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General => Armed Forces => World War One => Topic started by: LoneyBones on Tuesday 22 January 08 13:05 GMT (UK)

Title: Deserter or Story teller?
Post by: LoneyBones on Tuesday 22 January 08 13:05 GMT (UK)
Hi,
my husband's father told my husband some great stories while he was alive.
Among them was that he joined the army and fought in France in WW1.
I find it hard to believe since he was born in 1903, (no birth found) and would have been too young.
I've tried looking for service records but keep coming up against the fact that so many records were destroyed in the 1940 bombings. The only place I found that I could get into was the service medal site and his name isn't there.
Is there anyone here who is able to look into service records?
His Name was Leonard Mawhood and he was born in South Shields.
He claimed that he and his mates got into a pub brawl, he and two others deserted and came to Australia.
I know he arrived in Australia in 1925, on a ship that had come from London. If he was a deserter he surely wasn't still in London in 1925.
Hope someone can help.
Cheers,
Leonie.
Title: Re: Deserter or Story teller?
Post by: mmm45 on Tuesday 22 January 08 13:20 GMT (UK)
http://www.nationalarchives.gov.uk/documentsonline/details-result.asp?Edoc_Id=6984452&queryType=1&resultcount=2

Cant find him on Medal docs or Naval records found this Mawhood from South Shields poss relation??

Ady
Title: Re: Deserter or Story teller?
Post by: LoneyBones on Wednesday 23 January 08 02:55 GMT (UK)
Thanks Ady,
that's his uncle.
If there are no records found, does that mean he wasn't in the army?
Or did the 1940 bombings in London wipe out complete records? Were there no records kept elsewhere?
This man is driving me mad. No birth registered, no British army records, nothing before he arrived in Aus.  ::)
Cheers,
Leonie.
Title: Re: Deserter or Story teller?
Post by: mmm45 on Wednesday 23 January 08 08:23 GMT (UK)
Theres no Medal Index Card under his name but that doesnt clarify he never served as some were lost also if he never went overseas he wouldnt have a card ...1903 Birth he would have had to lie about his age so maybe he served post war

Because its probably post Great War Service you would have to apply to MOD for his record..They would charge around £30 for them...If you look in the Armed Forces Resources part of this forum it tells you how to do it.

Ady
Title: Re: Deserter or Story teller?
Post by: Helen Williams on Monday 17 September 18 05:58 BST (UK)
I am also looking for details on Leonard Mawhood and need to post 3 messages to be able to PM, so please ignore the next two :)
Title: Re: Deserter or Story teller?
Post by: Helen Williams on Monday 17 September 18 06:03 BST (UK)
Assuming it is the same person, I am Leonard Mawhood's granddaughter and we have also always been curious about mystery surrounding him. I was told that he was too young for WW1, so lied about his age, too old for WW2, so again lied about his age. Though the records are different, I think I was told by my grandmother (Sarah), that he was born in 1900.

Hi,
my husband's father told my husband some great stories while he was alive.
Among them was that he joined the army and fought in France in WW1.
I find it hard to believe since he was born in 1903, (no birth found) and would have been too young.
I've tried looking for service records but keep coming up against the fact that so many records were destroyed in the 1940 bombings. The only place I found that I could get into was the service medal site and his name isn't there.
Is there anyone here who is able to look into service records?
His Name was Leonard Mawhood and he was born in South Shields.
He claimed that he and his mates got into a pub brawl, he and two others deserted and came to Australia.
I know he arrived in Australia in 1925, on a ship that had come from London. If he was a deserter he surely wasn't still in London in 1925.
Hope someone can help.
Cheers,
Leonie.
Title: Re: Deserter or Story teller?
Post by: Helen Williams on Monday 17 September 18 06:03 BST (UK)
ignore
Title: Re: Deserter or Story teller?
Post by: MaxD on Monday 17 September 18 09:20 BST (UK)
Leonard Mawhood of South Shields joined the Royal Artillery giving his age as 18 years 220 days on 25 August 1921 left the army in 1933.

Another  Leonard Mawhood of South Shields with a sister Dorothy William of Ivy Street joined the Tank Corps on 28 Feb 1925 giving his age as 21 years 5 months.  He deserted 25 April 1925.

The passenger L Mawhood leaving UK on Orama 14 Nov 25 gave his address as Ivy Street.

MaxD
Title: Re: Deserter or Story teller?
Post by: philipsearching on Monday 17 September 18 09:32 BST (UK)
Another  Leonard Mawhood of South Shields with a sister Dorothy William of Ivy Street joined the Tank Corps on 28 Feb 1925 giving his age as 21 years 5 months.  He deserted 25 April 1925.

I'm wondering if this is that Leonard in 1911 (if so, there's been some fibbing about age!):
https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:XWCC-LZ1

Moderator comment: edited to give link to the free index.

Philip

(ADDED) Dorothy b1898 Grimsby mmn BUCKLEY, no matching birth for Leonard)
Title: Re: Deserter or Story teller?
Post by: MaxD on Monday 17 September 18 09:38 BST (UK)
(I think this is what mmm45 found?) - There is a WW2 Australian Army record for a Leonard Mawhood, born South Shields dob given as 6 Aug 1905 next of kin Sarah Mawhood, enlisted Caulfield Victoria.  One or other of the two?

MaxD
Title: Re: Deserter or Story teller?
Post by: Helen Williams on Thursday 20 September 18 07:23 BST (UK)
Thanks, I am pretty sure this is him as my grandmother was Sarah and we know he was definitely in Australian Army during WW2. (I have lots of photos)
(I think this is what mmm45 found?) - There is a WW2 Australian Army record for a Leonard Mawhood, born South Shields dob given as 6 Aug 1905 next of kin Sarah Mawhood, enlisted Caulfield Victoria.  One or other of the two?

I also think these following two records are likely him as I am pretty sure he had a sister called Dorothy, I would love to find a birth record as from stories my grandmother told me he was pretty fluid with his age:

Another  Leonard Mawhood of South Shields with a sister Dorothy William of Ivy Street joined the Tank Corps on 28 Feb 1925 giving his age as 21 years 5 months.  He deserted 25 April 1925.

The passenger L Mawhood leaving UK on Orama 14 Nov 25 gave his address as Ivy Street.

MaxD
Title: Re: Deserter or Story teller?
Post by: whiteout7 on Thursday 20 September 18 10:06 BST (UK)
Florence Mawhood died in 1916 born in 1879 was only 37 years at death in South Sheilds.
So Leonard Mawhood was pretty young when she passed, 10 years?

Link to other topic
http://www.rootschat.com/forum/index.php?topic=280067.9

Title: Re: Deserter or Story teller?
Post by: LoneyBones on Sunday 18 November 18 22:34 GMT (UK)
For anyone who is still searching.
Leonard Mawhood; his grandson, (*) is married and living in Tasmania. I don't have an address for him at present. but could probably find it.
(*) Moderator Comment:
Edited in accordance with RootsChat policy of not publishing details of living people here, or details of people who may still be living. This is to protect all concerned from spam, identity abuse, internet abuse, etc.