Oct 1, 1891

Born at Leeds England

Feb 16, 1916

Attested into the 136^th Battalion at Ottawa Ontario 

Ø      Number 805355

Ø      Current address given as 249 Nepean St, Ottawa Ontario

Ø      Next of kin given as Mrs Mary Dalton (mother) of Leeds, Yorkshire, England

o       This was later changed to read Mrs May Dickinson (sister) of 3 Osborne View, St Johns Ave, Belle Vue Rd, Leeds, Yorkshire England

Ø      Former occupation given as Teamster

Ø      No military experience given

Ø      Religion given as Roman Catholic

Mar 13, 1916

Sentenced to 120 hours (5 days) detention

Apr 11, 1916

Sentenced to 10 days detention

May 15, 1916

Sentenced to 28 days detention

Jul 15, 1916

Sentenced to 28 days detention 

The above sentences were all for being AWL (Absent Without Leave) for varying lengths of time

Aug 17, 1916

On the Particulars of Family form that he filed, he stated that he did not know if his father was alive or not

Sep 25, 1916

Embarked the RMS Corsican at Halifax Nova Scotia

Oct 6, 1916

Disembarked at Liverpool England and proceeded to the West Sandling Camp, near Hythe Kent 

On arrival, the Battalion was broken up and he was posted to the 39^th Reserve Battalion

Oct 9, 1916

Admitted to the Military Hospital at Shorncliffe with a diagnosis of VDG (Venereal Disease Gonorrhea)

Oct 10, 1916

Transferred to the Canadian Hospital at Etchinghill, Lyminge.  This was a special hospital for the treatment of sexually transmitted diseases

Oct 11, 1916

Stated to his doctor that his last sexual exposure was “one week ago”.  Depending on his definition, it means that he had a sexual encounter in the last day or 2 on board ship, or the first day or 2 in England.

Oct 28, 1916

Discharged from hospital to unit

Nov 29, 1916

Admitted to the Military Hospital at Shorncliffe with a diagnosis of VDS (Venereal Disease Syphilis) 

Transferred same day to the Canadian Hospital at Etchinghill

Jan 4, 1917

Posted to, and TOS the 6^th Reserve Battalion while still in hospital

Jan 9, 1917

Discharged from hospital and joined the 6^th Reserve Battalion at Seaford

Apr 12, 1917

Pay Book Will filled in leaving estate to be distributed equally between his 3 sisters.

Apr 21, 1917

Sentenced to 7 days FP #2 for being AWL 

In lieu of the punishment, he was posted to the 21^st Battalion

Apr 22, 1917

Arrived at CBD (Canadian Base Depot) at Havre France and TOS the 21^st Battalion

Apr 24, 1917

Left CBD to join unit

May 21, 1917

Joined the 21^st Battalion in the field 

There is no explanation in the file for the length of time taken to join the battalion.  I suspect that he actually proceeded to the 2^nd Entrenching Battalion for a few weeks of indoctrination to trench life 

The Battalion was in the Support Trench in the Willerval area.  The war diary makes note of 149 troops joining the Battalion as replacements

Jul 22, 1917

Attached to the 4^th MGC (Canadian Machine Gun Company) for duty

Aug 29, 1917

Rejoined the 21^st Battalion from 4^th MGC

Sep 13, 1917

Attached to the 4^th CMGC for duty

Oct 13, 1917

Rejoined the 21^st Battalion from 4^th MGC

Jan 9, 1918

Granted 14 days leave

Jan 23, 1918

Reported to be AWL as he did not return from leave

Jan 30, 1918

Turned himself in to authorities (location not noted)

Feb 2, 1918

Rejoined the 21^st Battalion

Feb 4, 1918

Sentenced to 28 days FP #1 (Field Punishment) for being AWL for 8 days and forfeits 8 days pay

Mar 15, 1918

Reported to be AWL

Mar 20, 1918

Arrested in Paris and placed in confinement as a Deserter

Apr 24, 1918

Tried by FGCM (Field General Court Martial) under charge of Desertion.   

Found Not Guilty of Desertion, but Guilty of being Absent Without Leave, and sentenced to 6 Months Detention IHL (In Hard Labour).  Also ordered to forfeit 6 days pay for the period that he was AWL

May 19, 1918

Released from Detention under the “Suspension of Sentences Act” and returned to the 21^st Battalion

Aug 12, 1918

Sentence of 6 months IHL was remitted by the GOC (General Officer Commanding) 4^th CIB (Canadian Infantry Brigade)

Aug 16, 1918

Was wounded by the explosion of a gas shell and admitted to the CFA (Canadian Field Ambulance)

Aug 18, 1918

Transferred to No 6 General Hospital at Rouen

Aug 20, 1918

Invalided to England aboard the Hospital Ship Gloucester Castle

Posted to EORD (Eastern Ontario Regiment Depot) while in hospital

Aug 21, 1918

Admitted to #2 Western General Hospital at Manchester

Aug 26, 1918

Transferred to Convalescent Hospital at Bank Meadow

Aug 30, 1918

Transferred to the Military Convalescent Hospital at Epsom

Sep 4, 1918 

Several medals were announced in the Battalion’s War Diary, among them, the announcement of the Military Medal for Pte Dalton.  Below is from the war diary

Sep 8, 1918

Reported to be AWL from 9.30 pm

Sep 12, 1918

Returned to hospital from being AWL

Sep 13, 1918

Sentenced to 4 days detention for being AWL

Sep 20, 1918

Discharged from MCH Epsom and On Command to No 3 Canadian Convalescent Depot

Sep 30, 1918

Reported to be AWL at 7 pm

Oct 2, 1918

Arrested for being AWL

Oct 4, 1918

Sentenced to 3 days FP #2 and forfeits 4 days pay for being AWL

Oct 8, 1918

Admitted to the Canadian Special Hospital at Etchinghill with a relapse of his previous Syphilis infection 

Placed on Restricted Pay for 2 months because of the infection

Nov 8, 1918

Discharged from hospital

Nov 9, 1918

Attached to 1^st CCD (Canadian Convalescent Depot) for PT (Physical Training)

Nov 13, 1918

Sentenced to 5 days FP#2 for Being AWL

Nov 17, 1918

Reported to be AWL at 9 pm

Nov 21, 1918

Returned from being AWL and sentenced to 6 days FP #2 

Discharged from 3^rd CCD and returned to EORD

Dec 10, 1918

TOS 6^th Reserve Battalion at Seaford

Jan 21, 1919

The Military Medal was announced in the London Gazette #31142

On Command to MD #3 at Kimmel Park pending return to Canada

Feb 22, 1919

Embarked the SS Cassandra

It is not stated in the file the port that he embarked at.  The ship originated the trip February 6, 1919 from Glasgow Scotland and made several stops before proceeding to Canada

Mar 6, 1919

Disembarked at Saint John New Brunswick and proceeded to Ottawa Ontario

Mar 8, 1919

TOS MD #3 at Ottawa Ontario

Mar 26, 1919

Discharged from the CEF at Ottawa Ontario 

Ø      Discharged by reason of Demobilization

Ø      War Service Badge Class “A” issued, number 158151

Ø      Intended residence on discharge – Ottawa Ontario

Jun 2, 1921

British War Medal and Victory Medal sent to General Delivery, Ottawa Ontario 

Although not recorded, it appears that the medals were returned as there is a later entry of him receiving them by “hand”

Sep 20, 1922

Note in file indicates that “By hand, received GW & V Medals”

Sep 9, 1959

Replacement War Service Badge Class “A” issued, #171122, and delivered to 118-15 Ave, SE Calgary, Alberta

By my calculation, he was sentenced to 49 days Field punishment and served 134 days in detention, virtually all for being AWL.