Alick James Bryant (also known as James John Bryant; 7 April 1903 – 14 November 1985) is believed to have been the youngest

Australia Australia, officially the Commonwealth of Australia, is a Sovereign state, sovereign country comprising the mainland of the Australia (continent), Australian continent, the island of Tasmania, and numerous List of islands of Australia, sma ...

n soldier to serve during the

First World War World War I (28 July 1914 11 November 1918), often abbreviated as WWI, was one of the deadliest global conflicts in history. Belligerents included much of Europe, the Russian Empire, the United States, and the Ottoman Empire, with fightin ...

. He was only 13 years 339 days old when he enlisted in the Australian Imperial Force (AIF) on 12 March 1917.

Biography

Bryant was born on 7 April 1903 to Louisa and George Bryant in

Ashfield, New South Wales Ashfield is a suburb in the Inner West of Sydney, in the state of New South Wales, Australia. Ashfield is about 8 kilometres west of the Sydney central business district. Ashfield's population is highly multicultural. Its urban density is ...

. His father was a produce merchant in Ashfield, and both parents were 25 years old. He applied to enlist in the AIF on 2 March 1917, giving his age as 18. He successfully enlisted on 12 March 1917, and was described on his enlistment papers as being 5 ft 3½ inches tall, of fair complexion and with light brown hair. Bryant embarked on HMAT A23 Suffolk at

Sydney Sydney ( ) is the capital city of the state of New South Wales, and the most populous city in both Australia and Oceania. Located on Australia's east coast, the metropolis surrounds Sydney Harbour and extends about towards the Blue Mountain ...

on 24 April 1917 and disembarked at

Plymouth Plymouth () is a port city and unitary authority in South West England. It is located on the south coast of Devon, approximately south-west of Exeter and south-west of London. It is bordered by Cornwall to the west and south-west. Plymouth ...

on 17 June 1917, before being sent to the 1st Training Battalion at

Sutton Veny Sutton Veny is a village and civil parish in the Wylye valley, to the southeast of the town of Warminster in Wiltshire, England; the village is about from Warminster town centre. 'Sutton' means 'south farmstead' in relation to Norton Bavant, on ...

Salisbury Plain Salisbury Plain is a chalk plateau in the south western part of central southern England covering . It is part of a system of chalk downlands throughout eastern and southern England formed by the rocks of the Chalk Group and largely lies wi ...

. From midnight on 18 December he went absent without leave until 0900 on 20 December. He was admonished by Lieutenant Colonel R.B.Jacobs and forfeited two days' pay. On 29 December he was sent to Sutton Veny Military Hospital with tonsillitis, and returned to his unit on 12 January 1918. On 18 January he sailed from

Southampton Southampton () is a port city in the ceremonial county of Hampshire in southern England. It is located approximately south-west of London and west of Portsmouth. The city forms part of the South Hampshire built-up area, which also covers Po ...

France France (), officially the French Republic ( ), is a country primarily located in Western Europe. It also comprises of Overseas France, overseas regions and territories in the Americas and the Atlantic Ocean, Atlantic, Pacific Ocean, Pac ...

. He was taken on the strength of the 4th Battalion in the field on 14 March 1918 with battalion number 7208. At that time the 4th Battalion was in the

Somme valley The Somme ( , , ) is a river in Picardy, northern France. The river is in length, from its source in the high ground of the former at Fonsomme near Saint-Quentin, to the Bay of the Somme, in the English Channel. It lies in the geological ...

. On 26 March, Alick Bryant was admitted to the ambulance train, as a result of exposure to gas, and then to 59th General Hospital at St.Omer on 28 March. He was transferred to England on 13 April. Until 6 June he remained in hospital, at the 2nd Australian Auxiliary Hospital in Southall, and returned to the 1st Training Battalion on 14 June. On the 11 June, AIF Headquarters at Horseferry Road in London received a cablegram giving Bryant's true date-of-birth. Approval was granted on 15 June for him to be discharged, under age, but that he was not to forfeit any pay. Bryant was transferred to No. 2 Command Depot, Weymouth, on 20 June to await embarkation. He returned to Australia on board the ''City of Karachi'' and was discharged on 7 November 1918. On 16 June 1919 he again applied to join the AIF, and admitted on the attestation form that he had been discharged for being under age, the previous year. He entered his age on the form as 18 years 2 months, although still only 16 years 2 months old, and stated that he had been born on 7 April 1901. Alick Bryant was again discharged, "services no longer required", on 3 July 1919 after three weeks. It appears that he then applied to join the

Royal Australian Navy The Royal Australian Navy (RAN) is the principal naval force of the Australian Defence Force (ADF). The professional head of the RAN is Chief of Navy (CN) Vice Admiral Mark Hammond AM, RAN. CN is also jointly responsible to the Minister of ...

on 21 July 1919, and signed up for seven years. He still gave his name as James John Bryant, but then gave his date-of-birth as 7 April 1900. He was posted to the depot ship as a second cook's mate on 21 July. His character was assessed as very good, and his abilities satisfactory, but on 23 July he was again to be discharged, this time on 12 August 1919. On 31 March 1937, Bryant wrote a letter to the officer in charge of base records to ask whether he could have a copy of his discharge papers, because the originals had been accidentally burnt when he moved house. He explained that he needed the papers because Enfield Council were giving first preference for jobs to returned soldiers. He then admitted that he gave a false name and date of birth when he originally joined the AIF. He explained that his real name was Alick James Bryant, and that he was born on 7 April 1903. He received a reply dated 9 April saying that as he had used a false name he had to supply a Statutory Declaration stating that he had served under an assumed name, and give his true name. On 19 March 1939, he again wrote to the officer in charge of base records to ask if he could have a duplicate returned soldiers badge as it had been lost. He again had to produce a Statutory Declaration signed by a Justice of the Peace saying how he had lost the badge and received a replacement on 18 April 1939. Alick James Bryant died, aged 82, on 14 November 1985 in the War Veterans' Home, Narrabeen, New South Wales.

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Bryant, Alick 1903 births 1985 deaths Child soldiers in World War I Australian military personnel of World War I Australian Army soldiers Royal Australian Navy sailors