Story tonight on the BBC 1 Oneshow Sidney Lewis was 12 when he enlisted with East Surrey Regiment in 1915 Youngster from Tooting, south London, was fighting in the Somme at 13 His worried mother Fanny wrote to the War Office with his birth certificate Sidney was sent home but worked in bomb disposal in Second World War He later joined the police and ran a Sussex pub before dying in 1969 at 63 http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-2499832/Sidney-Lewis-Youngest-WW1-soldier-fought-Somme-aged-13.html
Have been watching the show. Quite gob-smacking with it's concrete proof that this lad was involved in the fighting on the Somme at the age of 13. When my grandson was 19 my wife used to say to him jokingly "when Grand-dad was your age he was in the army in North Africa" and it used to make me think myself how immature I might have been to face the trials and tribulations of living through those years. An amazing story. If Paxman's book is released on Kindle I will probably get it. Ron
Clive-I watched the show too. Interesting story. Bet young Sidney Lewis wasn't too pleased to be sent home and I suppose he got a good old clip round the ear when his mother saw him :biggrin: Lesley
cl1.yesterday.07:2pm.re:sidney lewis,youngest soldier in ww1.a brave young man.at 32. 2 wars.one should be more than anough.he died young.may he rest in peace.regards bernard85
