My newest read.

The Lost Boys.

The story of young teenagers one was 11 y/o who tried to enlist in the A.I.F to fight on Gallipoli & France in WWI.
Some made it others were caught and sent home others exploited a loophole to get there it shows the fervor which our kinfolk would go to, to answer the call of England.
One young chap won the V.C others were killed and as using assumed names made it a tad difficult to alert the relatives of the sad outcome.

From my graze read it well yeah fairly gets to you worth getting this one is in H/C got it for $8.25 + P&H $18 = $26.25 Aud.

Grandpa enlisted at 16...
Imagine that nowadays.

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by Ovidio

Grandpa enlisted at 16.

---

I enlisted at 17...and lots around us enlist in the primary reserve at 15, turning 16 within the calendar year. I would have joined at 12 if they'd have let me. It was the only thing I wanted to do. This was after listening to all the vets, WW1 and WW2 talk. I was expecting to do exactly what they did...

One of the lads was involved in and died in a trench raid on Gallipoli where the aerial pics were misinterpreted by the officers who failed to realise the front trenches were covered in heavy logs.
Some soldiers went past and into the comm's trenches and fought their was back into the front line trench, others pried up the roof logs so others could get into the trench the fighting was in a dark cramped space where dead & dying were trampled on by those still fighting each other with knives, clubs, pistols and bare hands.

I read the young chaps story who won the V.C invalided out due to his injuries his story follows the all to familiar WWI journey into not fitting into life vagrancy alcoholism failed social skills he could not even orate properly for recruitment drives just a sad tale so often repeated through the ages for returned vets.
Others partook of Fromelles fathers & sons, brothers with the inevitable outcome for allot of them.

I'm recommending this book for Aussies or anyone interested in the subject matter, these are documented cases that have been researched thoroughly there are probably a lot more that fell through the cracks by using false names and false next of kins.