Cause of Discharge

[OpsMajor]

According to his Index Card WR/207890 Walter Richard Matthews, aged about 30 years, was enlisted on 27.6.18 and discharged on 11.12.18.

Q: Why would he have been called up so late in the War at his age (an Ag Lab), and,

Q: What do King's Regs P 092 xvi say the reason for his discharge?

Many thanks

Mike

[Ron Clifton]

Hello Mike

 

I think the reason should read King's Regulations Paragraph 392(xvi), which was "No longer physically fit for war service."

 

Ron

[OpsMajor]

Thanks Ron. Any thoughts on the late call up at his age (and a single man)?

Mike

[Ron Clifton]

He may have had his call-up deferred on account of his occupation, or he may have been physically unfit for some reason, or had dependent relatives and been deferred because of that.

 

There does seem to have been something of a surge in men joining the Army around June 1918, in order to replace the losses sustained during the German Spring offensives. It is possible that the required standard of physical fitness had been temporarily lowered for that reason, and that after the Armistice a number of "marginally fit" men were then discharged, as in his case.

 

This is only educated guesswork on my part, and I am happy to be corrected if anyone knows better.

 

Ron

Edited 9 August , 2017 by Ron Clifton

[OpsMajor]

That all sounds pretty logical, Ron.

Thanks

Mike