What was the occurance of a man not returning to France after leave

[mikebriggs]

Dear all

An apology if this has been discussed before, but.........

I have just seen the Service Records of 2011 William Clowes from Macclesfield.

He enlisted into 6th Battn Sherwood Foresters (Notts and Derby) in June 1913

Posted to France on 28.2.15

Wounded on 30.11.15

Granted leave from 6.11.18 to 6.12.18

BUT, he failed to return to his unit in France at the end of this leave. The local Bobby was sent out and apparently Pte Clowes was under the impression (he had read it in the papers) that men on overseas leave could write for their discharge and need not go back until they had received a reply. He did go back to his unit (PDQ) and was demobbed in July 1919.

His Active Service form shows that he has enlisted for 4 years in 1913, but had continued under the Military Service Act.

I am sure this wasn’t a one off

Mike