World War 1 COLLIE BOYS – Boy Soldiers & 11th Battalion

WW1 ‘Collie Boy Soldiers’ - Collie Boys who were under 20 yrs of age on enlistment for service in the Great War 1914-1918

The youngest ANZAC - WW1 Official Enlistment Age

‍During the First World War, the Australian Army's enlistment age was 21 years. Under 21, down to 18 years could enlist, with the signed permission of a parent or guardian, (copy of consent form attached). Although boys aged 14-17 could enlist as buglers, trumpeters and musicians, many gave false ages in order to join as soldiers. Their numbers are impossible to determine.

Enlistment of boys was normal practice for the Navy and several died on service during the First World War. Five of those who qualify for the AWM Roll of Honour were serving on the Sydney-based training ship HMAS Tingira.

The Youngest ANZAC - Private James Charles ('Jim') Martin (3 January 1901 – 25 October 1915)

Jim is the best known Australian boy soldier, who died on Active Service. He is believed to be the youngest soldier on the Roll of Honour. Jim was 14 years 9 months old when he died at Gallipoli.

Private Martin succumbed to typhoid during the Gallipoli campaign. He was one of 20 Australian soldiers under the age of 18 known to have died in World War 1.

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The youngest known Collie Boy to enlist for WW1 - 3248, Private Richard Henry HICKSON.

He was 17 yrs of age on enlistment. Pte Hickson of the 11th Bn, was 18 yrs of age when taken Prisoner of War, by the Germans, at Fleurbaix FRANCE in 1916.

There were seven (7) Collie boys who were under 20 yrs of age when they died on Active service during WW1. The seven soldiers were;

1. 2152, FOSTER Leonard Norman.
2. 5099, GHILOTTI Francis.
3. 5113, HAMILL Andrew Clarkson.
4. 298, HORROCKS Edwin James.
5. 6869, PRITCHARD James Rhys.
6. 82, RICHARDSON George Wallace.
7. 5207, STUART-SINCLAIR Edward.

There were many more ‘Collie Boys’ who were only 18 yrs of age when they enlisted for WW1. They survived the horrors of the Great War to return home. However, many had been severely wounded, and many carried psychological scars. They carried those horrific injuries for the remainder of their lives.

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‘Collie Boys’ of the 11th Battalion, 3rd Infantry Brigade, AIF, (1914)

Rear row L to R:

J Connolly, G.W. Gane, W.E. Webb, W Kenning, C Watson

2nd from rear L to R:

E Thompson, N.R. Nicholl, F.H. Hodgson, W.W. Paterson,  J Miller, G Lamerton, J Horrocks

Sitting L to R:

M Wood,  A Box,  A.A. Wilson (MLA),  A Wilson, L Blakemore

Kneeling L and R:

S McDermott, W Youd

The 18 ‘Collie boys’ shown in the above group photo enlisted in 1914 and embarked with the original 11th  Battalion, AIF.  Sadly six of those Boys (1 in 3), never returned to their home in the Jarrah forests surrounding Collie.  They were;

555, Private, J. Horrocks, Died of Wounds received, 20 May 1915, Gallipoli Peninsula.

540, Sergeant, G.W. Gane, Killed in Action, 26 February 1917, Somme, France.

449, Private, W. Kenning, Died of illness, 06 April 1916, Egypt.

604, Private, E. Thompson, Killed in Action, 10 October 1916, Ypres, Belgium.

456, Private, J. Miller, Killed in Action, 14 August 1916, Pozieres, France.

565, Lieutenant, G.A. Lamerton , Killed in Action, 10 August 1918, Harbonnieres, France.

‍Note: A.A. WILSON (MLA) took special leave from Parliament and enlisted in the AIF, March 1917, at 48 yrs of age.  7724, Extra Regimental Sergeant, he served in France with the 11th  Field Coy Engineers. A. Wilson next to him in photo is his son, 848, Private Alan Wilson.