

Kind Regards

Patrick Watt