Deserted on leave

[Desmond7]

In my 1917 old papers, I've come across a 'remand in military custody case'. The soldier involved served on the Somme, received a home leave and went AWOL. He was finally found in June 1917 when police went to arrest his mother for alleged theft.

The soldier was found hiding under a bed in her house. Apparently he had been hiding out in the North Antrim hills and in caves around the coast for all that time, sneaking home now and again for food and a warm bed when it was particularly cold.

The Magistrates remanded him to military custody. I assume he faced a court martial - from members' knowledge, what would the standard sentence be for such a military crime?

[Dee]

According to the records I have, my granddad deserted from leave on many an occasion, most of the time he was stopped pay, grog was given field punishments and CB. However, his final desertion found him with most of his kit missing and he was then court martialled and sentenced to undergo detention for 35 days at an HM Detention Barrack @ Aldershot.

[john w.]

How long was he AWOL for?

After 21 days a court of enquiry would be set up and they would declare him a deserter and then calcualte the value of the equipment they had.

John

[Guest Desmond6]

According to the court report he had been awol for the best part of a year. I don't want to put the name and exact details on forum - I'm a bit paranoid about someone, somewhere ending up on the forum and finding such details. I know it's unlikely but Ballymena is a relatively small town and memories die hard!

Thanks for help Des