Private James Charles Martin is known as the youngest Australian soldier ever to die from active service. His enlistment papers state that he was born on 3rd January 1901 in Hawthorn New South Wales. At first only his parents and best friend Cec Hogan who was 16 at the time knew that James was 14 and 3 months when he joined the army because he looked a lot older for his age and his voice had already broken.
James’ father Charles was born in Auckland New Zealand to Jewish parents. When he emigrated to Australia he changed his last name to Martin so that he wouldn’t be discriminated against as a Jew. His mother was born in Bendigo Australia after her parents had emigrated to Australia during the 1850’s gold rush. James was the third child to be born out of six in his family. He was the only son.
James was always interested in the army. He joined the compulsory cadets training scheme while he was at Manning Tree Road State School. It was here that he first learned basic military training.
When his father was rejected from the army, James, who was the only male child in his family, said that he would join instead. James’ parents did not want him to join the army as he was only 14 years and 3 months old but his father soon allowed him. It was required at the time that anyone over the age of 18 could enlist but those under the age of 21 had to have their parent’s written consent so James threatened his mother that he would run away and join under another name. He also said he would not write to her when he was deployed so his mother agreed to give consent to him joining. He provided a false birth certificate stating he was 18 years of age.
In an interview with his sister by Ryebuck Media in 1984 she stated that James said: “...
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...h October. James developed severe diarrhoea that night and died of heart failure 2 hours after he arrived. He was buried at sea the next day. He was only 14 years and 9 months of age. There is a commemoration for James on the Lone Pine Memorial at Gallipoli. After his death Matron Reddoch who was one of the nurses trying to care for James wrote a letter to his mother about him. On the 18th October the Melbourne Herald published a story stating: “Youngest Soldier Dead”.
Following his death James received the Star Award, British War Medal and the Victory Medal.
The story of Private James Charles Martin was written by Anthony Hill in his book “Soldier Boy” which covers the lives of young Australian soldiers. Although he was not the youngest soldier in World War 1 to enlist he is considered the youngest ever Australian soldier to have died while on active duty.
Long, hard days of recruit training began for the army. Every day he was up at 6am, doing physical training, learning battle tactics and how to use weapons, lunch, going out to the rifle range, dinner, and then night lessons until 10pm.
Charley is the main character in the book Soldier's Heart, He is going into the war at Fort Snelling. Charley was very young especially for war, he enlisted to the union at the age of fifteen. The war needed more soldiers, so Charley lied about his age and enlisted. Once Charley got in the war he completely changed his mind.
"James Roy was born an odd colour in Trundle Base Hospital [NSW] in 1968 and got to ride in an ambulance shortly after. Strangely he doesn’t remember the name of the driver." (Inside Cover – C.M.) He spent much of his childhood in missionary camps in Papua New Guinea and Fiji. This is where his love of literature began, he spent his days playing on the beaches and coral islands, but at night he would read books and dream of one day writing his own. Captain Mack is Roy’s third book and was short-listed for a Children’s Book Council of Australia (C.B.C.A.) Award. Billy Mack’s War is Roy’s seventh book, which he has written after many calls to complete the open-ended conclusion of Captain Mack. It has also won a C.B.C.A. honour award; "Roy’s well written story is full of insight and compassion without resort to sentimentality." (C.B.C.A.) James Roy’s style of writing is relaxed, succinct and subtle but thought provoking. He now lives with his family in the Blue Mountains and enjoys sailing, bushwalking and performing in his band ‘Cranky Franky.’ Roy draws on some of these varied life experiences to create the plots for his books.
Australia (as a counry) felt a loyalty towards the 'mother country', Britaain and that the war would be a good opportunity to improve Ausrtalia's international reputation. Many individual Australians also joined the war for a variety of reasons. Some felt a strong loyalty to Britain who had supported Australia, and now, they felt, was the time for them to 'do their bit'. Others enlsted simply to prove they were brave enough to fight, but some enlisted because their friends had. Some simply enlisted because they needed a job, pay, and regular meals, but many enlisted in the army for an adventure, not knowing the true horrors of war. Private A.J. McSparrow (former railway worker from Parramatta, NSW), was one of the many men whwo enlisted because he felt that it was his duty to support the 'mother country' ..."I have (enlisted) ... and I don't regret it in the very least. I believe that it is every young fellow's duty" and "... we are the sort of men who should go."Private Antill enlisted because he needed the money, clothes and food and also because it was easier work than cabinet making ..."I tell you what I have just joined the Australan army ... it's not bad money here 5/- a day and clothes and food that's nearly as good as cabinet making and not half as hard."Lieutenant D.G. Armstrong (former bank clerk from Kyneton, Victoria), thought that the war would be great opportunity to prove his strength and to show that he was not a coward..."I am going to have a try for the war ... I think I ought to go, they want all they can get and ... I think it's the greatest opportunity for a chap to make a man of himself, those that come back from this war will be men of the right sort that anybody would be proud of.
The men rushed to enlist. In the first two weeks 7000 Victorian men volunteered for the first Australian Imperial Force (AIF) and 10,000 in Sydney.” It was a man’s duty to go to war. Most people who lived in Australia felt an obligation to England. England was at war, so Australians wanted to go and help them.
He had no previous knowledge about his mother’s past. Therefore, he did not know whether or not he was black or white. I predict that James will go to Suffolk to uncover his mother’s past. It is the only way he can truly figure out his identity.
In World War 1 (WW1), 1914-1918, Australian troops became involved in order to give support to the "Mother Country". Great Britain only became involved after Germany did not respect the neutrality of Belgium. In the first world war, Australian soldiers participated in some of the bloodiest and most enduring battles known to man, and soon developed a courageous name for themselves. Of the 330 000 Aussie soldiers who took part in WW1, there were 211 500 casualties and over 60 000 deaths, a casualty rate much higher than that of several other participants.
James’s childhood was full of narrow escapes and secret dwellings. He, unlike his brother, Charles II, was dour and serious, in ad...
He lived a life without parental guidance. His mother left him with his father when he was only 4 years old. James was often left alone while his father traveled to turpentine camps selling tar for a living. James recalls the times he spent alone walking around in the woods looking for doodlebugs, and playing a harmonica his father gave him. During this time alone, he never had anyone around to talk to but himself (Brenchley, 2003).
There were many feelings of animosity towards the war and draft, especially from the soldiers themselves. Corpsman Douglas Anderson represented popular feelings of animosity towards the war, especially regarding the youngest of the soldiers fighting when he was quoted saying: “if your parents signed certain kinds of papers, you could get over there and die at seventeen.”
In document thirteen, we encounter a letter written by a young English soldier fighting the Germans from the woods. He starts his letter by explaining how once again he was forced to be out in the trenches for forty-eight consecutive hours. The letter, addressed to his parents, illustrates how devastating it can be for a young man out at war. When he asked for time alone they told him to take a group of men with him and after a bit of difficulty they finally let him go off on his own. While he is out on a stroll he comes across a German trench and kills an officer, he does the same thing the next day. By the end of the letter he simply defines the experience as awful.
Lee’s first formal education took place on a plantation school and succeeded by a private tutor, and he then attended Alexandria Academy. Lee saw himself as an extension of his family’s greatness and proceeded to enroll at West Point Military Academy. He was appointed by President James Monroe at the age of eighteen due to his intelligence, quick decision-making, and his family name and educational background. West Point was considered to be the best military academy in the Americas due to its institution of discipline and outstanding character. At West Point, Lee learned about marching customs, battlefield formations, and principles of war. Lee also became competent in the construction of forts, bridges, and canals. He became was one of six cadets in his graduating class to finish without a single detriment. Lee also scored perfect scores in artillery, cavalry, and infantry.
James was an authoritarian parent. He was controlling, in-charge and no one questioned him. He would play the role of the doting father. When his children made mistakes, he made a point to criticize them. He often compared them to other kids that he felt were “more perfect.” When his often unspoken expectations were not met he would yell and scream striking fear into his entire family. “He’s not a warm, fuzzy kind of guy, and he’s not going to inspire feelings of intimacy. But when his system works, he can boast about one thing: His recruits tend to obey” (Dewar).
Many men died on their first day in the trenches as a consequence of a
In fact, the outbreak of World War I was a shock for James and in July 1915 he became a British citizen in protest against the U.S.’ refusal to enter the war. He was sensitive on n...