Service Number Mystery help please.

[ALAMO2008]

I always seen in Most not all cases that an initial service number allocated to a Soldier goes with him mostly when he changes Btns or Regts.

I have this Robin Carlyle Morland and his Mother's article on her 3 Sons in the Birkenhead News states he joined his Brother's Regt 10th King's Liverpool Scottish hence the Photo



He then appears to have transferred to the 17th Pals with whom he earned his M M

When they were disbanded in Spring/Summer 1918 he was transferred to 2/7th King's with whom he died on 1 September 1918 with Serial number 52005

But per his Service Medal Card 52005 appears to have been allocated to him only in the 17th Pals




Question - did he start in the 17th ? Go temporarily to the 10th then come back to the 17th or did he have another service number with the 10th getting a new one when he joined the 17th ?

[Mvann]

Hi

Would have had a different number in the 10th. There is another thread on here somewhere that explains how the system worked and the date it was changed to the soldier keeping the same number. If I can refind the thread I'll post the link


Jon

[Jebber]

Before 1920 a man would be given a different number every time he changed Regiments. It was only after 1920 that he retained the same number whenever he was transferred.

[Mvann]

Thanks jebber

Saves my trying to find the thread from our last discussion

Jon

[ALAMO2008]

Thanks Everyone for your Time and Input
Would there be any Medal Cards or Records for him in the 10th King's Liverpool Scottish before being allocated 52005 when he joined the 17th Pals ?

[Mvann]

Card medal index cards should have both numbers I think

[ALAMO2008]

No sadly

only 52005 and no mention of 10th King's Service

[CraigM63]

I think you'll find that the medal rolls, and by extension the medal index cards, if compiled properly, should show all the regiments and service numbers that a soldier had while serving in a theatre of war. As others have pointed out, a soldier would have been given a new service number on changing regiments during WW1, and indeed in some regiments would have received a new service number on transferring between battalions in the same regiment. My interpretation of the medal roll is that he had the same service number while serving with the King's Liverpool Regiment, and while he may have initially joined the 10th (Scottish) Battalion, he did not serve with them overseas in a theatre of war so there will be nothing to be found in the medal rolls or medal index cards related to this part of his service. 

[ALAMO2008]

Cheers CraigM63
I agree your Logic,
Thanks