Genealogy Chat

Life for the average man in the years prior to WWI was very difficult and hardship was one of the reasons why so many young lads volunteered to get away from it all. Most had never been overseas before and saw it all as a grand adventure. Little did they know what lay in store for them!

I have photographs of relatives taken before and after active service and the haunted look in their eyes post-wartime says it all.

Hi Sue,
My Grandfather was a younger son, so I don;t believe he was in the same position as yours, I guess he could have been just as keen to get away though. I never knew him as he died before I was born, but he was considered quite a brute by his children. My mother was terrified of him, and my uncle had little respect for him. Whether it was his nature or his experiences we will never know.

The Tower of London! As you say, better that than the fate of those who were so shell shocked they suffered the ultimate punishment for their fear.

Lesley

Hi, Lesley.

My grandfather did the same, lied about his age, claiming to be 19 when in fact he was only 16.
When his mother found out what he had done, she went and took him home, maybe because he was the family's main bread winner (maybe I'm being too cynical!) I suspect he had been looking for a better life for himself.
He rejoined when he was 18, and this time, couldn't wait to 'escape'. As he went AWOL in 1919, he was imprisoned in the Tower of London when he was caught. Thank goodness the war was over by that time, otherwise I would not be here telling this tale, as we know the fate of other young men who did the same during the war.
I don't think he ever really recovered from his experiences; he suffered nightmares for the rest of his days. Although he lived until he was 91, he spoke very little about his war service, and I have learned more from the records on An***** than I ever did from him.

Sue

Bless him, I just looked at his Navy records and he enlisted on his 18th birthday, he was obviously very keen to get into the war. In WW2 his youngest son enlisted and - apparently - shouldn't have been sent on active duty for 6 months because of his age. Unfortunately within days he was aboard ship and within a few months he was missing in action, went down with HMS Boscowen (Bramble) on NY Eve 1942.

Very sobering the thought of thosed frightened young men who were only there because of the hype fighting for King and Country and being shot for being children!

Thanks Chris - I feel a little foolish not having looked at the earlier page . Yes that is the right one. What a naughty boy he was disappearing darn souf to enlist! He then went on to join the navy, I guess that saved his life as he probably would not have lasted long in the Middlesex Reg.
Lesley :-)

Many young lads, some as young as 14, tried to enlist and many succeeded. It was the job of the recruiting officer to reject those he believed to be too young, but so many men were dying they needed the replacements.

There was a big hooha in parliament about this.

Do google WW1 young enlisters, you should find lots of info on this subject and another to consider is the 'sad' websites dedicated to those Shot At Dawn. Quite a few were these young lads who run away because they could not cope.

All very sad and sobering reading.

Lesley

Have you seen the record for him on Ancestry? Although you land on one page you need to go back to previous pages to find the info.

Just to check he is the right one....Father named as Samuel Beeley.

He was discharged 16 July 1915 "Having made a mis statement as to age on enlistment"

Chris

I have found evidence that my Grandfather Arthur Beeley lied about his age to join the Army in April 1915. The doc says he was 19y 5m ...... he was actually 15y 5m! It is definitely him as the address matches (16 West Road Buxton), and why would someone else use his name (as my father used his older brothers name in WW2). He was obviously found out because he later joined the navy. How can I find out what happened?