Who was the youngest soldier killed in WW1?

John Condon (5 October 1900 – 24 May 1915) was an Irish soldier born in Waterford. He was believed to have been the youngest Allied soldier killed during the First World War, at the age of 14 years; he lied about his age and he claimed to be 18 years old when he signed up to join the army in 1913.


Who was the youngest soldier to fight in WW1?

Momčilo Gavrić, in Serbian military from age eight; youngest soldier in World War I in any of the nations which fought in World War I.

Who was the last man killed in WW1?

Henry Nicholas John Gunther (June 6, 1895 – November 11, 1918) was an American soldier and possibly the last soldier of any of the belligerents to be killed during World War I. He was killed at 10:59 a.m., about one minute before the Armistice was to take effect at 11:00 a.m.


Did 16 year olds fight in WW1?

As many as 250,000 boys under the age of 18 served in the British Army during World War One.

At what age were soldiers allowed to fight in WW1?

Conscription introduced

In January 1916 the Military Service Act was passed. This imposed conscription on all single men aged between 18 and 41, but exempted the medically unfit, clergymen, teachers and certain classes of industrial worker.


WW1 Stories: The boy soldier killed in the First World War | ITV News



How tall was the average soldier in ww1?

The average height was 5 feet 7 1/2 inches tall; the average weight was 141.5 pounds - about the same as a Civil War soldier, but an inch shorter and ten pounds lighter than those who served in World War II. 37% were unable to read or write. 39% were immigrants or sons of immigrants.

How much weight did a ww1 soldier carry?

The French in the Crimean War (1853-1856) carried 72 pounds. Around World War I, approximate march weights jumped to 85 pounds. U.S. soldiers trained with at least 60 pounds but carried additional rations and munitions in combat.

Did 10 year olds fight in ww2?

Men of all ages, from 16–60 were conscripted into this army. Children as young as 8 were reported as having been captured by American troops, with boys aged 12 and under manning artillery units. Girls were also being placed in armed combat, operating anti-aircraft, or flak, guns alongside boys.


Did 12 year olds fight in ww2?

Calvin Leon Graham (April 3, 1930 – November 6, 1992) was the youngest U.S. serviceman to serve and fight during World War II. Following the attack on Pearl Harbor, he enlisted in the United States Navy from Houston, Texas on August 15, 1942, at the age of 12.

What was the biggest killer in WW1?

Most of the casualties during WWI are due to war related famine and disease. Civilian deaths due to the Spanish flu have been excluded from these figures, whenever possible. Moreover, civilian deaths include the Armenian Genocide.

Who was the oldest soldier killed in WW1?

Today in 1916 Lt Henry Webber was killed at the Somme. At 67 he was the oldest soldier to lose his life during WW1.


Do they still find bodies from WW1?

The ceremony took place Thursday at the New Irish Farm Commonwealth War Grave near Ypres. In total, 63 sets of World War I soldiers' remains were uncovered by archaeologists during the work between 2014 and 2016.

How old was the unkillable soldier?

In retirement, he eventually settled in County Cork, spending his time fishing. Having proved indestructible on the battlefield, he died peacefully in 1963, aged 83.

How old was the last ww1 soldier?

The last combat veteran was Claude Choules, who served in the British Royal Navy (and later the Royal Australian Navy) and died 5 May 2011, aged 110. The last veteran who served in the trenches was Harry Patch (British Army), who died on 25 July 2009, aged 111.


How old was the oldest soldier in ww1?

The oldest soldier to enlist in WWI is quartermaster sergeant Robert Frederick Robertson (UK, b. 12 September 1842), who was 71 years of age when he enlisted in late 1914.

Is it true that a 6 year old fought in ww2?

It is estimated that thousands of children under the age of 16-years-old fought in the ranks of the Red Army. One of them was Sergei “Seryozha” Aleshkov, the youngest soldier of World War II.

What was too old to fight ww2?

On September 16, 1940, the United States instituted the Selective Training and Service Act of 1940, which required all men between the ages of 21 and 45 to register for the draft.


Who is the youngest ww2 vet still alive?

He was in fact, only 13 years old. SAN ANTONIO — On this Veteran's Day we are honoring the youngest living World War II veteran. Like many Americans, Bob Kelso signed up to fight in World War Two.

Who fired the last shot in ww2?

On May 8, 1945, the British cruiser HMS Dido was en route to Copenhagen Denmark. At one point during the journey, a lone German aircraft approached the ship. The Dido's guns fired one shot and the plane flew away - it was VE day and that was the last shot fired in the Second World War in Europe.

Did they shoot cowards in WW1?

Generally, cowardice was punishable by execution during World War I, and those who were caught were often court-martialed and, in many cases, executed by firing squad.


What was the best rifle in WW1?

Reliable and extremely accurate, the SMLE is regarded by most authorities as the finest rifle of the First World War. The 7.92mm Gewehr '98 introduced into service with the Imperial German Army on 5 April 1898 was designed by Paul Mauser and was the standard infantry weapon in the First World War.

What were soldiers most afraid of in ww1?

One of the enduring hallmarks of WWI was the large-scale use of chemical weapons, commonly called, simply, 'gas'. Although chemical warfare caused less than 1% of the total deaths in this war, the 'psy-war' or fear factor was formidable.

What was the most feared weapon in ww1?

Of all the weapons introduced during the war, the flamethrower was one of the most feared. First used by the German shock troops, the weapon proved to be an effective tool against fortifications and trenches, showering the enemy with burning liquid and flushing out troops who would be otherwise unassailable.


Did soldiers in ww1 shower?

About once every week to ten days, Soldiers would go to the rear for their shower. Upon entering the shower area they turned in their dirty clothing. After showering they received new cloths. They had their choice for size: small, medium, or large.