Figure 1.--Here we see a youthful World War I soldier. We thought he was British. The cap, however, does not seem just right. One reader thought he was wearing a St. George Ribbon and two medals. Another reader reports the Feorge medal was a Wofrld War I award. Unfortunately we do not his name or just why he was awarded the medals, but suspect he performed heroically. Also notice the saber and cartridge holsters on his belt. The portrait is not dated, but we believe was taken about 1916, perhaps earlier. Also note the braid on his epaulets. I'm not sure what that meant. He looks to be about 17 years old which mean that he enlisted earlier. Click on the image for a fuller discussion.

One aspect we notice is that at the turn of the 20th century such as in the Bohr War (1899-1902), the British were still accepting quite young boys in the army to serve as musicians. This no longer appears to be the case by World War I. We know the Royal Navy still had younger teenagers, but this does not seem to have been the case for the army. Here are information, however is still very limited. I am not sure at this time just what the age limits were for recruits in the Army. Presumably the yonger recruits needed their parents permission which at the time would have presumably meant their fathers. The Army in 1914 and 15 was entirely volunteer. Presumably the recruiters, especially in 1915 were not very rigorous when in came to following age regulations. This changed in 1916 when conscription was introduced for males 18-45. We are not sure how this affected younger volunteers. Presumably the initial enthusiam for the war which by 1916 had disipated, affected volunterr rates, but we have few details at this time. Here school was a factor. At the time only upper-class and affluent middle-class boys went to secondary schools. Most British boys obly wnt to primary school. This meab that they finished school at about 13-14 years of age. Thus there were large numbers of boys 15-17 years of age with low paying, often boring jobs. Many of these boys would hve been attracted to military service, especially in the initial phase of the War. We note pulp fiction during the War. Kenneth Ward authored The Boy Volunteers which was a 5 volume series. The first book was The Boy Volunteers on the Belgian Front was published in 1917. The boys were depicted in derring do fighting the dasterdly Germans. The action included gallant French airmen, British artillerymen, with the submarine fleet and a new appearance in 1917--the American Infantry. At this time, we have posted this page not because we know much about the subject, but because it is an important topic which we want to develop. We would welcome any information that readers may have.

Boys in the British Army

Young boys regularly served in the British Army during the 18th and 19th century. One of the most famous such boys is the drummervboy that appeared on the ramparts at Yorktown under ahite flag to signal that Lord Corrwallis was ready to discuss surender. Boys serving as musicians were still common during the 19th century. One aspect we notice is that at the turn of the 20th century such as in the Bohr War (1899-1902), the British were still accepting quite young boys in the army to serve as musicians. This no longer appears to be the case by World War I. Recruiters seem to have been more careful about following the regulations concerning age. Some boys lied about their age and if they looked any ehere near recruiting age were ptobably accepted. Even so we do see some portraits of some quite young soldiers. There is no way they could have been seen as old enough to serve. We are not sure just how the younger boys were used in the Army. Or if these boys were sent home at any stage.

Boys in the Royal Navy

We know the Royal Navy still had younger teenagers, but this does not seem to have been the case for the army. This may have been because the Royal Navy was a volunter force. Britain intridy=uced conscription, but just for the Army (1916). Thus Royal Navy recruiters appear to have been much more willing to accept obviously underage volunteers. Parents may have been more willing to give permission for their sons to join the Navy thn the Army as it wasperceived as safer. One source looking at naval records suggests that almost one in three sailors who served in the Royal Navy during the First World War were aged just 14 to 17 years. The legal combat age at the time was 18, but military recruitment officers were paid per recruit and would often ignore young-looking volunteers who might have falsified their ages. The study was based on an analysis of the Royal Navy Registers of Seaman's Services (1900-28), which include name, service details and date of birth. Thestudy was done by Website Ancestry. The researchers conclude, "It's hard to comprehend that nearly a third of these records pertain to young adolescent boys who despite not being old enough to vote were prepared to risk their lives at sea to help Britain win the war." [Silverman] Around 100,000 boys enlisted after the outbreak of the war in 1914, many lacking the experience and training of older men. The researchers claim that the youthful volunteers were 16 percent more likely to die than adult sailors.

Age Limits

I am not sure at this time just what the age limits were for recruits in the Army. Presumably the yonger recruits needed their parents permission which at the time would have presumably meant their fathers. The Army in 1914 and 15 was entirely volunteer. Presumably the recruiters, especially in 1915 were not very rigorous when in came to following age regulations.

Conscription

No British Government had ever dared conscript men for military service--even during the Napoleonic War crisis. (Although the Royal Navy did resort to press gangs.) The British Army that entered the War was an all-voluntary army. The Army manned it ranks during 1914 and 15 with voluntary appeals. Prime Minister Herbert Asquith resisted army requests for conscription. The BEF was, however, being chewed up in the killing fields of the Western Front and the force by the end of 1915 could no longer be maintained by volunteers. Asquith finally saw no alternative. He finally introduce a conscription measure. Parliament passed the first Military Service Act (January 1916). This was the first conscription laws ever passed in Britain. At first only single men and childless widowers aged 18 to 41 were called up. The Act applied to men 18-41 years of age. The second Military Service Act made all men regardless of marital service eligible for military service (May 1916). The War Office was given authority to extend the service of men whose enlistments hadcexpired and re-examine men previously rejected for health reasons. The third Military Service Act gave the War Office authority to further increase conscription (April 1917). This entiled the examination of Home Service Territorials, men earlier discharged, and individuals previously rejected. The War Office also announced a new list of Protected Occupations eccluded from conscription. Parliament passed the fourth Military Service Act which gave the Government permission to end occupational exemptions and the 2 month grace period for those whose exemptions had been terinated (January 1918). The last or fifth Military Service Act was a desperate measure taken by Parliament as the War in early 1918 reacged a critical stage (April 1918). The age range was lowered to 17 and extended to men age 55. The law was also extended to Ireland, the Channel Islands and the Isle of Man. In addition, released or exchanged POWs were no longer exempted. The British conscripted more than 2.3 million men during the War.

Impact of Conscription

We are not sure how this affected younger volunteers. Presumably the initial enthusiam for the war which by 1916 had disipated, affected volunterr rates, but we have few details at this time.

School

Here school was a factor. At the time only upper-class and affluent middle-class boys went to secondary schools. Many secondary schools, both the public (private) and grammar schools, had cadet programs. Many of these boys would enter the Army as officers when they finished school at about 18 years of age. Most British boys, however, only went to primary school. This means that they finished school at about 13-14 years of age. Thus there were large numbers of boys 15-17 years of age with low paying, often boring jobs. Many of these boys would hve been attracted to military service, especially in the initial phase of the War.

Pulp Fiction

We note pulp fiction during the War. Kenneth Ward authored The Boy Volunteers which was a 5 volume series. The first book was The Boy Volunteers on the Belgian Front was published in 1917. The boys were depicted in derring do fighting the dasterdly Germans. The action included gallant French airmen, British artillerymen, with the submarine fleet and a new appearance in 1917--the American Infantry.

Information Needed

At this time, we have posted thos page not because we know much about the subject, but because it is an important topic which we want to develop. We would welcome any information that readers may have.

Sources

Silverman, Miriam. Website Ancestry.

Created: 3:28 AM 12/3/2006
Last updated: 8:11 PM 3/13/2015