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Old Photographs, Recognition, Handwriting Deciphering => Handwriting Deciphering & Recognition => Topic started by: donnamarcus on Monday 13 October 14 23:58 BST (UK)

Title: * COMPLETED * Need help with a word in a Royal Marine's record during WWI
Post by: donnamarcus on Monday 13 October 14 23:58 BST (UK)
Charles Herbert Peacock, a private in the Royal Marines, returned to England from Gallipoli in September 1915 and promptly started deserting (after 4 months in Gallipoli, who could really blame him?).

I am looking for the first word that is in the "Cause" column in both screenshots below. These two different one-word entries in his service record show something happening on 18 October 1915, around the time the desertions start. Whatever it is, it is not good. It looks something like "Plrancy". Unfortunately, the penmanship in the rest of the record is no help because it is done in someone elses' hand.  Little help?

[BTW, Charles got his act together and was eventually discharged with two conduct badges in 1921.]
Title: Re: Need help with a word in a Royal Marine's record during WWI
Post by: BradfordPal on Tuesday 14 October 14 00:14 BST (UK)
Hi

I think it just says "Absence".

Martin
Title: Re: Need help with a word in a Royal Marine's record during WWI
Post by: ..claire.. on Tuesday 14 October 14 00:15 BST (UK)
Hi

I'd go with 'absence' too

claire
Title: Re: Need help with a word in a Royal Marine's record during WWI
Post by: donnamarcus on Tuesday 14 October 14 00:29 BST (UK)
Yes, I think you are right! I was thrown by the scribble on the next line which made the "e" look like a "y." And that is some kinda capital "A."

Thank you Martin and Claire!
Title: Re: Need help with a word in a Royal Marine's record during WWI
Post by: barryd on Tuesday 14 October 14 00:31 BST (UK)
He was lucky he was not shot by firing squad. Must not have deserted in battle. I have one inlaw who had a very rocky start in the Army, but eventually won the MM and Bar. Killed just before the end of WW1.
Title: Re: * COMPLETED * Need help with a word in a Royal Marine's record during WWI
Post by: donnamarcus on Tuesday 14 October 14 01:39 BST (UK)
Correct, he was not in battle but back at Chatham after being in front-line positions for about a year (he previously was in Antwerp, Ostend and Dunkirk). When he came back he kept going absent for a few days at a time for a period of about two months.

From what I have seen in my own family as well as other Navy records, "running" was not terribly uncommon when personnel came back from the front. I had another great uncle (this marine is my great uncle) who was a torpedoman and on two occasions left for a period of weeks to be with his widowed mother. Like this marine, he was later forgiven these absences because he performed well when he had to. He survived, on three separate occasions, a mine, a torpedo strike  and a collision.