35 replies to this topic

[GRANVILLE]

Couldn't resist this one. Here is a photo I've very kindly been given to post on the forum. This is would-be recruit Thomas Freeman aged 7yrs. For those with an eye for such things, the studio where the picture was taken is positively identified as: Medcalfs Photographic Studio, 8, High Street, Mexborough. The photo was taken during the war, and Thomas is wearing a uniform made for him by an aunt who worked in a Mexborough factory where the real uniforms were made.

Dave Upton

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•  YOUNG THOMAS.JPG   10.51K   9 downloads

[Roger H]

That picture must be a rareity - if not unique?

Roger

[centurion]

They were really getting desperate in March 1918  

[centurion]

 However he does not beat Sir John Theophilus Lee who in an earlier age went to sea to fight the French as a midshipman at the age of 5    (the US navy used to mollycoddle its midshipman and Farragut did not go to sea until he was 10)

[pbrydon]

The Kings Liverpools were usually at the forefront in most things,this chap might be even younger !!

P.B.

[centurion]

Probably just shows the effect of poor nutrition in Liverpool at the time and the lad is really 18 - I'll get me coat.

[GRANVILLE]

Makes you wonder how many more miniature soldiers there must be out there?

Look at his little face. 'I do want to go mother dear'?

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•  LITTLE FACE.JPG   10.59K   3 downloads

[mctaz]

And their Antipodean cousin:  boy.jpg   15.17K   5 downloads

[dean1]

My great grandfathers son, Freddy Hill.
 Freddy Hill.jpg   18.77K   2 downloads
On the reverse of the photograph, taken in 1915,  Freddy has written a message for his mother -

'My dear mammy, what do you think to me as a soldier? but the man has not taken me half as nice as i really look, with love from your dear little Freddy, xxxxxx'

Freddy died aged 17 after suffering from rheumatic fever.

Dean.

[GRANVILLE]

dean1, on 24 January 2012 - 08:32 AM, said:

On the reverse of the photograph, taken in 1915,  Freddy has written a message for his mother -

'My dear mammy, what do you think to me as a soldier? but the man has not taken me half as nice as i really look, with love from your dear little Freddy, xxxxxx'

Freddy died aged 17 after suffering from rheumatic fever.

Dean.

From the tense in which young Freddy has written his message its quite clear his mother was not aware he had taken himself off to be photographed and so this photo is proof positive that there really was a ground swell of infant inclination to join the ranks. Presumably he will have been taken for a soldier as he made his way into town on the tram, and will have been charged full fare, or were soldiers exempted? (Humour, by the way).
Dave Upton

[W.J.Caughey]

Hi,
This one from Belfast Evening Telegraph.

Walter.

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•  Cash.JPG   78.96K   2 downloads

[GRANVILLE]

Well spotted Walter, further proof of the existence of miniature soldiers! As he's already a Sergeant, he must have joined whilst still in nappy's?!  

Dave Upton

[centurion]

GRANVILLE, on 24 January 2012 - 09:55 AM, said:

From the tense in which young Freddy has written his message its quite clear his mother was not aware he had taken himself off to be photographed and so this photo is proof positive that there really was a ground swell of infant inclination to join the ranks. Presumably he will have been taken for a soldier as he made his way into town on the tram, and will have been charged full fare, or were soldiers exempted? (Humour, by the way).
Dave Upton

Possibly plied with jelly babies or even, horror upon horrors, wine gums by a wicked recruiting sergeant to take the King's shilling

[GRANVILLE]

centurion, on 26 January 2012 - 11:36 PM, said:

Possibly plied with jelly babies or even, horror upon horrors, wine gums by a wicked recruiting sergeant to take the King's shilling

Ah, the glory days, when you could achieve so much with a bag of wine gums; surely they will have played their part in the truce of 1914?

Dave Upton

[David Filsell]

THe KL kid amused me - I wonder what he's got down the trouser legs!

[Retlaw]

One here

Another
Father & Son

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•  WT-398.a.jpg   82.36K   0 downloads

[Tyneside Chinaman]

The other side perhaps he would meet some of the other boys in 1940.

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[centurion]

Think I've found the youngest

 youngest.jpg   33.06K   1 downloads

[GRANVILLE]

David Filsell, on 27 January 2012 - 04:18 PM, said:

THe KL kid amused me - I wonder what he's got down the trouser legs!

Thinking about it, maybe it is a nappy - that's slipped!

[Andrew Upton]

Retlaw, on 27 January 2012 - 05:54 PM, said:

One here

Interesting to see the visible cuff rank on the young lad is "backwards", ie on the viewers right when it should be on the left - accidental error or a deliberate mistake to emphasize he has no real rank (one would have thought that obvious given his apparent age though!)?

[centurion]

Andrew Upton, on 29 January 2012 - 12:34 AM, said:

Interesting to see the visible cuff rank on the young lad is "backwards", ie on the viewers right when it should be on the left - accidental error or a deliberate mistake to emphasize he has no real rank (one would have thought that obvious given his apparent age though!)?

It was a criminal offence at any age to wear rank markings to which you were not entitled* (because you were a civilian) so probably deliberate to comply with the law. 

*except in a dramatic production

[W.J.Caughey]

And dont forget the ladies.
Walter

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•  Granville.JPG   38.73K   1 downloads

[nthornton19179]

These aren't underage youngsters.

They're Bantams

Neil

[GRANVILLE]

You'd better add these to the collection.

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•  boy.jpg   13.73K   0 downloads

[GRANVILLE]

An entire army of them!

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•  LITTLE ARMY.jpg   46.46K   1 downloads