sar2jec Posted 6 May , 2004 Share Posted 6 May , 2004 I have seen many regimental numbers with a letter prefix. For example Scottish battalions often have numbers beginning with an 'S' - which I assume stands for Scotland. The prefix 'T' also seems fairly common which I assume stands for transport. However, I have seen many other letters used as prefixes such as J, L, F, P, SS, G, R, RX, WR, Z, P, C, SR, A, IO . Could anybody out there tell me what these other letters might stand for (if anything at all) or where I mught be able to find out about them. Cheers, Jonathan Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Michael Posted 6 May , 2004 Share Posted 6 May , 2004 There are have been numerous discussions on these prefixes and I wish I'd made a note of them. Try doing some searches. One of our senior members (Mr Reeves) has promised us a book entitled 'The Comprehensive Guide to Army Service Numbers'. Hurry up Terry we're waiting ! Mick Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
channelhopper Posted 6 May , 2004 Share Posted 6 May , 2004 There is a comprehensive list in ' The Collectors and Researchers guide to the Great War' by Howard Williamson which i believe is discussed on another thread I believe. T - R.N.R Stokers Ratings in their 2nd term of enrolement T - S A S C - Horse Transport T - Line Regts observed A.O.C. Queens Regt J - Royal Fusiliers - Judean Battalions F - 17 & 23 Bns Middlesex Regt ( Football Bns) P - Military Police Corps etc Peter Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sar2jec Posted 6 May , 2004 Author Share Posted 6 May , 2004 There are have been numerous discussions on these prefixes and I wish I'd made a note of them. Try doing some searches. One of our senior members (Mr Reeves) has promised us a book entitled 'The Comprehensive Guide to Army Service Numbers'. Hurry up Terry we're waiting ! Mick Having made some searches it seems that previous threads were concerned with number prefixes. I could not find any threads on what the letters mean through. Jonathan Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sue Light Posted 6 May , 2004 Share Posted 6 May , 2004 I saved these from another thread some time ago - I've taken out the numbers, and just left the letters. It's someone else's work and not mine, so they might like to own up and take a bow Sue A - Army Service Corps Old Army Special Reserve A - King's Royal Rifle Corps Early wartime recruits A - Royal Scots Fusiliers 3rd (Reserve) Battalion A - King's Own Scottish Borderers 3rd (Reserve) Battalion A - Highland Light Infantry 3rd (Reserve) Battalion A - Scottish Rifles 3rd (Reserve) Battalion A - Army Ordnance Corps A - Royal Fleet Reserve First period of enlistment A - Royal Navy Alexandria (WW2 Only) A - Australia Silver War Badge Prefix A (HT) - Army Service Corps Horse Transport Special Reserve AA - Royal Naval Volunteer Reserve Anti-Aircraft ARMR - Army Ordnance Corps Armourer ASE - Army Service Corps ASR - Army Service Corps B - Royal Fusiliers 26th (Banker's) Battalion B - Royal Fleet Reserve Second Period of Enlistment B - King's Royal Rifle Corps B - Highland Light Infantry Service No. 21000 onwards all ex-RA / Cavalry B - Highland Light Infantry 4th (Special Reserve) Battalion B - Scottish Rifles 4th (Special Reserve) Battalion B - Royal Naval Volunteer Reserve Bristol Division B - Unknown Silver War Badge Prefix B - Army Service Corps Special Reserve B (HT) - Army Service Corps Horse Transport Special Reserve TF BZ - Royal Naval Volunteer Reserve Bristol Division wartime enlistment C - Royal Naval Volunteer Reserve Clyde Division C - King's Royal Rifle Corps 16th Battalion onwards enlistment C - Royal Fleet Reserve 3rd Period of Enlistment C - Royal Munster Fusiliers 1st Garrison Battalion C - Middlesex Regiment C - Rifle Brigade C - Royal Fleet Reserve Chatham C - Royal Navy Chatham C (MT) - Army Service Corps Mechanical Transport Special Reserve CAT - Army Service Corps Caterpillar Mechanical Transport CH - Royal Marines Chatham Division Royal Marine Light Infantry CH - Royal Fleet Reserve Chatham CH/RMP - Royal Marine Police Chatham CHT - Army Service Corps Corps of Horse Transport CMT - Army Service Corps Corps of Motor Transport CZ - Royal Naval Volunteer Reserve Clyde Division wartime enlsitment D - Dragoons D - Royal Fleet Reserve Devonport D - Royal Navy Devonport DEAL - Royal Marines Deal Depot DEPOT / D - Royal Marine Light Infantry Deal Depot Permanent Staff DEV - Royal Fleet Reserve Devonport DM2 - Army Service Corps Mechanical Transport Learners, discontinued 11/16 E - Royal Fusiliers 17th (Empire) Battalion E - Royal Naval Volunteer Reserve Birmingham Electrical Volunteers E - Army Service Corps Forage (ordinary rates of army pay) EX - Royal Marines Exton Division (WW2 Only) F - Middlesex Regiment 17th & 23rd (Football) Battalions F - Royal Naval Air Service F - Army Service Corps Forage (not paid from Army Funds) F - Royal Navy Fleet Air Arm FAA - Royal Navy Fleet Air Arm (WW2 Only) G - Royal Irish Fusiliers 1st, 2nd 3rd (Garrison) Battalion G - Home Counties Regiments New Army men and later GOA - Royal Navy Goa GS - British Army General Service Enlistment GSR - Royal Sussex Regiment Special Reserve, enlisted under hostilities only terms GSSR - Royal Sussex Regiment Special Reserve, enlisted under hostilities only terms H - Hussars H - Hussars H - North irish Horse Given to all on strength in mid-1917 I - India Silver War Badge Prefix J - Royal Navy Seaman branch Prefix J - Royal Fusiliers 38th, 39th 40th, 42nd (Judean) Battalions J - Royal Navy Seamen and Communications K - "Kitchener battalion"??? K - Royal Navy Stokers K - Royal Fusiliers 22nd (Kensington) Battalion K - Royal Navy Stokers and Mechanicians KP - Royal Naval Volunteer Reserve Crystal Palace Enlistment from Kitchener's New Armies KW - Royal Naval Volunteer Reserve Crystal Palace Enlistment from Kitchener's New Armies KX - Royal Naval Volunteer Reserve Crystal Palace Enlistment from Kitchener's New Armies L - Royal Naval Volunteer Reserve London Division L - Lancers L - Home Counties Regiments Regulars L - Royal Artillery Wartime enlistment L - South Wales Borderers 3rd (Reserve) Battalion L - Lancers L - Royal Navy Officers' Stewards, some Officers' Cooks L - Royal Navy Lee-on-Solent (FAA) LSR - Royal Sussex Regiment Special Reserve, enlisted under regular terms LT - Royal Navy Lowestoft (WW2 Only) LT - Royal Navy Lowestoft (WW2 Only) LZ - Royal Naval Volunteer Reserve London Division wartime enlistment M - Royal Naval Volunteer Reserve Mersey Division M - Army Service Corps Mechanical Transport M - Royal Navy Miscellaneous enlistments (e.g. writers etc.) M - Royal Navy Others -Artificers, Electrical, Supply etc M1 & 2/(SR) - Army Service Corps Enlisted Special Reserve for New Armies M1, 2 - Army Service Corps Mechanical Transport MALTA - Royal Navy Malta MB - Royal Naval Volunteer Reserve Motor Boat Reserve MC - Royal Naval Volunteer Reserve Mine Clearance Service MN - Merchant Navy Silver War Badge Prefix MS - Army Service Corps Mechanical Specials MZ - Royal Naval Volunteer Reserve Mersey Division wartime enlistment N - Royal Army Medical Corps N - Royal Navy NAAFI staff (WW2 Only) NZ - New Zealand Silver War Badge Prefix O - Rifle Brigade O - Unknown Silver War Badge Prefix P - Military Foot Police Police P - Royal Fleet Reserve Portsmouth P - Royal Navy Portsmouth P - Dragoon Guards PET - Army Service Corps Petroleum Dept PLY - Royal Marines Plymouth Division RMLI PLY/RMP - Royal Marine Police Plymouth PO - Royal Marines Portsmouth Division RMLI PO - Royal Fleet Reserve Portsmouth PO/RMP - Royal Marine Police Portsmouth Prefix Unit Designation PS - Royal Fusiliers 18th, 19th, 20th & 21st (Public Schools) Battalions PS - Middlesex Regiment 16th (Public Schools) Battalion PW - Middlesex Regiment 18th, 19th & 26th (Public Works) Battalions PZ - Royal Naval Volunteer Reserve Crystal Palace Enlistment from civilian life R Royal Navy Rosyth (WW2 Only) R - Royal Naval Volunteer Reserve Royal Naval Division R - Army Service Corps Remounts R - King's Royal Rifle Corps Later recruits up to 16th Battalion R - Army Service Corps Army Remount Section R4, RX4 - Army Service Corps 1st/2nd/3rd/4th New Armies Remounts RAF - Royal Air Force Silver War Badge Prefix RM - Royal Marines Silver War Badge Prefix RMA - Royal Marines Royal Marine Artillery RMB - Royal Marines Royal Marine Band RME - Royal Marines Royal Marine Engineers RN - Royal Navy Silver War Badge Prefix RS & R/TS - Army Service Corps Remount Specials RX - Army Service Corps Army Remount Section S - Royal Naval Volunteer Reserve Sussex Division S - Army Service Corps Supply Branch S - Scottish Regiments Wartime Enlistment S - Army Service Corps Supply Branch S - Royal Army Medical Corps S - Royal Artillery S - Highland Regiments Wartime Enlistment S - Home Counties Regiments 3rd Battalion S - Rifle Brigade S - Royal Munster Fusiliers S - Army Ordnance Corps S - Dorset Regiment S1, 2, 3, 4 - Army Service Corps 1st/2nd/3rd/4th New Armies Supply (S4 Labour) SA - South Africa Silver War Badge Prefix SD - Sussex Regiment 11th, 12th & 13th (South Downs) Battalions SE - Army Veterinary Corps 9th Section SF - Royal Navy Fleet Air Arm (Short Service) SK - Royal Navy Stokers (Short Service) SM - Royal Navy Miscellaneous (Short Service) SPTS Royal Fusiliers 23rd & 24th (Sportman) Battalions SR - British Army Special Reserve ? SRMT - Army Service Corps Special Reserve Motor Transport SS - Army Service Corps Supply Specials SS - Royal Navy Seamen and Communications (Short Service) STK - Royal Fusiliers 10th (Stockbroker's) Battalion SWS - Royal Naval Volunteer Reserve Shore Wireless Service SZ - Royal Naval Volunteer Reserve Sussex Division wartime enlistment T - Army Service Corps Horse Transport T - Royal Naval Volunteer Reserve Tyne Division T - Army Ordnance Corps T - Territorial Force T1 & 2/(SR) - Army Service Corps Enlisted Special Reserve for New Armies T1, 2, 3, 4 - Army Service Corps 1st/2nd/3rd/4th New Armies Horse Transport TF - Territorial Force TS - Army Service Corps Transport Specials TT - Army Veterinary Corps Territorial Force ? TZ - Royal Naval Volunteer Reserve Tyne Division wartime enlistment W - Royal Naval Volunteer Reserve Wales Division W - Cheshire Regiment 13th (Wirral) Battalion W - Royal Artillery 38th (Welsh) Division WR - Royal Engineers Waterways and Railways WT4 - Army Service Corps Welsh ????? WZ - Royal Naval Volunteer Reserve Wales Division wartim enlistment Y - Royal Naval Volunteer Reserve Deferred enlistment (replaced by divisional prefix on actual enlistment) Y - King's Royal Rifle Corps Early wartime enlistment Z - Rifle Brigade Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Terry_Reeves Posted 6 May , 2004 Share Posted 6 May , 2004 Michael Sorry, havn't a clue what you are talking about! Terry Reeves Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sar2jec Posted 6 May , 2004 Author Share Posted 6 May , 2004 Thanks very much SueL - thats just what I wanted. Jonathan Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sue Light Posted 7 May , 2004 Share Posted 7 May , 2004 It was Alex [Yorts] who posted the original list of prefixes, so a thankyou to him. The complete list, including number prefixes, is here: http://1914-1918.org/forum/index.php?showt...an+relief+force Sue Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jock Bruce Posted 7 May , 2004 Share Posted 7 May , 2004 I hate to be a pedant (oh, yeah) but the 'S' prefix is not associated with Scottish regiment but only Highland ones i.e. those adminstered by the Perth records office - Royal Highlanders(Black Watch), Seaforth, Camerons, Gordons and A&SH. Lowland regiments i.e. those administered by the Hamilton records office - Royal Scots, RSF, Scottish Rifles, KOSB and HLI, although Scottish did not use the 'S' prefix, nor did the Scots Guards. Jock Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ed Matthews Posted 7 May , 2004 Share Posted 7 May , 2004 Likewise, Merchant Navy SWB's are prefixed with "MS" and not "MN" and, as far as I am aware, there are no "RM" prefix SWB's. Rgds Ed Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mark2o Posted 7 May , 2004 Share Posted 7 May , 2004 With regards to the letter prefixes on medals. I have a MM/Trio group to a chap who served in the R.F.A. I understand the letter "L" is wartime enlistment for artillery but the "L" is only listed on the MM. Is this normal or shouldn't the prefix be on all his medals??? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Neil Clark Posted 7 May , 2004 Share Posted 7 May , 2004 Most of the Buffs (East Kent Regiment) men I have come across have the letter G in front of their number. Some however have the letter T before their number. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rodge Dowson Posted 16 March , 2014 Share Posted 16 March , 2014 Does anyone know what the Y prefix denotes on Yorkshire Regiment enlistments ? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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