Courts of Inquiry

[amb]

I'm assuming that a Court of Inquiry isn't as serious as a Court Marshall but as records are becoming more available I wondered if anyone could suggest how I might find out more about this one?   Thankyou.

 

[FROGSMILE]

A board of inquiry was mandatory for all soldiers who went AWOL.  It was a matter of routine.  Afterwards his personal kit was boxed up with a list of contents inside witnessed by a soldier and countersigned by his company quarter-master sergeant.  It was then retained in the unit store until he returned, or was struck off strength. Once struck off strength it was usually sent to the regimental depot and HQ for a set period. As soon as the initial process was carried out his barracks bed space could be allocated to another soldier.  This was a standard policy going back to prewar garrisons.

Edited 9 May , 2021 by FROGSMILE

[Matlock1418]

Archie CAMERON 16964, KOSB

Going AWOL didn't seem to do him too much harm in the short term as according to his MIC he was [to] commission 29.8.17 - 2 Lt Border Regiment

Sadly in the longer term the MIC records Dead 11-4-18 [CWGC have 9-4-18] as a 2 Lt.

:-) M

[FROGSMILE]

2 minutes ago, Matlock1418 said:

Archie CAMERON 16964, KOSB

Going AWOL didn't seem to do him too much harm in the short term as according to his MIC he was [to] commission 29.8.17 - 2 Lt Border Regiment

Sadly in the longer term the MIC records Dead 11-4-18 [CWGC have 9-4-18] as a 2 Lt.

:-) M

Copped it in the German Spring Offensive then.

[amb]

Thanks both.   Yes, Archie didn't seem to receive any punishment.   It's been a very long story trying to ID a photo of the soldier (see my little photo) who was my grandmother's first love.   We think he was called surname Cameron and his uniform shows the MM.  On the back of the photo it's noted that he died of wounds in 1918 and that he was the eldest son of an old English Catholic family.   My aunt (his daughter b. June 1918) wrote this information as an old lady living in Australia, and the photo was only discovered after she died.   Whether or not what she wrote was accurate is anybody's guess!    Unfortunately the shoulder title has faded too much to read although we have had several suggestions.   Their first child was born in January 1916 which makes the AWOL date quite a coincidence, date-wise, but with no father's name appearing on either of their two children's birth certificates and no marriage either it's unlikely we'll ever get to know who he was.   My grandmother joined the WAAC in 1917 and was stationed at Hare Hall, Romford, with the 2nd Artists Rifles so how she managed with two young children is another mystery since her family were all far away in Scotland.   Sadly her service records were destroyed during WW2.   She is seated 2nd left.   My sister and I were honoured to be invited to the unveiling of the memorial to the Artists Rifles there a few years ago now.

 

[amb]

On 10/05/2021 at 00:40, FROGSMILE said:

Copped it in the German Spring Offensive then.

 

[amb]

Dumfries and Galloway Standard 16 October 1918 page 2b

 

LIEUTENANT CAMERON LOSES HIS LIFE IN SAVING WOUNDED

 

Second-Lieutenant Archibald Cameron, of the Border Regiment, son of Mr. Cameron, farmer in Lincluden Mains, Dumfries, was reported wounded and missing after severe fighting in which his battalion was engaged early in April. Subsequently his parents got into communication with a corporal of the regiment, who stated that he had seen him killed on the 11th of that month. On that date they were holding a position of the line on the left of the river Lys when the enemy made an attack and they were driven back. Writing in reply to inquiries, Corporal R.G. Taylor said: "The night before the Germans made the fateful attack we were relieved from the front line. We went down to the reserve line just above a place called La Bizet. I lost sight of your son for a short time then, and never saw him again until about 4 p.m. on the 10th of April. We occupied an old ditch about a kilometre from where our front line had been. Of course all the regiments were mixed up by that time. We held on to that part of the line until about eight o' clock in the evening. Then the enemy got round on our flanks and we were forced to retire. We dropped back to a road lined with trees on each side. I was with your son, about fifty to sixty yards from the river Lys. On the morning of the 11th of April we were again attacked by the enemy, and fell back, but only for a short distance. In falling back a lot of our men were wounded about the legs, and your son, Lieutenant Cameron, went out to fetch some of the wounded in. He brought three in, but when he went for a fourth he was killed by a sniper. I am very sorry this happened, for he set us all a good example to follow what he did."

The War Office, having tested Corporal Taylor's statement, have now written to Mr. Cameron. "In view of this and of the lapse of time since he was reported wounded and missing, during which no further news of him has been received, the Army Council are now regretfully constrained to conclude that Second-Lieutenant A. Cameron M.M. was killed in action on 11th April. I am to express the sympathy of the Army Council with you in your bereavement, and to add that publication will be made in the official casualty list."

Lieutenant Cameron, who was associated with his father in the management of the farm, and was a young man greatly esteemed, first served in the ranks of the King's Own Scottish Borderers, and rose first to the position of Quarter-Master Sergeant; then received a commission in the Border Regiment. He was awarded the Military Medal in October 1916, during his first period of service in France, and also suffered from wounds at that time.

 

[FROGSMILE]

A sad and all too typical story of a bright young man who was promoted quickly and probably encouraged to apply for a commission.  He then followed the typical course for such men of joining the Artist’s Rifles officer training unit and after successfully passing out from his course of training was commissioned, sent to an infantry battalion and KIA during Spring 1918.  It’s interesting that whilst undergoing his officer training he seems to have had a dalliance with one of the staff members that eventually resulted in a child.  I imagine that must’ve been a not uncommon occurrence. Thank you for posting.

 

[Michelle Young]

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