Here is a blog entry I had to write about Boy Soldiers - a bit different to my usual posts.
As of today, I am 15 years of age.
I have only had a mere 5479 days to learn how to walk, talk, count and write.
I have shaped the person that I am today in 5479 days.
100 years ago, at the same age as me, many boys weren't learning how to solve quadratic functions like I am. They were fighting wars, and I personally find that quite alarming.
Back in 1914, if you wanted to join the armed forces you technically had to be 5 feet 3 inches tall and between the age of 18 and 38, as well as being deemed mentally and physically fit. Thousands of men queued up across Australia to enlist so that they could fight for King and Country, yet so many of these “men” were still young boys, the youngest of which being 14 and 3 months. At that age, I was signing up for the opportunity to go on this trip to Gallipoli - not signing up to fight in a war!
Young boys (under the age of 20) made up 16% of all enlisted soldiers in North-East Victoria, 44% were aged 20-24 and 60% were under the age of 25. Many of those soldiers in the <20 category had lied about their age while enlisting, so they were often just as young as I am. It’s incredibly hard to fathom why boys my age were pretending to be 18 so that they could travel across the globe to fight in such horrible conditions, yet when you think about it for a while, you can see why the idea seemed preferable at the time. They would be granted the opportunity to travel to countries they normally wouldn't be able to. Their families would be paid a small income to cover costs while they were away. They would be fighting for their country’s freedom and reputation. They would gain respect from their communities... and besides, the war was only going to last until the end of the year, right? Despite all this, it would still have taken a lot courage to leave their normal lifestyle and journey into the unknown, foreign lands of Europe and Asia.
I know that Jim Martin is one of the most well-known boy soldiers of WW1, but he does have a very interesting story to tell. I did a project on him last year and learnt a lot about why he enlisted at the ripe age of 14 years and 3 months. His father had been rejected when he tried to enlist so Jim felt obliged to take his place as he was the only remaining male in the family. His mother didn't want him to go, but he threatened to run away and enlist under another name. Despite being four years younger than the minimum age, Jim was accepted into the Australian and New Zealand Army Corps, and embarked from Melbourne on the HMAT Berrima on the 28th of June 1915. After training in Egypt for several months, Jim was sent to fight on the Gallipoli peninsula but his transport ship was torpedoed by the Germans en route. On the 25th of October, Jim died of typhoid fever on board a hospital ship.
As of the day he died, Jim Martin was 14 years 9 months old.
He’d only had 5408 days to learn how to walk, talk, count and write.
He was the youngest ANZAC to die during deployment in WW1.
I have only lived 71 days longer than he did, yet we both experienced such different things in our 5000 days. Learning about stories such as Jim’s has made me realise that I should not waste the life that I have been given, and to appreciate every opportunity I am offered. We all have a lot to learn from these young soldier boys, so it’s time we started maximising what we do in the limited amount of time that we have.
Bronte x
I have only had a mere 5479 days to learn how to walk, talk, count and write.
I have shaped the person that I am today in 5479 days.
100 years ago, at the same age as me, many boys weren't learning how to solve quadratic functions like I am. They were fighting wars, and I personally find that quite alarming.
Back in 1914, if you wanted to join the armed forces you technically had to be 5 feet 3 inches tall and between the age of 18 and 38, as well as being deemed mentally and physically fit. Thousands of men queued up across Australia to enlist so that they could fight for King and Country, yet so many of these “men” were still young boys, the youngest of which being 14 and 3 months. At that age, I was signing up for the opportunity to go on this trip to Gallipoli - not signing up to fight in a war!
Young boys (under the age of 20) made up 16% of all enlisted soldiers in North-East Victoria, 44% were aged 20-24 and 60% were under the age of 25. Many of those soldiers in the <20 category had lied about their age while enlisting, so they were often just as young as I am. It’s incredibly hard to fathom why boys my age were pretending to be 18 so that they could travel across the globe to fight in such horrible conditions, yet when you think about it for a while, you can see why the idea seemed preferable at the time. They would be granted the opportunity to travel to countries they normally wouldn't be able to. Their families would be paid a small income to cover costs while they were away. They would be fighting for their country’s freedom and reputation. They would gain respect from their communities... and besides, the war was only going to last until the end of the year, right? Despite all this, it would still have taken a lot courage to leave their normal lifestyle and journey into the unknown, foreign lands of Europe and Asia.
I know that Jim Martin is one of the most well-known boy soldiers of WW1, but he does have a very interesting story to tell. I did a project on him last year and learnt a lot about why he enlisted at the ripe age of 14 years and 3 months. His father had been rejected when he tried to enlist so Jim felt obliged to take his place as he was the only remaining male in the family. His mother didn't want him to go, but he threatened to run away and enlist under another name. Despite being four years younger than the minimum age, Jim was accepted into the Australian and New Zealand Army Corps, and embarked from Melbourne on the HMAT Berrima on the 28th of June 1915. After training in Egypt for several months, Jim was sent to fight on the Gallipoli peninsula but his transport ship was torpedoed by the Germans en route. On the 25th of October, Jim died of typhoid fever on board a hospital ship.
As of the day he died, Jim Martin was 14 years 9 months old.
He’d only had 5408 days to learn how to walk, talk, count and write.
He was the youngest ANZAC to die during deployment in WW1.
I have only lived 71 days longer than he did, yet we both experienced such different things in our 5000 days. Learning about stories such as Jim’s has made me realise that I should not waste the life that I have been given, and to appreciate every opportunity I am offered. We all have a lot to learn from these young soldier boys, so it’s time we started maximising what we do in the limited amount of time that we have.
Bronte x