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Remembered Today:

Confused by numbers


Patrick Kavanagh

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Hello everyone, while starting to research my Grandfather, I have come across some conflicting information and I wondered if anyone could shed some light on this please:

Walter Gilbert KRRC 1911 - 1919 Lance Corporal 1KRRC. I have his army number (is that the right word?) as 10187 from his pocket book, but also in a letter inherited from a family member off the MOD records in the early 1990s he is quoted as 6837506. His medal card quotes 10187.

What' the difference? I can't find what the 6837506 means. Is this a red herring?

Any help with this would be appreciated.

Thanks

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The number was known as a regimental number.

The first number relates to his WW1 service.

At the end of the war the numbering system was reorganised and men still serving were assigned a new [edit] 7-digit number, and that is the second number that you referred to.

 

Erratum: I wrote 6-digit in error and have now corrected above.

Edited by FROGSMILE
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On the whole, they tended to 7-digit numbers, like your man

 

https://www.longlongtrail.co.uk/soldiers/a-soldiers-life-1914-1918/new-british-army-numbers-issued-in-1920/

 

"Interestingly", the 7-digit number you quote falls within the range allotted to Honourable Artillery Company (according to the list provided by the above link).

 

Regards

 

Russ

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11 minutes ago, RussT said:

On the whole, they tended to 7-digit numbers, like your man

 

"Interestingly", the 7-digit number you quote falls within the range allotted to Honourable Artillery Company. 

 

Regards

 

Russ

British Army Uniforms And Insignia of World War Two - Brian L. Davis, has the HAC block as 6825001-6837000 and KRRC No. block as 6837001 - 6905000. 

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Wow- thank you kind gentlemen very much. Starting to make sense now: Transferred to the reserve Section B on demob in 1919 but mobilised in April 1921... so I assume the 7 digit number relates to his call up again...

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7 hours ago, JOVE23 said:

If he was still serving in 1921, wouldn't the MOD still have a copy of his service record?

There are several Gilbert, W. listed in the spreadsheet, but none associated with that long number.

I have however found 2 near misses.

1) Hammond, WJ.   is 6837519

Searching the MICs gives a Walter J. Hammond (not the cricketer as far as I can tell) whose KRRC number was 10248.

2) Tobin, D(avid) C(harles)  6837493, MIC shows KRRC 10113  (then 410385, Labour Corps).

 

It might be worth contacting the MOD in case the index is incomplete.

Edited by Dai Bach y Sowldiwr
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Sorry for the late reply gentlemen- only just logged on.

I will explore this line - hadn't even considered this.

Many thanks to you both.

 

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