Returned from WW1 in 1918?

[dtcoulson]

Hi people.

First of all, this is my first time posting in this category so I hope my question is suitable for discussion here.

Today I found evidence in the UK Electoral Rolls that indicates my grandfather, who served with the RAMC in WW1, was back in the family home in Cty Durham in time for compilation of the 1918 electoral roll. I was under the impression that all soldiers served through to demob in March 1919 (unless they were injured).  I have pictures of my granddad's three medals, and remember reading some years ago that upon enlistment the term of service was three years or until the end of the war, whichever took longest.

Can someone clarify for me whether soldiers were ever released from service before Nov 1918 on any basis other than injury?

Cheers
-DC

[Treetotal]

It would be a good idea to post his name, date and place of birth and service number in order to find out more information as he could have been wounded.
Carol

[philipsearching]

Just to make sure - is his name on the electoral roll or the absent voters list?

Also, do you know if he was in the army before the start of the Great War?  If he signed up for a fixed term and that term ended during the war he could have gone home.

Philip

[Jebber]

Illness could also make a man unfit to continue in the services.

[dtcoulson]

Thomas Smith Coulson
Royal Army Medical Corp
No: 1869
DOB: 21-Oct-1891
Birthplace: Hebburn

Medals imply service from 1914
(I will dig up my data on these later today)

So far as I know he was not injured.

My father said he was a stretcher bearer

Again, so far as I know, he was not in the military before the war.

* However! I just remembered a claim from my late uncle that my grandfather was in the territorials before the war. I have never been able to substantiate this.

-DC

[philipsearching]

Thomas Smith Coulson
Royal Army Medical Corp
No: 1869
DOB: 21-Oct-1891
Birthplace: Hebburn

Medals imply service from 1914
(I will dig up my data on these later today)

So far as I know he was not injured.

My father said he was a stretcher bearer

Again, so far as I know, he was not in the military before the war.

* However! I just remembered a claim from my late uncle that my grandfather was in the territorials before the war. I have never been able to substantiate this.

-DC

Medal Index Card - COULSON Thomas RAMC/13 G Hosp Pte 1869
Victory Medal, British War Medal, 1914 Star
Theatre [blank]
Date of Entry: 16-10-14

(13 General Hospital was at Boulogne throughout the war)

Philip

[dtcoulson]

Brilliant, Phillip.
Thanks.

Would this influence in any way the date on which he returned to England?

He appears twice in Division 2 of the ER for 1918 (Spring & Autumn lists I believe)
In one case he qualifies as 'NM', meaning a returned serviceman.
In the other he qualifies as 'R', resident, which could be home-owner or lead tenant of a large home.

Would he have been at Boulogne for the entire war or would he have been moved around?
I suppose that if he had been transferred (to a different hospital, say), this would have been written on his card?

And if the theatre field is left blank, does this mean that he was never deployed into a theatre of war but was always at this location behind the lines?


-DC

[dtcoulson]

Was just pondering the dates.

The 1918 ER could have been an Autumn ER, in which case data for it could have been collected as late as November (say), coinciding with the end of the war.

Demob is generally said to have occurred in Mar 1919.
Is it possible that some soldiers were sent home straight after the cease-fire call in Nov 1918?

-DC

[jonw65]

There was only one register in 1918.
NM = Naval Military Voter.
Meaning that he was serving in the armed forces at the time.