Soldiers AWOL/Deserters

[Anna]

Can anyone help on this?

If a soldier went AWOL during WW1 whilst on leave prior to embarkation, was arrested and was subsequently sent abroad to fight but survived would his Medal Index Card and his Service History be destroyed and his Pension entitlement be void as he commited an offence against Kings Regulations?

[Geoffers]

You might have a browse of 1914-1918.net/crime.htm (just put www. in front).

In the title you include AWOL/Deserters. There is a fair difference between the two. Do you know if your chap was absent without leave or if he deserted his post?

Those who served in WW1 would not necessarily be entitled to a pension.

If you just cannot find a service record for someone, this is not unusual, only around 40 per cent of army service records survive from WW1, the remainder were destroyed in WW2.

[sniper617]

Hi Anna,

If the person was returned to his unit and then went abroad and fought for King and Country he would of been entitled to the medals and would of recieved them. Only those who served a certain amount of years within the army would of been entitled to a pension and it would of certainly of been for more than 4years, more likely as it is now and being 12 years plus.

Sniper

[Peter Goodey]

Anna

Can you tell us precisely what the problem is that you're trying to crack.