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  1. #1

    Default Maximum age for WWI service; Domestic service

    I am a post-grad student from Austsralia researching an artist named Paul Sidney Goodwin (but he was commonly known as Sidney Goodwin) who was born in Southampton in 1875. A newspaper article in 1915 said he had "laid aside the brush for the sword in the service of his country". I can't be certain but I think he was in the army mainly because his father was a career soldier who had served in the Royal Engineers. I have looked on various subscription services (Forces War Records, Ancestry etc) but no "S. Goodwin" is a sure match.

    1) At age 40 I assume he volunteered but could he have been conscripted?

    2) How would the army have utilised a 40 year old volunteer? Would he have seen active service or would he have been used in a domestic capacity?

    3) If he served in a domestic role would he have an actual army service record?

    4) What are examples or domestic roles needed during WWI?

    Many thanks to anyone who can answer my questions!

    Regards,
    Steve

  2. #2

    Default

    Welcome to the British Genealogy Forum.

    Have you checked the WW1 medal index cards (to be seen on the subscription services)? If he served outside the UK, he should feature there. I did take a look but there's 32 Sidneys to be checked (and a couple of Pauls). It's common to not use both forenames on these lists.
    If he got to the Front in 1915, he should have the 1914/15 Star, which might help pick him out. The regiment of his father isn't really relevant - after the early optimism about the War, men got sent to whichever regiment was under strength.

    Conscription in WW1 started in 1916 for men aged 18-40. The age limit was eventually raised to 51.

    I'm not completely sure what you mean by "domestic capacity". Presumably not housework, etc. Men not considered fit to fight often ended up in the Labour Battalions, which meant they went to the Front but spent their time trench digging, etc. They would have had medals. Others stayed in the UK for different things including administration and training.

  3. #3

    Default

    Thanks Lesley!

    I have already checked the medal indexes but no luck. As you point out there are possible Goodwins but nothing definitive.

    By 'domestic capacity" I meant duties in UK of a non-combat nature. I was thinking that a 40 year old may not have been sent overseas to fight but may have been used at home for other duties. Would such a person have received service medals or were they reserved for those who were active soldiers?

  4. #4

    Default

    Medals went to the soldiers, of all trades, who left the UK.
    Mind you, when you consider that they started conscripting 40 year olds, I don’t think they would have seen him as particularly old.

    They got into trouble with recruiting because of the low standard of health of many of the men called up. If he was healthy, they’d have been glad of him. Did you check the local papers for anything about his return from the War?

  5. #5

    Default

    There was nothing mentioned about his return in the newspaper archives I searched. I wonder whether he claimed he had volunteered then disappeared overseas instead? He turned up in Australia after the war in 1919 using an alias. The only way I was able to track him was via his paintings. Given that I can't find evidence that he served in WWI I'm starting to think he was a draft dodger or deserted a woman or was avoiding a criminal conviction???

  6. #6

    Default

    Did you also check for Paul? He might have enlisted under his registered name.

  7. #7

    Default

    Yes i did and I think I've been thorough. He left his home in Southampton in 1915 and told people he was volunteering but maybe he never did?

  8. #8

    Default

    Or maybe they put him into an office?

    The alias in Oz suggests something fishy, mind you....

  9. #9
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    But this site says "in 1917 he had an address in Dublin".

    (a) conscription didn't start until 1916.

    (b) there was no conscription in Ireland.

    I know what that suggests to me!

  10. #10

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    Would any records exist of people who were non-uniformed administrative workers in aid of the war effort?

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