A SOCIALLY IMPORTANT TWO BROTHERS 1915 STAR TRIO & PLAQUE ASSEMBLY.

Elder Brother:






20683. Pte T. STOCKLEY 2nd WELSH REGt
KILLED IN ACTION.
9th APRIL 1918



Younger Brother:






20684. Pte W. STOCKLEY. 2nd WELSH REGt
JOINED STATING Age 19
BUT AGE ONLY 15
SENT HOME AFTER 3 WEEKS IN FRANCE

(*Both Joined on Same Day & Consecutively Numbered)

[INTRO' to AN AMAZING TWO BROTHERS ASSEMBLY]
This is one of those greatly compelling family groups which brightly illuminate the real "on the ground" social and highly patriotic situation in this country at the beginning of the Great War.

Thomas & William STOCKLEY were the elder & younger sons of Mr John Stockley, who was a coal miner residing in Great Lever, Bolton, Lancashire. The boys were both born in Prescot, Lancs.

When Lord Kitchener's call for volunteers came, the two brothers both turned up at the Farnworth, (Bolton) Lancashire recruiting office on 9th March 1915. They were then duly sworn in and consecutively numbered 20683 & 20684 as Privates into the 2nd Welsh Regiment.

So far ....So good !

After ten months initial training the two brothers were both shipped to France on 4th December 1915. However, just before Christmas 1915 it was discovered that William had told a BIG FIB on his attestation papers.

So that he could stick with his brother he had also declared himself as being 19 years & 50 days old, when in reality, and being born in January 1900 he had only just become 15 YEARS OF AGE !!!

A man could join the British army at age 17 but was not permitted to serve overseas until age 19. Thus, William was four years too young to be in France.

[THE DAMNING BIRTH CERTIFICATE]
The army was at that time under great pressure and criticism from campaigning members of Parliament such as Sir Arthur Markham M.P. over their 'turning of a blind eye' to the enlistment of boy soldiers who were patently underage. It immediately sought confirmation of the age of William. His father John STOCKLEY then produced a birth certificate for him (included) which clearly states his date of birth as 20th January 1900 and hence proved he was only just 15 years old.

[NAUGHTY WILLIAM, SENT HOME FROM FRANCE, AGED 15!] On sight of this, the army then immediately ordered that under "K.R. Para 39, 2 (VI) A" he should be sent home as 'under age'.
He was returned to the U.K. just before Christmas 1915.

William had been in France less than three weeks !!

His M.I.C. & surviving papers clearly state a discharge date at Cardiff as 22nd February 1916.

His name is at the very top of a list drawn up on 31st January 1916 of seven other underage boys who had been officially ordered home from France. He had by then been moved to the 15th Welsh Regt.
It is thought that over 250,000 underage boys were serving in France during the early days of WW1, but the situation improved later when subsequent regulations required proof of age to be produced at the time of enlistment.

Young William STOCKLEY had however served with the colours for three weeks in France before being caught out, and including his training for a total of 351 days. He had thus qualified for a 1914-15 Trio. He duly signed for its arrival on 27th July 1920 while then resident at 33 York Street, Bolton, Lancashire.

Our William Stockley was clearly a bit of a character, and was a naughty Lancashire lad because a while later he even claimed for a silver war badge and also a Pension .....which on his papers was clearly stamped "REFUSED".
I would love to have met him.....but sadly not now possible ....as he would be 118 !











Sadly of course, his elder brother Thomas remained in France with 2nd Btn Welsh Regiment and was KILLED IN ACTION on 9th APRIL 1918. This was The First Day of The Battles of Lys (Battle of Estaires) during the third German Spring Offensive, Operation Georgette.

AN EXCELLENT TWO "LANCASHIRE" BROTHERS CASUALTY GROUPING WITH A COMPELLING & SOCIALLY IMPORTANT STORY OF VASTLY UNDERAGE SOLDIERING.



With much research including William's birth certificate and an original two sided "mother's locket" with pictures of both Thomas & cheeky young William in uniform.

All medals are EF+ to "MINT" and with original ribbons.

£895