Introduction
This change of numbering of infantrymen was promulgated in Army Council Instruction (ACI) 2414 of 1916, published on 23 December 1916. As with the equivalent ACIs for other arms, ACI 2414 also dealt with changes in the arrangements for TF records, pay and other administrative matters. These arrangements were to take effect from 1 March 1917. The renumbering did not apply to the Royal Defence Corps, the Inns of Court Officers Training Corps or the Honourable Artillery Company (Infantry).
The basics of the system
Each corps of infantry was allocated a block of Territorial Force (TF) numbers starting at 200001. This means that, unlike the renumbering of the other arms, infantry TF numbers were duplicated, but not within the same corps. The allocation for each infantry corps was then broken into smaller blocks for each battalion. These are shown below.
All infantry soldiers defined as TF were allocated a new number. The man retained this number as long as he served in a particular corps, even if he was subsequently posted to a regular battalion of the corps.
If a TF infantryman subsequently transferred to a different corps (infantry or otherwise), he received a new number. He was initially posted to a TF unit of his new corps, renumbered with a TF number, and then could be posted to a regular unit – which means he may never have actually served in the TF unit associated with his new number.
Regular soldiers retained their existing numbers as long as they served in that corps of infantry. If a regular subsequently transferred to a different infantry corps, he received a regular number in the new corps, irrespective of whether he joined a regular or TF unit in that corps.
From 1 January 1917 the only soldiers who could be treated as TF when initially joining an infantry corps were:
- Men who enlisted (or had already enlisted) directly into infantry TF units and were not subject to the Military Service Acts (i.e. were not liable for conscription)
- Men serving on TF attestations in other arms – such as the TF artillery – who transferred to infantry TF units
- Men directly posted to TF infantry units from Army Reserve Section B
The renumbering system
The detailed allocation of numbers to TF infantry units is shown in this table.
This is an illustration of how it worked in practice: the Umpshire Regiment had two battalions of the Territorial orce, the 4th and 5th Battalions. Each of them had raised two reserve units, and the three were now known as the (for example) 1/4th, 2/4th and 4th Reserve Battalions. The 4th Battalion was allocated the block of numbers 200001 to 250000. It would use the block to renumber men serving with the 1/4th, 2/4th and 4th Reserve Battalions in order of their seniority under the original system. It would use up, say 2700 of its new numbers this way, so had issued all the numbers up to 202701. Numbers higher than that were then issued to men joining the battalion either as a recruit or being transferred in from another corps.
The last 5000 numbers in the allocation to an infantry battalion were reserved for the use of Base Records in the various theatres – this was to allow for the renumbering of men transferred whilst serving overseas. This caused some confusion where the 1st and 2nd Lines of a TF battalion were serving in different overseas theatres and, in these cases, blocks of numbers were issued by TF records offices to the theatres concerned. These numbers did not need to be taken from the last 5000.
Argyll & Sutherland Highlanders
- 200001-250000: allocated to 5th Battalion
- 250001-275000: 6th Battalion
- 275001-300000: 7th Battalion
- 300001-325000: 8th Battalion
- 325001-350000: 9th Battalion
- 350001-375000: 16th Battalion
Bedfordshire Regiment
- 200001-240000: allocated to 5th Battalion
- 240001-265000: 11th Battalion
- 265001-290000: allocated to Hertfordshire Regiment
- 290001-315000; allocated to Huntingdonshire Cyclist Battalion
Berkshire Regiment
- 200001-225000: allocated to 4th Battalion
Border Regiment
- 200001-240000: allocated to 4th Battalion
- 240001-265000: 5th Battalion
Buffs (East Kent Regiment)
- 200001-240000: allocated to 4th Battalion
- 240001-265000: 5th Battalion
- 265001-275000: 10th Battalion
Cheshire Regiment
- 200001-240000: allocated to 4th Battalion
- 240001-265000: 5th Battalion
- 265001-290000: 6th Battalion
- 290001-315000: 7th Battalion
- 315001-340000: 23rd Battalion
Devonshire Regiment
- 200001-240000: allocated to 4th Battalion
- 240001-265000: 5th Battalion
- 265001-290000: 6th Battalion
- 290001-315000: 7th (Cyclist) Battalion
- 315001-340000: 15th Battalion
- 340001-350000: 16th Battalion
Dorsetshire Regiment
- 200001-225000: allocated to 4th Battalion
Duke of Cornwall’s Light Infantry
- 200001-240000: allocated to 4th Battalion
- 240001-265000: 5th Battalion
Duke of Wellington’s (West Riding Regiment)
- 200001-240000: allocated to 4th Battalion
- 240001-265000: 5th Battalion
- 265001-305000: 6th Battalion
- 305001-330000: 7th Battalion
Durham Light Infantry
- 200001-250000: allocated to 5th Battalion
- 250001-275000: 6th Battalion
- 275001-300000: 7th Battalion
- 300001-325000: 8th Battalion
- 325001-350000: 9th Battalion
- 350001-375000: 26th Battalion
- 375001-400000: 27th Battalion
East Lancashire Regiment
- 200001-240000: allocated to 4th Battalion
- 240001-265000: 5th Battalion
East Surrey Regiment
- 200001-240000: allocated to 5th Battalion
- 240001-265000: 6th Battalion
East Yorkshire Regiment
- 200001-225000: allocated to 4th Battalion
- 225001-250000: 5th (Cyclist) Battalion
Essex Regiment
- 200001-250000: allocated to 4th Battalion
- 250001-275000: 5th Battalion
- 275001-300000: 6th Battalion
- 300001-325000: 7th Battalion
- 325001-350000: 8th (Cyclist) Battalion
- 350001-375000: 15th Battalion
- 375001-400000: 16th Battalion
Gloucestershire Regiment
- 200001-240000: allocated to 4th Battalion
- 240001-265000: 5th Battalion
- 265001-290000: 6th Battalion
- 290001-315000: 17th Battalion
Gordon Highlanders
- 200001-240000: allocated to 4th Battalion
- 240001-265000: 5th Battalion
- 265001-290000: 6th Battalion
- 290001-315000: 7th Battalion
- 315001-320000: allocated to Shetland Companies
Hampshire Regiment
- 200001-240000: allocated to 4th Battalion
- 240001-280000: 5th Battalion
- 280001-305000: 6th Battalion
- 305001-330000: 7th Battalion
- 330001-355000: 8th Battalion
- 355001-380000: 9th (Cyclist) Battalion
- 380001-405000: 17th Battalion
Highland Light Infantry
- 200001-240000: allocated to 5th Battalion
- 240001-280000: 6th Battalion
- 280001-305000: 7th Battalion
- 305001-330000: 8th Battalion
- 330001-355000: 9th Battalion
- 355001-380000: 21st Battalion
King’s (Liverpool Regiment) (see also “ins and outs” below)
- 200001-240000: allocated to 5th Battalion
- 240001-280000: 6th Battalion
- 280001-305000: 7th Battalion
- 305001-330000: 8th Battalion
- 330001-355000: 9th Battalion
- 355001-380000: 10th Battalion
- 380001-405000: 25th Battalion
- 405001-430000: 26th Battalion
King’s Own (Royal Lancaster Regiment)
- 200001-240000: allocated to 4th Battalion
- 240001-265000: 10th Battalion
- 265001-290000: 12th Battalion
King’s Own Scottish Borderers
- 200001-240000: allocated to 4th Battalion
- 240001-265000: 5th Battalion
King’s Own Yorkshire Light Infantry
- 200001-240000: allocated to 4th Battalion
- 240001-265000: 5th Battalion
King’s Shropshire Light Infantry
- 200001-225000: allocated to 4th Battalion
- 225001-235000: 10th Battalion
- 235001-260000: allocated to Herefordshire Regiment (it had originally been allocated 225001-250000 but this was amended by Army Council Instruction 126 of 1917)
Lancashire Fusiliers
- 200001-240000: allocated to 5th Battalion
- 240001-280000: 6th Battalion
- 280001-305000: 7th Battalion
- 305001-330000: 8th Battalion
Leicestershire Regiment
- 200001-240000: allocated to 4th Battalion
- 240001-265000: 5th Battalion
Lincolnshire Regiment
- 200001-240000: allocated to 4th Battalion
- 240001-265000: 5th Battalion
- 265001-290000: 13th Battalion
London Regiment (see also “Ins and outs” below)
- 200001-230000: allocated to 1st Battalion
- 230001-250000: 2nd Battalion
- 250001-280000: 3rd Battalion
- 280001-300000: 4th Battalion
- 300001-320000: 5th Battalion
- 320001-350000: 6th Battalion
- 350001-370000: 7th Battalion
- 370001-390000: 8th Battalion
- 390001-420000: 9th Battalion
- 420001-450000: 10th Battalion
- 450001-470000: 11th Battalion
- 470001-490000: 12th Battalion
- 490001-510000: 13th Battalion
- 510001-530000: 14th Battalion
- 530001-550000: 15th Battalion
- 550001-570000: 16th Battalion
- 570001-590000: 17th Battalion
- 590001-610000:18th Battalion
- 610001-630000: 19th Battalion
- 630001-650000: 20th Battalion
- 650001-680000: 21st Battalion
- 680001-700000: 22nd Battalion
- 700001-720000: 23rd Battalion
- 720001-740000: 24th Battalion
- 740001-760000: 25th (Cyclist) Battalion
- 760001-780000: 28th Battalion
- 780001-800000: 29th Battalion
- 800001-820000: 30th Battalion
- 820001-840000: 31st Battalion
- 840001-860000: 32nd Battalion
Loyal North Lancashire Regiment
- 200001-240000: allocated to 4th Battalion
- 240001-265000: 5th Battalion
- 265001-290000: 12th Battalion
- 290001-315000: 14th Battalion
Manchester Regiment
- 200001-250000: allocated to 5th Battalion
- 250001-275000: 6th Battalion
- 275001-300000: 7th Battalion
- 300001-350000: 8th Battalion
- 350001-375000: 9th Battalion
- 375001-400000: 10th Battalion
- 400001-425000: 28th Battalion
Middlesex Regiment
- 200001-240000: allocated to 7th Battalion
- 240001-265000: 8th Battalion
- 265001-290000: 9th Battalion
- 290001-315000: 10th Battalion
- 315001-340000: 32nd Battalion
Norfolk Regiment
- 200001-240000: allocated to 4th Battalion
- 240001-265000: 5th Battalion
- 265001-290000: 6th (Cyclist) Battalion
- 290001-315000: 11th Battalion
- 315001-325000: 12th Battalion
Northamptonshire Regiment
- 200001-225000: allocated to 4th Battalion
- 225001-250000: 9th Battalion
North Staffordshire Regiment
- 200001-240000: allocated to 5th Battalion
- 240001-265000: 6th Battalion
Northumberland Fusiliers
- 200001-240000: allocated to 4th Battalion
- 240001-265000: 5th Battalion
- 265001-290000: 6th Battalion
- 290001-315000: 7th Battalion
- 315001-340000: 35th Battalion
- 340001-365000: 36th Battalion
- 365001-390000: allocated to Northern Cyclist Battalion
Nottinghamshire & Derbyshire Regiment (Sherwood Foresters)
- 200001-240000: allocated to 5th Battalion
- 240001-265000: 6th Battalion
- 265001-305000: 7th Battalion
- 305001-330000: 8th Battalion
- 330001-355000: 21st Battalion
Oxfordshire & Buckinghamshire Light Infantry
- 200001-240000: allocated to 4th Battalion
- 240001-265000: 10th Battalion
- 265001-290000: allocated to Buckinghamshire Battalion
Queen’s Own Cameron Highlanders
- 200001-225000: allocated to 4th Battalion
- 225001-250000: 10th Battalion
Queen’s Own (Royal West Kent Regiment)
- 200001-240000: allocated to 4th Battalion
- 240001-265000: 5th Battalion
- 256001-290000: allocated to Kent Cyclist Battalion
Queen’s (Royal West Surrey Regiment)
- 200001-240000: allocated to 4th Battalion
- 240001-265000: 5th Battalion
- 265001-290000: 19th Battalion
Rifle Brigade
- 200001-300000: Allocated to 18th, 19th, 20th, 21st, 22nd, 23rd, 24th and 25th Battalions.
Royal Highlanders (Black Watch)
- 200001-250000: allocated to 4th Battalion
- 250001-265000: 5th Battalion
- 265001-290000: 6th Battalion
- 290001-315000: 7th Battalion
- 315001-340000: 13th Battalion
- 340001-350000: 14th Battalion
- 350001-375000: allocated to Highland Cyclist Battalion (it had originally been allocated 340001-365000 but this was amended by Army Council Instruction 126 of 1917)
Royal Scots (Lothian Regiment)
- 200001-240000: allocated to 4th Battalion
- 240001-275000: 5th Battalion
- 275001-300000: 6th Battalion
- 300001-325000: 7th Battalion
- 325001-350000: 8th Battalion
- 350001-375000: 9th Battalion
- 375001-400000: 10th (Cyclist) Battalion
Royal Scots Fusiliers
- 200001-240000: allocated to 4th Battalion and Ardeer Company
- 240001-265000: 5th Battalion
- 265001-290000: 11th Battalion
- 290001-300000: 12th Battalion
Royal Sussex Regiment
- 200001-240000: allocated to 4th Battalion
- 240001-265000: 5th Battalion
- 265001-290000: 6th (Cyclist) Battalion
- 290001-315000: 15th Battalion
- 315001-325000: 16th Battalion
Royal Warwickshire Regiment
- 200001-240000: allocated to 5th Battalion
- 240001-265000: 6th Battalion
- 265001-305000: 7th Battalion
- 305001-330000: 8th Battalion
- 330001-355000: 18th Battalion
Royal Welsh Fusiliers
- 200001-240000: allocated to 4th Battalion
- 240001-265000: 5th Battalion
- 265001-290000: 6th Battalion
- 290001-315000: 7th Battalion
- 315001-340000: 23rd Battalion
- 340001-350000: 24th Battalion
- 350001-360000: 25th Battalion
Scottish Rifles
- 200001-240000: allocated to 5th Battalion
- 240001-265000: 6th Battalion
- 265001-290000: 7th Battalion
- 290001-315000: 8th Battalion
- 315001-340000: 15th Battalion
Seaforth Highlanders
- 200001-240000: allocated to 4th Battalion
- 240001-265000: 5th Battalion
- 265001-290000: 6th Battalion
Somerset Light Infantry
- 200001-240000: allocated to 4th Battalion
- 240001-265000: 5th Battalion
- 265001-290000: 11th Battalion
- 290001-300000: 12th Battalion
South Lancashire Regiment
- 200001-240000: allocated to 4th Battalion
- 240001-265000: 5th Battalion
- 265001-290000: 14th Battalion
South Staffordshire Regiment
- 200001-240000: allocated to 5th Battalion
- 240001-265000: 6th Battalion
South Wales Borderers
- 200001-225000: allocated to Brecknockshire Battalion
- 225001-265000: allocated to 1st Monmouthshire Regiment
- 265001-290000: 2nd Monmouthshire Regiment
- 290001-315000: 3rd Monmouthshire Regiment
- 315001-340000: 4th Monmouthshire Regiment
Suffolk Regiment
- 200001-240000: allocated to 4th Battalion
- 240001-265000: 5th Battalion
- 265001-290000: 6th (Cyclist) Battalion
- 290001-315000: 14th Battalion
- 315001-325000: 15th Battalion
- 325001-350000: allocated to Cambridgeshire Regiment (it had originally been allocated 315001-340000 but this was amended by Army Council Instruction 126 of 1917)
Welsh Regiment
- 200001-240000: allocated to 4th Battalion
- 240001-265000: 5th Battalion
- 265001-290000: 6th Battalion
- 290001-315000: 7th (Cyclist) Battalion
- 315001-325000: 24th Battalion
West Yorkshire Regiment
- 200001-240000: allocated to 5th Battalion
- 240001-265000: 6th Battalion
- 265001-305000: 7th Battalion
- 305001-330000: 8th Battalion
Wiltshire Regiment
- 200001-225000: allocated to 4th Battalion
Worcestershire Regiment
- 200001-240000: allocated to 7th Battalion
- 240001-265000: 8th Battalion
York & Lancaster Regiment
- 200001-240000: allocated to 4th Battalion
- 240001-265000: 5th Battalion
Yorkshire Regiment
- 200001-240000: allocated to 4th Battalion
- 240001-265000: 5th Battalion
- 265001-290000: 18th Battalion
Tip: how do I use this table?
Taking note of the details above and especially what qualified a man for the renumbering, it would be reasonable to assume that he was serving in the unit to which his new number had been allotted. For example, Private 350111 Bill Smith, who was known to have been with the Manchester Regiment, would have been with the 9th Battalion.
The ins and outs of the King’s (Liverpool Regiment)
The 10th (Scottish) Battalion was treated as part of the Liverpool Regiment – but for subsequent transfers it was treated as part of its affiliated regiment as set out in the Corps Warrant , which was the Queen’s Own Cameron Highlanders. Similar principles as for the London Regiment were followed for renumbering if a man was subsequently transferred, i.e.
From Liverpool Scottish to regular Cameron battalion – no renumbering;
From Liverpool Scottish to TF Cameron battalion – renumbered to Cameron TF number;
From Liverpool Scottish to another battalion of Liverpool Regt – renumbered with Liverpool Regt number.
The ins and outs of the London Regiment
This is the most complex area of TF renumbering. Under the provisions of the Corps Warrant, each battalion of the London Regiment was affiliated to a regular regiment. But for the purposes of renumbering the men, the London Regiment was treated as a separate corps of infantry and allocated a single series of numbers. However, for subsequent transfers of soldiers, each battalion of the London Regiment was treated as part of its affiliated regiment, thus:
| Battalion(s) of the London Regiment … | … were affiliated to … |
| 1, 2, 3, 4, 29, 30 | Royal Fusiliers* |
| 6, 9, 11, 12, 13, 15, 16, 31, 32 | KRRC* |
| 5, 8, 10, 17, 25, 28 | Rifle Brigade* |
| 14 | Gordon Highlanders |
| 18 | Royal Irish Rifles* |
| 7, 19 | Middlesex R. |
| 20 | Royal West Kent R. |
| 21,23 | East Surrey R. |
| 22, 24 | Queens (Royal West Surrey R.) |
| * Regiments which had no TF battalions of their own | |
When a soldier was transferred in or out of the London Regiment, he was treated in the following way as regards renumbering him:
| From | To | Example | Effect on his number |
| Bn of London Regt | Bn of London Regt of the same corps | From 3rd to 29th Bn | None, he kept the same number |
| Bn of London Regt | Bn of London Regt of a different corps | From 3rd to 6th Bn | Renumbered in the TF series of his new battalion |
| Bn of London Regt | Regular army Bn of the same Corps | From 3rd Londons to 1st Royal Fusiliers | None, he kept his number |
| Bn of London Regt | A TF Bn of a different regiment in the same Corps | From 14th Londons to 4th Gordons | Renumbered in the TF series of his new battalion |
| Non-London TF Bn | Bn of London Regt in same corps | From 4th West Kents to 20th Londons | Renumbered in the TF series of his new battalion |
| Regular army Bn | Bn of London Regt in same corps | From 2nd Middlesex to 19th Londons | None, he kept his number |
The ins and outs of the all-Territorial regiments
| All-TF Regiment | Treated as part of |
| Cambridgeshire Regiment | Suffolk Regiment |
| Herefordshire Regiment | King’s Shropshire Light Infantry |
| Hertfordshire Regiment | Bedfordshire Regiment |
| Highland Cyclist Bn | Royal Highlanders (Black Watch) |
| Huntingdonshire Cyclist Battalion | Bedfordshire Regiment |
| Kent Cyclist Battalion | Queen’s Own (Royal West Kent Regiment) |
| Monmouthshire Regiment | South Wales Borderers |
| Northern Cyclist Battalion | Northumberland Fusiliers |
The Brecknockshire and Buckinghamshire Battalions were treated as part of South Wales Borderers and Oxfordshire & Buckinghamshire Light Infantry respectively. | |
Changes to the system: Army Council Instruction 2415 of 1917
Published on 11 August 1917, this Instruction clarified matters by by tabulating the numbering rules for transfers of men between corps of infantry.
Regular soldiers (which included conscripts to regular and new army units) were those serving on regular army attestations whether currently bearing a regular or TF number. The rules for renumbering these men if they had to be transferred became as follows:
| Destination | Transfer method | Posting | Renumbering rules |
| Royal Defence Corps | Transferred to RDC | Posted to a unit of RDC | Allocated a TF number |
| Honourable Artillery Company | Discharged and re-enlisted on TF attestation terms | Posted to a unit of HAC | Allocated a TF number |
| All others | Transferred to the corps in which he is required to serve | Posted to either a regular or TF unit as required | Allocated a regular number in his new corps* |
| * Thus his number after transfer would not be from the numbering table shown above | |||
TF soldiers (which included conscripts to TF units) were those serving on TF attestations whether currently bearing a regular or TF number. The rules for renumbering these men if they had to be transferred became as follows:
| Destination | Transfer method | Posting | Renumbering rules |
| A corps containing one or more TF units | Transferred to the corps in which he is required to serve | Posted to a regular or TF unit of his new corps as required | Allocated a TF number in his new corps |
| A corps containing both regular and TF soldiers but no TF units | Transferred to the corps in which he is required to serve | Posted to unit of new corps | Allocated a regular number* |
| A corps which contained no TF units or soldiers | Discharged and re-enlisted on a regular attestation | Posted to a unit of the corps in which he is required to serve | Allocated a regular number in his new corps* |
| * Thus his number after transfer would not be from the numbering table shown above | |||
Tip: I now know from his number that my man served with a TF unit. Where next?
Taking our example of Private 266117 Bill Smith, who was known to have been with the 9th Battalion of the Manchester Regiment. This battalion was actually split into three during the war, the 1/9th, 2/9th and 3/9th. His number does not tell you which one Bill served with. To find out, you would need to find his service record or look at his entries in the medal rolls.