youngofficersdiedinthegreatwar

[Henk de Groot]

Hi,to all members!

I've learned from Wikipedia that Sidney Lewis is recognized as the youngest serving soldier in the British Army during World War I.

It has been authenticated by the Imperial War Museum.

I,ve found on cwgc.org, the Commission's website several officers who were commissioned about the same age....

Next to 7 second-lieutenants, I,ve found 4 "full" lieutenants!

 

Lt Stanley Knight Bates

1st/5th Bn. King's Own (Royal Lancaster Rgt)

died: 9 may 1915

buried: Aeroplane Cemetery, Belgium

 

Lt Willy Paton Berthold Spencer

D.coy 2nd Bn. Wiltshire Rgt

died: 10 march 1915

listed: Le Touret Memorial, France

 

Lt William Kitchener Kift

116th Bn. Canadian Infantry

died: 29 April 1917

buried: Etaples Military Cemetery, France

 

Lt Edgar Lovell Filmer Platts

1st R.M. Bn. RND/ RMLI

died: 28 April 1917

Listed: Arras Memorial,France

On cwgc.org is mentioned that all of the above mentioned officers died aged seventeen!

Of "Mr." Platts is registered that he was gazetted in september 1915.

My first thought was that the British Army was commanded by children!

Many years ago I read in a history book ( Warwalks 2-written by Richard Holmes and Luc de Vos, issued in 1996) that children could buy a Commission.

I,ve read in other books that the average "war career" of a commissioned officer lasted no more than six to eight weeks during World War I!

Can one of you explain to me the policy of the British Army?

Kind Regards, Henk de Groot

 

By the way! I've found on the Forum my second promotion!! I'm deeply impressed! It's much appreciated!

 

 

 

 

[daggers]

The purchase of commissions was stopped well before 1914, perhaps 1880s.

Many public schoolboys would have been in a school’s Officer’s Training Corps and so had a little experience to offer and may have tweaked their age in order to get in.

Others may have more to offer.

D