Guest Dansette Posted 18 October , 2003 Share Posted 18 October , 2003 Hi, I've searched the forum and couldn't see any messages on this, (if there are, I apologise for starting a new topic!). Like lots of people, I'm doing my family tree, and one of my ancestors served in WW1. It's my great-grandad, William Charles Robey, born 14th September 1901 in Reading (he died of TB in the 1940s). As you can see from his dob, he was underage when he joined up. I don't know anything about what he got up to in the war, and was especially interested as he wasn't technically old enough to join. Going by the 'searching for grandad' section on this site, that the voluntary conscription finished in 1916, he would presumably have been 13 or 14 when he joined. Are there many records of boys who joined too young? Were they found out and sent home or did people turn a blind eye? I'd be really interested to know! Thanks! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Paul Reed Posted 18 October , 2003 Share Posted 18 October , 2003 If a soldier said he was 18 when he enlisted, then that's the age the army took him for - it never bothered to check. Even when a soldier was 'found out' he wasn't always discharged. But whichever, the records of under age soldiers are in there with all the others - they were not kept seperately or removed to be filed at a later stage. You need to find him on the Medal Index Cards at the PRO/NA at Kew, and take it from there. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Ian Bowbrick Posted 18 October , 2003 Share Posted 18 October , 2003 There are examples of soldiers being 're-claimed' by anxious mothers, listed in the National Rolls. 33081 Cpl G Hall 187th Coy MGC enlisted in Nov 1914 into the 10th Hussars and gave his DoB as 10 October 1896. His actual birthday was 10 October 1898, so he was only 16. His mother had 4 other kids to support so wasn't concerned with her oldest enlisting - at least he got three meals a day and clothes that fitted. One less mouth to feed was more important in this family. Ian Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kate Wills Posted 19 October , 2003 Share Posted 19 October , 2003 A few mentions are also contained in a recent thread http://www.1914-1918.org/forum/index.php?s...?showtopic=5106 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
KILTY Posted 19 October , 2003 Share Posted 19 October , 2003 Would these soldiers mentioned as being formally discharged or indeed "reclaimed by anxious mothers" because of their age, still be entitled to any campaign awards they had partaken in. Kilty. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Ian Bowbrick Posted 19 October , 2003 Share Posted 19 October , 2003 Kilty, Yes they were. Ian Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
KILTY Posted 19 October , 2003 Share Posted 19 October , 2003 Thanks Ian, your positive reply helps me with my own family research. Kilty. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Ian Bowbrick Posted 19 October , 2003 Share Posted 19 October , 2003 Kilty, There is a soldier listed in the National Roll (one of the London editions) who went to France aged 14 in 1914 with the Royal Berks. Was wounded, back to blighty, transferred to the MGC, was about to go back out to France in 1916 and his mother reclaimed him. He got a 1914 star trio. He spent the rest of the war in a shipping office. Ian Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
alanh Posted 22 October , 2003 Share Posted 22 October , 2003 I have several under 19 year old who served in my family William Albert Victor Humphries born Feb 1901 He is listed in the CWMGC databasel as Private G/98134 in 29th battalion Royal Fusiliers, Died Tuesday 12 Nov 1918, Age 19, buried Ladywell Cemetery SE13, CWGC section.. On his death certificate he is listed in 29 Bn The London Regiment (a home service unit) and dying of pneumonia while recovering from wounds at Colchester Military hospital age 17. and Pte A H Cooper Born 7/11/1901 42882 Manchester Regt, haven't found out which Bn yet but, this is what was listed on surviving MOD records, re-enlisted 26/06/19 7814348 Pte A H Cooper Machine Gun Corps, transferring to 2765936 L/Cpl A H Cooper 1st bn Black Watch on 28/03/21 till 1925 service in India (Allahbad) and WW2 service in Gibraltar 1941-43 Alan Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Ian Bowbrick Posted 22 October , 2003 Share Posted 22 October , 2003 Kilty, There is a soldier listed in the National Roll (one of the London editions) who went to France aged 14 in 1914 with the Royal Berks. Was wounded, back to blighty, transferred to the MGC, was about to go back out to France in 1916 and his mother reclaimed him. He got a 1914 star trio. He spent the rest of the war in a shipping office. Ian The soldiers name was Pte J Reynolds 3rd Royal Berks & MGC Ian Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Max Posted 22 October , 2003 Share Posted 22 October , 2003 Just this morning I came across 22109 Pte Gladstone Simpson who was killed on 10th June 1915 after a rifle grenade discharged in the billet that he was occupying at Winnezeele. Gladstone was a boy of 16. Andy Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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