Why London?

[Tim Hailwood]

Hi Everyone,

For this I don't think I will get a definate answer but I welcome any speculation.

Whilst researching a very "unsavoury" ancestor I have discovered he joined up in 1915 at the age of 44 in London when he lived in Wallasey, Cheshire. He joined the Royal Engineers. What I am wondering is why would a man with, from all evidence, no morals go to the effort of joining up and traveling far from home to do so?

Any ideas?

Tim

[centurion]

Lots - mostly to avoid something or someone

such as

• The police who might want to talk to him in connection with something serious
  
• Angry relatives (of some woman perhaps) who might want to inflict harm upon him
  
• Some criminal or criminal gang who wanted to make a serious example of him
  
• Some one he owed serious amounts of money to (possibly the above criminals)
  
• Paternity orders or the equivalent
  

Even when there's a war on the risk of a German bullet might seem preferable to the certainty of a hangman's noose or the knife of a gangland enforcer

[rolt968]

He might even have served before (possibly more than once) and not want that part of his past to catch up with him.

Roger.

Edited 20 May , 2013 by rolt968

[Tim Hailwood]

Thanks guys for replying,

Roger, on his service records he has answered no to the question about serving in the army before but I wouldn't put lying past him however I have traced him back to birth and there is no mention of army service.

Centurion, any or all of your suggestions could well be true I wouldn't be surprised at anything he did.

On his service records he has noted 2 of his children as being illegitimate, they were, Why on earth has he mentioned that, surely it didn't matter to the army and it was nothing to be proud of.?

No wonder my grandfather, this guys eldest non illegitimate son, had nothing to do with him.

Tim

[centurion]

.

On his service records he has noted 2 of his children as being illegitimate, they were, Why on earth has he mentioned that, surely it didn't matter to the army and it was nothing to be proud of.?

No wonder my grandfather, this guys eldest non illegitimate son, had nothing to do with him.

It might simply be in order to ensure that should anything happen to him they were still recognised as being his offspring, even if they were not of the same surname, and entitled to some benefit