Soldier aged 16

[Guest Desmond6]

Something wrong surely - note the age given for this boy soldier!

Is this HIGHLY unusual?

PTE Charles Sinclair, 8th R.Innis. Fusiliers (Ulster Division), who is a son of the late Mr. Andrew Sinclair, Railway Street and a nephew of Mr. Charles Sinclair, James Street, has been wounded in an engagement in France. Pte Sinclair, who only celebrated his sixteenth birthday last Sunday, was an employee of the Braidwater Spinning Company. He joined the army in 1914 and went to the front with the Ulster Division last autumn.

Ballymena Observer March 24 1916

[Muerrisch]

Mobilization Regulations 1914 allow a CO to take with him any bugler/ drummer/ piper/ trumpeter deemed fit and efficient. Regardless of that, at least two 2nd RWF casualties [dead] were aged 15 only. 16 year olds very common.

[Desmond7]

Langley - I asked the wrong question. Sinclair has just turned 16 and he'd wounded on active service. If he joined, as stated in 1914. that would make him only 14 years of age when he enlisted.

I note he went to the 8th R. Innis. Fus. - a service btn. from well outside the local recruiting area - so I imagine he pulled the same strokes as a host of other lads the length and breadth of countryn to get in.

Where did this leave the militaryauthorities? Now that Sinclair has been publicly stated to be only 16 and unlawfully enlisted in the first place, what do you reckon would happen?

Does he get turfed out? And could he re-enlist at age 17?