§ 11. Captain Viscount WOLMERasked the Secretary of State for War whether he is aware that it is a very common practice for soldiers upon enlistment for quite innocent reasons to give false ages; and whether, upon subsequent production of their birth certificate, the Army Council are prepared to sanction a soldier's officialage being corrected so that in all questions of demobilisation or promotion his real age shall count?
Captain GUESTI am aware of the practice mentioned in the first part of my Noble Friend's question. For promotion, age is irrelevant; with regard to demobilisation, orders have been issued to all Expeditionary Forces and Commands that the soldier's real age will be taken into consideration on his producing his birth certificate as evidence. This does not apply in the case of soldiers serving on normal attestations, with Colour service to complete, as they are not eligible for demobilisation.