Private William James Jeffrey

William James Jeffrey was born on 6 March 1901 at Aghagallon, Omagh, County Tyrone, the first of ten children of labourer Andrew Jeffrey and his wife Emily (née Glass). By the time of the 1911 Census he was living at Aghagallon with his parents and his three surviving siblings (two more would be born in the following years).

Jeffrey enlisted in the North Irish Horse at Antrim on 11 September 1917 (No.2680). He gave his occupation as farm labourer and his age as 19 years 97 days (he was in fact just sixteen).

Soon after, however, his true age was discovered, and on 6 October 1917 he was discharged 'having made a mis-statement as to age on enlistment, soldier under 17 years of age at date of application for discharge' (paragraph 392(vi)(a), King's Regulations).