I would imagine with some form of national registration getting in the military under age in early WW2 might have been difficult, however the age limit could not have applied to people already enlisted as one of the first casualties of the war was a 14 year old Boy Bugler of the Royal Marines, whose ship was sunk. This also happened in WW1 as I have a 15 year old on my database Not proof really that one had to give their age to join but in my database of 4464 RM War casualties I have Repulse 1x 18 years 1942 Hood 2x 18 years 1941 Fiji 1 x 14 years, 1 x 16 years 1940/41(Buglers) Vanguard 2 x 18 years WW1 Laurente 1 x 18 years 1917 Indefatigable 1 x 18 years 1918 Tannen II 1 x 18 years 1942 41 Commando Chosin Reservoirs Korea 1950 2 x 18 years Colossus 1 x 15 years(Bugler) 1918 Glenearn 1 x 18 years 1943 3 Commando Brigade 1 x 18 years)possible in Hong Kong or Malaya) 1947 Wellesley 1 x 18 years 1941(Musician) Barham 1 x 17 years(Bugler) 1941 he had only left Hood a few months before A number of 18 year old in the RM Battalions in France 1917/1918 Some of these lads must have been very close to the acceptable age for active service, when they died Roger Royal Marines Member RMHS Researching Copelin, Attrell, Reeves, Deacon & Pont PS always want RM's to add to the database which is being collected for the RM Museum Archives

It was possible for boys to join from the age of 14, as a Bugler if they were of "good character" but could not go overseas until the age of nineteen. However many did and many were killed, some even executed under the British Army Act. including Northumberland Fusilier Herbert Burden, who enlisted at 16 and was 17 when he was executed (officially recorded as 19), Private E Young, a Canadian, Private Herbert Morris, a Jamaican, and Private Aby Bevistein, a Polish refugee who lied not only about his age but also about his name and nationality so he could fight for Britain. A few other examples of boys who served in WW 1.are 1. Private LEWIS served at the Somme when he was only twelve. 2. Private E. LUGG joined the 13th Royal Sussex Regiment at the age of thirteen. 3. John CORNWELL was only sixteen when he was posthumously awarded the Victoria Cross for bravery. in the battle of Jutland while serving aboard HMS Chester 4. Victor SILVESTOR was born in 1900 and was fighting on the Western Front at fifteen. He was a member of a firing squad that shot four British soldiers sentenced to death for desertion and cowardice. Victor's parents suspected he had joined the army and informed the authorities in 1914 but it was not until he was wounded in 1917 that he was discovered and brought home to England. 5. George COPPARD was volunteered to join the British Army in August, 1914. Although only sixteen, he was accepted claiming he was three years older. He was sent to France in June, 1915 and fought in a number of engagements. . On 17th October, 1916, he was accidentally shot in the foot by one of his friends. and was suspected of arranging the accident with his friend Both men were eventually cleared of the charge but it was not until May, 1917, that he was able to return to the Western Front. Soon afterwards, he took part in the Third Battle of Arras and in October, 1917, was promoted to the rank of corporal. On 20th November, 1917, he took part in the Battle of Cambrai. He and other members of the Machine-Gun Corps followed 400 tanks across No Mans Land towards the German front-line. On the second day of the battle, he was seriously wounded by a German machine-gunner. The bullet severed the femoral artery and it was only the swift action of a lance-corporal that used his boot-laces as a tourniquet that saved his life. . 6.. James LOVEGROVE was only sixteen on the outbreak of the First World War but he came under pressure from members of the Order of the White Feather to join the armed forces. A member of the Royal North Lancashire Regiment, he was sent to the Western Front and took part in the Battle of the Somme. He survived and by the time the Armistice was signed, he had reached the rank of lieutenant. At the other extreme, one of mine in Canada volunteered in 1915 at the age of 52 claiming that he was 43. The following year he was killed at the Somme. David ----- Original Message ----- From: "Marine" <rm16460@btinternet.com> To: <HAMPSHIRE-L@rootsweb.com> Sent: Sunday, August 07, 2005 7:42 AM Subject: [Ham] Proof of age > I would imagine with some form of national registration getting in the military under age in early WW2 might have been difficult, > however the age limit could not have applied to people already enlisted as one of the first casualties of the war was a 14 year old Boy Bugler of the Royal Marines, whose ship was sunk. > This also happened in WW1 as I have a 15 year old on my database > Not proof really that one had to give their age to join but in my database of 4464 RM > War casualties I have > Repulse 1x 18 years 1942 > Hood 2x 18 years 1941 > Fiji 1 x 14 years, 1 x 16 years 1940/41(Buglers) > Vanguard 2 x 18 years WW1 > Laurente 1 x 18 years 1917 > Indefatigable 1 x 18 years 1918 > Tannen II 1 x 18 years 1942 > 41 Commando Chosin Reservoirs Korea 1950 2 x 18 years > Colossus 1 x 15 years(Bugler) 1918 > Glenearn 1 x 18 years 1943 > 3 Commando Brigade 1 x 18 years)possible in Hong Kong or Malaya) 1947 > Wellesley 1 x 18 years 1941(Musician) > Barham 1 x 17 years(Bugler) 1941 he had only left Hood a few months before > A number of 18 year old in the RM Battalions in France 1917/1918 > Some of these lads must have been very close to the acceptable age for active service, when they died > Roger > Royal Marines > Member RMHS > Researching Copelin, Attrell, Reeves, Deacon & Pont > PS always want RM's to add to the database which is being collected for the RM Museum Archives > > > ==== HAMPSHIRE Mailing List ==== > Parish Register transcriptions for some parishes are available on line at www.knightroots.co.uk - click "parish registers" >