Terry Denham Posted 1 July , 2004 Share Posted 1 July , 2004 Remembering just one amongst so many who died on this day. Sixteen years old forever. Name: ILES, HORACE Initials: H Nationality: United Kingdom Rank: Private Regiment: West Yorkshire Regt. (Prince of Wales's Own) Unit Text: 15th Bn. Age: 16 Date of Death: 01/07/1916 Service No: 1784 Additional information: Son of Elizabeth Iles, of 7, Spencely St., Woodhouse Lane, Leeds, and the late William Iles. Casualty Type: Commonwealth War Dead Grave/Memorial Reference: I. E. 39. Cemetery: SERRE ROAD CEMETERY No. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Alison Arnold Posted 1 July , 2004 Share Posted 1 July , 2004 Terry, Just to add Horace was the first son of William and Elizabeth Iles born around 1900. His age is given as 1 on the 1901 census. His parents had married in the June quarter of 1899. Elizabeths maiden name was possibly Heworth. Not a lot to add I'm afraid. Best wishes Ali Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chris Noble Posted 1 July , 2004 Share Posted 1 July , 2004 Horace, age 14years. Gone, but not forgotten. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
john w. Posted 1 July , 2004 Share Posted 1 July , 2004 Horace was featured on the programme Britain's Boy Soldiers... One day his sacrifice and those of other boy soldiers may be recognised by those in power John Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Terry Denham Posted 1 July , 2004 Author Share Posted 1 July , 2004 I did not see the Boy Soldiers programme but it seems a quirk of fate that a reasonably well known casualty appears, selected at random, on today's date. It is not surprising that the selection was a 'First Day' victim as there were so many but one with the age of sixteen makes the waste and sadness stand out even more. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
john w. Posted 1 July , 2004 Share Posted 1 July , 2004 Terry couldnt agree more, he was a member of the Leeds Pals John Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ali Hollington Posted 1 July , 2004 Share Posted 1 July , 2004 Was this a case of a casualty whose real age came to light after his death or is it possible a blind eye was turned at the time? I appreciate a bit of a difficult question. Ali Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
john w. Posted 1 July , 2004 Share Posted 1 July , 2004 Seems he 'said' he was 18 at the time and politically if you say you are 18 then you are 18. according to the programme reference to a birth certificate wasnt made to back this up and so as he was 18 he had to accept all that the army flung at him including going over the top at the Somme. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
burlington Posted 1 July , 2004 Share Posted 1 July , 2004 I find all this sad beyond belief. For the 20,00 dead on 1 July 1916, and not excluding the German casualties, I say SHAME on the world of that time! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chris Noble Posted 1 July , 2004 Share Posted 1 July , 2004 All the more tragic due to the fact that Horace's sister wrote a letter to him on the 9th July, pleading with him to own up that he was only 16 years of age. The letter was returned by the Infantry Records Office at York marked 'Killed in Action'. Chris. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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