Genealogy Chat

Hi My ancestor was attested in London to join the 17th Lancers in 1831 aged 21 years old. He was discharged in 1856 aged 46, and I have him 5 years later on 1861 census aged 47. I know a lot of people didnt know their exact age, but his discharge records give his place of birth. Would he of needed to show proof of age at all when he enlisted to join the Lancers, ie, his baptism cert or something? Otherwise, could he of lied about his age to get into the forces? Thanks Ben

I know my grandad lied about his age to enlist, so I can't imagin they had to provide proof of age. I don't actually know though - perhaps someone who knows more will add to your thread. Dea x

Don't think so - as very few people could read and write and most of them wouldn't have actually owned a piece of paper in their lifetime! Jay

I think it highly unlikely. My grandfather joined the Royal Engineers in 1914 though he was a year too young and before he knew what was what, he was off to France for 5 years of sheer ghastliness. nell

Hi all Ann, that is a very good point you bought up. So he could of lied about his age. I need to now look at Kemsing PRs to confirm his true age. My ancestor Thomas Roberts married his first wife Esther Carroll in Ireland in 1848, dont know what parish, as the IGI only says Ireland. I would love to find out where abouts though. Their daughter was born in Woolwich, Kent in 1851 yet I cannot find the family on the 1851 census. That is how I found out what regiment Thomas fought in. Her mother's maiden name proves the Irish marriage. I suspect he might of been in Ireland a lot due to the regiment he fought in as he was discharged in Dublin. I also reckon he might of been in the Emerald Isle at the time of the 1841 and 1851 census. I was pretty sure this way my man, but the ages not tallying did make me a little bit dubious. But his signature on his discharge records virtually match the signature on the original copy I have of his 1864 marriage cert to his second wife. Handwriting can be very valuable in determining if you have the right ancestor. Ben

UPDATE I have just asked for a lookup on the Kent message board at Rootschat if anyone had the PRs for Kemsing in Kent, and one man found a Thomas John Roberts baptised in May 1813. Everything fits, except I have never heard of him having a middle name before. He never put it down on any BMD certs or army records. That means he was only 18 when he was attested in June 1831. Ben

A cousin of my mother in law knows that her father celebrated his 16th birthday in the trenches in WW1.

No, I remember my husband telling me about his grandad, he said that his grandad joinded the army when he was 15 but he told the army that he was 16. When the army found out they kicked him out and told him to come back when he was 16. Which he did and searved the army for many years. Nicola

Just before the outbreak of the second world war my husbands father enlisted in the Gordon Highlanders at age 15. No one asked for proof of age and his father was probably glad to see the back of him as they didn't get on. His mother had died. He was promoted to seargent when he was only 19 but the army thought he was 21. Todays kids including my own could never deal with war the way they had to.