22536664 Wallace Harold BEECH, Grenadier Guards, Army Catering Corps & Royal Artillery

I am doing some research on 22536664 Wallace Harold Beech wonder if anyone can help with a few queries?

In his regular army certificate of service book dated on his re-enlistment in 1950, it states that he was born on 20/7/1923. On the last page of the service book his previous service in H.M forces is as follows
Grenadier Guards enlisted 29/12/38 to 16/11/42 Guardsman
Catering Corps enlisted 17/11/42 to 24/12/45 P.T.E
R.A enlisted 25/12/45 to 19/7/50 (oh enlisted on xmas day)
Sec B R.A.R 20/7/50 to 26/11/50
He then re-enlisted in the R.A on 27/11/50 untill 23/12/1963
My query is if he was born in 1923 and enlisted in the Grenadier Guards in 1938 then that would of made him, the most, 15 yrs 6 months old, when he signed up. Was they allowed to enlist at that age for WW2, All the information comes from his service book so I am a bit confused as this is an official document.

Has anyone an idea if his service number would indicate where he enlisted with the G/Guards

 

During both WW1 and WW2 those close to the age of 18 would often lie to get into the army, I doubt much fact checking was done because of this.

Its also possibly it was a reserve where he would have been deployed when he reached 18?

 

Thank you for that information it was most welcome

 

Thank you Owen, I think I might write to the G Guards and see if they can help with regards to my mans first army No

 

hi, i may be able to help with search as you are looking for my dad!.he was born in mexborough on 20 7 1923.i can only be of limited help as my mum & dad split up in the 60`s & the kids stayed with mum & as far as i know dad moved to luton which was his last posting before he came out of the army.

 

A late friend of mine was in the guards from a young age. And as stated, was a Drummer Boy.Did not stop him from being severely war disabled, lost a leg amongst other injuries

 

I doubt he lied about his age.
More likely he joined as a Boy Soldier , as a Drummer.


I agree that it was unlikley that he lied about his age. That certainly happened in WW1, sometimes with connivance of recruiting officers, but, partly because of the scandal about under-age soldiers in WW1, and partly because of general increase in formalities, there is very little evidence of anyone getting away with lying about age post-WW1.

The Army did, however, regularly recruit boy soldiers from the age of 15, and not only as drummers or musicians. The practice was certainly common from the 1920s, when the minimum school leaving age was 14, and continued even after the raising of the minimum leaving age, first to 15 and then 16. Even with the official age of 16, a boy whose birthday is, say, in August, can officially leave school at the end of term in July, and could join the Army the next day.

The practice was not stopped until 1991, when a "house rule" was made that no-one would be enlisted before the 16th birthday.The house rule was not put into law until 2009, when, for the first time in British history. there was made a legal minimum age for enlistment, which is the 16tth birthday.