johnboy Posted 2 January , 2014 Posted 2 January , 2014 While looking for something else,I came across these two men JA Heath no 200564 1sr RF Age 20yrs William LB THOMSON 1185 2nd RF Age 19yrs Both held the rank of sergeant. Was this very young for this position? They hardly had time to get experience.
Coldstreamer Posted 2 January , 2014 Posted 2 January , 2014 not really - could have been in a few years
johnboy Posted 2 January , 2014 Author Posted 2 January , 2014 not really - could have been in a few years I'll have another look, but at 19 and twenty how many years could hey have been in?
Guest exuser1 Posted 2 January , 2014 Posted 2 January , 2014 Big huge mistake of mine some years back sold a casulty pair British War and Victory to an aquiatence on research he was a Lance Sergant at 16 ! killed on the Somme .
bill24chev Posted 2 January , 2014 Posted 2 January , 2014 You dont give a date for their promotions to Serjeant but if they were prewar regulars by the middle of 1915 in 1RF in France & Flanders or 2RF in Gallipolli they would have gained much battle experienceand would have been two of a small number of surviving prewar regulars.
centurion Posted 2 January , 2014 Posted 2 January , 2014 I think the concise answer is young - yes, Impossibly young -by no means.
johnboy Posted 2 January , 2014 Author Posted 2 January , 2014 Ja Heath died 23/5/17 WLB Thomson d 13/4/15 Both commemorated in France. I don't need to go into details of these men , it was just a question about being young for a sergeant.
rolt968 Posted 2 January , 2014 Posted 2 January , 2014 I know of a man who went to France in November 1914 with 1/5 Black Watch as a Lance Corporal in November 1914. He was wounded as CQMS in May 1915. He was born in February 1896. He was later commissioned. Roger.
David B Posted 2 January , 2014 Posted 2 January , 2014 Currently reading a book about Lt Col D Marks, CO of 13th Btn AIF at the age of 22. Not a bad read either.
Ron Clifton Posted 2 January , 2014 Posted 2 January , 2014 Hello johnboy Heath's number in the 200,000 + series suggests that he was in fact in 1st (City of London) Battalion, the London Regiment (Royal Fusiliers), not the 1st Bn Royal Fusiliers (City of London Regiment). It is a fairly common source of confusion. Ron
johnboy Posted 2 January , 2014 Author Posted 2 January , 2014 Yes, it is confusing, LLT refers ton them as City of London Regiment,
Old Owl Posted 2 January , 2014 Posted 2 January , 2014 Young possibly, but not unusually so in wartime. An officer, who's medals I have, was Acting Captain by the age of 18, having won the MC with an MID, and was killed in action on 3rd Sptember, 1916, at Delville Wood, age 18 years and 9 months.
Derek Black Posted 18 February , 2014 Posted 18 February , 2014 how can this be? did he join up at 14 or something... MOORE, RANOE JAMES Rank: Serjeant Service No: 462 Date of Death: 20/04/1916 Age: 17 Regiment/Service: The Queen's (Royal West Surrey Regiment) 6th Bn. Grave Reference: II. H. 22. Cemetery: VERMELLES BRITISH CEMETERY Additional Information:Son of Mr. G. and Mrs. E. Moore, of Bishops Terrace, 268, King's Rd., Reading. Native of Forest Hill, London.
Coldstreamer Posted 18 February , 2014 Posted 18 February , 2014 Promoted for bravery? A natural leader? No one else wanted the stripes ? Lots of reasons and not uncommon
bill24chev Posted 18 February , 2014 Posted 18 February , 2014 And of course "officially" in the Army's eyes at least 19 bill
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