[1] The South Sydney Sentinel reported, contemporaneous to his playing career, that Root's age was uncertain, likely owing to his underage military enlistment during World War I.

[3][b] Root enlisted to serve with the Australian Imperial Force on 31 March 1917, then aged 14 years and nine months.

[2] The South Sydney Sentinel states that Root "served at the front"[3] and the Brisbane Courier claimed he wore a returned serviceman's medal.

[1] However, according to Rugby League Project, military records show that Root was discharged in April 1917 when it was discovered he was underage.

[6] When the NSWRL changed the South Sydney/Newtown boundary distinction in 1930 Root spent the following season with Newtown due to the strict residential criteria of the time.