Jacky Platteeuw Posted 31 January , 2003 Share Posted 31 January , 2003 During research on the registers of the Menin Gate I came on above soldier: EDWARDS, Private, THOMAS, 8539. 1st Bn. South Staffordshire Regiment. 27th October 1914. Age 14. Son of Charles and Mary Jane Edwards, of 1292 Willenhall Rd., Wolverhampton. Born: Wolverhampton. CWGC and SDGW give the same date If true certainly one of the youngest casualties of the War. I am a little sceptical as to the age of this soldier. Can it be that he was a regular at that age or could he already be a draft. Any information welcome. Jacky Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mark Posted 31 January , 2003 Share Posted 31 January , 2003 Not much help but on the 1901 census there is a Thomas Edwards age 1 born Jan-Mar quarter 1900 in Wolverhampton, living in Stourbridge. This puts him at the right age in October 1914. http://www.census.pro.gov.uk/ Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Simon Furnell Posted 31 January , 2003 Share Posted 31 January , 2003 Hello Jacky. I suppose it could be possible if he was a drummer boy. I seem to remember reading somewhere about regular army battalions having young drummer boys although i am not sure what the actual age limit was. All the best. Simon. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mark Posted 31 January , 2003 Share Posted 31 January , 2003 Jacky I've checked further and this is not the right boy as the parents names are wrong. I'll have another search to see what comes up. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chris_Baker Posted 31 January , 2003 Share Posted 31 January , 2003 Jacky I suspect that the age given is incorrect, as I do not believe he was a boy drummer. Coincidentally perhaps, a man with the rank of Drummer was one of the first killed in the 1st South Staffords. Mentioned by name in the Battalion War Diary, 8119 Drummer George Wheeler died on 22 October 1914 and is among those buried in Tyne Cot Cemetery. Cheers Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Myrtle Posted 31 January , 2003 Share Posted 31 January , 2003 Mark There's a baby named Thomas Edwards of under I month old listed as born and resident in Wolverhampton. His father could be the Charles Edwards 30 years old - Railway Signal Labourer - born in Gloucester and resident in Wolverhampton. Myrtle Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mark Posted 31 January , 2003 Share Posted 31 January , 2003 Hi Myrtle I thought so at first but the age is wrong, he would have been 13 in 1914. I've checked again and his father is also Thomas. I couldn't find another likely match so I think Chris is probably right and the age is wrongly recorded. MARK Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Ian Bowbrick Posted 31 January , 2003 Share Posted 31 January , 2003 It might interest you to know that the CWGC lists the youngest battle casualty of WW1 as being a Pte John Condon of an Irish Regt whose age is given as 14. If my memory serves me right he was KiA in 1915. This checks out according to the 1901 census. Ian Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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