[Retlaw]

Originally Posted by steve2qec

Thanks for that.
His brother (my G Granddad) was born in 1901 so was too young to join up. Thomas was born in 1898 so he was only 16.

Hi Steve.
Your Great Uncle, was just many of the young lads round here who enlisted under age. many were copped by there parents and they'd to prove it with a birth certificate, many got away with it by a false name or enlisting elswhere, & giving a false adddress.
Can you blame them. starting work under the age of 12, only Sunday's off, and looking round their work place, seeing men in their late 30's looking nearer 60. Many of these young lads ended up wounded well before their 17th birthday, only then was their true age revealed, they were then posted to base until 18, they could then be posted to any regiment any where from Ireland to Mesop.