Captain Adrian H Gardner Beruit 1943

[alan o]

Frederick Hunter was not Scottish either as on the 1881 census he was born in Essex (Hardlesford), Yorkshire, England and was an Officer in the Indian Army.

So he served as a Captain in the Indian Army having come from Yorkshire (as did his wife) and leaves after a few years to live in France where he has 3 daughters from 1857-60 but returns to UK by 1881.

The 1941 obit for his daughter seems to be wrong as he nor she was Scottish or in the Cameronians.

The 1881 census has been transcribed wrongly as the wife was Yorkshire but he was from Chelmsford and was baptised in St Mary the Virgin, Essex.

So the claimed Hunter-clam lineage is in fact English as early as 1820's.

It appears that Adrian HA Gardner created a clan lineage based on his 3 years of service in the Cameronians and a great grandfather called Hunter who was from Essex but had purchased a commission in the Cameronians.
 
Ironically his grandfather's family the Northey's also had a lot of Cameronian officers in it in Victorian times and WW1 but they were from Box Wiltshire.

[alan o]

I have been sent this which confirms that he was indeed cashiered for bigamy:

Full Name :Gardner, A H A
Incident Date :4 May 1943
Rank Name :War Substantive Lieutenant
Rank (2nd) Temporary Captain
Additional Information:-
An unusual case, plea of guilty, legally in order. This statement was not signed.
Date of Court Martial 3 Jan 1944

Nature of Charge :-
The accused was charged under Section 41 of the 1881 Army Act. This section of the act specifies the "offences punishable by ordinary law of England which may be awarded for the most serious offences, treason, murder, manslaughter, treason-felony and rape". Bigamy

Remitted Or Commuted :
6 months imprisonment with hard labour remitted on confirmation
Sentence :
1 years imprisonment with hard labour and cashiered
Where Held : In the field
Primary Unit :Cameronians (Scottish Rifles)
Archive Reference :WO86/118

[alan o]

So if I read this correctly he was awarded 1 years hard labour reduced down to 6 months.  What I don't know if this would have been served in theatre or returned to the UK?  I assume he was discharged in July 1944 at the end of his sentence: again I would have thought this would be in the UK?

As his wife gave birth to a child in Feb 1945, it does raise the question of who was the actual father as Harry was in prison in May 1944!

[Andy J2022]

So if I read this correctly he was awarded 1 years hard labour reduced down to 6 months.  What I don't know if this would have been served in theatre or returned to the UK?  I assume he was discharged in July 1944 at the end of his sentence: again I would have thought this would be in the UK?

As his wife gave birth to a child in Feb 1945, it does raise the question of who was the actual father as Harry was in prison in May 1944!

Since he was cashiered, that means he was dismissed with ignominy, and I would think the military would have wanted to get him back to Britain to serve his sentence as soon as possible.  He may well have been shipped back as soon as the sentence of the court martial was announced, and so would probably have been in a civilian prison when he learnt of the remission of his sentence to 6 months. There is no way he would have been allowed to serve on as an officer after being convicted of bigamy. His honour would have been utterly compromised.

If he had been held in either close or open arrest pending his court martial (the offence was in May 1943 afterall), then this time might counted towards his sentence, meaning he was released before July 1944.

[alan o]

Thanks for your thoughts.  They make sense.  What I really need to find is when Audrey E Wright/ Gardner returned to the UK.  She was in Somerset in February 1945 so it was likely to be some time in 1944.

[alan o]

What about buying the marriage certificate as it's on the GRO Marriage Index Army Marriages (1881 to 1955)Ref Arm 2, Page 432, Line 19, General Register Office. Record set British Armed Forces & Overseas Banns & marriages. It does say he is part of the Mediterranean Expeditionary Force. As for Audrey Evelyn Wright she was a passenger on the Godfrey B Holt from Liverpool to Syria sailed 16th April 1942 Occupation Civil Servant, last address 28 Harcourt Terrace SW10. There was another Civil Servant called Maureen Olive Caulfield heading for Syria at the same time.

That has been very helpful and I thank you.  I am struggling to find her return journey to the UK.  I know it must have been between Sep 44 and Jan 45 but can't find her. 

[ShaunJ]

Are we sure that the court martial offence was bigamy?

The incident date was given as 4 May 1943 - I don't think we've found a marriage in May 1943.

[maddys52]

Interesting thread. Can't help with when Audrey returned to the UK, however a couple of newspaper items that may be of interest:

I don't think it has been mentioned that the child of Adrian and Ruth GARDNER born 1942 only lived for 2 days.

"GARDNER - On July 27, 1942, at "Piersfield", 102, Manor Road, Wallington, Surrey, to RUTH (nee Pothecary), wife of ADRIAN GARDNER, The Cameronians (Scottish Rifles) - a daughter (ELIZABETH ANN), who only survived two days."
Friday,  July 31, 1942
Publication: The Times

Also an adventure for 18 year old Adrian when a cadet with the Tonbridge School when he and 2 others were taken up in a balloon which became untethered and drifted some 50 miles. A long article here:
   Saturday,  Aug. 6, 1932
Publication: Bath Chronicle and Weekly Gazette

[KGarrad]

If Audrey married a serviceman, wouldn't she have used military transport?