POW card help, please

[SmallTownGirl]

I understand this shows that an enquiry was raised by John Smith's mother (Mrs D Smith) and that the Red Cross responded that they couldn't identify any records for him, but I don't understand what "Off." means after the words "Leicester Rgt." 

Also, was he just "missing" for a while and then returned to his Regiment but didn't write home, so the family thought he was a POW, or what? 

Can anyone help, please?

Thanks

PS : I've looked at the PA38475 reference (top l/h side), but that's a different soldier to the one I'm researching.

[Jebber]

Sorry I can’t answer your question except to say I see OCC not off after Regt.

[MaxD]

The abbreviation (either Off which I'd support or Occ) does not appear in the list of abbreviations used in the records:https://grandeguerre.icrc.org/Content/help/glossary-en.pdf.  That part of the record would have been taken from the info supplied by his Mum who didn't know his battalion and who perhaps had that written down somewhere.

The cross reference to 38475 is to a 7 Battalion J W Smith with the same captured date  (22149 was 8 Battalion but both battalions were in the same area in May 1918).  The note "uncertain" may refer to the attempts to find his record.  The war diary of 7 Battalion records 431 men missing in the period.  8 Battalion diary doesn't record numbers but was reduced to cadre afterwards so must have lost many missing also.  Some degree of chaos in reports of missing was inevitable at that time.

The most likely scenario is perhaps as you suggest.  He was missing and returned
to his unit without letting his folks know.   Nobody would have informed the Red Cross so they wouldn't have a record of it.

MaxD

[SmallTownGirl]

The abbreviation (either Off which I'd support or Occ) does not appear in the list of abbreviations used in the records:https://grandeguerre.icrc.org/Content/help/glossary-en.pdf.  That part of the record would have been taken from the info supplied by his Mum who didn't know his battalion and who perhaps had that written down somewhere.

The cross reference to 38475 is to a 7 Battalion J W Smith with the same captured date  (22149 was 8 Battalion but both battalions were in the same area in May 1918).  The note "uncertain" may refer to the attempts to find his record.  The war diary of 7 Battalion records 431 men missing in the period.  8 Battalion diary doesn't record numbers but was reduced to cadre afterwards so must have lost many missing also.  Some degree of chaos in reports of missing was inevitable at that time.

The most likely scenario is perhaps as you suggest.  He was missing and returned
to his unit without letting his folks know.   Nobody would have informed the Red Cross so they wouldn't have a record of it.

MaxD

Fabulous.  Thank you