A bricklayers mate by trade living with his parents in Wychbold Crescent when war was first declared, Edward appears to have enlisted into the Army on the 22nd of April 1940 only a few months before the first bombs dropped on Birmingham his home (08/08/40).
He enlisted at Army Recruitment Office 61(A) in Birmingham in the presence of Captain F G Stephenson witnessed by one L Brookes. Interestingly he is recorded as being 18 years old yet openly notes his birthday being quite rightly 19/04/1923. This of course would make him 17 years old rather than the 18 years old required to enlist.
By this time the newly passed National Service (Armed Forces) Act was in place superseding the previous Military Training Act 1939 stipulating conscription of all males aged between 18 and 41 be registered for service.
Some reading into the subject appears to suggest this was relatively common practice and some pencil notes at the top of the document (24/4/41) may suggest the error was at least noted, though the time this was written and reasoning for it are not yet known. Furthermore nothing is yet known of the meaning the accompanying notes "QBFZ.112.3." and "930a(?)".
The other side of the document has been left blank unlike similar examples i have viewed but i have copied this below for the record. The reason for this is unknown also but i am noting such gaps in knowledge to revisit as my reading continues.
As expected for those enlisting in Birmingham he is a recruit of the Royal Warwickshire Regiment as stamped to the top right of the enlistment page, which leads me towards my next batch of documents and research. He also appears to have yet to be issued a service number.
My understanding is that this document would have been followed up with "call up papers' but these are not present in the collection of documents in my possession.
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