« on: Tuesday 29 January 13 00:24 GMT (UK) »
Hi all,
My 4x gt grandfather Benjamin King was baptised in Ringwood, Hampshire on 1st Sept 1779. On the 15th June 1799 he enlisted into the 23rd Light Dragoons and stated that he was age 17, 17 years 9 months to be precise, however as you can see from his baptism date he was actually 19 years 9 months old.
I have noticed that a couple of other threads on here have the same two year discrepancy! My question is was there some sort of inducement or whatever on enlisting to encourage men to state that they were under 18 when they were actually over 18?
Benjamin left the army & same regiment now the 23rd Lancers in 1818 when the regiment was disbanded, as a serjeant after 17 years 253 days service!
I hope this question makes some kind of sense!
Kind regards
David
Aitcheson, Aldred, Batty, Bauer, Bone, Brewer, Dean, Doyle, Durant, Fife, Finney, Gibson, Graham/Grayham, Hall, Harrison, Hersey, Hill, Holliss, Hudson, Hussey, Insley, Kelsey, King, Laver, Longmore, Luke, Mellor, Newman, North, Parker, Phillips, Porter, Read, Robinson, Rowel, Spink, Sproxton, Steer, Stevenson, Tanner, Witty/Whitty, Warburton, Wood.
(For more information on the above surnames please check the Surname Interest Table below.)
