Home Leave After Wounding

[Guest martin37]

Thank's to the forum and the release onthe National Archive site of the 4thNorth Staff war Diaries I now know more about where my dad was during his time in France than he probably did himself.!! However he was gassed on May 20th 1918 along with 87 others at Bouzincourt , severely enough to be sent home on leave.( I have a cousin 93 yrs old who remembers seeing him in his Blue uniform,which I gather was standard wear for sick leave ).Home was South Shields in County Durham,then.

Since his service records don't exist can anyone point me in the direction to find how long this leave was likely to be so I can have some idea when he was likely to have rejoined his batallion.

I know he did go back because I remember him saying words to the effect that ''THEY had to come to take us back'', on one of the few occasions he ever mentioned the War.

[Bob Bedward]

Hi - I don't know if this helps but I have several local newspaper reports of men from "my"

village being given home leave after woundings. As you can see the first mentions 10days.

"MDA August 25th 1917

Pte H Lynn, who has been wounded in France. Is home for 10 days sick leave."

"MDA October 19th 1918

Ptes. W Stoneman and S Cowell are at home, after being in hospital suffering from wounds.

Pte Stoneman was wounded in the arm, Pte Cowell in the foot."

I have not come across any reference to blue uniforms except in hospitals but I suppose

that unless they were reequiped befor coming home they certainly wouldn't wish to come home in the uniforms they were wearing when wounded.

Best wishes

Old Jack

[snavek]

My grandfather got a blighty on the opening day of the Arras offensive, 9th April. He left hospital 10th May for leave at his home in Suffolk, on 21st May he travelled up to Whitly Bay to join his new unit.

I suppose the length of time he spent back here depended on the severity of his injury.

Keith

[Guest martin37]

Thank's for the replies.It looks like a trip to the local library to scanthe May / June1918 Shields Gazette archives may lead to something.

I've been told that a blue suit was standard wear for the walking wounded on sick leave, even in WW2.

[Muerrisch]

with a red tie, and sometimes a brassard, see the thread on brassards.