in 1918 one of my greatuncles was supposed to be guarding a bloke accused of desertion - we'd call it shell shock - & allowed him to escape!

I saw this on his record in our National Archives which contains service records of all servicemen & women from all wars in which Austalians have participated. So I went looking for the escapee's records & found he received a 2-year sentence in a British prison & didn't return to Australia till long after his mates. He was lucky.

I've seen an Australian cartoon from c.1917 showing a soldier before the Colonel for AWOL - he's spinning a yarn about missing the train back cos a band struck up the National Anthem & he had to stop & salute! The soldier guarding him has a slight grin on his face & I see Bill in that soldier.

sandra