Enlistment date from Reg. number

[philg]

I've just been reading through some documents sent to me by the Royal Artillery Museum and it occurs to me that it must be possible to determine date, or at least period, of enlistment for soldiers from the Regimental number.

The document is detailing the re-numbering process of the artillery in Nov/Dec 1916 and states that a Regular in the RFA will have a number under 600,000 and a TF soldier will have a number above 600,000.

So based on that does can anyone help with dating my great uncle, Joseph Curran 231976 RFA. That should mean that he's a regular but I'd like to know when he enlisted.

Thanks

Phil

[the raven]

hi phil

this may be of help to you in finding out when your uncle enlisted, my grandfathers number was 259707

and he joined rfa on 16/11/1915, so as your number is lower you can assume he joined way before nov 1915

raven

[RobertBr]

Phil

Ravens idea sounds reasonable however my grandfather 'Attested'on 11/12/1915 and was called up on 6/9/1916. His number was 169149!

Although his number is less than 600,000 I do not believe he was a 'regular' but a volunteer, probably under the Derby Scheme. He served with D Battery 281 Brigade RFA 56th london Territorial Division.

A search at www.nationalachives.gov.uk on your Great Uncles surname and number will find him and probably give you some more info.

Bob