Enlistment Year?

[ALAMO2008]

The Family Believe the Relative enlisted 1916 but isn't this Serial Number a New 6 Digit 1917 number?

[Jebber]

I think I’m right in  saying standardisation was seven digit numbers from 1920.

[ALAMO2008]

Cheers Jebber

Was beginning to wonder if I had a Blip thinking 1917 then found this.

https://www.longlongtrail.co.uk/soldiers/a-soldiers-life-1914-1918/renumbering-of-the-territorial-force-in-1917/

[AllanUK]

The Family Believe the Relative enlisted 1916 but isn't this Serial Number a New 6 Digit 1917 number?

The re-numbering of soldiers in 1917 was the introduction of 6 digit service numbers for soldiers in the Territorial Force. Each corps of infantry was allocated a block of TF numbers starting at 200001.

The 10th Battalion of the Manchester Regiment was a Territorial Force and men of this regiment who were serving pre 1917 were allocated a new 6 digit number from a block of numbers of 375001 to 400000. James Francis service number on his Medal Index Card was 377560. His entry in the Medal Rolls shows 377560 and that he was first with the 2/10th Battalion of the Manchester then at some stage transferred to the 9th Battalion.

A search for a soldier with a close 6 digit number to 377560 came up with Edgar Parsonage, service number 377555. This man enlisted into the 2/10th Battalion on the 9th August 1916 and was given the service number of  5708 (see attached snippet image, courtesy of Find My Past) - in 1917 he was re-numbered and given the service number of 377555.

I would say that James Francis enlisted in August 1916, perhaps the same day as Edgar Parsonage.

[ALAMO2008]

Brilliant AllanUK that explains it well.

[AllanUK]

Happy to help