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The Great War (1914-1918) Forum

Breaking Ship


larneman

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One of the people from Australia, I am researching, has on his service record a "crime" of breaking ship in an Australian port. What is that exactly. Another was "AOL" is that the same as AWOL. Lastly I have noticed that he was "AOL" for 3 weeks . On another noticed the same sort of thing, 2 weeks "AOL" Did these guys bunk off to visit their N. Ireland family. They returned in time to go France and one went from private to sargrent very quickly and won an MM before getting killed.

liam

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Hi Liam

I've noticed the Breaking ship notation occuring a few times.

As an example if a soldier embarked in Brisbane, Sydney, Melbourne, Hobart, Adelaide etc, their ship would often have a last port of call in Australia at Fremantle. Many men having been on ship for some time already would break ship to try out one of the good pubs we have here in Freo :D

Most got back to the ship in time but were 'crimed' for breaking ship. Those who didn't get back in time before their ship left were often held in barracks until they could be joined on to another reinforcement group heading for Europe.

In many of the embarkation rolls for the Western Australian units that left Fremantle you will often find the names of a few soldiers from the Eastern States that failed to re-embark added to the list with a notation next to their name that goes something like 'previously No.1234 4th Pioneers - failed to re-embark 05/06/1916'

Cheers

Andrew

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Thanks Andrew.

I understand now, it is like "breaking and entering" but is really "breaking and leaving" for one last pint. Did they serve "Fosters" in those days?

liam

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