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The Great War (1914-1918) Forum

Remembered Today:

George Ambrose Johnson


susaneileen

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I am trying to find out if my grandfather, George Ambrose Johnson, was a deserter in WW1. It seems to be a family 'legend' that he was, though I find it hard to believe as he survived the war - I thought deserters were shot?

He was a member of the MGC, I have looked up the medal rolls online but it gives no indication of which battalion he was attached to. He is listed as receiving the British and Victory medals and his number is Pte 102398. I would be really grateful if anyone could tell me where I go from here to confirm/lay to rest the family legend.

Thanking you in anticipation! Susan

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Hi Susan

I will leave it to a MGC expect to tell you if unit info. is shown in the MGC medal rolls but you say

hard to believe as he survived the war - I thought deserters were shot

Susan there were thousands of deserter, if they had shot the lot there would have been up roar, they just shot a few to make examples of them.

Annette

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Guest Ian Bowbrick

Susan,

On the basis that his medals were not forfeit, I suspect he was not a deserter - this will be recorded on the MIC and respective roll.

Unfortunately the MGC rolls do not give individual MG Coys or Bns that individual soldiers served with.

I have done a lot of research into the MGC men around the number series 102200+/-20 each way. Most were conscripts into the ASC who were transferred into the MGC and sent overseas in the Autumn of 1917.

Ian

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Thanks Annette and Ian for your speedy response!

It looks like I've still got a long way to go to solving this mystery. If my grandfather was in the ASC before the MGC then I'm not sure if that's good or bad news regarding research - am I right in thinking that the ASC was similar to the MGC in that it wasn't a 'stand-alone' corps for want of a better way of putting it, but but soldiers belonging to it were attached to various other corps as needed? Sorry if I've got it wrong - I know nothing about army matters and I must admit I'm finding it a bit of struggle to get my head round the way things were organised during WW1. Anyway, thanks for the help, it really is much appreciated.

Susan

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Guest Ian Bowbrick

Susan,

What I quoted was just a possibility as other men close on the roll were conscripted into the ASC and then posted to the MGC. I should add that all of the men first went overseas with the MGC and their medals are inscribed as such.

The ASC was a stand alone Unit like the MGC was a stand alone unit. Lets take one of these men:

Pte Frank Bushell a native of Farnham in Surrey was born in 1894. He was conscripted in 1917, and as an agricultural man used to dealing with horses, went to the ASC. After doing his basic training he was transferred to the MGC. He did his machine gun training at Grantham and was then posted to France arriving at the MGC Base Depot, which was at Camiers, in September 1917. From there he was posted to the 232nd MG Coy and took part in the Battle of Cambrai. It is probable that in early 1918 he was posted to the Middle East, but I have been unable to confirm this. He was demobbed in June 1919.

It is possible to build up a picture like this with a bit of digging.

Ian

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