2nd Ox & Bucks puzzle

[Guest Bux Boy]

Whilst researching a Pte 7606 Albert Taverner 2nd O&BLI I discovered that another man had the same regimental number, the details of the two men are:-

1. Pte 7606 Albert Taverner, went to France 31/8/14 with the 2nd O&BLI.

Transfered to 3rd Hants(a clearing Btn at Gosport) 28/5/15 and was discharged

3/11/15. Entitles to 1914 Star trio.

2. Pte 7606 Frederick Foreman, enlisted 1904, to France 1914 with 2nd O&BLI

Killed in action 25/9/15.

Does anybody have any explanation why two men would be serving in the same Battalion with the same number? I have checked with the Research & Archive section of The Ox & Bucks Museum and to date they have been unable to answer the question.

[Annette Burgoyne]

Hi Bux Boy

I have come across the same with the K.S.L.I. It only seems to be with those who were pre war Soldiers, I have never come across it with men who enlisted in August 1914 and afterwards. I am also interested to know why men of the same Regiment and in many case the same Battalion share a Regt. No.

Annette

[Muerrisch]

Easy.

Line infantry only, and inevitably some exceptions.

Regulars bns shared one series, started 0 in 1882, many had reached about 10 000 in Aug 1914. Regular Reservists retained their old number. New Army men numbered in regular series and regarded as regulars with a short-term engagement.

Special Reserve had separate series, 0 in 1908, many had reached about 7000 in 1914 because turnover was rapid. Some had a 3/ prefix, some did not.

Each TF bn had its own separate series, again 0 in 1908, numbers like 4000 each bn in 1914.

As and when men from these three sources met in a battalion, you had umpteeniplication.

Right from 5 Aug 1914 heavy takeup of SR men as individual augmentees by Line bns because the Reserve was not big enough.

Thus 1RWF had hundreds [literally] of SR on the ship to Zeebrugge October 1914.

See my forthcoming article Stand To! on subject.

Your duplication may well be a regular and a SR man.

Later in war, all three types of men stirred and mixed in units. And of course TF renumbered [gross simplification] in 1917. More if needs be.