gord97138 Posted 3 April , 2004 Share Posted 3 April , 2004 I was reading an article and found this on Home Leave! Does anyone have any answers? gordon World War I: Home Leave Many countries had home leave policies allowing soldiers to spend a few days at home out of the front lines. This made it possible to visit with parents and family for a few days away from the fighting. I am not sure how often these leaves were granted. Such policies varied from country to country. The War on the Western Front was conducted over a stable battle front very near to French and German cities. Soldiers could get on a train near the front line and be at home within hours. England was also close, only the minor complication of a Channel crossing. Americans were in the War only a little over a year. Crossing the Atlantic made home leaves infeasible. We have little actual information on the home leave policies of combatant countries. Many studies of World War I do not even mention this subject. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bombadier Posted 3 April , 2004 Share Posted 3 April , 2004 This doesn't answer your question but may add a bit more to the topic. My Grandfather was in France for the duration and claimed that there were two sorts of leave available. Short leave in Paris, mainly for female company etc Longer leave in Blighty. The choice was one or the other and opportunities for home leave were less frequent. His choice was home leave and, as I type this, I am wearing the ring my Grandmother gave to him as an engagement gift. She was obviously his priority. Nigel Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Koert Debyser Posted 3 April , 2004 Share Posted 3 April , 2004 Just a minor remark. Most of the Belgian soldiers could NOT get on a train near the front line and be at home within hours. As you surely know, the larger part of Belgium was occupied by the Germans. The Belgian soldiers holding the front along the Yser could go on leave in France and England from time to time. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest stevenbec Posted 3 April , 2004 Share Posted 3 April , 2004 Leave is a hard thing to be objective about. I have a small number of AIF soldiers sent home for leave. Most were for family reason and the time frame was always around three months. This was because of the one monthe boat trip home and one month trip back. Leave was granted by medical staff for short periods (three to six months) back to Australia for men who had been wounded or sick. Local leave was always open in country to all soldiers of the AIF. S.B Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kinnethmont Posted 4 April , 2004 Share Posted 4 April , 2004 gord97138 wrote " England was also close, only the minor complication of a Channel crossing. " I think you will find the channel was the least of the problem for men returning to Northern Scotland, or North Britain as it was called at the time. I understand that no extra allowance of leave was given to account for their travelling time. Just imagine the time taken to get to Aberdeen, Stornoway or Wick. Can anyone confirm if an allowance was made for this ? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Christina Posted 4 April , 2004 Share Posted 4 April , 2004 Reading the War diaries for the Royal Berkshire Regiment it seems that some of the officers were granted leave quite often. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
shinglma Posted 4 April , 2004 Share Posted 4 April , 2004 Kinnethmont I am not aware if there was an allowance for travelling and can only agree with what you say. Much is oft said about the proximity of the Western front to England (sound of the guns being heard in London etc etc). However the rest of the country was not in close proximity to the south east in those days. The train journey from London to Newcastle was six hours - add the transfer across the capital and then a journey to a channel port and you are looking at a very long day indeed. Then a crossing and then transportation to the front. double this for the return journey and it would take up a sizeable amount of leave. If you look at a map Newcastle was only approx half the distance of the journey undertaken by a soldier in Inverness. Would be interested to know if allowance was made for this. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Annette Burgoyne Posted 4 April , 2004 Share Posted 4 April , 2004 I have found the same as Christina, officers did seem to get plenty of leave, also away on training cources for up to a month some times. My great uncle was out in France/Flanders from about mid 1916 and he never came home on leave but he must have had leave in France at some point. Annette Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest mark rogers Posted 4 April , 2004 Share Posted 4 April , 2004 I have copies of my Grandfathers diaries from 1915 to 1918. He was a private and it would appear that he went on a one week leave every 12 months. I cannot recall any reference to leave in France. mark Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Desmond6 Posted 4 April , 2004 Share Posted 4 April , 2004 Most of the 'home on leave' snippets I have from local paper of the time seem to coincide with the men mentioned being home after wounds received etc. Officer leave also does seem to be much more freely available. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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