Help defining Boy Service and adult enlistment!

[Jonathan Saunders]

I am trying too read between the lines from several attestation papers I have reviewed previously.

I believe that boys could enlist for Boy Service up until their 16th birthday. But if they missed enlistment prior to this date that they were then ineligible for regular military service until they had reached the age of 18.

If they chose to enlist during their 16th and 18th birthdays it was in the Territorial Army with transfer to a regular battalion becoming effective on their 18th birthday, should that be there wish.

Can anyone confirm my assumptions are correct or provide the correct course of action that ensued.

Thanks and regards,

Jonathan S

[dycer]

Jonathan,

I don't know the official answer but if you search the Forum for J.M. Marchbank or Forum Member,John Duncan's Web-site-Newbattle at War you will find an example of a 14 year old who went to France with his Battalion(8th Royal Scots(TF) on 5 November 1914 and saw immediate front line service.

George

[Muerrisch]

I am trying too read between the lines from several attestation papers I have reviewed previously.

I believe that boys could enlist for Boy Service up until their 16th birthday. But if they missed enlistment prior to this date that they were then ineligible for regular military service until they had reached the age of 18.

If they chose to enlist during their 16th and 18th birthdays it was in the Territorial Army with transfer to a regular battalion becoming effective on their 18th birthday, should that be there wish.

Can anyone confirm my assumptions are correct or provide the correct course of action that ensued.

Thanks and regards,

Jonathan S

I have no Regs. after 1900: according to those, the 14 to 16 years window is correct, except RE took up to 17 years.

It was not a very real barrier: whereas for boy service [at 8d] a boy had to produce an birth cert., for man service at 18 [at 1/-] no paperwork was needed: any 17 year old with gumption and a reasonable physique was readily admitted [the recruiter also got paid!]. A 'no-brainer!'

[Jonathan Saunders]

Many thanks for the clarifications.

Regards,

Jonathan S