Regimental Numbers and Officers (WW2)
- Thread starter maj4bz
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I suspect it was a matter of tradition, as officers did not have regimental/service numbers before the Second World War. I suspect the system tracked officers via the monthly field return of officers submitted by each unit. This probably was one of those things that did not work in theory, but functioned quite well in practice.
As an aside, the British created service numbers for the Canloan officers, as British officers had numbers.
As an aside, the British created service numbers for the Canloan officers, as British officers had numbers.
A few thoughts:
Officers may have had Regimental Numbers if the were originally enrolled as Non-commissioned pers.
VAC page @ http://www.collectionscanada.ca/archivianet/02015203_e.html states:
Regimental Numbers
From 1914 until 1917, the Canadian Expeditionary Force was composed of men who had volunteered to fight. Able-bodied men were actively encouraged to enlist by Recruiting Officers who worked throughout the country. In larger urban areas, Recruiting Officers often worked from stationary recruiting centres, while in rural areas they travelled to many towns, counties or, in the west, large sections of provinces. Individual Recruiting Officers were told to recruit a specific number of men for a specific unit.
Before setting out to recruit their men, Recruiting Officers were assigned a block of regimental numbers. They assigned one regimental number to each man that enlisted. The Regimental Numbers list of the Canadian Expeditionary Force matches the military unit assigned to each block of regimental numbers. Therefore, the Regimental Number list can be used to identify the unit in which a man initially served.
This will not apply to men who were conscripted into the military in 1917. After that date regimental numbers were given to men in the order in which they were called up for service.
Officers who attended military college could be referenced by their college number, more info at:
http://www.rmcclub.ca/AboutUs/CollegeNumbers.htm
Did commissioning scrolls ever or originally have serial numbers?
The CF used to annually publish an Officers List with significant identifying data. Final thought - officers were identified by rank and Regiment and were seen as a member of the Officers Corps.
Officers may have had Regimental Numbers if the were originally enrolled as Non-commissioned pers.
VAC page @ http://www.collectionscanada.ca/archivianet/02015203_e.html states:
Regimental Numbers
From 1914 until 1917, the Canadian Expeditionary Force was composed of men who had volunteered to fight. Able-bodied men were actively encouraged to enlist by Recruiting Officers who worked throughout the country. In larger urban areas, Recruiting Officers often worked from stationary recruiting centres, while in rural areas they travelled to many towns, counties or, in the west, large sections of provinces. Individual Recruiting Officers were told to recruit a specific number of men for a specific unit.
Before setting out to recruit their men, Recruiting Officers were assigned a block of regimental numbers. They assigned one regimental number to each man that enlisted. The Regimental Numbers list of the Canadian Expeditionary Force matches the military unit assigned to each block of regimental numbers. Therefore, the Regimental Number list can be used to identify the unit in which a man initially served.
This will not apply to men who were conscripted into the military in 1917. After that date regimental numbers were given to men in the order in which they were called up for service.
Officers who attended military college could be referenced by their college number, more info at:
http://www.rmcclub.ca/AboutUs/CollegeNumbers.htm
Did commissioning scrolls ever or originally have serial numbers?
The CF used to annually publish an Officers List with significant identifying data. Final thought - officers were identified by rank and Regiment and were seen as a member of the Officers Corps.
Gunner 98
Good post. In answer to a couple of your points, at least in so far as it applied to my era in the post-war Canadian Army (Regular), my commission scroll did not include my service number, and my officer's number (ZB8453) was different from the one I had as a NCM (SB180424). The year that I was selected for officer training under the officer candidate program (OCP) was the first one that saw officer numbers allotted to OCP officer cadets. However ROTP cadets, whether attending a service college or civilian university, had been given officer numbers from the start.
Back to the main point, I can see no reason why officers did not have service numbers other than that they were not enrolled, they were appointed or gazetted. Even that seems a bit weak, and it may have been because of nothing more than snobbishness or the heavy hand of tradition.
Good post. In answer to a couple of your points, at least in so far as it applied to my era in the post-war Canadian Army (Regular), my commission scroll did not include my service number, and my officer's number (ZB8453) was different from the one I had as a NCM (SB180424). The year that I was selected for officer training under the officer candidate program (OCP) was the first one that saw officer numbers allotted to OCP officer cadets. However ROTP cadets, whether attending a service college or civilian university, had been given officer numbers from the start.
Back to the main point, I can see no reason why officers did not have service numbers other than that they were not enrolled, they were appointed or gazetted. Even that seems a bit weak, and it may have been because of nothing more than snobbishness or the heavy hand of tradition.
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Hi Old Sweat :
Well when i enlisted in the Army in 1940 every body got a Regimebtal number with didstrict code etc . The officers i know permanent one had it already . But in most cases it was kept under wraps etc.
As it was the only way we could identify the Body at later stage if need to They allso had Dog Tags as i did
Just my two cents
Just a old vet Still plugging a long to try to stay alive But with a lot of Suffering .
The Best : "LADY FROM HELL"
Michael Dorosh
Army.ca Veteran
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In 1945, officers began to be issued service numbers just like Other Ranks. It was considered sufficient to identify an officer by name alone.
CANLOAN officers did receive a CANLOAN number by which they were identified, as pointed out above, but they were not similar to British numbers, rather I think they were just numbered in the order they joined the CANLOAN program.
CANLOAN officers did receive a CANLOAN number by which they were identified, as pointed out above, but they were not similar to British numbers, rather I think they were just numbered in the order they joined the CANLOAN program.
Michael Dorosh
Army.ca Veteran
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Lady From Hell said:
Hi Old Sweat :
Well when i enlisted in the Army in 1940 every body got a Regimebtal number with didstrict code etc .
Officers did not receive regimental numbers until very late in the war.
