Age 14, the youngest soldier killed in the Great War? The John Condon myth explained
The very high profile of the "John Condon age 14" grave is undoubtedly the core reason for the MoD's refusal. Indeed, it has been suggested that only one grave is better known to the majority of the British Public: that of the "Unknown Soldier" buried in Westminster Abbey. Imagine that someone could prove that the "Unknown Soldier" was actually a German & you would have a disturbance similar to that which the Condon case would create. We believe that the real reason for the MoD's refusal is that too many 'Third parties' have a financial interest in the continued propagation of the "Condon Myth."
CONDON "AGE 14" A TYPESETTING ERROR?
Another soldier is similarly listed by the CWGC as "Age 14." The Thiepval Memorial Register shows Pte. Reginald Giles as "age 14." The CWGC claim this was a typesetting error, but their online database still shows him as age 14. Reference to the 1901 Census returns shows Reginald Giles residing at the same address as shown in the CWGC Register, age 5. The "Condon age 14" error (& the associated "Bandwagon" of con-merchants exploiting the myth) originated from a simple mistake, made in faulty CWGC typesetting.
The grave of John Condon in Poelcapelle Cemetery, Belgium, is the most well known & visited grave of any soldier who died in the Great War. The example of "John Condon, age 14" is employed to portray the tragic death of underage youth in the Great War & to invest in the minds of our youngest generations a tangible connection with the sacrifice of their forefathers.
If John Condon was age 14 in 1915, then one would expect to find evidence of this in the Irish Civil Registers of Births, Deaths & Census'. However, no information can be found to support this claim. All available documents show John Condon's age as 18 or more. The documents consulted for John Condon with their details are listed below:-
1. Birth Certificate.
John Condon's Army service record shows his age on enlistment as 18 years 0 months and his birthplace as Trinity Without, Waterford. Working from that information, a search of the Irish Civil Registration Index to Births was completed for all John Condon's registered in Waterford from January 1892 to the end of June 1903 to encompass all 'John Condons' age 23 to 12. Only two candidates were found:-
a) John Condon registered in the July/August/September quarter of 1894.
b) John Condon registered in the October/November/December quarter of 1896. The John Condon born 1896 was shown to be 'our man' following reference to other known facts, covered later in this article. The details recorded on his Birth Certificate state that John Condon was born in a Waterford Hospital on the 16th October 1896, the son of John and Catherine Condon (formerly Hackett), of Jenkins Lane, Waterford.
2. 1901 & 1911 Census.
The 1901 & 1911 returns relating to the Condon show John's age consistant with a 1896 birth.
1901 (census night 31st March) No.12, Jenkins Lane, Waterford. Centre Ward. Parish of St. Patricks.
John Condon - Head of family - Age 38 - Married - Born: Waterford City.
Kate* Condon - Wife - Age 35 - Married - Born, Waterford City.
Kate Condon - Daughter - Age 12 - Not married - Born, Waterford City.
Peter Condon - Son - Age 11 - Not married - Born, Waterford City.
Maggie Condon - Daughter - Age 7 - Not married - Born, Waterford City.
John Condon - Son - Age 4 - Not married - Born, Waterford City.
Patrick Condon - Son - Age 1 - Not married - Born, Waterford City.
1911 Census.
1911 (census night 2nd April) No.2, Wheelbarrow Lane**, Waterford. Centre Ward. Parish of Trinity Without.
John Condon - Head of family - Age 46 - Married 26 years - Born, Waterford City.
Catherine Condon - Wife - Age 40 - Married 26 years - Born, Waterford City.
Kate Condon - Daughter - Age 22 - Single - Born, Waterford City.
John Condon - Son - Age 15 - Single - General Labourer - Born, Waterford City.
Margaret Condon - Daughter - Age 17 - Single - Born, Waterford City.
Patrick Condon - Son - Age 12 - Single - Born, Waterford City.
Peter Condon - Son - Age 20 - Married 1 year - Born, Waterford City.
Mollie Condon - Daughter-in-law - Age 19 - Married 1 year - Born, Waterford City.
**Wheelbarrow Lane also known as Thomas's Avenue (given in John Condon's Army service record as father's address)
4. Death Certificate.
The Army Overseas Death Certificate records the following information:-
6322 Pte. John Condon
2nd Bn. Royal Irish Regt.
Country of Birth: Ireland
Date of Death: 24/5/15
Place of Death: France
Cause of Death: Killed in Action
Age: 20
5. Army Service Papers.
The WW1 service papers of John Condon survived the WW2 'Blitz' & are available on microfilm at the Public Record Office. They tell the true history of his Army enlistment, service, death & subsequent correspondence with his father in 1924.
John Condon enlisted in the 3rd Reserve Bn. of the Royal Irish Regt. on 24/10/13 as a 'Special Reservist.' He stated that he was born 24/10/1895 & was therefore enlisting on the occasion of his 18th birthday. This was a lie, he was actually age 17 years & 8 days. However, even before the Great War, it was not uncommon for lads to put on their age by a year or so in order to be accepted for early enlistment. But one must also consider that if John was supposed to be age 14 at death, then he would have been age 13 on enlistment. It is easy to believe that the Recruiting & Medical officers could accept a 17 year old for 18, but harder to believe that these peacetime recruiters could take a 13 year old for 18. Condon joined up 9 months before the war, a 17 year old Irish lad enlisting as a part-time/reservist in his local regiment & ended up fighting with the British against the German invaders in Belgium).
His Next-of-kin were listed as:-
Father, John Condon, Thomas Avenue, Waterford.
Brother, Patrick (younger), Thomas Avenue, Waterford.
Sisters, Katie (older), Mary (younger), Thomas Avenue, Waterford.
(It would appear that John's mother, Catherine, was deceased by October 1913).
John officially began his 'Recruits Training' 24/10/13, completing this on 23/2/14, when he was released to his home. As a member of the 'Special Reserve' he was not expected to attend as would a full-time Regular Soldier. He was recalled to begin his 'Recruits Musketry Training' two months later on 18/4/14, completing this on 17/5/14, when he was again released to his home. On the outbreak of war John was mobilised from the Special Reserve 7/8/14 & rejoined the 3rd Reserve Bn. Of the Royal Irish Regt. However, as he was 'officially' still only age 18, he remained with the 3rd Reserve Bn. in Ireland until after his 'official' 19th birthday 24/10/14 (the Army had fixed the minimum age for service overseas at 19). On 28/11/14 John committed his only offence on an otherwise spotless record at the Dublin Barracks of the 3rd Reserve Bn.: (i) Being in a dirty state for 2pm parade. (ii) Absenting himself from his barrack room when orderly man. He received 4 days confined to barracks as punishment (a very minor penance). The Company Conduct Sheet also records the date of punishment as 30/11/14 & is date stamped as 'complete' (sheet ended on draft to active service), 3rd Battalion, Royal Irish Regiment, 17/12/14. John was drafted to the 2nd Bn. Of the Royal Irish Regt. serving in Belgium on 16/12/14, nearly two months after his 'official' 19th birthday, now believed to be age 19 (by the Army). The date he actually joined the 2nd Bn. R.I.Regt. In the Field' is not recorded, only that he was KIA 24/5/15. On documents relating to his effects (the lack of) in 1916 & in hand-written correspondence dated 1924 his Father's address is recorded as:- 2 Thomas' Avenue, Waterford (the correspondence dated 1924 is relevant to the case, in that it shows the notification, request & receipt of the 'piece of boot' bearing the number "6322 R.I.R." which was recovered from the body & the main evidence for the ID).
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