The youngest soldier ever who was officially a soldier and fighting in a unit was the 7-year old Momčilo Gavrić.
He was born in 1907. near Loznica, Serbia.
At the beginning of the war, in August, 1914., Austro-Hungarian soldiers of the 42nd Croatian Home Guard Infantry Division maimed and hanged his father, mother, grandmother, his three sisters, and four of his brothers. After that, they burned his house down.
Momčilo would’ve been among them too if it weren’t for the fact that he was guiding a herd of sheep, with his uncle nearby the family property.
When he came back, horror struck him as he saw his house and family. Immediately, he went looking for the Serbian 6th Artillery Division, commanded by major Stevan Tucović who accepted him into the unit.
He began his military career at 7 years old. By the time he reached the age of 8, he had a uniform made specially to suit him and also was promoted to the rank of Corporal after he survived the strategic masterpiece of the Serbian Field Marshals, known as The Battle of Cer, where he also got his first battle wounds.
In Thessaloniki, Field Marshal Mišić was stunned when he saw a 10-year old boy fighting in the trenches.
He demanded an explanation and was given one when major Tucović said that he was a soldier like everyone else, except he was a “little bit younger than most”.
After breaking through the Salonica front, FM Mišić gave him the rank of Lance Sergeant.
Momčilo Gavrić died peacefully in 1993., at 88 years of age.
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