Hampshire Regiment Regular army service numbers look up

[Hearne]

Thank you Damon. I'll be in touch as I know more.
Good luck with your project

Ralph

[Hearne]

Damon,

I was at the Hampshire Regiments Museum At  Searles House Yesterday and discovered they have one of very few copies of the Regimental Journal. They have just started toindex it and it contains Soldiers numbers Promotions and reports on the Regiment.
I don't know if you are aware of this. I shall be going there over the next few weeks to follow Walters progress if I can. Is there anything you want looked at?
Doyou know how to do a private chat?
Ralph

[Damo66]

Hi Ralph. Thank you for your note. I am aware of the existence of the Regimental Journal and I have planned a week's visit to Hampshire later this year to visit the museum to view this and also to visit the County Record Office.
I am currently processing my notes (presently on surnames beginning G) so whilst I don't have anything in particular to look up, you might find it interesting to look out for any details of Clement GOLDING, Private, 4537, he seems to have played a signficant part in rescuing the wounded on 1/07/1916.
I have not encountered private chat before but happy to be involved if this is of use.
Other than Walter Feltham are there any other 1st Battalion men that you are researching?

[Damo66]

One afterthought Ralph, when you find lists of sick or wounded in the Journal, the date refers to the date that they were admitted to the hospital/CCS/Field Ambulance noted.

[Hearne]

Dear Damon,
Sgt Walter Feltham's full name is Walter Charles Henry Feltham. He was a L/Cpl on 23/8/14 when he entered the theatre of war.
The 1st Hampshires lost 50% of those in action on 4th October 1917 that is 64 killed and 16 missing. Sgt Feltham is commemorated on the Tyne Cot memorial which means his body was not found.
RHamps Museum is quite small the Administrator who does the reseach is RACHEL HOLMES. There is no official research facilities, but there are two spare desks in Rachels Office which she would be happy for you to use provided you give a couple of days notice.
The Museum does charge normally for research done by them. However if you give them a copy of your findings they may be happy to join in your research.

Ralph

[meekhcs]

I am trying to find records for Sgt Harry Parfett (Parfitt)

He died 13 May 1915 His reg no was 3/1472 and he served with 1st Battalion Hampshire Regt. There are no service records.

However I have found the following service records in the name of Harry Parfitt
27 Nov 1893 attested into 3rd Battalion Hampshire Regt no. 6718
16 Jan 1894 attested into 37th & 67th Foot Hampshire Record and served overseas in East Indied 1897-1903 and Aden 1903-1904. He left the army in 1906 after 12 years of service.

I am sure these 3 records refer to the same person asage,place of birth, Father and Fathers address all tie in.

Is there any way in which I can tie the first two records to the third?

thank you Sally

[Minnieccat]

My Great Grandfather, Walter Wilson Lane, born Basingstoke 1855,  was in the Hampshire Regiment, 67th Foot.  He left the Hampshire Regiment on the 28th December 1882.  His service number was
1706.  Can anyone tell me roughly when he joined the army and also where the Regiment were in 1881 when the census was taken. Thank you.

[Eisley]

Hi Damon,

I'm researching three of my ancestors who served in the Hampshires.  Two brothers (one was one of my great grandfathers) joined the 3rd battalion - and later joined the 1st battalion.  The other (another great grandfather) joined the 1st garrison battalion.  I've put some details about them below - hopefully some it is useful to you.

I'd love to know if you have discovered any other details about these men.  I'm planning to go and do some research at the regimental museum soon, so any advice on what to look for would be great.

Thanks a lot,

James.


Alfred Henry Watson
Born: Around Feb 1881 and Died: 10th April 1917
Joined 3rd Battalion (number 9002) on 9th August 1899
His attestation form has a line (after his initial 49 days) saying "To Hampshire Regiment" dated 12th Jan 1900.
I have discovered he served with the 1st battalion in WWI
His service number in the 1st battalion was 5863
The Army Service Numbers web site suggests that number 5863 would have been issued around January 1900 so I believe the "To Hampshire Regiment" entry on his form was when he was moved to the 1st battalion.
He may not have remained in the army in the time between joining the 1st battalion in 1900.
His medal details show him as entering the theatre of war on 31st August 1914
he was killed in action on 10th April 1917, aged 36, and was buried in Chili Trench Cemetery (plot D 12) in Gavrelle, France - I assume this was during the First Battle of the Scarpe.
So far I have only found his attestation form for joining the 3rd battalion in 1899 which has few details.

Ernest Leonard Watson
Born: 16th May 1882 and Died: 1st Feb 1963
Joined 3rd Battalion (number 9733) on 28th Feb 1901
Similar to Alfred above, Ernest also has an entry saying "To Hampshire Regiment" dated 16th June 1904
(There are a few lines above that showing 1 months service each year for 1902, 1903 and 1904 which I think was probably normal for being in the 3rd battalion as I assume it wasn't a full-time battalion)
His service number in the 1st battalion was 7199
The Army Service Numbers web site suggests that number 7199 would have been issued around June 1904 so, like Alfred, I believe the "To Hampshire Regiment" entry on his form was when he was moved to the 1st battalion.
Again he may not have remained in the army in the time between joining the 1st battalion in 1904.
His medal details show him as entering the theatre of war on 20th September 1914
So far I have only found his attestation form for joining the 3rd battalion in 1901 which has few details.

William Sheahan (although spelt Shehan on most of his forms and his medals)
Born: August 1871 and Died: 9th May 1919
He was a career soldier and served in the Rifle Brigade from 1891.
He was in India and then South Africa for the Boer War.
He left the army after the Boer War but rejoined for WWI - still with the Rifle Brigade.
He went to France with the Rifle Brigade but was returned to England after being injured by a shell blast in 1915.
However, on 21st April 1916 he was transferred to the Hampshires 1st Garrison Battalion and returned to France.
On his records and medals, his service number in the 1st Garrison battalion was 24285 (although it is written as both 24225 and 24285 on the medal index card)
I am fortunate to have found his records so have quite a lot of details about him.
He was Company Quarter Master Sergeant when he left the army on 26th April 1918.
I have been told he was given a military funeral (in May 1919) - he has a war graves stone with the Hampshire badge on it - but I can not find any evidence to back this up from local newspapers.  I wonder if there is any chance of finding that mentioned in the Hampshires' records?

[km1971]

Hi James

Alfred wisely tried the Militia before committing to 12 years as a Regular. To purchase a discharge from the Militia was only £2. It was £20 from the Regulars.

The 1st and 2nd Battalions comprised the Regular army. Recruits signed up for 12 years with the colours (in uniform), or seven years in uniform followed by five years in the 1st Class Army Reserve. If his record does not appear on Ancestry you have some research to do. Firstly was he a soldier in 1911? If not he probably transferred to the Reserve in January 1907. His '12' would have been up in 1912 but he could have extended his time in the Reserves for four years. So he would be recalled at the start of WW1. Or he was discharged in 1912 and re-enlisted in 1914 and was given the same number.

Reservists joined whichever Regular battalion was Home in August 1914. This was the 1st Battalion. It does not mean he served with them from 1900. You can search for any Boer War medals on Ancestry. If he served in South Africa it would be with the 2nd Bn. The 1st Bn stayed in the East Indies.

Regarding WW1, he went to France with the 1st Bn several weeks after the start. So this gives no clues as to his pre WW1 battalion.

You should ask a Moderator to separate your question from the rest. It will make it easier to follow.

Added...I have found him as a House Painter in 1911, and obligingly he also states he is an Army Reservist. This is only the third Reservist stating the fact on a census I have found from many thousands. They usually just quote their civilian job. So we now know he probably transferred to the AR in 1907 - although if he was overseas, the army had the right to keep him for a further year, or until his battalion came home.

Ken