Teenage Soldiers of the First World War: Chadderton Cemetery

Graveyards up and down the country are full of the graves or memorials of soldiers who fought in the First World War. Like other cemeteries, Chadderton cemetery is also the resting place of teenage soldiers who served in the First World War. In a previous post, we discussed the life and death of Private Walter Charles Maskell, a 15-year-old soldier who died during the First World War. The boys who are the subject of this post, like Walter Charles Maskell, lied about their age to join the forces.

We often hear tales of such brave individuals from the distant past, however researching their stories was truly a moving experience for me. Although there was so much more to these boys than what we find on paper, I would like to share with you what I have discovered about their lives and deaths. These people and their bravery should never be forgotten.

Herbert Hardy

Hebert Hardy was born in Oldham in 1899. He was baptised at Holy Trinity, Coldhurst, an Anglican Church on 1st March 1899. He was the son of Thomas and Mary Ellen Hardy. The family resided on Rochdale Road, Oldham. Herbert appears to have been the youngest of 9 children.

Herbert’s father, Thomas died in 1907 at the age of 47.

On the 1911 census, we find Herbert living with his mother, Mary Ellen Hardy and his siblings at 26 Portland Street, Oldham. Mary Ellen’s financial situation must have altered dramatically upon the death of her husband and we now see the family living as boarders with another family at this time.

Herbert enlisted into the army on 8th September 1915 at the age of 16. He enlisted at the Ashton-Under-Lyne office, a town over from Oldham. The minimum age of enlistment was 18. On Herbert’s enlistment papers, his ‘apparent age’ is 19 years and 9 months so Herbert lied about his age in order to enlist.

These enlistment papers give us some description of enlistees. We can see that Herbert stood at 5 feet tall. His chest measured 34 inches. Herbert joined the King’s Own Royal Lancaster Regiment.

Herbert’s time in training seems to have been rather eventful. He was disciplined as he was ‘absent from tattoo until 11.20 p.m‘. Tattooo being the evening call to quarters. Herbert’s punishment was 5 days confined to camp. Herbert’s misdemeanour was not uncommon, especially for a young man away from home.

Eventually, Herbert’s lie regarding his age was discovered. He was discharged from the army in October 1915 after an application was made for his birth certificate.

Hebert must have then enlisted once again a short time later. Upon his second attempt at serving his country, he enlisted into the 10th Bantam Manchester Regiment. Bantam regiments accepted recruits who stood between 5 feet and 5 feet 3 inches. Normally, the army would only accept men who were 5 feet 3 inches or taller. Bantam battalions were created to absorb those men who were physically fit but who would be rejected from other regiments due to the height restrictions.

The 10th Manchester Regiment recruited from Oldham and were based on Rifle Street close to Oldham Town Centre. They occupied the Rifle Street Drill Hall which was built in 1898 and still stands today. The building is no longer in use and was badly damaged by fire in 2011. It was incredibly upsetting to see just how little care has been given to this most historic, once beautiful building.

Herbert must have, once again lied about his age when he enlisted, presumably sometime in late 1915. Sadly, his enlistment papers are missing.

He died in Oldham on 9th March 1916, presumably during training. He was 17 years of age.

The note regarding his death is a little hard to make out. I assume it reads ‘disease’. There was a disease hospital in Oldham known as Westhulme Hospital, or Westhulme Fever Hospital, which saw the end of many army recruits at this time.

Herbert, one of many teenage soldiers lies at rest in Chadderton Cemetery.

George Albert Hope

Another of the teenage soldiers laid to rest in Chadderton cemetery was George Albert Hope who was born in 1899. He was the eldest son of George Albert Hope Senior and Hannah Hope. In 1911 the family lived at 14 Vane Terrace, Hendon in Sunderland Durham. As we can see from the 1911 census, the family were not strangers to heartache and grief. George Senior and Hannah had lost 3 children.

The 16-year-old George Albert Hope enlisted in the army in December 1915.

As we can see from the report upon his enlistment, George stood at 5 feet 5 and a half inches tall. He had a chest girth of 33 and a half inches. George gave his age as 19 years and 2 months, a claim the recruiting officer believed. George served in the Durham Light Infantry in the 20th Battalion.

Sadly, less than a year later, George died. He died of wounds received at the Somme.

George passed away in Boundary Park Military Hospital in Oldham on 12th November 1916.

He lies at rest not far from Herbert Hardy.

Rest in Peace Herbert Hardy. Rest in Peace George Albert Hope.