The AIF Project

War service: Egypt, Western Front

Admitted to Isolation Hospital, Abbassia, 15 December 1915; discharged to unit, 22 December 1915; total period of treatment for venereal disease: 8 days.

Found guilty, 28 December 1915, of using abusive and threatening conduct towards a native: awarded 14 days' detention.

Admitted to No 1 Auxiliary Hospital, Heliopolis, 29 December 1915 (influenza); discharged, 2 January 1916; rejoined unit, Australian Hill, 5 February 1916.

Embarked Alexandria to join the British Expeditionary Force, 18 March 1916; disembarked Marseilles, France, 25 March 1916.

Reported as absentee, Marseilles, 25 March 1916; reported returned to unit, 6 April 1916.

Found guilty, 11 August 1916, of (1) drunkenness; (2) breaking out of billet whilst a defaulter and remaining absent from 1.45 pm to 2.30 pm, 21 July 1916: awarded 28 days' Field Punishment No 1.

Admitted to No 5 Australian Field Ambulance, 13 August 1916 (influenza); transferred to No 2 Australian General Hospital, Wimereux, 17 August 1916; to England, 25 August 1916, and admitted same day to Radburn War Auxiliary Hospital, Eastbourne (affiliated with Kitchener Hospital, Brighton); taken on strength, No 1 Command Depot, Perham Downs, from hospital, 29 September 1916; granted furlough, 30 September 1916.

Found guilty, Perham Downs, 22 November 1916, of (1) being absent without leave from 3 pm, 16 October, till 6.30 am, 20 November 1916; (2) giving a false address when proceeding on furlough; (3) being in possession of another soldier's pass: Awarded 28 days' detention and forfeited 26 days' pay; total forfeiture: 65 days' pay.

Marched into No 1 Command Depot, 20 December 1916.

Declared an illegal absentee by Court of Inquiry, 2 May 1917.

Tried by District Court Martial, Perham Downs, 5 June 1917: pleaded guilty to charge of being absent without leave from 7 April until apprehended in a field near Ludgershall ... at about 11.45 pm, 25 May 1917: awarded 180 days' detention and forfeiture of a total of 239 days' pay. Marched out to Devizes Detention Barracks, 13 June 1917.

Marched into No 1 Command Depot, Perham Downs from Detention Barracks, 4 September 1917.

Admitted to Tidworth Military Hospital, 8 September 1917 (cellulitis); discharged to Training Depot, 17 October 1917.

Tried by District Court Martial, Sutton Veny, 1 February 1918, on charges of (1) being absent without leave from Sutton Veny from 8 November until apprehended in London, 14 November 1917; (2) being in possession of another soldier's pass; (3) escaping at Sutton Veny, 1 December 1917: pleaded guilty to charges (1) and (3), not guilty to (2). Found guilty of (1) and (3); not guilty of (2): sentenced to 60 days' detention; 30 days remitted.

Tried by District Court Martial, Sutton Veny, 26 March 1918, on charge of being absent without leave from 1 March until apprehended at Rochester, 15 March 1918: awarded 36 days' Field Punishment No 2, and forfeiture of a total of 61 days' pay.

Declared an illegal absentee by Court of Inquiry, 21 May 1918.

Admitted to Group Clearing Hospital, 13 June 1918 (influenza); marched into No 1 Command Depot, Sutton Veny, from hospital, 22 June 1918.

Tried by District Court Martial, Sutton Veny, 1 July 1918; pleaded guilty to two charges: being absent without leave at Sutton Veny from 8 April 1918 until apprehended in London, 26 April 1918; being absent without leave from Sutton Veny from 29 April until apprehended in London, 7 June 1918: awarded 150 days' imprisonment with hard labour, and forfeited a total of 234 days' pay.

Defendant submitted a statement to the court: 'I formally plead guilty to the charge of being A.W.L. In explanation I desire to state that my domestic troubles have been preying upon my mind to such an extent that I have scarcely been able to think of anything else. I applied for leave for the purpose of seeing and consulting my father on the matter, but was refused, so I had to take it as I was very anxious that something should be done for my children. I have repeatedly applied for permission to return to Australia to obtain a divorce from my wife on the grounds of her misconduct, but it has not been granted. I think that if you can imagine the feelings of a man whose trust and affection has been so brutally cheated, my home wrecked and my unfortunate children having to be taken by the police and placed in a charitable institution like paupers. My father has made arrangements for them to be properly looked after and cared for until my return. I sincerely trust you wil be able to take a lenient view of my offences which have been caused entirely by my domestic misfortunes and now that there is a brighter outlook. I trust you will give me an opportunity to redeem my character which I am most anxious and willing to do,and that I may be sent to France at once to join up with my battalion. Should you do this Sir I assure you that your leniency will not be misplaced.'

Declared by Statutory Declaration, 3 July 1918, that his true name was Gledall Edwin WALLINGS.

Sent to HM Civil Prison, Wandsworth, 10 July 1918.

Tried by District Court Martial, London, 5 September 1919: found guilty of being absent without leave: awarded 12 months' imprisonment with hard laour. Unexpired portion of sentence remitted as from 6 October 1919.

Commenced return to Australia on board HT 'Pakeha', 6 October 1919; disembarked Sydney, 24 November 1919; discharged, Sydney, 18 December 1919 (disciplinary: services no longer required).