Grandad ww1 branded a deserter.

[ALAMO2008]

What evidence that the Date,Year of Birth and Date Year of Death are relaed to this Soldier and how Regt and number known was this found or already Family known ?

[Sue110171]

My Grandfather was awarded medals during ww1, he'd been shot twice & was a pow twice, but thankfully survived. A month before the war ended he was stripped of his medals and branded a deserter. I find it hard to believe that all he'd been through he was a deserter, I know they now have more knowledge of shell-shock I.e ptsd..could he maybe have been suffering with this. He's a hero in my eyes but it upsets me that he is branded a deserter in the pals book.

What Pals Book Do you refer to ?

Where did you obtain information from that he was a Deserter ?

Was it from finding and reading Medal Cards found ?

Or was it in the Family Legend passed down ?

[Sue110171]

His service record indicates that he 'reenlisted' 23 Oct 1918. 

On his Casualty Form it says 'service reckons from 23.10.18' and he's shown going back to France on 1 Nov 1918. 

On the form headed 'Award Sheet - First Award' it says 'Last enlist: 23.10.18'

It looks like he was then admitted to 51 General Hospital with VDG mild, which on googling appears to be Venereal Disease Gonorrhea.

Oh dear, doesn't sound good lol

[Sue110171]

What evidence that the Date,Year of Birth and Date Year of Death are relaed to this Soldier and how Regt and number known was this found or already Family known ?

I've had some knowledge of him already & I've researched my family tree. My Mum found out his army record via the library. It was here she was informed about his Desertion and had his medals taken away but he appealed & got them back.He wrote down his Regiment & Army num but my Mum never dug deeper. I just think its sad that he's named as a deserter.

[AllanUK]

His service record was destroyed during the WW2 bombing of London. However, there is a 'service record' constructed from his medical records (which were stored in another warehouse to the actual service records). I have shown his details below.

Name ---- Richard Read
Date of Enlistment ----- 10 September 1914
Place of enlistment ---- Central Hull Recruiting Office
Age when enlisted --- 18 years 5 days
Civilian occupation ---- Labourer (other part of record shows Dock Labourer)
Regiment --- 10th East Yorkshire Regiment
Service No --- 11/842

Embarked for the Mediterranean Expeditionary Force on 11 December 1915 (other part of record shows that he was in Egypt for 3 months)

Embarked for France on 8 March 1916


His record shows a CASUALTY FORM which records the following:

9.3.17 – Admitted 51 General Hospital, Etaples, V.D.G. Slight (51 General Hospital was  a Specialist Venereal Disease Hospital)
27.3.17 – Discharged to Base Details

11.5.17 – Admitted 20 General Hospital, Camiers, Gun Shot Wound to Leg (Slight)
19.5.17 – Discharged to duty

10.4.18 – Admitted to ?, Gun Shot Wound to Right Hand at ARMENTIERS
?.4.18 – Admitted to 3 General Hospital, Boulogne, Gun Shot Wound Right Hand
22.4.18 – Admitted to Fort Pitt Military Hospital, Chatham, Kent, Gun Shot Wound Right Hand (other part of record shows that he lost his little finger on his right hand and had loss of power in the hand)
17.5.18 – Discharged from hospital

‘All former service forfeited on conviction of desertion’

Date of Re-Enlistement --- 23 October 1918

Embarked for France on 1 November 1918

4.11.18 – Admitted 51 General Hospital, Etaples, V.D.G. Mild (51 General Hospital was  a Specialist Venereal Disease Hospital)
17.2.19 – Admitted to Convalescent Camp, Etaples
27.2.19 --- Discharged from Convalescent Camp, Etaples

23.3.19 --- Discharged to Army Reserve, Class ‘Z’

I can not find anything about his desertion but whatever he did do must have been after he was discharged from hospital in England (17 May 1918). As you can see above, he was back in the Army by the 23 October 1918 and on his way back to France.

Looking at his entries on the Medal Rolls and his Medal Index Card, I agree that his medals were re-instated at some stage as the remarks about desertion have been crossed out.

ADDED -- His entry in the Medal Rolls shows that he was in the 11th Battalion; the 1/4th Battalion and the 10th Battalion, all of the East Yorkshire Regiment.

[Sue110171]

Thank-you for all the information, ive spoken to my Mum & after the war he challenged his Desertion record which was then crossed out & his medals were returned..is there any way of this being updated in the pals book?

[Jomot]

Just as a PS, he's on the Courts Martial Registers on Fold3:

Pte Richard Read, 3rd Battalion East Yorkshire Regiment, tried for desertion at Withernsea on 23 Oct 1918.  It says he was given 1 year detention, which doesn't stack up with him being sent to France on 1 November 1918, but there's nothing in the columns headed 'remitted' or 'remarks' to expand on that.

[Sue110171]

Very odd, think I've hit a brick wall.

[ALAMO2008]

Thanks everyone for your Research and Fantastic Input.
At last He has been Cleared after all he Enjured
Cheers
Sue have sent you a PM on Ancestry