Hampshire Regiment (WWII) service number lookup
The Hampshire Regiment’s service records, spanning the 5,489,005–5,562,000 range, provide a clear link between regional identity and regimental numbering, reflecting the intense recruitment efforts in Winchester, Portsmouth, and Southampton. Because these maritime hubs were critical naval and military centers, this specific cohort often possessed pre-war civilian skills that were frequently leveraged by the British Army during the challenges of the war, moving from the collapse of the defense in France to the subsequent amphibious landings in the Mediterranean.
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The Hampshire Recruitment Hub
The geographical concentration of this block in Winchester, Portsmouth, and Southampton provides a clear link between regional identity and regimental numbering. As these cities were key military and naval hubs, the 5485001–5562000 range represents a high density of local recruits who attested in the months leading up to and immediately following the declaration of war. For researchers, this regional focus is a significant advantage, allowing for the direct correlation between local enlistment records in Hampshire and the specific soldiers assigned to this 77,000-number block.
Mediterranean and Middle East Operational Focus
The inclusion of Middle East, Greece & Crete, and Italy as primary theatres defines the "Hard-War" profile of this regiment. Unlike units confined to home defense or later stages of the war, soldiers within this range were frequently involved in the highest-risk evacuations and amphibious landings. This number sequence is a reliable marker for researchers verifying medal eligibility, such as the 1939-45 Star, the Africa Star, and the Italy Star. Any record showing these theatres points to a unit that was heavily committed to the defense of Mediterranean supply lines and the subsequent offensive into the European mainland.
From the British Expeditionary Force to the Mediterranean
The theatre list—specifically the British Expeditionary Force alongside Greece & Crete—identifies a specific cohort within the 5.48 million series: the pre-war regulars and early volunteers. These men were among the first to experience the tactical challenges of the war, moving from the collapse of the defense in France to the subsequent strategic re-deployments in the Middle East and the Mediterranean. This timeline of movement provides a clear chronological anchor for soldiers in the early part of this block, separating them from the later reinforcements who joined the regiment as it stabilized for the Italian campaign.
Case Study: Tracing the Mediterranean Service
If you are investigating a soldier with the service number 5512000, the data places them firmly in the middle of this Hampshire Regiment recruitment block. By checking this against service records, you can determine if they participated in the campaigns in Greece or Crete. The absence of North-West Europe in the regimental data for this specific sequence confirms that the soldier's primary theatre of operations was the Mediterranean, allowing you to narrow your search for battalion war diaries specifically to the North African, Middle Eastern, or Italian fronts.
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Cross-reference your findings against our Hampshire Regiment data in the WWII Regimental Number Estimator.
Tips
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The "Coastal" Enlistment Surge: Given the strategic importance of Portsmouth and Southampton, many men in this range had pre-war civilian roles in maritime or shipyard industries. If you have a service number in this block, check for "Trade" entries, as these skills were often leveraged when the regiment required engineers or specialized support personnel during amphibious landings.
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The Evacuation Records: A significant number of men in this range were involved in the evacuations from France and later, Greece and Crete. If you find a soldier in this number range whose record ends or changes significantly in 1941, cross-reference their service number with casualty lists for the Mediterranean evacuations; the number acts as a primary key to identifying those listed as missing or taken prisoner during those specific campaigns.
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Click here to view the Hampshire Regiment WWI data hub
This hub is intended for genealogical and historical research purposes. It provides the logical framework for navigating the WWII history of The Hampshire Regiment.