Not wishing to intrude on the thread where I'm seeing this ~ http://www.ww2talk.com/forum/1940/23173-durham-light-infantry-massacre-400-german-prisoners-near-arras.html ~ But, curious none the less; Is it an accepted / proven / known fact that the DLI actually had this rule about recruiting guys of barely over five feet tall? If so; Why
Only for WW1 bantams I believe but I don`t fancy another marathon Source http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bantam_(military) Verrieres
I don`t fancy another marathon Absolutely No danger of that from me, Verrieres! I'm just a curious onlooker, remember. I have the utmost reverence for you guys dedication to and knowledge of ye subject. Only, like a 'Big' boxing match; I'm strangely fascinated. But, don't expect me to get involved! Anyway, thanks for the link. Reminds me of a smaller guy who once applied for a Gamekeepers job. The Lord suggested he might like a bigger built guy to look after his pheasants. With which the little terrier demanded his Lordship get his jacket off and get out on the grass!
I would simply suspect that the Guards regiments pinched the tall recruits. Light Infantry certainly had to march fast. Is that easier with short legs ? A Google provides no evidence of a height restriction for LI
I dunno about marching, but can say with authority that my short, hairy (but not terribly fat) legs don't get me anywhere quicker than the taller people who routinely pass me on the walk into work! And I'd be astonished to find there was a unit I would've been deemed too tall for, outside of the Great War Bantams.
Hi, Although my dad joined the DLI because it was his local regiment, his paybook says he was 5' 2" tall when 18, so they certainly did not reject short men. Dave
I'm also not wishing to intrude but the thread title mentioned "Height restriction" which immediately reminded me of so-called height restrictions on joining the RAC. In October 1942, when I was first called up, I was asked if there was any particular branch of the Army that I would like to join. In those heady days of patriotic zeal I rather fancied myself as a dashing young Tank driver so I put down the Armoured Corps as my first choice. It was politely put to me that at my then height of 5'6" I simply wasn't tall enough to operate the foot controls. With bad grace I settled for the Royal Artillery. In December 1944 when my Light Ack Ack Regiment was being 'broken up for spares', as someone so neatly put it, my legs had miraculously become long enough to do anything that the Army required of me and I soon found myself at Rieti learning to drive Sherman Tanks! This bears out the lovely story told about the use of KRRs (Kings Rules and Regulations). The story goes that, using KRRs, the Army can do ANYTHING it likes to you, except give you a baby. This was later ammended to say that, using KRR's the Army CAN give you a baby, but it can't make you love it!
Bumping this thread simply because I was just clearing out a cupboard drawer and found this letter, written to the Evening Standard back in 1984. Have just scanned it and stuck it in my Picassa3 Folder so that it is now on record. Ron