Arthur James Billington, a soldier aged 13

 

1953 headline

  • Headline from The Luton News, November 26th, 1953

Arthur James Billington, of 25 Hyde Road, Caddington, died on November 13th, 1953, at the age of 52. It was his proud claim that he was the youngest soldier to serve in the First World War.

So said his obituary in The Luton News of November 26th, 1953, after Arthur had died in a road accident. The article said that he was a well-built boy who ran away to join up in September 1914, at the age of 13.

He saw service in France, where he was wounded three times and gassed. It was not until he was invalided home in 1918 that his sister told the authorities of his age.

In 1919 he joined the Beds and Herts Regiment and went to Russia, India, Turkey and Greece. The millwright was a member of the Home Guard during the Second World War and was a member of the British Legion.

He left a widow (Dora), two sons (Ray and Leslie) and a daughter (Pat) and was buried in Caddington Churchyard on November 19th, 1953. The funeral service was conducted by the Rev H. R. V. Foster.

The following has been gleaned from Ancestry.co.uk and contains details that seem to coincide with those in the obituary report.

Arthur James Billington is recorded as having been born in January 1901, making him 13 when he joined up. He is listed in the 1901 Census as the three-month-old son of James and Emily Billington, who were then lodging in Gaitskill Terrace, Luton, probably with Emily's relatives.

Military records contain details of a Pte Arthur James Billington, 18365, Bedfordshire Regiment, who gave his age as 19 years 11 months when he enlisted. His address is given as Oak [Oakley] Road, Leagrave, he was 5ft 6in tall and his parents were recorded as living in Manitoba, Canada. These records show he was wounded and gassed while in France in 1916 and 1917 and that he was discharged as unfit for military service in February 1918.

He married Dora Woodfield in 1919.

Subsequent research seems to suggest that Arthur may not quite have been the youngest boy to join up, but he was certainly among them and perhaps the first so young to go to France.