7th Northumberland Fusiliers renumbering

[BeverleyDi]

I'm researching Private 7/4532 Ernest Constable who was missing on 15 September 1916 and then presumed dead on or around this date.  His medal card and roll give him a second no of 291267 with 7th NF. The CWGC certificate  - remembered with Honour Thiepval Memorial - gives 15 September 1916 as his date of death.

 

Didn't the 6 figure numbering commence in 1917?  Did he gain this second number because he was still recorded as missing?

 

And a totally different query but any help gratefully received - he married 20 July 1916 (by licence) giving his occupation as Private and address simply as Redcar.  He was obviously in France 2 months later so is it likely he was in Redcar training prior to being sent abroad or just at an annual training camp?

[ss002d6252]

The war gratuity shows he enlisted in the month from 16 Sep 1915.
 

Quote

 

Didn't the 6 figure numbering commence in 1917?  Did he gain this second number because he was still recorded as missing?

 

Sort of (numbers were being allocated as early as late 1916) and Yes.

 

Craig

[RaySearching]

The 7th Bn N.F war diary shows 

That a draft of 14 O.R joined the battalion on the 6th Aug 1916

 and on the 27th August 1916,  a draft of 33 O.R joined from Base

its likely that Ernest was one of  these soldiers in the  drafts

A transcript of the 7th Battalion N.F war diary can be found   HERE

Which will give you some idea of  what  the battalion were engaged in when  

Ernest was reported as missing

 

I noted that Ernest marriage is registered in the Beverly registration District 

so married at home , which still leaves your question why the address Redcar

maybe one of our N.F experts may be able to confirm if the N.F trained there in early 1916

 

Ray

[BeverleyDi]

Thanks for your speedy responses.  I have read the war diary - amazing that someone gave so much detail under the conditions they must have been under (and thanks to whoever provided the transcript).  I have the Soldier's Effects but didn't know the War Gratuity was a way to calculate enlistment dates so many thanks for that.

 

 

[ss002d6252]

1 hour ago, BeverleyDi said:

Thanks for your speedy responses.  I have read the war diary - amazing that someone gave so much detail under the conditions they must have been under (and thanks to whoever provided the transcript).  I have the Soldier's Effects but didn't know the War Gratuity was a way to calculate enlistment dates so many thanks for that.

 

 

The war gratuity is very useful - I have a whole website on it (including a calculator for determining the enforcement date from the war gratuity). www.wargratuity.uk

Craig