Explanation please

[neutrino]

This one's an easy one for you all but it still baffles me even though an explanation was given in Tommy.

What does the 14 stand for in say 14th DLI

What does the 1/6 stand for in 1/6 Northumberland Fusiliers.

Apologies and I wonder if anyone else didn't know the answer to this

[rflory]

I am not an expert on the infantry but I would say that 14th DLI is the 14th Battalion, Durham Light Infantry and that 1/6 Northumberland Fusiliers is the 1st Line of the 6th Battalion, Northumberland Fusiliers. Dick Flory

[Dolphin]

Perhaps I can add a little to Dick Flory's answer.

A battalion number such as 1/6 indicates a Territorial Army unit. The 1 shows that it was formed from First Line Territorials, ie those who were prepared to serve overseas. The 6 is the Battalion number. 2/6 indicates that the Battalion is made up of Second Line Territorials, ie those who had not volunteered for overseas service, and who were to remain in the UK in a training role. However, wartime volunteers had no option about declining overseas service, so Second Line battalions did leave the UK. Second Line battalions were numbered in parallel to First Line, hence the existence of both a 1/6 and 2/6 Battalion of the same Regiment.

When a Second Line battalion went overseas, those left behind formed a Third Line Battalion, which would be 3/6. This lasted until early 1916, when the Third Line battalions were re-designated as Reserve Battalions.

A regiment would normally have several Regular Army battalions, perhaps the 1st, 2nd, 3rd and 4th, then First Line Territorial battalions, perhaps the 1/5th, 1/6th and 1/7th, then Second Line Territorials, perhaps 2/5th, 2/6th, etc. Battalions raised as part of Kitchener's 'New Army' would have been designated Service Battalions, perhaps the 8th (Service), 9th (Service) etc.

I hope that this helps

Gareth

Edited 30 November , 2005 by Dolphin

[neutrino]

Thanks both.

Sorted.

I knew about the battalion numbering but not about the territorial numbering..

On the overseas service bit, weren't all Territorrial recruits given the option of staying at home to serve as that's what territorial battalions were initially raised for but in 1916 an act of parliament changed it all so that no option to serve at home was allowed.

[Dolphin]

You may well be right. In any event, the introduction of conscription made any conditional recruiting of men into Territorial units redundant.

Gareth

[Moonraker]

Dolphin

Your description of the first, second line etc battalions was masterly. I've preceded my list of units based in Wiltshire with a brief explanation of battalion numbering, and though this wasn't inaccurate I've been able to improve it, thanks to you!

Moonraker

[jdajd]

How would you say it though. Would a member of the 1/9 (Glasgow) HLI say he was in the 9th Batt or the First line of the 9th Batt, etc.

BTW thanks for asking the question. I've asked a couple of times, but this was the most concise answer I've seen.

Jon

[truthergw]

How would you say it though. Would a member of the 1/9 (Glasgow) HLI say he was in the 9th Batt or the First line of the 9th Batt, etc.

BTW thanks for asking the question. I've asked a couple of times, but this was the most concise answer I've seen.

Jon

I suspect that there was no rule but I can tell you that members of 4/5 Black Watch, 6/7 Black Watch, which were TA battalions in '60s pronounced it as you see it. " fourth fifth Black Watch and sixth, seventh Black Watch". So my guess is "first, third Blankshires".