Military Chat

At the time prior to WW1 it was very likely a good idea as each regiment tended to stay together and went round the world together. There would be no integration from other regiments and pay would be done via their own accounts people.

WW1 with the loses they took made things very different and soon after the end of WW1 it was decided to alter the way numbers were allocated.

Clearly I erred in thinking service number assignment would be handled rationally, especially since I already knew that large chunks of UK administrative procedure was pretty shambolic.

The numbers were not given nationally in the army at this time.Up to 1920 each regiment gave their own set of numbers so finding numbers next to each other does not automatically mean they were given by the same regiment. You can find the same numbers if you look hard enough. We have seen confusion when in the battles of WW1 many were killed and survivors were then put into different regiments and given new numbers. Questions have been asked on this forum about this.

I've made these up to show what could happen at that time. Now it's done nationally so no confusion.

e.g. 1234567 J Smith Royal Lancers attested 24 June 1915 York

1234567 E Dunn Life Guards attested 19 January 1914 London

1234567 W McDuff Scots Guards attested 12 April 1912 Edinbugh

Hello Sandra,

Did you get the information I sent you ?

regards

jean

The record is on FMP but under the name John- looking at the record it is definitely for T. McCormick:

First name(s) John
Last name Mccormick
Birth year 1897
Service number 98225
Regiment Royal Field Artillery
Series WO 364
Series description Wo 364 - First World War Pension Claims
Archive The National Archives
Record set British Army Service Records
Category Military, armed forces & conflict

Hi mgnv and Kath ,

I have found what looks like T. McCormick on Ancestry with the regiment number that Sandra provided, there is not much on his military record but quite a lot on his health.
I have contacted Sandra and will try and send her the information but have no idea how to send attachments to her e.mail, am waiting for my son to help me to do this .
Unless anyone else can on here can do that for her.
I am useless when it comes to sending attachments from one place to another .

regards
jean

The soldier with the next army number (98226) was a Samuel Brown and he enlisted at Newquay. The soldier with the previous number (98224) was Charles Cheesman and he enlisted at Cairphilly so I don't think this helps much I'm afraid.

Kath. x

I don't know the details of enlistment in England. In Canada, each recruiter was given a block or two (infantry and artilliary) of numbers, and worked thru these, so consecutive numbers would go to the same unit and most likely have been enlisted at the same time and place. Enlistment of more specialized skills (e.g., nurses, tunnellers, forestry and railway troops) would be handled in a more targetted way.

It seems likely that enlistment in England would proceed similarly, and since 30# of records survived, I would look up adjacent service numbers, working outward, and seeing where the first hit on each side enlisted.

Hi Sandra,

Found your Thomas on Ancestry, it looks like he enlisted at Carlisle.
It shows a lot of information about his health but nothing about his military record.

hope this helps

regards
jean

As there are only records of his medal cards on Findmypast then it would seem likely that his service records were among those destroyed by fire in WW2. His enlistment place would have been on his service record so it is unlikely that you will be able to find out.

Kath. x

Thomas Mccormick enlisted in the Field Artillery 31/8/1914. His no. was 98225. How do I find his actual place of enlistment?
Thank you in advance
Sandra