2Lt Robert Peel Nuttall

[clivegilbert]

Why did Robert Nuttall resign his commission?

Robert Peel Nuttall, the son of Mrs Lillie Nuttall 37 Great Bolton Street Blackburn enlisted 3 Sept 1914 as Pte 18203 12 Res Cavalry Regt Hussars of the line. Home service.

Discharged 1 Apr 1915 to Commission. 2^nd Lt (long number 48684) B Battery 272^nd Bde RFA then joined 12^th Bn Somerset Light Infantry 3 June 17.

Sept 16-Nov 17 was a mixture of periods of instruction, 2 periods of illness, and 14 Oct 16 discharged to Duty A base depot Mustapha (22 Oct rejoined unit.) What was Duty A?

18 Nov 17 Alexandria. Embarked for UK to report to War Office. 12 SLI diary notes hospital admission and return to duty but not his departure.

25 December 1917. Resigned commission. Continued service as Private GS/70389 11 Bn Royal Fusiliers.

CWGC death 23 Oct 1918 France although his school recorded his death KIA 1916.

Any suggestions how I can find reason for resigning his commission? No info on TNA file to explain resignation.

[Colin W Taylor]

Major Ravon

Generally if an officer was cashiered for doing something ‘untoward’ it would often be described as ‘relinquished his commission as a result of a court martial’ in the London Gazette - unlike this case. I cannot find an obvious mention of an officer of his name in the officers court martial ledgers for overseas service (WO90/8) between about May 1917 and December (though with so many names they are easy to miss).

He may have volunteered to do this knowing he wasn’t up to command or wanted to see action in France more than he wanted to be an officer abroad. There is still the idea of ‘non-blameworthy removal from post’ in the modern military – it may have been recognized by his superiors that he wasn’t cut out for command and was given the opportunity to resign without question or loss of face – I’m not sure whether such ideas were in use in the Great War.

The idea that he enlisted, fought and died in France would vindicate any of the above reasons. I know of officers who were cashiered and who didn’t bother re-enlist.

Kind regards

Colin

[sotonmate]

WO339/27158 is the reference for his Service file.You should get the story there. It's at Kew and is not yet digital.

[Colin W Taylor]

Sotonmate is correct - if there's any place where an answer will be then that is the most likely location. That is assuming you haven't seen it already.

[starshot]

We explained in the original post that there is nothing on the TNA file to explain his resignation. Like so many files, it has been heavily weeded.

[clivegilbert]

Colin

Thanks for your interest and reply. Unfortunately there is nothing in his 'Kew' file to give any clues. I think I favour your suggestion that he realised that he was not up to command but still wanted to do his bit. I doubt we will ever know for sure.

Thanks again

Clive