From: steve becker
Date: 3/19/2002
Time: 10:23:28 AM
Remote Name: 144.134.23.32
Back in December I related my research into the 12th Reinforcments of the Camel Corps. In that large numbers of those embarked were not on the AIF Nominal roll?
I found that some had been left in Melboune sick where they were discharged or reenlisted in a Victorian Unit. Others were left sick in Perth and where discharged or reenlisted in WA units. While some where deserters.
There were four I could find no record of and had to see there service records at the National Arcives site. I received the following on them.
Two of the soldiers jumped ship in Perth and were posted as deserters, they stowed away on a troop ship for the UK where they tried to join the AIF there. One did and served with the 28th Bn while the other was rejected and joined the NZEF and served in France with the Canterbury Bn.
The remaining two where also listed as deserters, but one was found drunk in a bar in Fremantle and arrsested. He was found to be suffering from alcoholisum and was discharged as Cronic, he had a crime sheet as long as your arm for AWOL and being drunk so this must have come as no surprise. The other was never found and was admin discharged in 1920.
S.B