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The Great War (1914-1918) Forum

Remembered Today:

Pte Sidney Charles Scott Ox & Bucks LI


geoff_allan

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In family papers just passed down, we find that my wife's grandfather Sidney (or Sydney) Charles Scott appears to have attempted to join the Ox and Bucks in 1915, was rejected on grounds of KR 392(iii) c), but apparently managed to join up in 1916 and discharged in 1919 when he appears to have transferred to the Royal Engineers. We have his attestation papers from 1915 but not 1916, and his medal card.

The problem is that there is a discrepancy in both age and height between the two cards.

In 1915 his height is given as 5 ft 6 in and his age as 19 yrs 1 month 4 days, giving a date of birth of 1896

In 1919 his height is given as 5ft 11 in and his year of birth as 1898

So did he fake his age to try to join in 1915 ? How could he have grown 5 inches in height in 3 years ?

We also know that he served in Ireland (marrying his wife in 1921 in Cork) but have no details of his service there.

Any thoughts ?

We assume that the discharge papers relate to the same man otherwise why would we have them ? I can't find any matching births for Sidney Charles Scott in 1896 but we do have his Birth Certificate from 1898.

thanks in advance for any assistance

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post-16076-1192530113.jpg

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Geoff,

FreeBMD shows a Sydney Charles Scott birth registration June 1898, Bromsgrove Registration District. Is this him?

In which case he was only 17 in 1915.

I would suggest that it would not be unusual for a boy of 17 to grow five inches in four years at that time. Young people matured at a later age than they do now. Just looking at one sea-fishing apprentice in my family he was 4ft 11ins at the age of 15, and 5ft 5ins at the age of 19.

Noel

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Also, there are many accounts of youngsters gaining much in height and build after joining the army. A physical way of life with meals that bettered what was available for a lot of them on a daily basis at home all contributed.

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Geoff,

FreeBMD shows a Sydney Charles Scott birth registration June 1898, Bromsgrove Registration District. Is this him?

In which case he was only 17 in 1915.

I would suggest that it would not be unusual for a boy of 17 to grow five inches in four years at that time. Young people matured at a later age than they do now. Just looking at one sea-fishing apprentice in my family he was 4ft 11ins at the age of 15, and 5ft 5ins at the age of 19.

Noel

Yes this is the correct birth reference. I can only suppose that he lied about his age when he first tried to join - incidentally, not only was he only 5 ft 6 in, he only weighed 118 lbs (8st 2 lb)

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