Devonshires recruitment??

All matters military, militia, regiments and the like. Army, Navy, Air Force etc.

Moderators: Global Moderators, Pandabean

yazza
Posts: 18
Joined: Sat Sep 22, 2007 6:58 pm
Location: Northumberland

Devonshires recruitment??

Post by yazza » Sat Dec 08, 2007 6:55 pm

hi
We have a Henry Mcgregor (born 1832)Kinross in all the census except 1851.We believe he joined the 11th regiment of foot(Devonshires) between mid 1840s and 1850s (the regiment were in Australia 1845-57)Would it have been possible for him to join up as an 11/12 yr old? and if he did would he have been recruited in Scotland by the Devonshires? Is there some way to find out where and when he was recruited and when he left?
thanks
Steve

Currie
Posts: 3924
Joined: Fri Jun 22, 2007 3:20 am
Location: Australia

Post by Currie » Sun Dec 09, 2007 1:00 pm

Hello Steve,

I can’t give you a definitive answer but it looks as if, around that time, you could be a leader of men at age 16 and maybe a Drummer in a “safe” Battalion at age 5. I guess that particular one was probably just a Mascot.

1. - General Regulations and Orders for the Army, 1822.
http://www.google.com.au/books?id=uywDz ... frontcover
Page 45 - No Person is considered eligible to hold a Commission in the Army, until he has attained the Age of Sixteen Years.

Page 150 - It is to be fully explained to the Boys or Lads who are enlisted to serve as Drummers or Fifers in a Veteran Battalion, that whenever they attain sufficient Age and Strength to qualify them for more active Duties, they will be transferred to Regiments of Infantry of the Line.

2. - In respect of a not much earlier period, an extract from “The British garrison in Australia 1788-1841: conditions of service soldiers.”
http://goliath.ecnext.com/coms2/gi_0199 ... ralia.html

Although recruits were to be of the minimum age of 16 years, many boys were enlisted under age, as was the custom, in NSW as drummers. The youngest of these was William Jamieson, son of Sergeant Jamieson (ex-Savoy), enlisted in 1796 at the age of five years. The first NSW born recruit was William Mitchell, son of ex-Marine Mitchell, enlisted in 1800 aged eleven years.

If you Google for “11 year old drummer boy” or “12 year old……… etc. you’ll find some interesting stories.

This is the National Archives full Catalogue page.
http://www.nationalarchives.gov.uk/cata ... ex.asp?j=1
In the “B” section see “British Army: Muster Rolls and Pay Lists, c1730-1898” and “British Army: Useful Sources for Tracing Soldiers” etc.

Hope this helps,
Alan

yazza
Posts: 18
Joined: Sat Sep 22, 2007 6:58 pm
Location: Northumberland

Post by yazza » Sun Dec 09, 2007 2:36 pm

hi Alan
Thanks for your reply.Maybe Henry was recruited after the regiment left for Australia and joined it later.His parents and siblings emigrated to America about the same time but he did not.Probably will have to have some research done at the NA to find out.
cheers
Steve