Youngest RAF casualty?
 

I was trawling through a Wikipedia entry for the Shankill Road in Belfast when I discovered a picture of a gravestone. It shows

W.A.Sterling RAF died 6th November 1918.

He was aged 14.

Was he the youngest? How on earth did he get in?

Just pulled me up in my tracks.

The picture is too big to post.

Mods obviously move if I am in the wrong spot .

The Commonwealth War Grave Commission website gives this entry.

CWGC - Casualty Details

Could be he enlisted underage and the real age was inscribed when discovered. Maybe a casualty of the influenza epidemic? Be good to find out.

Google shows theres a picture of the grave at
https://sites.google.com/site/ourher...l-rd-graveyard

Died 5th November, 1918

Missed the Armistice by six days


To quote from that site
"Son of Wesley and Margaret Sterling, 68, Newport St., Belfast.
Living at No 5 Loftus Street, Belfast in 1911 Irish census. Walter was aged 7.
This was the verse his Mother and Father placed in the Belfast newspaper.
In fond and loving memory of our dear son No 310462 Pte Walter Ambrose Sterling, R.A.F. aged 14 years and 7 months, who departed this life on 5th November, 1918, at Blandford Camp Hospital, Dorset, and was interred in Shankill Burying ground, Belfast."

The guess about the 'flu could be right
see Blandford Camp
"By the middle of 1918 part of the barracks was taken over by the newly-formed Royal Air Force which had been formed on 1st April of that year.
In 1918 the influenza pandemic caused the deaths of several German prisoners held in Blandford P.O.W.Camp......."
So there was an outbreak there that year, and we know it was the young and fit who seemed to get hit most by that version of the 'flu

This obit from todays DT shows how easy it was to bluff your way in while under-age, even in WWII.

Squadron Leader Joe Blyth - Telegraph

I'm off to the PRO tomorrow. I'll look in AIR 79 for his service records and get the answers.

This page has a report of a 19-year old from Ireland, also in the RAF, who died of influenza at Blandford on the previous day
RT News: Morning Ireland - Marking of graves at Glasnevin

"BANNISTER, JOSEPH: Private 2nd Class 309277 Royal Air Force. Died: 04/11/1918 of Influenza at Blandford Camp, Dorsetshire. Age: 19. "


edit
and another 'flu victim from Blandford here
Paul Manning.net - Roll of Honour: Far Cotton, Northampton & HMS Cassandra
"Cowell, Thomas George
Private 305220, Royal Air Force. Died in Blandford Camp, Dorset, England, Wednesday, 30th October 1918, aged 24. During 1918 Blandford camp changed from being the depot for the Royal Naval Division to being an 'Intake Camp' for the Royal Flying Corps which was, at that time, being reformed as the Royal Air Force. During the early period of the occupation by the RAF a number of those stationed at Blandford were affected by a series of influenza outbreaks which resulted in a number of young men dying."

That is so very sad, and yet gives me some hope for the future - that someone so young is willing to sacrifice so much.

As an aside, several serving RAF Police dogs, aged 2, have been killed in action. They were fully qualified, and genuinely serving in the RAF. I am not being obtuse or ignorant (and admit I am a dog person), but they were killed in action as serving RAF members, aged 2. Surely the youngest?

"- that someone so young is willing to sacrifice so much."

I don't think he looked upon joining up as you think.

From 1918 (and, from my father's history, well into the late 30's) a great deal of people would join up just for some form of clothing, regular meals and a comfy bed (most nights). Being paid was a real bonus.

As a hungry youngster Sir Norman Wisdom joined up in 1929. (from Wiki: "He first enlisted into the King's Own Royal Regiment (Lancaster), but his mother got him "unenlisted" as he was under age." After being thrown out of his 'home' he re-joined the army again in 1930.

That fact that this poor lad died of Flu is probably just indicative of his likely malnourishment and a susceptabilty for any illness going.

RIP kid.

Its a queer thing about that 'flu epidemic in that the main victims were not the usual categories of the elderly and very young, but instead were mainly fit young men in their early twenties - often those living in barracks, rather than in the trenches. The ironic thing is that in many cases those affected were better fed, and physically fitter than at any time in their previous lives.

I don't think its ever been explained - except in that during the war you had large numbers of people living in closer proximity than normal. Its also been suggested that that 'flu was a bit more than normal in terms of disease - a double whammy of a virus and a secondary infection, maybe pneumonia, maybe a fungus, but I don't think the case has ever been proved. Not enough surviving tissue samples to be able to check.

Until relatively recently (certainly mid '60s) you could join the RAF as a Boy Entrant at minimum age 14 and a half.

You were attested as a full member of the RAF and, with 18 months training as a BE, could be out in the "real" RAF by age 16.

And more recently we should include Edward Wilson, an Air Cadet who was killed by an IRA booby-trap bomb at the Air Training Corps Sqn premises in Belfast on 26th January 1975.

He was 16 years old.

I managed to get hold of his hard copy service record at the National Archives today. He was enlisted at Blandford Forum as a labourer on 24.10.11. His age was down as 18. A medical on the same day had him as B1. Strangely there was no information recorded as to NOK, home address, previous work etc. The only two movements (entries) were enlistment on 24.10.18 and death on 31.10.18. Perhaps he was hospitalised after the medical and was unable to provide the other details. I took a couple of images of the record and if anyone wants them I can email them.

McG.

siseman
 

Not quite correct. The youngest you could join as a BE was 15 1/2 years. I think the 14 1/2 was the age at which you could apply.


Aaron.

AARONO'DICKYDIDO............
 

Yes I think that is correct; I joined as a Boy Entrant on 26 Sep 1962 at 15 1/2 and after 18 mths training I was posted into 'adulthood' only to be told by my WO that I was too young to live in the block (16 to a room) so I had to move out and live at home (6mls away) with my Mother (!) and that I couldn't wear the SAC badge for the same reason and I had to wear my Leading Boy Entrant stripe and wheel until I 'became of age'!! At least they didn't pay me as a Boy Entrant! Went aircrew and finally stopped flying at 61 yrs old! 'decided I was too old to fly and threw me out! So I suppose I had the 'worst' of both worlds! :ok:

From the Boy Entrant Association website:

In Bratworld c.1970, you could join at 15.5yrs old. Indeed, my Halton Entry (222, Trenchard's finest) had such a youth amongst its' ranks.
I myself was age 16yrs +2days upon attestation, wet behind the ears & never been kissed.

HB

Almost became a Brat at 15. Folllowing visit to RAF Cardington in 1959 for medical and aptitude testing, recommendation I finish GCE 'O' Levels and then off to Locking as AA the following year. Seems an awfully long time ago. :D

Thanks for all the replies folks.

Macgoonagal
That puzzles me....why would a kid from Belfast be anywhere near Blandford Forum?.

I must admit I never even considered flu as a cause of death. I foolishly thought that it would have taken the weakest...I live and learn.

Entry in "Airmen Died in the Great War 1914 - 1918" compiled by Chris Hobson says:

"He was enlisted at Blandford Forum as a labourer on 24.10.11."
I assume that should read 24/10/18???

He died 5/11/18
Twelve days after enlistment.