RootsChat.Com

A candidate has emerged:

Henry WEBBER, a retired stockbroker who was born 1849 in Kent had three sons who volunteered for the British Army.  He was determined to "do his bit" and, despite having no previous military experience, he managed to persuade the powers that be to accept him in 1915.  He served on the Western Front as battalion transport officer in the 7th Bn. of the South Lancashire Regiment.

Lieutenant Henry Webber died on 21 July 1916 aged 67 in the Somme area.

It is difficult to imagine a gap of some 54 years between the births of Sidney Lewis who volunteered in 1915 aged just 12 and Henry Webber who volunteered in 1915 aged 66.  They were both well outside the conscription age limits - 18 to 41 in 1916 (raised to 50 in 1918).

I am curious to know the age of the oldest civilian volunteer to serve overseas in the British Army in the Great War.  (This does NOT include men rejoining the army after previous military service).

The youngest authenticated volunteer was Sidney George Lewis born 24 March 1903 who joined the East Surrey Regiment in 1915 and was at the battle of the Somme in 1916 and there were many many volunteers under the age of 18.  But who was the oldest?

My great grandfather was born on 9 July 1872 and attested on 11 August 1915 (aged 43 years and 1 month) - but I am sure there must have been older civilians who volunteered.  Any suggestions?

Greetings, and a warm welcome to Rootschat.

I think it unlikely that many P-O-Ws would have had access to money during their captivity.  Your money would have been introduced by the Japanese to buy goods and services from the local population.  After the war the Japanese occupation currency was demonetised and so became only of interest as souvenirs.  http://www.endofempire.asia/0907-2-banana-money-malayas-wartime-currency-3/ gives brief background information on 'banana money'.

My guess is that the notes would have been obtained some time after the war by either a serviceman or a civilian worker (who might have been a liberated POW or internee, or have arrived after the war) and brought home as souvenirs.  It may be impossible to find out if your banknotes are family heirlooms or if they were obtained from a friend or a trader.

All the best
Philip

I've had a fresh look at Eliza Jane and this is what I know for sure:
Birth registered Sep qtr 1859 St Saviour, Southwark mmn CRISPIN
Parents were William BOWBRICK (1831-1906) and Elizabeth CRISPIN (1823-1889)
Appears on censuses 1861-1871 in Southwark with parents and siblings
Not found on 1881 census (neither are her parents - are Southwark pages missing?)
Appears on 1891 census in Southwark as wife of James A BOONE with children Harry 13, Ellen 8, George 7
Not found on 1901 census
Marriage 2 Mar 1905 Walworth Surrey to John GOULD
1911 census - Eliza GOULD, widow, living with daughter Maggie wife of Thomas BOND, and daughter Teresa BOONE
Probable death 1920, Islington

BOONE mmn BOWBRICK children found on GRO are:
Ellen (1884 St Saviour)  possibly m1907 Southwark to William John O'CONNOR
James Alfred (1886 Greenwich) d1888
Charles William (1888 Camberwell) d1890
Margaret Amelia (1892 Camberwell) m? Thomas BOND, alive in 1911
Theresa (1894 Camberwell) alive in 1911
Emily Catherine (1895 St Saviour) alive in 1911
Mary Ann (1897 St Saviour) d1899

Emily (b1885) is on the 1911 census with widowed aunt Theresa BOWBRICK.

I haven't found a marriage of Eliza to James BOONE, nor have I seen an obvious death on FreeBMD for him (If James' age of 39 on the 1891 census is correct, the death of James BOONE aged 40 in Shoreditch in 1898 may not be him)

There are a couple of possible deaths on FreeBMD for John GOULD between 1905 and 1911.

Of the children on the 1891 census, Harry may not be Eliza Jane's child, Ellen definitely is, but I'm not sure about George (perhaps his birth was not registered).