Jim Heath Enters The Fray - 6th January 1940

On 6th January 1940, Jim Heath entered the Brighton Army Recruiting Office in Brighton with the intention to sign up for service with the Territorial Army embodied in the North Staffordshire Regiment. In the questionnaire on the reverse he gave the following details:

Address: 17 Newport Road, Burgess Hill
Parish or Town of Birth:  Newcastle-Under-Lyme in the county of Staffordshire
Trade or calling: Baker's Assistant
Age (in years) last birthday: Twenty Five
Day, month and year of birth: 14 Sept 1914
Are you married?: Yes
How many children dependent upon you: One

The following signed and witnessed declaration is made at the bottom of the document.

I James Kitchener Heath do solemnly declare that the above answers made by me to the above questions are true, and that I am willing to fulfil the engagements made: also that I understand that, should my health fail or should I sustain an injury during military service, I shall not be eligible for consideration for pension or gratuity on account of disability unless the disability is directly attributable to the conditions of military service.

The second passage of this declaration concerning pension eligibility in the event of sustaining an injury would become very relevant in the years to come.

There follows an oath.

OATH TO BE TAKEN BY RECRUIT ON ATTESTATION

I James Kitchener Heath swear by Almighty God that I will be faithful and bear true allegiance to His Majesty King George the Sixth, His Heirs, and Successors, and that I will, as in duty bound, honestly and faithfully defend His Majesty, His Heirs, and Successors, in person, Crown and Dignity against all enemies, and will observe and obey all orders of His Majesty, His Heirs and Successors and of the Generals and Officers set over me.

Finally the certification.

CERTIFICATE OF MAGISTRATE OR ATTESTING OFFICER

I Lieut. Col. E. J. Nixon do hereby certify that, in my presence, all the foregoing questions were put to the Recruit above-named, that the answers written opposite to them are those which he gave to me, and that he has made and signed the Declaration, and taken the oath at Brighton on this day of 6 Jan 1940.

From this point onwards, Jim Heath became a soldier of the British Army No. 5051929.