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Thank you, my friend CW5 Jack Cardwell for sharing the documentary about the Bantam Battalions. "Men had to have a minimum chest size of 34 inches and they were to be 5ft 3in or taller."
Bantam Battalions accepted miners and other men shorter than 5ft 3in.
1. Background from londonmintofficeblog.com/blog/the-bantam-battalions/
The Bantam Battalions
The introduction of conscription in January 1916 saw the government’s desperation for soldiers. However, this did not mean that there were stipulations for men to meet. Some specifications were based on health and fitness but one that is overlooked is the physical appearance of the potential conscripts; men had to have a minimum chest size of 34 inches and they were to be 5ft 3in or taller. There were many reasons that men did not meet the height restrictions – some had been brought up in harsh Victorian poverty and some were malnourished. However, the main factor saw that men did not meet the height limit because of their genes. Potential conscripts who were willing and able to fight for their country were not given the chance.
After the rejection at his local recruitment office, one miner from Durham marched 150 miles and went into every recruitment centre just to get declined over and over again. That same miner wrote to Lord Kitchener, the British Secretary of State for War and the face of the infamous war recruitment poster ‘Your Country Needs You’ that heads the lead ingot in The London Mint Office and Imperial War Museums’ For King and Country Collection, demanding ‘bantam’ battalions.
The name ‘bantam’ is defined by small domestic fowls that are often miniatures of members of the standard breeds.
The reply stated that the War Office could not afford to supply new uniform to fit the shorter soldiers but they would provide some equipment and some financial support.
The Cheshire Regiment was formed as the founding Bantam Battalion which soon spread across Britain and Canada and saw the emergence of twenty-nine Bantam Battalions by the end of the First World War. Known for their ferocious big hits and mischievous nature some battalions were named the ‘Devil Dwarfs’.
Stories of the Bantam Battalions state that there were many pros and cons of being a short soldier. One of the main positives was that they were always covered by the trenches while the taller soldiers’ heads peaked over the top and made them perfect targets for enemy snipers. A negative aspects saw them struggling when the trenches flooded and became boggy."
2. Poem from poemhunter.com/poem/war-ww1-the-bantam-battalions/
War - Ww1 - The Bantam Battalions - Poem by Paul Warren
"The measure of a men in the Great War
Was volunteering for the Army knowing the score
And to take the King's shilling was seen
By the British to be to be patriotic so very keen
But you had to be 5'3' in your full height
And some weren't accepted after trying as they might
Some of these men were strong coal miner types
Who spent their lives underground as their strength might
The member for Birkenhead Mr Alfred Bigland saw them
And knew that they could be used although short stature men
So he persuaded Lord Kitchener to give them a go
And the Birkenhead Bantam Battalions were created for the war show
These men flocked to the recruiters and the Battalions grew
And they trained and went to the Western Front battles too
Alfred Bigland had to sell them to the government as well
When in France they showed that they could match others in that hell
Canadians and Scots were recruited to these battalions
The Scots known as the 'Devil Dwarfs' in their legions
They included Arthur Askey and Billy Butlin as entertainers in their game
And these brave men have passed into the last 100 year history's fame
© Paul Warren Poetry
Paul Warren"
FYI LTC Stephen C. LTC (Join to see) Lt Col John (Jack) Christensen Lt Col Charlie Brown Maj Bill Smith, Ph.D. Maj William W. "Bill" Price Maj Marty Hogan SCPO Morris Ramsey SFC William Farrell SGT Mark Halmrast Sgt Randy Wilber Sgt John H. SGT Gregory Lawritson CPL Dave Hoover SPC Margaret Higgins SSgt Brian Brakke 1stSgt Eugene Harless SSG William Jones SSG Diane R.
Bantam Battalions accepted miners and other men shorter than 5ft 3in.
1. Background from londonmintofficeblog.com/blog/the-bantam-battalions/
The Bantam Battalions
The introduction of conscription in January 1916 saw the government’s desperation for soldiers. However, this did not mean that there were stipulations for men to meet. Some specifications were based on health and fitness but one that is overlooked is the physical appearance of the potential conscripts; men had to have a minimum chest size of 34 inches and they were to be 5ft 3in or taller. There were many reasons that men did not meet the height restrictions – some had been brought up in harsh Victorian poverty and some were malnourished. However, the main factor saw that men did not meet the height limit because of their genes. Potential conscripts who were willing and able to fight for their country were not given the chance.
After the rejection at his local recruitment office, one miner from Durham marched 150 miles and went into every recruitment centre just to get declined over and over again. That same miner wrote to Lord Kitchener, the British Secretary of State for War and the face of the infamous war recruitment poster ‘Your Country Needs You’ that heads the lead ingot in The London Mint Office and Imperial War Museums’ For King and Country Collection, demanding ‘bantam’ battalions.
The name ‘bantam’ is defined by small domestic fowls that are often miniatures of members of the standard breeds.
The reply stated that the War Office could not afford to supply new uniform to fit the shorter soldiers but they would provide some equipment and some financial support.
The Cheshire Regiment was formed as the founding Bantam Battalion which soon spread across Britain and Canada and saw the emergence of twenty-nine Bantam Battalions by the end of the First World War. Known for their ferocious big hits and mischievous nature some battalions were named the ‘Devil Dwarfs’.
Stories of the Bantam Battalions state that there were many pros and cons of being a short soldier. One of the main positives was that they were always covered by the trenches while the taller soldiers’ heads peaked over the top and made them perfect targets for enemy snipers. A negative aspects saw them struggling when the trenches flooded and became boggy."
2. Poem from poemhunter.com/poem/war-ww1-the-bantam-battalions/
War - Ww1 - The Bantam Battalions - Poem by Paul Warren
"The measure of a men in the Great War
Was volunteering for the Army knowing the score
And to take the King's shilling was seen
By the British to be to be patriotic so very keen
But you had to be 5'3' in your full height
And some weren't accepted after trying as they might
Some of these men were strong coal miner types
Who spent their lives underground as their strength might
The member for Birkenhead Mr Alfred Bigland saw them
And knew that they could be used although short stature men
So he persuaded Lord Kitchener to give them a go
And the Birkenhead Bantam Battalions were created for the war show
These men flocked to the recruiters and the Battalions grew
And they trained and went to the Western Front battles too
Alfred Bigland had to sell them to the government as well
When in France they showed that they could match others in that hell
Canadians and Scots were recruited to these battalions
The Scots known as the 'Devil Dwarfs' in their legions
They included Arthur Askey and Billy Butlin as entertainers in their game
And these brave men have passed into the last 100 year history's fame
© Paul Warren Poetry
Paul Warren"
FYI LTC Stephen C. LTC (Join to see) Lt Col John (Jack) Christensen Lt Col Charlie Brown Maj Bill Smith, Ph.D. Maj William W. "Bill" Price Maj Marty Hogan SCPO Morris Ramsey SFC William Farrell SGT Mark Halmrast Sgt Randy Wilber Sgt John H. SGT Gregory Lawritson CPL Dave Hoover SPC Margaret Higgins SSgt Brian Brakke 1stSgt Eugene Harless SSG William Jones SSG Diane R.
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Nice share!
COL Mikel J. Burroughs Maj Marty Hogan SGT John " Mac " McConnell LTC Stephen F. CW5 Jack Cardwell TSgt David L. Cpl (Join to see) Maj William W. 'Bill' Price CPL Dave Hoover SPC Douglas Bolton LTC Greg Henning Maj Bill Smith, Ph.D. Alan K. Lt Col Charlie Brown SFC Joe S. Davis Jr., MSM, DSL PO3 Phyllis Maynard PO2 Kevin Parker SP5 Mark Kuzinski PO1 John Johnson Sgt (Join to see)
COL Mikel J. Burroughs Maj Marty Hogan SGT John " Mac " McConnell LTC Stephen F. CW5 Jack Cardwell TSgt David L. Cpl (Join to see) Maj William W. 'Bill' Price CPL Dave Hoover SPC Douglas Bolton LTC Greg Henning Maj Bill Smith, Ph.D. Alan K. Lt Col Charlie Brown SFC Joe S. Davis Jr., MSM, DSL PO3 Phyllis Maynard PO2 Kevin Parker SP5 Mark Kuzinski PO1 John Johnson Sgt (Join to see)
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