Conor Dodd Posted 5 January , 2003 Share Posted 5 January , 2003 Does anybody know of a list that tells you waht the letter prefixes of numbers mean ? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CROONAERT Posted 5 January , 2003 Share Posted 5 January , 2003 There's a list on Paul Hinckley's "Old Contemptables" web site.(Part of the "military abbreviations" section. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Conor Dodd Posted 5 January , 2003 Author Share Posted 5 January , 2003 Thanks for that but unfortunatley I can't there is an error when I try and go through is this happening to anyone else ? If not could someone paste it onto an E-Mail and send it to me Conor Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CROONAERT Posted 6 January , 2003 Share Posted 6 January , 2003 Conor, A rough breakdown of the prefixes mentioned on this site are as follows: A - A.S.C. prefix denoting Old Army Special Reserve ,or A - early wartime recruits to the K.R.R.C.,or A - some Royal Scotas Fusiliers,Scottish Rifles & A.O.C. B - "Bankers" the prefix for 26/Royal Fusiliers or B - some K.R.R.C. and Scottish Rifles C - 16th Bn onwards K.R.R.C. or 1st Garrison Bn.Royal Munster Fus. (also some Middlesex Regt. & Rifle Brigade. D - Dragoons prefix E - "Empire battalion" (17/Royal Fusiliers) F - "Football batallions",( 17th & 23rd Middlesex) G - Garrison batallions (1st,2nd & 3rd )Royal Irish Fusiliers G - British home county regiment's prefixes denoting New Army men &later H - Hussars J - "Judean" or "Jewish" (38th, 39th,& 40th Bns R.Fus.) K - "Kitchener battallion"??? L - Lancers L - Home counties regiments (regulars),some 3/South Wales Borderers and possibly also stands for "line" for some line regiments L - there is also a suggestion that it could mean "local" N - some R.A.M.C. O - Rifle Brigade P - "Police" (Military Foot Police etc.), also found on some Dragoon Guards numbers PS - "Public Schools" (18th,19th,20th&21st Royal Fus. & 16th Middsx.) PW - "Public Works" (18th,19th &26th Bns Middlesex Regt.) R - Army Remount Section,A.S.C. also K.R.R.C. later recruits up to the 16th Bn. RX - also the Army Remount Section,Army Service Corps. S - "Supply" A.S.C. S - wartime enlistments in Highland Regiments, 3rd Bn.men in Home Counties regiments and some Rifle Brigade,Dorset R.,Royal Munster Fus.,A.O.C, Royal Artillery & R.A.M.C. SPTS - "Sportsmans" (23rd & 24th R.Fus.) T (T1,T2,T3 & T4) - (horse)"Transport", Army Service Corps T - some territorials and A.O.C. W - "Wirral" (13th Cheshire Regt.) W - "Welsh Artillery" (38th Division) WR - "Waterways and Railways" (R.E.) Y - early wartime recruits in K.R.R.C. Z - some Rifle Brigade Though not complete,I hope that this is enough to keep you going, Dave Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CROONAERT Posted 6 January , 2003 Share Posted 6 January , 2003 By the way,it's not just you.I'm also getting an error message when I try to access this section (just tried it now). Lucky I printed it out a few months ago!!! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Andrew Marshall Posted 6 January , 2003 Share Posted 6 January , 2003 Also TF - Territorial Regards Andrew Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Paul Reed Posted 7 January , 2003 Share Posted 7 January , 2003 SD = South Downs battalions of Royal Sussex Regiment (11,12,13 Bns). K = Kensington Bn of Royal Fusiliers (22nd) STK = Stockbrokers Bn of Royal Fusiliers (10th). I did an article on this for the OMRS journal many years ago Conor, if you drop me an email with your address I will copy it for you. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CROONAERT Posted 11 January , 2003 Share Posted 11 January , 2003 Found another one! LZ - London Division,prefix for Royal Naval Volunteer Reserve Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Conor Dodd Posted 12 January , 2003 Author Share Posted 12 January , 2003 Many thanks for all the replies Paul which Journal was it I should have it upstairs. Conor Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Paul Reed Posted 12 January , 2003 Share Posted 12 January , 2003 It's the journal of the UK based Orders and Medals Research Society from about 10+ years ago; if you don't have it let me know via email. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Conor Dodd Posted 12 January , 2003 Author Share Posted 12 January , 2003 I have come across a number to a Royal Munster Fusilier with the prefix G any ideas ??? Conor Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kinnethmont Posted 16 January , 2003 Share Posted 16 January , 2003 I found Dave's list of prefixes very interesting. I was aware that an S prefix was applied to Highlanders. Does anyone know if the S has any significance in relation to conscription ? Was it used before and after 1916 ? Could it's use mean a man volunteered and was not called up. I have a man in the 8th Gordons killed at Loos age 33. A Sgt his number was 3/6558. Any ideas what the number 3 means ? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Michael Posted 17 January , 2003 Share Posted 17 January , 2003 I've researched an Argyll and Sutherland Highlander who joined the 1st Battalion on 13 March 1915. He is listed on the CWGC as 418648 but according to his MIC and the Regiment, his number was 4/8648. Not an answer to your problem, but more fuel to the fire. Michael Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jock Bruce Posted 17 January , 2003 Share Posted 17 January , 2003 Numbering in the Seaforth Highlanders - Regulars - 'plain' numbers, 3 or 4 digits, haven't looked at enough to see a pattern. Pre-war Special Reservists - often with 3/ prefix, presumably indicating 3rd Bn TF Bns - plain numbers from 1 upwards to 4 digits with some differences in allocation bwtween battalions. Renumbered to 6 digits allocated in blocks to each battalion in early 17. Occasionally come across 4/, 5/ or 6/ prefixes which indicate battalion, seem to be used for men serving in 2nd and 3rd line units - as these were amalgamated over time it was presumably simpler to allocate a prefix than renumber the man. These prefixes used only with 'old' numbers i.e. not with 6 digit numbers (no need). Wartime enlistments - S/ prefix with 4 or 5 digit number (S = Service ??) Prefix sometimes not used, sometimes misread (e.g. 5 for S). From what I've seen of drafts into the Seaforths from lesser regiments something like this may hold good for other Scottish regiments. Jock Bruce Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kevin Posted 17 January , 2003 Share Posted 17 January , 2003 Michael During my wanderings over the CWGC site i have come across afew of these / that there have as 1, i myself think its a mistake when reading the hand written documents and until i can get aphoto of the headstone with the engraved number i will not know. Regards Kevin Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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