1914 Army service number allocation

[nicmx5]

I've recently been told that my four great-uncles, surname Newton, volunteered for the Army together in1914 in Stockport.  Would they have been allocated to the same regiment, and would their service numbers be similar?  I'm thinking this might be a way of narrowing down the search at Kew.

Nicmx5

[Wendi]

Hi nicmx5, and a Warm Welcome to Rootschat  We love it when you choose to make your first post on the Armed Forces Board too 

I guess it's kinda a yes and no answer, but as they were "in early" it's more lightly a yes.  It would be helpful if you could post more about each one.

Do you have their Full names ? Did they survive the war?

Have you checked the Commonwealth War Graves Commision web site?

At Kew they have Medal Rolls, but only for those that went abroad, and with a surname like Newton, it would be handy if you can advise any middle names.

Kind regards
Wendi

[nicmx5]

Hi, Wendy,

Yes they all survived, so CWGC not a help.  I did check out Newton numbers on the online Medal Rolls but couldn't see any correlation between any two names.

There were seven brothers, sons of John Newton, a tea dealer who ran a shop in Brinksway, Cheadle, Stockport, general dealer and post office.

From 1891 and 1901 census:
 
Frank A b app 1885,
James J b app 1887,
John William b. app 1881,
Arthur b. app 1891
Samuel H b. app 1892
Frederick b. app 1895
Walter S b. app 1896

and Arthur and Samuel were two of the four who joined up

Nic

[Wendi]

Your right, you need something more to go on. 

Birth certs would give you their middle names which would narrow it down a bit.

There was probably something in a local paper, but again it's when to look.

Can you quiz again the person who told you?  It's amazing how even the smallest peice of info can put you on track.

Wendi

[harribobs]

from the stockport area, i would have thought the Cheshire regiment and the manchester regiment were favourites for 1914 voluteers

reviewing the medal rolls there are a couple of possibles

arthur     manchester reg s/n 1736 ( territorial or regular)
sam        manchester reg s/n 1643 or 1944 (ditto)

arthur cheshire reg s/n 1016
sam    cheshire reg s/n 2156 or 4486

[manchester regt]

four sons would have been big news in the stockport papers,they published many pictures of whole familys of brothers joining up but i cant find the newton lads,i searched both papers,a lot of the young blokes in stockport joined the 6th manchesters and the 6th cheshires,a lot of them belonged to the many lacrosse clubs in and around stockport,they wont necessarily have corresponding numbers or be in the same regt,mack

[manchester regt]

hiya nic,its possible that fred was not so fortunate.
2/Lt fred newton
1/5th cheshire regt
age 22
born stockport 16-11-1894
lived,rosstrevor.northgate rd,stockport
son of john and mrs e.newton
one of 5 brothers who served
educated at stockport municipal secondary school and central school of commerce.
worked as a clerk at electromotors,openshaw,manchester
he was 5ft 8inch tall and had a 33.5 inch chest
enlisted in stockport on 1-9-1914 into the RAMC, army number 335, sent to egypt and on the 30-4-15 he was promoted to lance corporal,on 1-12-1915 he was promoted to staff serjeant,in the investigation bureau of the RAMC.
on 22-11-1916 he was commissioned 2/Lt in the 1/5th cheshire regt with effect from 26-4-1917.
he was killed in action on 15-8-1917 by shellfire in the fighting round glencorse and polygon woods east of ypres
buried in THE HUTS CEMETERY.
grave ref II.D.14.
the battalion major wrote to his father saying.
i only knew him a short time but formed a very high opinion of him,he handled his men well and was much liked by all who knew him,the battalion has suffered a great loss.
sorry thats all i could find
mack

[manchester regt]

nic,freds father was a tea merchant and gentlemans dealer,his 3 sons frank,james and john all worked for him,there was another john newton who ran the post office,he was similar in age,freds father originally came from macclesfield,you may be fortunate that they may be in the macc newspapers,regards,mack

[Wendi]

Your right, you need something more to go on. 

I'd better take that back  Mack your a wiz as usual !!!