By Des Quinn and Martin Williams

Part II

Private Tom Notley

Tom was from the Rhondda.

Tom was very young when he joined

up.What job do you think that Tom did before he joined up?

Give reasons for your answer.

Clue: What is the Rhondda famous for?

Image courtesy of Des Quinn

Information on the raising of Battalions

10th and 13th Welsh Regiments = 1st and 2nd Battalion

Rhondda Pals.

Lord Kitchener was a famous British General during the

Boer War. He became Secretary for War and wanted to

raise a new army. This army became known as

Kitchener’s Army. All the men within Kitchener’s Army

were volunteers. Each Battalion that was raised was

linked to the local regiment of the area. For example in

Glamorgan they were attached to the Welsh Regiment.

Good examples of this were the 10th Battalion The Welsh

Regiment

(1st Rhondda) and the 11th Battalion (Cardiff

Commercials/Cardiff Pals). A second Rhondda Battalion

was raised and became the 13th Welsh Regiment.

Can you find Private Tom Notley in this group photograph?

Why do you think that the Rhondda was able to raise two battalions (over 2,000 men)?

Think about: The local area, religion, mining conditions, wages, social life…

What is the name of this young soldier?

Are there any clues to tell us which regiment he was in?

Clue: Look at what he is carrying and what is on his feet? His cap badge may help too.

Image courtesy of Torfaen Museum Trust

Highlight and discuss what you

can see.Which army and battalion do you think this soldier

was part of?

Does the uniform and equipment differ from

that of the other soldiers that you have seen?Image courtesy of Des Quinn

Highlight and discuss what you

can see.Which army and battalion do you think this soldier

was part of?

Does the uniform and equipment differ from

that of the other soldiers that you have seen?

What does this photograph tell

us about the ages of many of the soldiers who fought with the German Army?

Image courtesy of Des Quinn

Image courtesy of Keith Strange

How old was this soldier of the 18th battalion when he

died?

The youngest recorded soldier to die on the Western Front was fourteen years old. Many soldiers lied about their age when joining up. Many young men, particularly during the early years of the war, ended up in font line trenches.

Roughly, how old would he have been when war broke

out?

Examples

Why did so many young men go to war between

1914-1918?

Why did so many young men go to war between

1914-1918?

Chance to bewith ‘Pals’

Chance to travel(see new places)

Shortage of menat the Front

Excitement

Few job opportunities

at home

E. Jones (2215), Monmouthshire Regiment, 1915, Ypres (Menin Gate Memorial)

B. Jones (11458), Royal Welsh Fusiliers, 1915, (Le Touret Memorial)

J.Williamson (198), 1914, Royal Garrison Artillery, Cardiff (Cathays Park)

F. Evans (15915), 1915, Royal Scots Fusiliers, Boulogne Eastern Cemetery

J. Harris (9785), 1915, South Staffordshire Regiment, Alexandria Cemetery

Here are some other names and details that you may like to enter in to

the Commonwealth War Graves Commission website: www.cwgc.org .

You may be surprised by some of the ages – both young and old.

END

Private Tom Notley

Tom was from the Rhondda.

Tom was very young when he joined

up.

What job do you think that Tom did before he joined up?

Give reasons for your answer.

Clue: What is the Rhondda famous for?

Image courtesy of Des Quinn

10th and 13th Welsh Regiments = 1st and 2nd Battalion Rhondda Pals.

Lord Kitchener was a famous British General during the Boer War.

He became Secretary for War and wanted to raise a new army. This

army became known as Kitchener’s Army. All the men within

Kitchener’s Army were volunteers. Each Battalion that was raised

was linked to the local regiment of the area. For example in

Glamorgan they were attached to the Welsh Regiment.

Good examples of this were the 10th Battalion The Welsh Regiment

(1st Rhondda) and the 11th Battalion (Cardiff Commercials/Cardiff

Pals). A second Rhondda Battalion was raised and became the 13th

Welsh Regiment.

Can you find Private Tom Notley in this group photograph?

Why do you think that the Rhondda was able to raise two battalions (over 2,000 men)?

Think about: The local area, religion, mining conditions, wages, social life…

What is the name of this young soldier?

Are there any clues to tell us which regiment he was in?

Clue: Look at what he is carrying and what is on his feet? His cap badge may help too.

Image courtesy of Torfaen Museum Trust

Highlight and discuss what you

can see.Which army and battalion do you think this soldier

was part of?

Does the uniform and equipment differ from

that of the other soldiers that you have seen?Image courtesy of Des Quinn

Highlight and discuss what you

can see.Which army and battalion do you think this soldier

was part of?

Does the uniform and equipment differ from

that of the other soldiers that you have seen?Image courtesy of Des Quinn

What does this photograph tell

us about the ages of many of the soldiers who fought with the German Army?

Image courtesy of Keith Strange

How old was this soldier of the 18th battalion when he

died?

The youngest recorded soldier to die on the Western Front was fourteen years old. Many soldiers lied about their age when joining up and many, particularly during the early years of the war, ended up in trenches.

Roughly, how old would he have been when war

broke out?

Examples

Why did so many young men go to war between

1914-1918?

Why did so many young men go to war between

1914-1918?

Chance to bewith ‘Pals’

Chance to travel(see new places)

Shortage of menat the Front

Excitement

Few job opportunities

at home

E. Jones (2215), Monmouthshire Regiment, 1915, Ypres (Menin Gate Memorial)

B. Jones (11458), Royal Welsh Fusiliers, 1915, (Le Touret Memorial)

J.Williamson (198), 1914, Royal Garrison Artillery, Cardiff (Cathays Park)

F. Evans (15915), 1915, Royal Scots Fusiliers, Boulogne Eastern Cemetery

J. Harris (9785), 1915, South Staffordshire Regiment, Alexandria Cemetery

END

Here are some other names and details that you may like to enter in to

the Commonwealth War Graves Commission website: www.cwgc.org .

You may be surprised by some of the ages – both young and old.