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General => Armed Forces => Topic started by: Sumi on Friday 19 October 18 08:54 BST (UK)
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Thanks to your help I now know Ernest Hayes was a colour sergeant and there is a family story that he deserted but no proof of this.
However, I think I found him on a campaign medal list with a faint note next to his name about desertion but can’t make out the date.
How can I find out more?
Thank you
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Presumably this is the 1901 man in Dublin? Would you like to post more detail, year/place of birth, regiment, for example.
Was the list a WW1 list or another campaign list?
MaxD
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This guide:
http://www.nationalarchives.gov.uk/help-with-your-research/research-guides/courts-martial-desertion-british-army-17th-20th-centuries/
would suggest that any records might be held by the regimental museum - you'd need to find out which museum that is, as a result of the multiple amalgamations of regiments since that date.
Also might be worth trying newspapers?
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1904 Divorce Court London. Lieutenant Arthur Sykes of the Royal Irish Fusiliers was granted a divorce on the grounds of his wife's adultery with Colour Sergeant Ernest Hayes of the same regiment. The adultery took place while Sykes was in South Africa. When Sykes was due home, Hayes deserted.
Various newspaper reports July 1904.
MaxD
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The divorce papers can be seen on Ancestry.
MaxD
PS The Boer War medal roll tells us also that he was mentioned in despatches for his work at the Relief of Ladysmith and that he was invalided home (where he made full use of his time to console Mrs Sykes!).
He seems to have vanished after deserting in July 1902.
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MaxD, that's terrific! That's my man.
many,many thanks
Sue
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A little late , Lt Col Arthur Sykes (hon) was my gg uncle . He joined the Suffolks in1887 and served in India where he met and married Marrion Milligan , I believe this is when he transferred to the Royal Irish Fusiliers his brother Ernest also transferred from the Suffolks to serve with his brother .
It was Ernest who visited Colour Sergeant Hayes to point out the error of his ways as Arthur was overseas after this Colour Sergeant Hayes deserted.
Arthur had two sons from the marriage one of which was KIA in 1916 fighting with the Canadians the other son I cannot find but I believe he was in North America?
Hope this adds a little to your story.
Mark
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Thank you Mark .....more details to this sad and sordid story.