* military uniform background: country trends








Military Uniform Background: Historical Boy Soldiers

English drummer boy
Figure 1.--The British Army at the time of World War I was a small, highly professional all volunteer force. Britain was the only important European country without a military draft. The Army still had drummer boys, but for ceremonial duties only. This portrait is undated, but was probably taken about 1910, just before the outbreak of World War I. Here we see the soldier who headed the drummer corps. His name looks like was Silebottom. The drummer boy is identified as Boy Stearn. Boy was essentially a rank desination. He looks to be about 12-13 years old.

We do not have a lot of historical information about boys in wars of history. We think this may be a realtively recent development related to the development of weapons. Weapons until modern times were heavy and most required considerable strength and skill. David and the sling shot was an anamoaly. This meant that boys until they reached the upper teens were basically excluded from combat. We here of boys at an early age training to be soldiers, but actually engaged in combat is another matter. A boy in the Greek Hoplite or a Roman Legion line of battle would be a weak point. Swords, spears, lances, maces, battle axes, etc. reqired real strength to wield. A bow was not heavy, but strengthen was needed to draw it. A Medieval knights might have squires, but the squires were not involved in combat. We note that the Mongols began training children to ride at age 3 years. We are not sure at whay age they became actual soldiers. Advances in weaponry mean that less training and strength was involved to become a competent soldier. A soldier could be more easily trained to nuse a gun, especially as they got lighter and more powerful. The Navy is a little different as there were roles for very young and small boys--namely powder monkies. The develooment of small, poweful weapon is is why child soldiers are such a problem today. We do not hear of boys appearing in historic armies until the about the 18th century. This could have been earlier as we are just beginniung to develop this section and we welcome raader input. The boys we most commonly hear about in historical eras a drummer boys and muscians in general. Drums have along history in warfare. Not all drummers were boys, but as armies got larger (18th century) we begin to hear accounts of boy drumers. Drums were especially suited for boys. Theu could make a lot of noise--which at the time was very important. And you did not need to be adult to generate the needed volume of sound. Bugles required adult or near adult lung power. Drums and buggles at the time were not just ceremonial. They conveyed important information before the advent of modern communications as to how military units moved. The were stillwidelu used in combat (19th century). This was when units moved in close fornmation which was still the case in the American Civil War (1861-65). This began to decline even during the Civil War because of the growing lethality of weaponry. Drummer boys still existed at the time of World War (1914-18), but they very quickly were confined to the parade ground and ceremonial occassions.

Weaponry

Swords, spears, lances, maces, battle axes, etc. reqired eeal strength to wield. A bow was not heavy, but strengthen was needed to draw it. The develooment of small, poweful weapon is is why child soldiers are such a problem today.

Army Historical Eras


Ancient Warfare

We do not have a lot of historical information about boys in wars of history. We think this may be a realtively recent development related to the development of weapons. Weapns until modern times were heavy and most required considerable strength and skill. David and the sling shot was an anamoaly. This meant that boys until they reached the upper teens were basically excluded from combat. We here of boys at an early age training to be soldiers, but actually engaged in combat is anither matter. A boy in the Greek Hoplite or a Roman Legion line of battle would be a weak point. A Medieval knights might have squires, but the squires were not involved in combat.

Medieval Europe

We note that the Mongols began training children to ride at age 3 years. We are not sure at whay age they became actual soldiers. Advances in weaponry mean that less training and strength was involved to become a competent soldier. A soldier could be more easily trained to nuse a gun, especially as they got lighter and more powerful.

Modern times

We do not hear of boys appearing in historic armies until the about the 18th century. This could have been earlier as we are just beginniung to develop this section and we welcome raader input.

The Navy

The Navy is a little different as there were roles for very young and small boys--namely powder monkies.

Musicians

The boys we most commonly hear about in historical eras a drummer boys and muscians in general. Drums have along history in warfare. Not all drummers were boys, but as armies got larger (18th century) we begin to hear accounts of boy drumers. Drums were especially suited for boys. Theu could make a lot of noise--which at the time was very important. And you did not need to be adult to generate the needed volume of sound. Bugles required adult or near adult lung power. Drums and buggles at the time were not just ceremonial. They conveyed important information before the advent of modern communications as to how military units moved. The were still widely used in combat (19th centyry). This was when units stilll moved in close fornmation which was still the case in the American Civil War (1861-65). This began to decline even during the Civil War because of the growing lethality of weaponry. Drummer boys still existed at the time of World War (1914-18), but they very quickly were confined to the parade ground and ceremonial occassions.







HBC






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Created: 6:58 PM 11/11/2020
Last updated: 6:58 PM 11/11/2020