Regimental Numbering

At first sight one may think that a man's regimental number uniquely identifies him. That was certainly the intention when the system was introduced in 1881. However by the time the First World War opened there were at least three completely different systems in place and a lot of duplication.

The regular series, begun in 1881, had continued to be used for 1st and 2nd battalions and had reached 10229 when Pte H A Dorce became the last peace-time recruit. This series was then continued to include first the Kitchener Volunteers, then the Derby conscripts, then men transferred from other battalions and finally men who, after the war, opted to join the regiment in a peace time engagement. The system was ended in 1920 when all soldiers were allocated an Army Number which stayed with them for the rest of their army career.

The Territorial series for the 4th battalion had begun in 1909 and had reached about 4000 when war broke out. They also used numbers starting from 20000 to renumber men from other Berkshire battalions and other regiments who had been transferred to the Territorials. The 4th Bn continued using this series until December 1916 when it was ordered that all territorial numbers should be changed to 200,000 series numbers. The remaining Territorials were then renumbered from 200000 to 204xxx in strict order of their former Territorial numbers. Further number blocks were used as follows: 219xxx to renumber men transferred to the 7th Battalion in Salonika; 220xxx to renumber men transferred from other regiments to battalions on the Western Front (briefly in 1917 only) 226xxx to renumber former POWs after the war who had escaped earlier renumberings and 227xxx to renumber men from other regiments who had , eg died or been transferred on before receiving their new Royal Berkshire numbers.

The 3rd Battalion appears to have had two numbering systems, one for serving members of the form 3/xxxx and one for reservists. Both of these latter series run to around 18000 and it is possible it is a common series.

In 1920 other ranks were again renumbered in strict order of their current regimental number, although NCOs were grouped first to take the numbers 5328000 to 5328070.

Until conscripts from the Derby scheme began arriving in large numbers in March 1916, it is generally possible to get a good idea of when men enlisted from their regular series number, although many men were renumbered when they re-enlisted or transferred back from the Reserves. The following is just a rough guide as many men were numbered out of sequence:-

10228-10994 August 1914

10995-15192 September 1914

15193-15375 October 1914

15376- 15739 November 1914

15780-16257 December 1914

16258-16722 January 1915

16723-16929 February 1915

16930-17149 March 1915

17150-17728 April 1915

17729-18393 May 1915

18394-18742 June 1915

18743-18957 July 1915

The register from 18958 to 19788 has not survived

19789-19833 December 1915

19834-20035 January 1916

20036-20234 February 1916

In the last two months most recruits were men who had been obliged to register and volunteered to join before being called up. In addition from June 1915 men were being transferred in batches from other regiments and so had enlisted before they joined the Royal Berks.

For a more detailed account click here.

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