I've got a friend with a young grandson in the RAAF as an apprentice, though I don't know his exact age. And drummer boys were a thing in the Napoleonic Wars, which just seems wrong to me. 12 year olds? Leading troops into battle? D: But Angus' attempt at self-sacrifice just seems the wrong way round to me - it's Ewen who should be protecting his people's kids (and I'm glad to note that he did just that.)

I hadn't considered that the situation in your ROT'd para is odd, but it really is! A case of Homer nodding, perhaps?