SOLDIER AT THIRTEEN

Evening Star, Issue 18048, 16 August 1922, Page 5

SOLDIER AT THIRTEEN

A REAL LIFE KLU I have just walked from Gayndah, on the Burnett River, and the R.S.L. kindly pave me a pair of boots and' a week’s board. My ambition now is to go home to my parents, whom I have not seen for seven years. Could any of your readers get me a job on a boat going to Egypt or England? This (says the Sydney ‘ Sun ’) is an appeal made in a Brisbane newspaper by a youth, aped nineteen years and ten months, who has had a remarkably eventful career, according to statements made by himself and substantiated, as far as possible, by inquiry by the military authorities.

He was born in England, but lived in Egypt most of his time. From 1914 to 1916 he acted as bugler, orderly, and interpreter for the Australian troops in Egypt. Later ho ran. away from school in Suez, and stowed away on an Australian, troopship to France. He served at Fleurbnix and on tbe Somme, whence he was ordered to England, tbe authorities considering that the front was no place for a lad; but he turned back at Calais, and returned to the Somme,

Proceeding, the youth states that he was sent to England, where ho told an Australian officer he came from New Zealand, and he was put on a hospital chip bound for Now Zealand, but escaped at Durban, slept on the beach for two nights, had a relapse, and was taken to a military hospital, and was afterwards sent to Sydney and placed in barracks. He was placed on parole for a week, at the conclusion of which period he jumped a wall end went to Newcastle. "While there,” he continued, "Sergeant M/Kenzie, of the recruiting staff; jsked mo to speak on the platform. I did so, and was promptly caught and sent to Durllnghurst Gaol, where, as I would hot tell the authorities anything, I was kept for three months. Then they let

me go. He goes on to tell of his recruiting efforts in New South Wales and in Melbourne, becoming a familiar figure. He tried hard to enlist, but was rejected on account of his size, and eventually secured a place as a war worker, and left Sydney by the Medic on August 1, 1917. Arriving iii England, he was ordered to Australia as being too small 'and nob strong enough. Through claiming to. know the Sonussi dialect and Hindustani, however', ho got employment with Colonel M'Kenzie’s political staff in Mesopotamia, travelling from Basra to Hiton, the Euphrates, and from Kurnah to Bagdad, on the Tigris. He was wounded by an Arab and sent to Nasarisy, and when going back to duty Colonel M'Kenzio and his Arab police wore murdered at Nejeb, so he went along <*ie Euphrates to Bamadich, doing patrol work. After the armistice was signed he was sent back to Australia, receiving a month’s pay in Melbourne, and 1 was told when ho applied for his hack pay, gratuity, and medals that his application was receiving consideration.