Forton Posted 15 November , 2012 Share Posted 15 November , 2012 The mystery of just who Private S[idney] Lewis was has finally been solved. A brief story with a photograph appeared in the national press in September 1916, and told how this lad had served six weeks on the Somme having enlisted in August, 1915. At the weekend the Sunday People ran a double page spread on my updated book 'Boy Soldier of the Great War' which has just been republished. The paper ran the story on some of the new material included in the book and mentioned Private S Lewis. Anyway, his son contacted me out of the blue and is sending through all the paper work. The original story in the papers holds good. Pte Lewis was born in 1903 and his family never believed his stories of having served on the Somme in 1916. They dismissed them until Sidney died in the 1960s. Only then did they discover the truth all along. The story will appear again this w/e with all the new material so I should not say too much at this point. The story of the young lads who went to war has been very close to my heart for many years and it is a hugely exciting to finally put meat onto the bones of a story that has been circulating for nearly 100 years. Richard Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mandy hall Posted 15 November , 2012 Share Posted 15 November , 2012 Not my regular reading material on a Sunday, but I will make an exception this weekend. Mandy Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
spconnolly007 Posted 15 November , 2012 Share Posted 15 November , 2012 Its on my list for sunday Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ianw Posted 15 November , 2012 Share Posted 15 November , 2012 Horrendous to think of someone this young on the Somme in 1916! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chris_Baker Posted 15 November , 2012 Share Posted 15 November , 2012 Well done, Richard! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
J Banning Posted 15 November , 2012 Share Posted 15 November , 2012 Hi Richard, I agree wholeheartedly with Chris. It is clear from our many conversations about this how diligently you have researched this subject. Perhaps now people will buy your revised version of the book? I would certainly hope so! http://1914-1918.invisionzone.com/forums/index.php?showtopic=186677 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
slick63 Posted 15 November , 2012 Share Posted 15 November , 2012 Just bought it from Amazon. I was tempted after watching the documentary on More4 last weekend but held back, only went for it after the nod that it had been updated. I shall look forward to reading it when it arrives. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Forton Posted 15 November , 2012 Author Share Posted 15 November , 2012 Many thanks, Chris and Jeremy The story of the under age soldiers of the Great War has been a passion within a passion for me. The story of what happened to these lads has fascinated me since I saw, like everyone else, gravestones to lads of 15/16/17 etc. As the story of boy soldiers was virgin territory (no pun intended - well, only slightly) and no one had written anything about them so, I felt, I could really break some new ground. I don't suppose I will ever stop researching the story but, I have to say, I never thought I would ever be fortunate to finally clear up the mystery of Sidney Lewis. The new book has a lot of new stats on these lads having trawled through countless records on Ancestry, and through the microfiche records while they were still available. I had an email the other day from a chap who is doing the same for the Australian forces so it will be interesting to see how any of these gallant men were British born too; there are certainly a lot in the CEF. Richard Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
wpf1958 Posted 15 November , 2012 Share Posted 15 November , 2012 Living in Belgium it is difficult to find UK papers in the village and I would confess that I have never bought a copy of the People when I lived in the UK. Would it be possible for someone to put the article into post. Can you confirm the name of your latest edition of your book? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Forton Posted 15 November , 2012 Author Share Posted 15 November , 2012 Hi Wilhelm My book is called 'Boy Soldiers of the Great War'. The updated edition is published by Bloomsbury in softback. I'll try and post the feature here next week. All best Richard Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Forton Posted 17 November , 2012 Author Share Posted 17 November , 2012 The Sunday People running the feature on the youngest authenticated British soldier of the Great War, Private Sidney Lewis, in tomorrow's edition (obviously). Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Old Owl Posted 17 November , 2012 Share Posted 17 November , 2012 Congratulations Richard on a fine piece of detective work--just what the GWF is all about--or at least some of the time!! Robert Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
wpf1958 Posted 17 November , 2012 Share Posted 17 November , 2012 Thanks for the update, excellent. Many congrats on the new edition, I have the first. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
IPT Posted 17 November , 2012 Share Posted 17 November , 2012 Here's the first article from last week's Sunday People - http://www.mirror.co.uk/news/uk-news/remembrance-sunday-the-astonishing-stories-of-boys-1430537 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ARMAGH Posted 17 November , 2012 Share Posted 17 November , 2012 Thanks for posting IPT a good article Joe Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sandie Hayes Posted 17 November , 2012 Share Posted 17 November , 2012 I have posted his details before but there was little response. Private 15163 Ernest Quarless, British West Indies Regiment, was born in Liverpool in December 1905. His service records have not survived but his MIC states he was entitled to the British War & Victory Medals. His number suggests he enlisted around July 1917, age 11. He also fought in WW2. If anyone can help me prove or disprove that Ernest was only 12 when the war ended I'd be extremely grateful. Previous post: http://1914-1918.invisionzone.com/forums/index.php?showtopic=185006&hl=quarless Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Scalyback Posted 18 November , 2012 Share Posted 18 November , 2012 Fantastic work. Some of the lads are touch and go for being asked for ID in a pub. 16 onwards I can see how you could fool your way into the system and stay in the system. Have a look at some senior army cadets, they will pass for a young squaddie. Is there a body photo of Edward Barrnet? "was of "good physical development" according to his enlistment papers." to me hints at possibly an undiagnosed mild form of giantism. I shall seek the book out forthwith. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Forton Posted 18 November , 2012 Author Share Posted 18 November , 2012 Pte Sidney Lewis' son has emailed this morning to say he's delighted with the feature in the Sunday People. He enlisted in East Surrey (not Sussex) Regiment as stated in the paper and served with the MGC on the Somme. Otherwise, pretty spot on all round and some nice pics. Sadly there's not picture as of yet for Edward Barnett. I wouldn't mind getting down to Colindale newspaper library to look in the local papers for him as there's a good chance he would be in there. I found Edward on Ancestry. As you might guess, I got up to 'B' in my trawl through the records, so there's plenty more scope for future searches. I bet there's more who are younger. Richard Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cavells B&B Ypres Posted 18 November , 2012 Share Posted 18 November , 2012 Just for your info there are 10 fifteen year olds on the Menin Gate that i know of , this is from the information published by the CWGC and taken i think from regimental records. However it stands to reason that there will be more and possibly younger because not all casualties ages are stated, therefore many suppossed nineteen year olds could be in fact much younger Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
IPT Posted 18 November , 2012 Share Posted 18 November , 2012 Here's today's Sidney Lewis article - http://www.mirror.co.uk/news/uk-news/my-dad-the-hero-aged-12-mystery-1443377 Well done, Richard. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ARMAGH Posted 18 November , 2012 Share Posted 18 November , 2012 Just for your info there are 10 fifteen year olds on the Menin Gate that i know of , this is from the information published by the CWGC and taken i think from regimental records. However it stands to reason that there will be more and possibly younger because not all casualties ages are stated, therefore many suppossed nineteen year olds could be in fact much younger Very interesting Ieperling Can you post the names & regiments of the 10 fifteen year old soldiers on the Menin Gate please? Joe Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
slick63 Posted 18 November , 2012 Share Posted 18 November , 2012 Good article. I`ve just started Richards book, a very informative read so far. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
slick63 Posted 18 November , 2012 Share Posted 18 November , 2012 I have posted his details before but there was little response. Private 15163 Ernest Quarless, British West Indies Regiment, was born in Liverpool in December 1905. His service records have not survived but his MIC states he was entitled to the British War & Victory Medals. His number suggests he enlisted around July 1917, age 11. He also fought in WW2. If anyone can help me prove or disprove that Ernest was only 12 when the war ended I'd be extremely grateful. Previous post: http://1914-1918.inv...006&hl=quarless Can`t answer your questions unfortunately but not sure if you`ve read these links before but they may shed more light on the BWIR.... http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/British_West_Indies_Regiment http://www.1914-1918.net/britishwestindiesregiment.html http://www.jeffreygreen.co.uk/british-west-indies-regiment-graves-in-sussex-1915-1916 http://www.cariwave.com/the_british_west_indies_regiment.htm Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
susanhemmings Posted 19 November , 2012 Share Posted 19 November , 2012 Great stuff. I have a copy of the first edition. Now to get the revised one. Well done, Susan Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sandie Hayes Posted 19 November , 2012 Share Posted 19 November , 2012 Private 15163 Ernest Quarless, British West Indies Regiment, was born in Liverpool in December 1905. His service records have not survived but his MIC states he was entitled to the British War & Victory Medals. His number suggests he enlisted around July 1917, age 11. Many thanks slick63. I'm convinced I have it right, he was the only man (boy) of that name in the UK at that time. Family stories tell of him receiving his WW1 medals at the same time as his WW2 awards, information on his MIC would support this. Sandie Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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