Interpretation of the MIC/SWB

[Guest djsides]

Hi,

Can anyone enlighten me as to what this MIC implies (click image for larger pic).

So far I'm interpreting it as, having never seen action abroad, because none of the "standard" medals were issue. Then discharged for some reason and awarded the SWB, but subsequently had it withdrawn for whatever reason (dishonourable discharge?).

I can only add that verbal family history has him being punished/imprisoned, some even say executed, for being AWOL.

Would being AWOL be sufficient cause for a dishonourable discharge?

Any thoughts welcome,

Thanks, Dave

[Steve Bramley]

Hi Dave,

Cannot shed too much light on this one I'm afraid. But I assume that if he was AWOL for a period of time he would then perhaps be classed as a deserter.

If caught he would then face a Courts Martial. I have recently seen a register for C'sM at the NA. Deserter usually carried a death sentence. Only a minority of these were carried out however. Many death sentences were commuted but the punishment was still pretty severe, 3 years penal servitude being common, but I noticed one for 10 years PS.

The only other help i can add is that going by his service number he was one of either 4th, 5th or 10th Lincolnshire battalions. The first two were Territorial Battalions, the 10th a Service battalion known commonly as the Grimsby Chums.

If you know where your relation was living at his time of enlistment? This would help a little with narrowing down his battalion.

Does family history give any clues as to when the misdemenour was supposed to have occured?

Is it possible that he did serve abroad but his medals were witheld due to the nature of the offence?

Steve.

[Guest djsides]

He married in June 1915 by licence, and reputedly went AWOL the following spring to see his child.

At his marriage he gives his residence as Aldershot, so presumably he had enlisted or been called up by then.

For reasons that are not clear, his wife was left to bring up the child on her own and apparently never had contact with Cyril again. Hence the view that he was Courts Martialed. Another hearsay "fact" was that he may have been imprisoned at Lincoln.

All this is third-hand from Cyril's granddaughter, so there are no real facts other than the marriage and the birth of his son. We also know he was born in Birlingham, Worcestershire, in 1893, but there's no gaurantee he was living there at the start of the war.

Anyway thanks for your thoughts on this.

Regards, Dave

[SPotter]

Dave,

Have you had a look at the War Badge Roll referenced on the MIC? It may shed some more light, and may even give his unit. Unfortunately the NA website is not playing at present so I can't confirm whether this is his only card, but assuming it is, it would confirm that he never served abroad. One point to note though, the War Badge was only issued to those who were discharged through wounds or sickness. The circumstances you relate would not entitle him to a badge. Perhaps one was originally issued in error, and the award rescinded when the facts became known?

A final point, if he went AWOL whilst in the UK the punishment would be far less severe than if at the front.

Regards

Steve