I may be wrong but my understanding is that the minimum age for call-up was 19 years, lowered to 18 years in April 1918.

A chap on a memorial I'm researching is Ord Smn Z/2789 Sydney Francis BOND who was born 16/10/1900. From his records I have found that he enlisted at Bristol on 26/08/18 (aged 17 years and 10 months). He died of influenza in training just a couple of months later.

Would I be correct in thinking that he is unlikely to have been conscripted because he was 17 when he joined the Navy?
Could it be that, knowing he was going to be conscripted anyway in a few months time, preferred to join the Service of his choice as a regular at an earlier age? Is that a likely scenario and was it possible to do that?

If anyone can offer any advice on this I'd be grateful.

Bob.

Hello Bob my grandfather James Johnston joined the royal navy at the age of 16 so i think you are correct and i seem to remember there was different rules/ criteria for enlistment into the navy. Though i am unsure as to what age was needed to be posted to a "fighting ship" i think 16 may have been possible. Regards Scott

With a 'Z' service number he would have enlisted in the Royal Naval Volunteer Reserve. His full service number was Bristol Z/2789 (or BZ/2789). He was not conscripted. His motives for volunteering may be as you describe but who knows?

Don't forget John Travers Cornwell VC (8 January 1900 - 2 June 1916) usually known as Jack Cornwell, who is remembered for his gallantry at the Battle of Jutland aged just 16, for which he was posthumously awarded the Victoria Cross.

Jon

The age for recruitment to join the Royal Navy was 15 (that's when Jack Cornwall joined) and Boys First Class (official rank) went to sea at 16. As mentioned above that included tens if not hundreds at Jutland

Thanks all! I was aware that youngsters could join, but wasn't sure of the position regarding men about to be eligible for call-up.

Bob.

I found a 16 year old Boy Tel lost on a British submarine during my researches

As the usual recruitment age was lower to start with I'm gussing that an eager bloke could pre empt the call up.