Lieutenant Herbert Orr Sutherland - 1st Northumberland Fusiliers

[John Beech]

Evening All

Lieutenant Herbert Orr Sutherland was reported wounded and missing on 14th September 1914 after a counter attack by the 1st Battalion Northumberland Fusiliers near Rouge Maison Farm on the Aisne. He was later confirmed as being wounded and POW. On his MIC he is shown as also serving as a Captain in 3rd Battalion and with 216th Brigade. This Brigade was part of 72nd Division and was used to train men for overseas service and to provide home defence. It was not formed until late 1916 and was dissolved in early 1918.

Can anyone answer the following questions:

Sutherland was repatriated on 11th September 1917. Does anyone know if this was part of a general repatriation, or possibly due to his wounds of Sept. 1914?

Were there any restrictions as to the roles officers could undertake after repatriation, as both 3rd Battalion Northumberland Fusiliers and the 216th Brigade were home service / training units and not frontline units? Of course, Sutherland may not have been considered fit for front line service.

He is mentioned as being on the 'Exonerated Officers List' am I right in assuming that this was a list of officers who were deemed to have satisfied the army as to the circumstances of their capture?

Sutherland stayed in the army after the war and retired as a major (honorary Lieutenant Colonel) in 1936.

Thank you

John

[ralphjd]

John. I can only answer one of your queries = exonerated officers is as you presume correctly.

[John Beech]

rjaydee

Many thanks for your response. I thought that was the case. Are these records accessible?

Regards

John

[spof]

John

All officers had to explain the circumstances of their capture. Most are in their service records but some were compiled into book form and are in the National Archives in WO 161. Sutherland's interview is in one of these books and can be downloaded from here for £3.36.

I have sent you a PM about this.

Glen