Hello Beryl, To expand, the number you quoted *would* be his service number. The link within the link is a very interesting place to explore It is <http://www.1914-1918.net/rfa_units.htm> and the web master, Chris Baker, has done a very fine job of explaining to family historians about the various parts of the British Army. Val, Royal Fleet Auxiliary was formed in 1905, so *could* have been the answer to a slightly different set of circumstances! <lol> HTH Phil Orpington, Kent, UK > From 1899 to 1924, and then became part of the Royal artillery. > ><http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Royal_Field_Artillery> Phil Warn ô¿ô Genealogists do it backwards Family Historians take all steps "The Warn family in Tetbury from 1722" <http://homepage.ntlworld.com/philwarn/FamHist1/index.htm>