Museum of the Manchester Regiment Object Focus

Bedplate

Bedplates such as this one showed a soldier’s name, number and regiment. They were used by soldiers to mark their bed when in barracks from about 1900 until 1939.

When a soldier’s bed was laid out for inspection a plate like this was often hung over it. This enabled the inspecting officer to see that the man’s name and number matched the numbers on the clothing and equipment laid out for inspection.

Vacant bed spaces had to be accounted for during inspections, so the plates could be turned around to show the word ‘DUTY’, explaining a soldier’s absence.