APPROXIMATELY 6,500 WORDS IN LENGTH. AN IDEAL TEACHING AID. This is a short story about a brave young Irishman who joined the British army at the tender age of thirteen. He was unremarkable in that he was one of many thousands of boys who followed a similar path, signing up for a lifetime and heading overseas to serve Queen and Empire. This is the story of Colour Sergeant Joseph McCarraher of the 61st Regiment of Foot.