Monday, February 7

A 17-Year-Old Recruit... (Military Monday)

Below is a copy of the attestation page of Stanley G. Crago's 1909 British Territorial Force enlistment papers, with a transcription following (his answers have been underlined in the transcription).


TERRITORIAL FORCE.
4 years' Service in the United Kingdom.
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ATTESTATION OF
No. 451 Name Crago Stanley Geo. Corps Cornwall (soft) RGa
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Questions to be put to the Recruit before Enlistment
1. What is your Name? Stanley George Crago
2. In or near what Parish or Town were you born?
In the Parish of St Clements
near the Town of Truro
in the County of Cornwall
3. Are you a British Subject? Yes
4. What is your Age? 17 Years 9 Months
5. What is your Trade or Calling? Masons Labourer
6. In whose employ are you? Mr. Wm. Nicholls
7. Where do you now reside? [?] Baynards Court, Truro
8. Are you now an Apprentice? if so, please state particulars. No
9. Are you married? No
10. Do you now belong to the Army, the Marines, the Militia, the Militia Reserve, the Territorial Force, the Royal Navy, the Army Reserve (Regular or Special), or any Naval Reserve Force? If so, to what Corps? No
11. Have you ever served in the Army, the Marines, the Militia, the Militia Reserve, the Imperial Yeomanry, the Territorial Force, the Royal Navy, the Volunteers, the Army Reserve (Regular or Special), or any Naval Reserve Force? If so, please state Corps and cause of discharge. No
12. Do you belong, or have you belonged, to any Cadet Corps or Battalion? No
13. Have you ever been rejected as unfit for the Military or Naval Forces of the Crown? If so, on what grounds? No
14. Did you receive a Notice, and do you understand its meaning? Yes
15. Are you willing to be attested for the term of 4 years (provided His Majesty should so long require your services) for service in the Territorial Force of the County of Cornwall to serve in the Cornwall (soft) RGa? Yes
16. (a) Do you understand that during the first year of your original enlistment you will be required to attend the number of drills and fulfil the other conditions prescribed for a recruit of the arm or branch of the service which you have elected to join?
(b) That in addition to such preliminary training you will be liable to attend the number of drills and fulfil the other conditions relating to training prescribed for the arm or branch of the service which you have elected to join, and be liable to be trained for not less than 8, or more than 15 days altogether, in every year, or, If belonging to a mounted branch for not less than 8, or more than 18 days altogether, in every year, as may be prescribed, and may for that purpose be called out, once or oftener, in every year?
(c) That if you, without leave or reasonable excuse, fail to attend the number of drills required to fulfil the conditions relating to preliminary or annual training prescribed for your arm or branch of the service, you render yourself liable to a fine not exceeding £5?
(d) That when a proclamation has been issued, in case of imminent national danger or great emergency, calling out the first class Army Reserve you will become liable to be embodied?
(e) That, if your term of 4 years' service expires when a proclamation ordering Army Reserves to be called out on permanent service in in force, you may be required to prolong your service for a further period not exceeding 12 months?
(f) That you will be liable to serve in any place in the United Kingdom without further agree-ment, but not in any place outside the United Kingdom unless you voluntarily undertake to do so? Yes
A further period of preliminary training may be prescribed during the first year of original enlistment by an Order in Council, the number of days being specified, and the period of annual training in any year may be extended by an Order in Council, due notice thereof having been given, and provided that neither House of Parliament has dissented, but the whole period of annual training shall not exceed 90 days in any year.
Under the provisions of Section 99 of the Army Act, if a person knowingly makes a false answer to any question contained in the attestation paper, he renders himself liable to punishment.
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I, Stanley George Crago do solemnly declare that the above answers made by me to the above questions are true, and that I am willing to fulfil the engagements made.
Stanly G Crago SIGNATURE OF RECRUIT.
[?]. Fitz[?unreadable]
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OATH TO BE TAKEN BY RECRUIT ON ATTESTATION.
I, Stanley George Crago do make Oath, that I will be faithful and bear true Allegiance to His Majesty King Edward the Seventh, His Heirs, and Successors, and that I will, as in duty bound, honestly and faithfully defend His Majesty, His Heirs, and Successors, in Person, Crown,
and Dignity against all enemies, according to the conditions of my service.
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CERTIFICATE OF MAGISTRATE OR ATTESTING OFFICER.
I, Major C. Everett do hereby certify, that, in my presence, all the foregoing Questions were put to the Recruit, above named, that the Answers written opposite to them are those which he gave to me, and that he
has made and signed the Declaration, and taken the oath at Truro on this [?] day of July 1909.
C. Everett Mjr Signature of Justice of the Peace, Officer or other person authorised to attest Recruits.

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