Graeme Heavey Posted 22 February , 2006 Share Posted 22 February , 2006 On the amazing discovery that my gt grandads papers survived the bombing in WW2, it has come to pass that his service number 6611 was prefixed by an 'S', thus S6611. Can anyone tell me what the 'S' signifies? The mystery is that he enlisted in 1907 into 4th Royal Fusiliers, a regular battalion, serving in South Africa and India. He married my gt grandmother in Feb 1908 and his occupation is down as a hawker ( dad says rag and bone man! ). Would this mean he couldve been one of those reservists who was signed up for a short period then put on the standby list to be called when ready? I understand the prefix S/R was special reserve but his is definitely just an 'S'. Help!! Graeme Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
truthergw Posted 22 February , 2006 Share Posted 22 February , 2006 On the amazing discovery that my gt grandads papers survived the bombing in WW2, it has come to pass that his service number 6611 was prefixed by an 'S', thus S6611. Can anyone tell me what the 'S' signifies? The mystery is that he enlisted in 1907 into 4th Royal Fusiliers, a regular battalion, serving in South Africa and India. He married my gt grandmother in Feb 1908 and his occupation is down as a hawker ( dad says rag and bone man! ). Would this mean he couldve been one of those reservists who was signed up for a short period then put on the standby list to be called when ready? I understand the prefix S/R was special reserve but his is definitely just an 'S'. Help!! Graeme Service? My GF has one and he was New Army. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Graeme Heavey Posted 22 February , 2006 Author Share Posted 22 February , 2006 Could be. I'm stuffed if I can work it out. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
HarryBettsMCDCM Posted 22 February , 2006 Share Posted 22 February , 2006 Is he ASC? if so "S" is Supply if Infantry it usually denotes "Service" Bn;[ie 1914/15 Volunteer] Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Graeme Heavey Posted 22 February , 2006 Author Share Posted 22 February , 2006 No he was infantry, 4th Royal Fusiliers. Enlisted 1907. He did however get discharged due to wounds in 1917. He then re-enlisted and was posted int the RASC bakery companies (44, 45 & 48) and got a service number that begins with T/********. Pointless really as he went AWOL 2 weeks after rejoining, in Catterick. Old Contemptible driven mad by bakery duty I suspect! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Michael Posted 22 February , 2006 Share Posted 22 February , 2006 Which infantry regiments have an S prefix for service battalions? The S and SR prefixes are sometimes interchangeable for the special reserve. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Muerrisch Posted 22 February , 2006 Share Posted 22 February , 2006 and some have no 'S', as, for example, Royal Welch Fusiliers. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
HarryBettsMCDCM Posted 22 February , 2006 Share Posted 22 February , 2006 Which infantry regiments have an S prefix for service battalions? a number;Rifle Brigade,Cameron Highlanders,spring immediately to mind Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Graeme Heavey Posted 23 February , 2006 Author Share Posted 23 February , 2006 I am beginning to believe that he may have been a special reservist as I said in an earlier post. I also think he may have entered his civilian occupation on his marriage cert in 1908, as on his re-enlistment stuuf into the RASC it states his occupation again as a Carman and Hawker. If he was a special reservist, did they exist before the 1908 restructuring of the Army? ( Haldane reforms) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Muerrisch Posted 23 February , 2006 Share Posted 23 February , 2006 Forget the Special Reservist bit. His battalion was regular, although an enlistment in 1907 would infer leaving the colours in 1914 with 5 years army regular army reserve liability, which automatically debarred him from SR. The SR was brought into being in 1908, as you infer so, although his number is suggestive of SR, he could not have enlisted in 1907. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Graeme Heavey Posted 24 February , 2006 Author Share Posted 24 February , 2006 OK then. His papers say he enlisted in 1907 in Whitehall. Maybe he was called back then perhaps? Or could he have signed on again after 5 years in 1912? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Muerrisch Posted 25 February , 2006 Share Posted 25 February , 2006 an RF expert could deduce a lot from his number. Why not start a new thread calling for RF experts? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Graeme Heavey Posted 27 February , 2006 Author Share Posted 27 February , 2006 Good idea Brigadier!!! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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