East Surrey Regiment - Expert Help Needed

[hmsk212]

Hi,

Can any of you East Surrey Regiment experts out there please help identify in which Battalion a man served just by his Service Number. I am trying to find out for a friend in which Battalion 30293 Private Ernest William Channing served before he was transferred to the 14th, Swansea Pals, The Welsh Regiment as Private 55212. He enlisted on 7th November 1916 and was discharged due to shrapnel wounds on 12th February 1918. The War & Victory Rolls identify the fact that he was in the 14th Battalion but the Battalion details for the East Surreys have been rubbed out. It would appear as if several ex- East Surreys joined the 14th at the same time.

Steve

[larney]

I have no idea about the East Surreys, but a quick look on SDGW shows the nearest number casualty to have been with the 9th Battalion- 30283, Private Galato Valante.

I'd guess that certain number blocks went to certain battalions, so your man was possibly with the 9th East Surreys?

Hopefully someone out there knows more about the East Surrey numbering!

SteveJ.

[Longboat]

Steve,

I'm nowhere near being an expert in this field but is there the chance that when your man joined the East Surrey's he went to a reserve battalion. Then when he got to to France was posted to the Welsh Regiment.

This is the kind of thing I have discovered when researching the men of the 11th West Kent's. Men who originally enlisted in the Royal Fusiliers, Middlesex and Essex Regiments to name a few, were posted to the West Kent's once overseas.

Stuart

[hmsk212]

Many thanks for the replies so far, perhaps I should get a Swansea Pals expert to tell me, going by the service number 55212, when they think he was transferred to the 14th Battalion The Welsh Regiment. This might help in the quest to find out more about the East Surrey part of the equation

Steve