Aideen Posted 30 April , 2014 Share Posted 30 April , 2014 My grandfather served from 1913 to 1919. However I have just discovered a prison record for Mountjoy in 1916 showing him as awol. I am 100 per cent sure the prison record is him so I am wondering what sort of home leave a soldier would get and was it common for them to go awol and how was this dealt with by the army in ireland. The date is also interesting. Was there more awol soldiers at that time? Any background would be great Thanks Aideen Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kildaremark Posted 5 May , 2014 Share Posted 5 May , 2014 Going AWOL would be relatively common. The soldier would be held in prison until his regiment collected him. It was a matter for them to decide what to do with him I.e first offence, error or whatever the reason. It doesn't necessarily mean your grandfather was not a good soldier. The RIC also go rewards for arresting deserters so were on the look out for them. Mark Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
johnboy Posted 5 May , 2014 Share Posted 5 May , 2014 Bear in mind AWOL and Desertion were completely different. AWOL would be reported at the first parade after the man was due back. So if a man missed his train and arrived back at barracks 2hrs late, he would have been reported AWOL as he missed parade. There was probably less of a excuse for being AWOL when at home in UK or Ireland. More excuses would be available for men on leave in the UK from France! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
KGB Posted 5 May , 2014 Share Posted 5 May , 2014 Double check the records. There is supposedly a sentence against my Grandfather for being AWOL in Dublin in 1916. It was not unusual for brothers to "borrow" the first name of a sibling who may have been in France or Salonica. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Aideen Posted 5 May , 2014 Author Share Posted 5 May , 2014 Thanks for that. I'm sure he wasn't trying to get out as he could presumably still have owned up to being underage even though he was 3 years in. He was only 14 when he joined and He was in France from August 1914. I don't know what leave a soldier would have got but I assumed he would have stayed in France for it. He had a brother but he was 10 years younger so I don't think his brother used his name. I was wondering/theorising that he was sent home after being injured. He was gassed but I do not know the date. But that could be a possibility??? He was tranferred to the ASC which I think was due to him being gassed. He got out in 1919. Thanks Aideen Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
KGB Posted 5 May , 2014 Share Posted 5 May , 2014 Obviously if he was wounded he could get home leave. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
johnboy Posted 5 May , 2014 Share Posted 5 May , 2014 Obviously if he was wounded he could get home leave. I did not know that. I thought if a man was wounded in France and treated in a hospital there and discharged he would go to base depot /training camp and sent on to a battalion. He may have got convelesence in UK but I am unsure about getting leave because of a wound. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
KGB Posted 5 May , 2014 Share Posted 5 May , 2014 I did not know that. I thought if a man was wounded in France and treated in a hospital there and discharged he would go to base depot /training camp and sent on to a battalion. He may have got convelesence in UK but I am unsure about getting leave because of a wound. My own guess is it depends how serious the wound was. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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