Regiment Numbers

[browntoa]

on a previous post I have got help on Deciphering the medal card of my Grandfather

Medal card of Hughes, James J
Corps: Royal Field Artillery
Regiment No: 81998
Rank: Driver

I'm now intrigues as to why differnet regiments have the same number ?? as in

Medal card of Small, Frank
Corps: Labour Corps London District ex Royal West Surrey Regiment
Regiment No: 81998 ex 51363
Rank: Private


and


Medal card of Carter, Sydney
Corps: Royal Garrison Artillery
Regiment No: 81998
Rank: Gunner


and

Medal card of Deakin, Joseph
Corps Regiment No Rank
York and Lancaster Regiment 45043 Private
Durham Light Infantry 81998 Private


I assumed that Regiment numbers were unique but is that not so ??

[Terry Reeves]

Regimental numbers were not unique and the reason for it was that they were issued by regiment or corps. For example, an infantry regiment with two battalions would would start with the number one in both battalions. This was replicated across the whole of the army which would give a multiplicity of the same numbers. Things changed in 1917 for the Territorial Force when blocks of different numbers were allocated to various units. Unique numbers generally were not introduced until after WW1.

Terry Reeves

[browntoa]

thanks....anything to make it easier for us ancestors to trace them !!!

am hoping to find more records on him as a key to tracing the parents but I'm not holding out much hope