Understanding Service Numbers

Throughout their service, soldiers often had several different Service Numbers.

In the absence of a Service Record, these Service Numbers can give an insight into the units that a soldier served with as well the dates when they transferred.

The main blocks of Service Numbers relevant to the 1st Welsh Howitzers fall into the following categories and are described in more detail below:

The 1908 1st Welsh Service Numbers
Introduction to the renumbering of the Territorial Force Artillery in 1917
The 725xxx’s – Renumbering the 1st Welsh in 1917
The 726xxx’s – 1917 corrections – 1st Welsh – men previously excluded
The 745xxx’s – 53rd & 68th Welsh Divisional Ammunition Column Numbers
The 156xxx’s – Direct transfers to Regular RFA
The 168xxx’s – Transfers to Regular RFA from 2nd Line in 7 September 1916
The 169xxx’s – Transfers to Regular RFA from 3rd Line on 14 September 1916
The 840xxx’s – Transfer to 2nd/4th South Midland Brigade in April 1916
The 290xxx’s – 1917 Corrections – Derby Scheme recruits – post October 1915

Please note. I have to thank David Porter for all of the help he has given me in understanding the 1st Welsh Service Numbers. I couldn’t have even begun to write this without his help.

1908 1st Welsh (Howitzer) Brigade Service Numbers

In keeping with all Territorial Force units, the 1st Welsh (Howitzer) Brigade 1908 Service Numbers were issued sequentially, starting at No.1 on the 1st April 1908 when the Brigade was formed. The final service number to be issued has yet to be identified, but it currently appears to be somewhere between 1630 and 1640 in mid-1916.

The 1st Welsh Service Number is particularly useful for identifying enlistment dates. Given the sequential issuing of these numbers, if you have a soldier’s 1908 service number you can use the Nominal Roll to give an indication of when your soldier joined the Brigade.

Do this by scrolling through the Nominal Roll to the number of your soldier and then looking for the first confirmed enlistment date of soldiers either side of your soldier on the Roll. This will give you the range of dates in which your soldier joined.

The 1908 service numbers also show which of the 4 main groups of men your soldier falls into. The main blocks of numbers are:

1 – 304	Recruits into the Brigade when it was formed – 1-105: HQ & 1st Battery, Swansea – 107-215: Ammunition Column, Morriston – 232-304: 2nd Battery, Neath & Briton Ferry	Apr – Jul 1908
344 – 843	Pre-War Territorials	Aug 1908 – Aug 1914
848 – 1070	Wartime Recruits – Wave 1 – 848 – 915: Completing Brigade Complement (6-14 Aug) – 918 – 1036: 2nd Line – Block 1 (2-15 Sep) – 1043 – 1070: 2nd Line – Block 2 (8-14 Oct)	Aug – Oct 1914
1072 – 1631	Wartime Recruits – Wave 2	Jan 1915 – Jun 1916

1917 Renumbering of the Territorial Force Artillery

Each Territorial Force Artillery unit started their roll at No.1 in 1908 which caused great confusion. The Territorial Force Artillery was therefore issued with new 6-digit numbers at the start of 1917.

The order to renumber the Territorial Force Artillery was issued under Army Council Instruction 2198 in November 1916. For simplicity, different Territorial Force units were assigned with different blocks of 5000 numbers which were then allocated to the men. These numbers are therefore useful for identifying the unit that a soldier was serving with at the time of the transfer.

The intention was that once renumbered in 1917, as long as a soldier remained within the RFA, they were not renumbered again. They would however receive a new number if they transferred into a different regiment (including the Royal Garrison Artillery – RGA).

Unfortunately, the process of renumbering the men did not go smoothly and was further complicated in August 1917, when the decision was taken was taken that the type of Attestation (the specific form) a man signed when he started his service determined whether he was a Regular or a member of the Territorial Force.

This had a big impact on the men of the Welsh Howitzers because not all men signed Territorial Force Attestation papers. Under the Derby scheme, after October 1915, recruits into the the Welsh Howitzers signed General Service Attestation forms. This meant:

Soldiers who had signed a Territorial Force Attestation and had subsequently transferred to the Regulars (prior to 1917) were renumbered twice. At the start of 1917, they received a Regular number but as a result of the August instruction, they now needed a Territorial Number.
Soldiers who signed a General Service Attestation and remained in the Territorial Force were also renumbered twice. At the start of 1917, they would have been renumbered as members of the Territorial Force, but after August 1917 they needed to be renumbered as Regular soldiers.

1917 1st Welsh (Howitzer) Brigade Numbers (the 725xxx’s)

When the Territorial Artillery was renumbered in 1917, the Welsh Howitzers were allocated the block of 5000 numbers starting from 725001 and running to 730000.

The series of numbers from 725001 to 725812 were issued sequentially (in line with their 1908 Service Numbers) to men who were still directly linked to the Brigade at the start of 1917. The 725xxx numbers are included in the Nominal Roll as in certain cases, it is only this number that is currently known.

If a soldier was not renumbered in the 725xxx block of numbers in 1917, they were no longer serving directly with the Brigade at that time. Common reasons for this include:

Completion of the Terms of their engagement (largely for pre-War Territorials who reached the end of their agreed period of service),
Transfer to another unit of the Territorial RFA (with the 6-digit Service Number from a different block),
Transfer to the Regular RFA or a different regiment.
Medical discharge or not deemed fit for War Service, or
Death.

The 726xxx’s

There are 2 further blocks of Brigade members within the 1st Welsh allocated numbers that were not issued in sequence with the 1908 Service Numbers. Both blocks relate to men who were incorrectly allocated Regular Army service numbers in 1917 and when the error was identified were issued numbers from later in the Welsh Howitzer’s block.

The first block runs from 726036 to approximately 726065 (with 2 proven exceptions). This block of numbers includes a transfer of men from the 2nd Line of the Welsh Howitzers to 4A Reserve Brigade on 7 September 1916. Many of these men subsequently went on to see active service in various different units and theatres.

Linked to this block of numbers is also a set of Regular Service Numbers between 168189 and 168299. It appears that these men were serving with a Regular unit at the start of 1917 and were issued with a Regular service number. After the August 1917 order (see the 1917 Renumbering section), these men were redesignated as Territorial Force members and new Territorial numbers were issued within the 726xxx block.

The table below summarises the 726xxx block and includes the relevant 168xxx’s:

Soldiers highlighted in green have been confirmed to be members of the Brigade, amber denotes ‘possible, but unproven’, white denotes ‘no evidence either way’ and red has been confirmed that they were not Brigade members.

The second block of 5 numbers sits between 726139 and 726143. This block of numbers relates to a transfer of men from the 3rd Line of the Welsh Howitzers to 4A Reserve Brigade on 14 September 1916. Once again, all of these men subsequently went on to see active service in various different units and theatres.

Linked to this block of numbers is also a set of Regular Service Numbers in the 169xxx series. It appears whilst these men were serving with a Regular unit at the start of 1917, they were initially assigned a 725xxx number, which was subsequently cancelled when they received their 169xxx number. After the August 1917 order (see the 1917 Renumbering section), these men were redesignated as Territorial Force members and, because their original numbers had been cancelled, new numbers were issued within the 726xxx block.

The 745xxx’s – 53rd & 68th Welsh Divisional Ammunition Columns

The 745xxx block relates to the men who transferred from the Welsh Howitzers to the 53rd Welsh Divisional Ammunition Column (DAC) in a series of transfers in 1915 and the 68th DAC in September 1916.

53rd Welsh DAC

The 53rd DAC was formed shortly after the start of the War. The purpose of the Divisional Ammunition Columns was to supply fresh ammunition to each of the Brigade Ammunition Columns from the Divisional Ammunition Park.

The 53rd DAC travelled to France on 25 November 1915, but did not follow the Welsh Howitzers to Egypt, instead remaining in France and becoming the 29th DAC on 12 March 1916.

In accordance with an order sent from the War Office on 13 January 1915, men who transferred to the DAC were immediately assigned a new Service Number as ‘Unless this is done, confusion is likely to arise as these columns are formed of personnel which may be taken from 4 different Brigades of Royal Field Artillery, each of which has its own series of numbers, and it will be impossible otherwise to assign numbers to men who enlist into the unit direct.’

When the Territorial Force Artillery was renumbered in 1917, the men were given new numbers from the series starting 745001.

As these men transferred before the Brigade went to France, it is often difficult to identify them as members of the Brigade with any certainty. The reason for this, is that in the absence of a Service Record, the next most reliable source of information is the Medal Index Cards which, if a soldier was entitled to a 1914/15 Star, only quote the Service Number at the time the man went overseas. As an example, whilst Francis Jenkins is known to have been a member of the Brigade from newspaper cuttings, his MIC only quotes his DAC Service Number and the later 745xxx number, his 1st Welsh Service Number is not known.

3 separate groups of men have been identified that transferred from the Welsh Howitzers to the 53rd DAC.

The first group sits roughly between 745140 and 745150 (or c321 to c341). There is no confirmed date for the transfer.
The second group transferred on 7 July 1915 and sit in a block of numbers between c745200 and c745210 (or c441 to c462).
The third and final group transferred on 9 November 1915 and sit in a block between c745259 and 745266 (or c539 to 551).

The table below summarises the 1st Welsh transfers to the 53rd DAC in the 745xxx block :

68th Welsh DAC

The 2nd Welsh DAC was formed on 8 January 1915 and renamed the the 68th (2nd Welsh) DAC in August 1915. It served on home defence duties throughout the war, whilst recruiting training and supplying drafts to units serving overseas. The 2nd Welsh Division was stationed for the majority of the War in East Anglia, particularly in Norfolk and Suffolk.

Surviving records point to 2 transfers of men between the Welsh Howitzers and the 68th DAC, the first on 2 September 1916 and the second, a week later on 9 September 1916.

The first group of transfers (2 Sept 1916) appear to randomly spread though the service numbers between 745481 and 745688. There are small groupings, but no obvious pattern.
The second group (9 Sept) was renumbered alphabetically, so once again, there are no groupings.

To date, no corresponding Welsh DAC numbers have been identified, so it is possible that, as they were so close to the 1917 renumbering, it was decided not to renumber them twice and to only give them 745xxx Service Numbers.

The table below summarises the identified 1st Welsh transfers to the 68th DAC in the 745xxx block :

The 156xxx’s

The 156xxx’s relate to men from the Brigade who transferred to the Regular Royal Field Artillery. There is no discernable block or pattern to the numbering, they appear to sit randomly amongst other transfers from the Welsh Brigades in a series between 156870 and 156962.

The 168xxx’s

The 168xxx’s relate to men from the Brigade who transferred from the 2nd Line to 4A Reserve Brigade of the Regular Army in Woolwich on 7 September 1916.

The relevant series of numbers runs from approximately 168125 to 168434 and consists of 3 alphabetical lists (possibly linked to the 3 Batteries of 4A Reserve Brigade; 19th, 20th and 21st) of transfers from the Welsh Brigades. Due to the alphabetical lists, the men of the 1st Welsh are scattered throughout the series.

The 169xxx’s

The 169xxx block relates to men from the Brigade who transferred from the 3rd Line to the 4A Reserve Brigade of the Regular Army in Woolwich on 14 September 1916. The relevant block runs from 169350 to 169355.

The numbering of these men is complicated; because these men transferred from the Territorial Force to the Regular Army, they were issued a 169xxx numbers in 1917. However, they were also allocated a 725xxx number, so when the duplication was realised, the 725xxx number was cancelled.

Later in the year, when it was confirmed that Territorial Force soldiers should received a Territorial 1917 number, they were allocated a new number from the 726xxx range and the 169xxx numbers were cancelled.

The 840xxx’s

The 840xxx block relates to a group of men from the 3rd Line Welsh Howitzer Brigade who transferred to the 4th South Midland (Howitzer) Brigade in April 1916.

In late 1915, the decision was taken to concentrate all of the 3rd Line Howitzer Brigades in Winchester and across 2 dates in April 1916 (1st & 14th April), men were transferred from the 3rd Line Welsh Howitzers to the 2nd/4th South Midland (Howitzer) Brigade (also in Winchester).

The 2/4th South Midland Brigade went to France shortly after on 21 May 1916 and was renamed 308 Bde when the units were renumbered at around the same time (26 May 1915). 308 Bde ceased to exist when the artillery was reorganised into composite Brigades on 27 January 1917 and it was split into D(H)/306 Bde and D(H)/307 Bde (the D (Howitzer) Batteries of 306 & 307 Brigades).

In April 1915, at the time of transfer from the Welsh Howitzers to the 4th Sth Mid Bde, the men were renumbered in a block of the 1908 numbers of the 4th South Midland Brigade (from c1337 and 1462 – with one proven exception).

As part of the renumbering of the Territorial Artillery in 1917, the men were given new numbers in a block from c840924 to 840946.

The table below summarises the 840xxx block:

The 290xxx’s

After October 1915, under the Derby Scheme, Territorial Force recruits could only enlist for General Service (on a different form to the usual Territorial Force Attestation Form). In August 1917, it was then decided that the type of attestation form a soldier had signed determined whether the man was a Regular or part of the Territorial Force.

This meant that the men who joined the Brigade after October 1915 were deemed to be Regulars, and despite being renumbered as part of the Territorial Force at the start of 1917 in the 725xxx block, they needed to be renumbered again as Regulars. A new block of Regular numbers, between 290422 and 290462 were used for this.

It is not clear when the men were informed of their new 290xxx number and it is very possible, based on David Porter’s research, that a soldier may have only found out after the War when they were dealing with their medals.