Renumbering of the Territorial Force Royal Engineers in 1917

Men serving in the Territorial Force got new numbers in 1917 and a great deal can be determined about their service from these numbers. This page should help you understand what it all means.

Background

The renumbering of the Territorial Force in 1917

Changes to the numbering of TF Royal Engineers was promulgated in Army Council Instruction (ACI) 2243 of 1916, published on 1 December 1916, which also dealt with changes in the arrangements for RE TF records, pay and other administrative matters. These arrangements were to take effect from 1 January 1917 but were later postponed until 1 February 1917. Although not explicitly stated in ACIs, it is likely these postponements also applied to renumbering.

Those soldiers defined as TF were renumbered with numbers from 400001 upwards. Men retained these numbers for as long as they served in the RE, even if they were subsequently posted to a regular RE unit. The detailed allocation of numbers to TF units is shown below, together with the County Territorial Association(s) responsible for the unit.

The only RE TF units not allocated blocks of numbers were RE TF anti-aircraft units. Men serving in these were given numbers from the allocation of their original TF unit (presumably they were considered as ‘attached’ to anti-aircraft units).

RE soldiers who were designated regulars as far as the renumbering process was concerned were identifiable as such by their numbers: 1 – 400000. They retained this number as long as they served in RE, even if they were later posted to a TF RE unit. They did not get new numbers in 1917. A regular soldier who transferred to the RE from the another arm of service, or who was posted to an RE unit from Army Reserve Section B, was allocated a regular number, irrespective of whether he had originally joined a regular or TF unit. For example if he had been a Territorial infantryman or gunner, then transferred to the Territorial RE, he was treated as a regular for the purposes of renumbering.

From 1 January 1917 every man enlisted into the RE, or transferred from another arm, was dealt with as a regular soldier and allocated a regular number even if he served in a TF RE unit.

The detailed allocation of numbers to TF Royal Engineers units

Links

The renumbering of the Territorial Force in 1917

The Corps of Royal Engineers