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General => Armed Forces => Topic started by: Trees on Thursday 08 February 07 18:45 GMT (UK)
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Please can you tell me what was the youngest age a boy could join the services from the late eighteenth century through to WW1
Trees
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Hi
It would appear that some boys were acceptable at the age of 14 years.
Pte George Stirrat, Cameron Highlanders Band. The picture shows him when he was Drum Major of Queen Victoria School, Dunblane, when he commanded the QVS band at Olympia where he performed before the King and Queen in June 1914. His father Cpl Stirrat, Scots Greys was killed in the Boer War at the battle of Dronfield. George went to France with Cameron Highlanders as part of the BEF. He was in the field aged 14 and spent his 15 birthday on the battlefield. The Dundee Courier Jan 6 1915 headlines him as "Britains Youngest Soldier Wounded", and was in St Thomas' Hospital, London with shrapnel wounds to the leg.
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Many thanks
That fits my findings well James McMullin attested as volunteer 3rd Surrey Militia 10 Mar 1873 aged 14 yrs Occupation Laborer Joined as bugler and drummer pay 1/3 per day 27 Jan 1874 Kingston upon Thames Barracks 27 Jan 1874
His father seems to have enlisted at 17 in 1841and was sent to serve in South Africa the following year returning in 1856,
I thought 17 to be sent into action so far from home was bad and 14 seemed unbelievably young.
Trees
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I'm not exactly sure of the age of my ancestor when he joined the East Norfolk militia in the 19th century. No birth certificate, and although the army records say he was 16 on entry, subsequent census records would make it 15 or 14, depending on the year and his memory/inclination.... ::)
At least he was a drummer and - I hope - not in action... :-\
But almost certainly very young.
meles
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My husband has a great uncle who appears in the census with the Royal Artillary aged 14, where the others on the page are listed as private etc he is down as 'boy' :-\
Suey
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Yes,
There appears to be little rhyme or reason on how boy soldiers were accepted into the army. Though boy bandsmen appear to be quite prevalent. It also seems that if they were accepted as a ‘boy’ soldier then they would be protected to some extent by the Regiment.
However, if they joined under a false age, they would be treated the same as a man, or ordinary soldier and suffer the rigours of the front line.
One instance I came across shows the 5th Black Watch sending back four underage soldiers on leave, then sent to the 5th Reserve Black Watch Battalion at Hawick, presumably to wait until they became of age to be shipped overseas.
Anne
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Hi there
I am a McMullin, living in South Africa. My ancestors James Samuel and R McMullin(?) were both in the AngloBoer war and lived in the Mafikeng area. I have been told that they came from Ireland.
Can anyone help me with this connection.
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Hi there
I am a McMullin, living in South Africa. My ancestors James Samuel and R McMullin(?) were both in the AngloBoer war and lived in the Mafikeng area. I have been told that they came from Ireland.
Can anyone help me with this connection?
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my granda enlisted in the royal artilery age 15 he lied about his age.
neil
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I think that as said many "boy soldiers" enlisted first in the the band around age 14 and then when they were 16 they would progress to becomming full soldiers. Of course there were always the young lads who lied about their age. This came more to the public eye during WW1 when this subject was even raised in Parliament. Sadly "cannon fodder" was needed and in many cases although it was known these lads were far too young to be on the front it was conveniently ignored. Ian Hislop did a programme on this as part of his series.
But in the Navy, it was not unsual for cabin boys to be as young as 10 or 11. And the other young boys were the Power Monkeys. The Navy was one of the services which regularly took in very young boys. Not sure when this practice stopped.
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I am sure that I have read somewhere that Midshipmen in the Royal Navy could join up at age 14.
I suppose also Ships Boys could possibly be younger than that.
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Plummiegirl
I think you mean Powder Monkeys.
They would have been real 'cannon fodder' the poor mites!
Carol Beth
Why not put your McMullin request on the Ireland board?
Trees might pick it up from there?
Dawn M
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Hi everyone I have got the post but have been away for a couple of nights.
Carol Beth its good to meet another McMullin unfortunately there are several families with the surname originating in Ireland Have you tried their military records do you have rough ages for them? We have only been able to find where Henry was from from his atestation papers and even knowing the village his actual date of birth and his father's name we have failed to find more about his immediate family. His dad was a James McMullin a shoemaker in Bellaghy, Co. Londonderry, N Ireland Henry was fighting in the Kaffir wars he joined up in 1841 the Boar war was quite a bit later.
If you find your family go back there PLEASE let me know I think I tried the Irish board many moons ago the lovely much missed Chris did try to help but we got no where with it maybe its time to try again so many more records have become available.
Have you tried their military records do you have rough ages for them?
Good hunting with it
Trees
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Thank you for your response> I have now found a Samuel McMullin born in Dublin C1830> His mother was Mary Jane. Had borthers Frank and William (latter in British Army went to India). Getting somewhere. Thank you so much.
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:) :) glad you are getting results :)
Any one know how I can find records for Bellaghy?
Trees
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My 2XGGF enlisted in the Somerset Militia as a trumpeter at the age of 17 in 1793. Later my mother's cousin Jack Cornwell VC was killed at the Battle of Jutland in 1916. He was 16 years old!
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oh I remember being told his story when I was in scouts a wonderful inspiration to all youngsters
Trees
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What was kept quiet was that his mother was leaned on by people Highup in the Admiralty to have his body disinterred and given a state funeral, at a time when she was grieving over the loss of her husband in the war also.
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how very sad to loos husband and son I hope the knowledge that they are held in great reverence even today helps heal such sadness
You can be justifiably be proud of both father and son
Trees
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Nelson was 12 yrs old when he went to sea. And certainly powder monkeys would often be much younger and expected to use arms if it came to hand to hand fighting.
Plenty of women too who fought beside their men in the Peninsular Wars and on the ships at Trafalgar!!
Spring
Modify
Pa joined up at 16 , under-age in 1914. W2 (1939) he joined up again age 41 over-age!!
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My father went down much the same route, tried to enlist in 1914 aged 15 because he was "Bored" by farm life, but gave the correct age, was told to come back the next year "And don't be 16". In WW2 he was in the reserved occupation as railway engine driver, but Sergeant in the Home Guard, and from information I stumbled across when he died I think he might have been designated as a "stay behind", but that was never talked about and today is still somewhat shrouded.