The AIF Project

War service: Western Front

Embarked Sydney on HMAT '42', 19 August 1916; disembarked Plymouth, England, 13 October 1916.

Found guilty at Bovington Camp, 20 October 1916, of being absent without leave, tattoo, 17 October, to 10.45 pm, 19 October 1916: awarded 3 days' detention; forfeited total of 6 days' pay.

Found guilty by District Court Martial held at Hurdcott, 8 February 1917, of (1) being absent without leave, 12.00 am, 6 November 1916, to 19 January 1917, (2) an act to the prejudice of good order and military discipline in that he made use of a document purporting to be a genuine pass whilst knowing it not to be a genuine document, 19 January 1917, (3) knowingly making a fraudulent statement in a document signed by him in that he claimed to be No.1488 Private A H Pearson at Bow Street Police Station: sentenced to 1 year's imprisonment with hard labour, later commuted to detention; forfeited total of 366 days' pay. Waiver attached to Court Martial findings states: 'The Secretary of State for War is advised that the conviction on the 3rd charge cannot stand and the Army Council direct that all record of such conviction is to be erased from the documents of the accused who shall be relieved from all consequences of his trial on that charge. In view of the above and having regard to rule of procedure 54.B, the Council hereby remit three months of the sentence of detention awarded by the court'.

Sick to hospital, 15 February 1917; admitted to Fovant Military Hospital, 16 February 1917 (scabies); discharged to duty, 16 April 1917; marched under escort into No 3 Command Depot, Hurdcott, 21 April 1917. Proceeded to France through Southampton, 12 October 1917; marched into 3rd Australian Divisional Base Depot, Havre, 15 October 1917; moved out to field, 20 October 1917; taken on strength of 54th Bn, 21 October 1917; declared absentee by Court of Enquiry, 25 November 1917.

Found guilty by Field General Court Martial, 9 May 1918, of being absent without leave, 2.00 pm, 29 November 1917, until apprehended by Officer Commanding 17th Australian Light Railway Operating Company, 11.00 am, 20 February 1918: sentenced to 2 years' imprisonment with hard labour; admitted to No 3 Military Prison, Havre, 28 April 1918. Embarked Havre on SS 'Nirvana' and proceeded to England for remainder of sentence; disembarked Southampton and proceeded to Lewes Detention Barracks for safe custody, 25 February 1919; discharged from Lewes Detention Barracks, 26 March 1919, and admitted to His Majesty's Prison, Dorchester, 1 May 1919; discharged from prison, 24 May 1919, and marched into No 5 Group, Weymouth (sentence suspended on release).

Found guilty at Weymouth, 11 July 1917, of being absent without leave, 3.30 am, 23 June 1919, to 10.00 am, 11 July 1919, thereby evading embarkation: awarded fine of 28 days' pay; forfeited total of 47 days' pay; marched into No 2 Group, Sutton Veny, 14 July 1917.

Found guilty by District Court Martial held at London, 25 February 1920, of being (1) absent without leave, 17 July, until apprehended at London, 8 August 1919, (2) absent without leave, 12 August, until apprehended in London, 28 October 1919, (3) absent without leave, 28 October, until apprehended in London, 19 February 1920: sentenced to 6 months' detention; admitted to Wandsworth Detention Barracks, 27 February 1920.

Commenced return to Australia on HT 'Ceramic', 12 March 1920, upon which remainder of sentence was remitted; disembarked 2nd Military District, 27 April 1920. Discharged Sydney, 6 May 1920.