Jump to content
Free downloads from TNA ×
The Great War (1914-1918) Forum

Remembered Today:

Battalion Affiliation on Medal Card


Chanuter

Recommended Posts

Greetings All,

 

Grandpa relayed a story several times about how he initially conferred with the Canadian recruiters. When asked about his age, he said that he told them he was 16, when he was actually 14. The recruiter stated, "well, that's too bad, if you had said 17 you would be in" - so he walked out, and walked back in, and when asked his age, he said "Seventeen", and he was off. Once in Canada another military person asked where he was from, and he stated Vancouver. The Canadian said that Vancouver conflicted with (I guess) an earlier stated Canadian city of origin, so, again he walked out and walked right back in and "corrected" his city of origin.

By the way, his Mother had no idea what he was up to, yet she had what Grandpa called a "premonition". So she got on a trolley, made it to a ferry boat, got across the SF Bay and found him waiting for a train. She said "You were raised clean, come home clean", and he was off.

I am really enjoying reading all of what is written, and, of course, so very grateful for you kind folks do.

Cheers,

Gary

Link to comment
Share on other sites

One of the largest Repatriation Camps was just outside Winchester, well placed for the port of Southampton.

 

Major E.M. ALLEN, MC, Hampshire Regt, is the only E.M.Allen I have found in the 1919 Army Lists so far.

 

The Hampshire Regt depot is in Winchester, so it's certainly possible a Hampshire Regt major could be attached there.  The CO in mid 1919 was A/Lt.-Col. Albert de Lande LONG, DSO, of the Gordon Highlanders - a Wykehamist and New College, Oxford man, who was also a three times rowing Blue. 

 

So far, I've not found any further detail on the staff of this camp.

 

Keith's suggestion re why he's wearing a Canadian uniform at this Repatriation Camp seems plausible to me.  Another alternative is that he has just added Canadian maple leaf collar dogs to his KRRC SD jacket.  There would have been plenty of de-mobbed British Army waiting to go back out overseas, so I am still puzzled as to why he might need a Canadian uniform.

 

I think the majority of the CEF were processed through the Repatriation Camps at

  • Kinmel Camp in North Wales, scene of the famous mutiny
  • Bramshott Camp, Hampshire, near Liphook,with some facilities at nearby Bordon Camp
  • Witley Camp, Surrey, near Godalming

 

This exchange in Parliament casts some light on the issues ...

Quote
29 May 1919
Mr. R. McNEILL

asked the Secretary of State for War how many men are waiting for repatriation in the camps at Winchester and Pirbright; what duties, if any, have they to perform at these camps; whether they are in receipt of full pay and allowances; what is the average time that men are detained in these camps before being repatriated; and whether he will take steps to expedite their repatriation?

§ Mr. FORSTER

On 21st May the following number of officers and other ranks were on the strength of the repatriation camp:

At Pirbright 1,517 officers.
At Winchester 1,908 other ranks.

 

Officers whilst awaiting passage are permitted to proceed on leave if they so desire. Men are given at least ten days' leave before embarkation, and games and concerts are arranged during the remaining period in which their discharge documents are prepared. The average time that men are stationed at the repatriation camp varies from one month to six weeks. In the event of men being retained at the camp for any longer period, courses are arranged where possible. At present a number of men are undergoing a course of motor-driving. All officers and men are ready to embark one month from the date of joining the repatriation camp. They are in receipt of full pay and allowances. With regard to the last part of the question, they are being repatriated as rapidly as shipping becomes available.

§ Mr. McNEILL

asked the Secretary of State for War if he is aware of the discontent prevailing in the repatriation camps at Winchester and Pirbright, arising from the belief that the work of repatriation is being conducted in a negligent and dilatory manner, and from the irregularity and uncertainty as to the prospects of repatriation in each case; if he is aware that men are detained for weeks after the date when they were led to expect that they would be repatriated, without explanation of the delay being offered, and that many such men have agricultural or other interests in the Dominions which are suffering from their prolonged absence; and if he will introduce some regularity of system in the work of repatriation of men to the Dominions whereby, on fixed dates and in definite sequence of priority, they will be repatriated with all possible expedition and definite information be given when such fixed dates cannot be adhered to?

§ Mr. FORSTER

Officers and men are repatriated as soon as shipping becomes available. As a general rule, they embark about one month to six weeks after joining the camp, during which time their discharge documents are prepared, and they are sent on leave before rejoining again for embarkation. As soon as ships are allotted, the men are informed of the approximate date of sailing. Men are repatriated in accordance with a. definite scheme of priority, and in the case of the Dominions this priority is dealt with by representatives from the Dominions.

Source here

 

Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • Admin

I have, as is my want, been trying to do some Alias snooping in the CEF records.

I have looked at all the W Dixon, W Strand, all the Bills and Billys I can find and haven't come up with a plausible chap.

Quite a few of the Bills did desert at around the 1918/19 mark but they either enlisted far too early or too late to be this soldier (I'm not suggesting this chap did desert for certain).

 

Haven't given up yet but are you able to let us know maternal and grandmothers' maiden names as that would be my next search?

After that then all that would seem to remain would be the long, long slog through all the records.

 

As they have often said "never give up, never surrender!" (Galaxy Quest I believe).

 

David

Link to comment
Share on other sites

My gut tells me our chap was weeded out with an Under Age discharge either once his true age was rumbled or when the Canadian army authorities decided suspicions as to his age were strong enough to act.

 

Andy's been doing a special study of Under Age discharges in the RB and KRRC from the Aug-Sep 1914 Kitchener volunteer group and there are large numbers of these.  If they'd enlisted under an alias, it took some time before concerned parents managed to track them down and winkle them out again!

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Create an account or sign in to comment

You need to be a member in order to leave a comment

Create an account

Sign up for a new account in our community. It's easy!

Register a new account

Sign in

Already have an account? Sign in here.

Sign In Now
×
×
  • Create New...