Alick Bryant Alick James Bryant , also known as James John Bryant , is believed to have been the youngest Australian soldier to serve during the First World War . He was only 13 years 339 days old when he enlisted in the Australian Imperial Force ( AIF ) on 12 March 1917 . Biography . Bryant was born on 7 April 1903 to Louisa and George Bryant in Ashfield , New South Wales . His father was a produce merchant in Ashfield , and both parents were 25 years old . He applied to enlist in the AIF on 2 March 1917 , giving his age as 18 . He successfully enlisted on 12 March 1917 , and was described on his enlistment papers as being 5 ft 3½ inches tall , of fair complexion and with light brown hair . Bryant embarked on HMAT A23 Suffolk at Sydney on 24 April 1917 and disembarked at Plymouth on 17 June 1917 , before being sent to the 1st Training Battalion at Sutton Veny on Salisbury Plain . From midnight on 18 December he went absent without leave until 0900 on 20 December . He was admonished by Lieutenant Colonel R . B . Jacobs and forfeited two days ' pay . On 29 December he was sent to Sutton Veny Military Hospital with tonsillitis , and returned to his unit on 12 January 1918 . On 18 January he sailed from Southampton to France . He was taken on the strength of the 4th Battalion in the field on 14 March 1918 with battalion number 7208 . At that time the 4th Battalion was in the Somme valley . On 26 March , Alick Bryant was admitted to the ambulance train , as a result of exposure to gas , and then to 59th General Hospital at St . Omer on 28 March . He was transferred to England on 13 April . Until 6 June he remained in hospital , at the 2nd Australian Auxiliary Hospital in Southall , and returned to the 1st Training Battalion on 14 June . On the 11 June , AIF Headquarters at Horseferry Road in London received a cablegram giving Bryant ' s true date - of - birth . Approval was granted on 15 June for him to be discharged , under age , but that he was not to forfeit any pay . Bryant was transferred to No . 2 Command Depot , Weymouth , on 20 June to await embarkation . He returned to Australia on board the " City of Karachi " and was discharged on 7 November 1918 . On 16 June 1919 he again applied to join the AIF , and admitted on the attestation form that he had been discharged for being under age , the previous year . He entered his age on the form as 18 years 2 months , although still only 16 years 2 months old , and stated that he had been born on 7 April 1901 . Alick Bryant was again discharged , " services no longer required " , on 3 July 1919 after three weeks . It appears that he then applied to join the Royal Australian Navy on 21 July 1919 , and signed up for seven years . He still gave his name as James John Bryant , but then gave his date - of - birth as 7 April 1900 . He was posted to the depot ship as a second cook ' s mate on 21 July . His character was assessed as very good , and his abilities satisfactory , but on 23 July he was again to be discharged , this time on 12 August 1919 . On 31 March 1937 , Bryant wrote a letter to the officer in charge of base records to ask whether he could have a copy of his discharge papers , because the originals had been accidentally burnt when he moved house . He explained that he needed the papers because Enfield Council were giving first preference for jobs to returned soldiers . He then admitted that he gave a false name and date of birth when he originally joined the AIF . He explained that his real name was Alick James Bryant , and that he was born on 7 April 1903 . He received a reply dated 9 April saying that as he had used a false name he had to supply a Statutory Declaration stating that he had served under an assumed name , and give his true name . On 19 March 1939 , he again wrote to the officer in charge of base records to ask if he could have a duplicate returned soldiers badge as it had been lost . He again had to produce a Statutory Declaration signed by a Justice of the Peace saying how he had lost the badge and received a replacement on 18 April 1939 . Alick James Bryant died , aged 82 , on 14 November 1985 in the War Veterans ' Home , Narrabeen , New South Wales .