What age did they join up??

[coffeeaddict]

Last night i found (on Ancestry) my great-granmothers cousins ww1 papers he was in the 7th Royal welsh Fusiliers. He was recalled in 1916 and eventually discharged (dispepsia & 'slight'bullet wound). He served at Suvla bay.
 He was Jacob Rowlands from Towyn, Merion born 1894.
When he was recalled in 1916 he was 22 but stated that he had already served 6+ yrs  before.
My query is how old did they have to be to join up? and is ther any info on the 7th rwf anywhere ie pics?

many thanks
C A

[Emjaybee]

If they appeared fit and looked over 18 no questions were asked.

[Xenoid]

If they appeared fit and looked over 18 no questions were asked.

Hmmm.. I think it was more like "If they appeared fit, no questions were asked."

I have a relative who served with the 5th Bn. Yorkshire Regiment, the memorial printout from the Commonwealth War Graves Commission states he died aged 19 on the 7th November 1916.

Since he was only born in the 2nd Quarter of 1899 he could not have been any older than 17 and a half years when he was killed, he may have been as young as 15 when he "joined up". Clearly he must have lied about his age.

What a waste, he was my gradmother's younger brother and I assume she named my father after him.

BTW does anyone know which battle he is likely to have died in - where was the Yorkshire Regiment on the 7th November 1916?

[Wendi]

Hi CA !

When he was recalled in 1916 he was 22 but stated that he had already served 6+ yrs  before.
My query is how old did they have to be to join up? and is ther any info on the 7th rwf anywhere ie pics?

Prior to WW1 lads as young as 11 years old could join up, usually as drummer boys & they served overseas on garrison duty.

During WW1, if a lad was already serving in the army, he had to gain permission from his colonel to go abroad, if he was under 18.

Generally during major conflict a soldier had to be 18 and a half years old before he could be sent on active service.  After the Armistice younger men were sent overseas because they were on garrison duty in Germany.

Have you considered that his original discharge/service papers would probably be at The National Archives in Kew?

Wendi 

[Wendi]

BTW the RWF Museum apparently has

Several thousands of original photographs dating back to 1856

 

http://www.rwfmuseum.org.uk/en_re.html

Wendi 

[LizzieW]

Prior to WW1 lads as young as 11 years old could join up, usually as drummer boys & they served overseas on garrison duty.

This is exactly what my grandfather did.  He was 15 when he signed up and was a boy trumpeter, when he was discharged he became a professional musician.

Lizzie

[coffeeaddict]

Thanks all It seems another of my relatives signed up (though i have no idea what he served in) He was born in 1902 and supposdley shot in the head but survived.
thanks all