serial numbers, transfers

[jhm736iii]

Two Questions: What was the system for assigning serial numbers to the soldiers? What happened if a soldier tranferred to another unit? Did he keep the same serial number?

Was it common for soldiers to be transferred to another battalion of another regiment?

[Chris_Baker]

Hello jhm. Welcome to the forum.

The answers are rather complex, I'm afraid. I'll try and give a few starters, and I'm sure others will join in here:

There was no single numbering system for the army. Each regiment and corps had its own method, and they varied widely. You will find many questions on this subject throughout this forum, and you will see from the answers that some regiments numbered all recruits sequentially, whereas others had systems for each Battalion. Add to that various prefixes and other devices too.

Soldiers of the Territorial Force were all renumbered in 1917.

If a soldier was posted to another unit of the same regiment, it was usual to retain the number - although I dare say there is evidence of the opposite!

Posting to a different regiment usually meant renumbering.

Men would be posted between units of the same regiment or corps, but not frequently. There was a widespread reorganisation of the army in early 1918, in which thousands were moved around. When returning after being incapacitated due to wound or sickness, it became increasingly common for a man to be posted to whichever unit needed reinforcing.

[glennaa]

Would the number on the discharge certificate be a soldier's serial number? My grandfather was discharged from the 7th West Yorkshire in 1917, and his number on the certificate is 268264, which seems awfully high to me.

His notes say he originally joined the 1/8th Leeds Rifles, was evacuated to England in 1916, where he was placed in the 3rd Reserve Training Battalion, and was discharged with the 7th in 1917. I don't have his original number with the 1/8th, so I can't do any comparisons.

Glenn

[Chris_Baker]

Glenn, 268680, 268263 and 268265 were soldiers who were killed in action whilst serving with the 1/7th West Yorks, according to "Soldiers Died". Looks like this was part of the scheme of renumbering the TF battalions in 1917.

[glennaa]

Wow! Thanks for that bit of news! Is there any information on when and where 268263 and 268265 were killed? It just intrigues me that the men (sequentially at least) on either side of him were killed. How would these numbers have been assigned? Would it have been in such a way that he would have known these people?

I'm relatively new to this; I didn't know much about my grandfather's service until I found his notes and his discharge certificate, as well as a letter notifying him of the cessation of his disability payments in 1955.

Glenn

[Chris_Baker]

Slight modification. Sorry I must have had a brainstorm when typing the numbers before.

268260 Pte Thomas Neal, 1/5th WYorks. Died of wounds 16 October 1917. Buried at St Sever, Rouen.

268262 Acting Sergeant Edgar Walker, 1/8th WYorks. KIA 9 October 1917. Tyne Cot Memorial.

268266 Pte Harold Batley, 1/7th WYorks. KIA & April 1917. Buried at Laventie.

So not quite adjacent but still pretty near.

[glennaa]

I could find no connection between these 3 fellows and my grandfather based on additional info at the CWGC; they're even in 3 different battalions.

Glenn

[Guest Hussar]

As you can see in my posting in'Soldiers'

My Grandad joined the 18th Hussars with his number being 14517

When he transferred to the MGC his number was changed to 41386.