ENLISTED AT FOURTEEN

Evening Star, Issue 16992, 14 March 1919, Page 8

ENLISTED AT FOURTEEN

Four days after his 14th birthday—on November 26, 1914—Leonard James Palmer enlisted in the 24th London Regiment. He had twice previously tried to join the army (says the London ‘ Daily Chronicle ’), but was rejected on each occasion because his chest measurement was 100 small. At his third attempt to enlist ho put on two waistcoats under his shirt, gave his ago as 19, and was accepted. After four months’ training his battalion was sent to France. lu an interview he said : “ Sometimes we were in the trenches for seven days at a time, up to onr waists in water. Qn May 9. 1915, I was in a. big attack at Festubert. On May 26 wo made our first attack at GivemTiv, mid raptured a bit of trench and 100 orisoners—an achievement which we thought very wonderful. In this attack I was caught in the barbed wire. It took mo close on an hour to get out. and T was being sniped r-t the whole time. Next morning I was wounded. A piece of shrapnel wont through my chest, and I was lying out for 14 hours before I was picked up. “ When 1 came nut of hospital in England my father claimed me as being under age, and I was discharged from the army on October 21, 1915. All 'I got from the army was 17s 7d for a suit of clothes and my railway ticket home.’’