Yesterday I was asked to look at some pages of a WW1 Service Record that a member of the history group I attend had found for a relative. They show the enlistment of a young man (boy) aged 14 years 9 months. This is very, very obvious as his date of birth is clearly given on the Attestation page of the record. The statement of service on the next page gives his rank as BOY. So they knew exactly what was going on. He didn't serve abroad, so my guess is he carried out limited duties to free up older men for front line service.
He appears to have been transferred to a Young Soldiers Battalion in 1918 when he was still 2 months short of 16 years old. The only mention I can find of these battalions is here:
http://www.warpath.orbat.com/armyinfo.htm
Quote:
|
A further reorganisation of the Training Reserve took place in 1917, the Battalions became more specialised in the training they carried out. In May 1917, 14 Battalions were designated Young Soldier Battalions. These Battalions took in and trained soldiers aged 18 years and one month. After completing basic training the young soldiers were posted in Company strength to Graduated Battalions. Twenty-eight Graduated Battalions were formed and linked in pairs to the Young Soldier Battalions, they would be used for Home Service while the soldiers within the Battalion finished their recruit training.
|
Does anyone have anymore information about these young soldiers?