Royal Fusiliers number prefix question

[Chris_Baker]

Among the casualties incurred by 2nd Battalion, the Royal Fusiliers in the early days on Gallipoli are men shown by CWGC and SDGW with G/ and L/ prefixes to their numbers. I also know that at least some of the G/ really should be GS/. (I know this one as I am currently studying a soldier whose official docs show GS, but both CWGC and SDGW list him as G).

Can anyone tell me the significance of L, G, and GS? I have trawled the forum and although we have touched on this subject frequently I could not find a definitive answer, as applied to the Royal Fusiliers.

[Paul Reed]

In the Royal Fusiliers, the 'L' prefix would denote a regular army enlistment. A G or a GS prefix would be a wartime volunteer. It often amazes me how quickly some of this wartime volunteers got to the battlefield; in the Royal Sussex, the first ones arrived in January 1915. One tends to think of the first use of Kitchener's men at Suvla in August 1915, but in many regiments it was before that, albeit maybe in small numbers.

[AGWR]

Paul,

Do you mean that the L prefix denoted a pre-August 1914 enlistment, as opposed to enlistment in a regular army battalion at any stage of the war? I was also wondering if there were any other regiments that used a L prefix, or was it unique to the RF?

Regards

Andy

[stu]

Chris,

I have a couple of 14 star and bar trios to the 4th R.F.,both of which went to France on 13/8/14,although both stars just have the service number on the back,both pairs of the BWM and Vics have L prefixes.

Both of my guys enlisted before 1906,and I have always been led to believe that they were recalled reservist,which is what the L prefix somehow stood for.

From what I understand,the 4th R.F. when they went out to France had upto 50% reservists in their ranks.

Unfourtunately I can't really give an opinion on the G and GS prefixes other than has already been said about them denoting war time enlistment.

Stu.

[Paul Reed]

The L prefix indicates a regular army soldier who had joined pre-war. Several regiments use it, mainly in the Eastern Command area.

[AGWR]

Thanks Paul.

[Jock Bruce]

The L prefix indicates a regular army soldier who had joined pre-war. Several regiments use it, mainly in the Eastern Command area.

Paul,

would these all be regiments adminstered by the same records office ? All the regiments adminstered by Perth RO seem to use prefixes the same way.

Jock

[Paul Reed]

There were similarities and same usage in other regiments, record offices and commands as well. The only expection is with the artillery; here an 'L' prefix indicates a wartime enlistment only.