Fred W Posted 25 May , 2004 Share Posted 25 May , 2004 Was it usual for a man to keep his number in one regiment when transferred to another? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ken Lees Posted 25 May , 2004 Share Posted 25 May , 2004 Fred, The answer has to be a qualified 'no'. If he was attached to another regiment, he would have retained his original number, but in most other cases a new number would have been issued. This is a very simplistic response, but if you give us the details, we may be able to expand on the answer. Regards, Ken Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
HarryBettsMCDCM Posted 25 May , 2004 Share Posted 25 May , 2004 Was it usual for a man to keep his number in one regiment when transferred to another? The Instigation of Retained Numbers was not brought about until the 1920s when A Service Man received a Number that stayed with him throughout his Service,more or less regardless as to which units he was subsequently Posted[There were Exceptions],thus making it possibly to attribute his original Regiment/Corps by regarding his Service Number,However in WW1; a New Number was given everytime he was posted to a different Regiment/Corps,however there were exceptions,mainly due to Transfers from TF Regiments,that had no Parent Regular Battalion,to the "Affiliated" Regiment{This is quite a Common occourence within the Cambridgeshire Regiment TF & The Suffolk Regiment who have always had very close links}~Men transferring to the Suffolks,From The Cambs R; & inter alia are often found with the Same Number,although serving in what where different Regiments,This also happened on Occassion with transfers from the Cambs to Norfolk Regiment,though not as common Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Ian Bowbrick Posted 25 May , 2004 Share Posted 25 May , 2004 The one exception to this rule was RFC men who were mustered into the RAF on 1 April 1918. Their RFC numbers became their new RAF numbers. Wheras RNAS men mustered into the RAF were issued with a new number. Ian Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Patrick ODwyer Posted 25 May , 2004 Share Posted 25 May , 2004 With cavalry of the Line, soldiers did keep their numbers. They oved from unit to unit within their own 'type' eg 14th to 20th Hussars etc. not they became Dragoons. I guess you have to draw the line somewhere! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Fred W Posted 25 May , 2004 Author Share Posted 25 May , 2004 Ken, The details are as follows According to his service recordsmy unclePrivate 24996 Frederick James Davies Enlisted into the East Lancashire Regiment Regular Army 24.04.16 Posted to 10th Battalion 26.04.16 Transferred to King's Own Royal Lancaster Rregiment and posted to 10th Battalion 26 08.16 Posted to 3rd Battalion 01.09.16 Embarked 27.12.16 Posted to Infantry Base Depot France 28.12.16 Joined and posted to King's Own Royal Lancaster Regiment and posted to 8th Battalion Etaples 30.12.16 Joined Battalion in the Field 01.01.17 Wounded in action gun shot wound right side 09.04.17 Admitted to 8th Casualty Clearing Centre 12.04.17 Died of wounds 13.04.17 He is buried at Duisans Military Cemetery Plot 111. Row J. Grave No. 12 I have the original note written by the Chaplain to his mother all the original documentation relating to his death and a photographof his grave with the original wooden cross. Fred Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GrandsonMichael Posted 25 May , 2004 Share Posted 25 May , 2004 Was it usual for a man to keep his number in one regiment when transferred to another? The Instigation of Retained Numbers was not brought about until the 1920s when A Service Man received a Number that stayed with him throughout his Service,more or less regardless as to which units he was subsequently Posted[There were Exceptions],thus making it possibly to attribute his original Regiment/Corps by regarding his Service Number,However in WW1; a New Number was given everytime he was posted to a different Regiment/Corps,however there were exceptions,mainly due to Transfers from TF Regiments,that had no Parent Regular Battalion,to the "Affiliated" Regiment{This is quite a Common occourence within the Cambridgeshire Regiment TF & The Suffolk Regiment who have always had very close links}~Men transferring to the Suffolks,From The Cambs R; & inter alia are often found with the Same Number,although serving in what where different Regiments,This also happened on Occassion with transfers from the Cambs to Norfolk Regiment,though not as common However in WW1; a New Number was given everytime he was posted to a different Regiment/Corps,however there were exceptions Any idea how my grandfather who started out number 7318 2nd Bn Essex Regiment in 1903 or so and got renumbered to 8652 Machine Gun Corps during the War could revert back to 7318 when he recieved his Long Service and Good Conduct Medal when serving with the Princess Patricia's Canadian Light Infantry after WW1 ?? It has me baffled for quite some time... Regards, Michael Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GrandsonMichael Posted 25 May , 2004 Share Posted 25 May , 2004 And yes I'm a dumbo with computers too! Michael Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Patrick ODwyer Posted 26 May , 2004 Share Posted 26 May , 2004 Again from what I know of the cavalry. When the MGC was disbanded men with time still to serve returned to their original units. This may be an explanation in part. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GrandsonMichael Posted 26 May , 2004 Share Posted 26 May , 2004 Thanks mate, That is what one calls using your brain, mine needs shaking up now and then... Anyone, an answer to the second part of my question? Please... Cheers, Michael Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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