The Deserter- in real life

Subject: RE: The Deserter- in real life
From: GUEST,Black Hawk on works PC
Date: 28 Nov 08 - 03:36 AM

AARRGGH - terrier, you have just nearly doubled/trebled the song!
17 enlists - 17 deserts - 17 consequences (he didnt get away with 17 of 'em. He may have deserted 30 times but only caught 17)
This could be a ballad in the old style - 40+ verses.

Subject: RE: The Deserter- in real life
From: terrier
Date: 27 Nov 08 - 05:32 PM

Stand in line VT, we'd all like a crack at singing it :)
Anyway, after 17 tries at deserting, he should have been awarded a medal for persistance. Each of the 17 desertion verses could be a diferent story of how he got away with it, a sort of Lalla Rookh of the Dragoons.

Subject: RE: The Deserter- in real life
From: VirginiaTam
Date: 27 Nov 08 - 04:35 PM

Somebody write the bloody song..... I want to sing it.

Subject: RE: The Deserter- in real life
From: Teribus
Date: 27 Nov 08 - 08:54 AM

Weren't peope who made a living out of repeated "enlistment" followed immediately by "desertion" called "Scramblers"?

Subject: RE: The Deserter- in real life
From: GUEST,Rog Peek
Date: 27 Nov 08 - 08:22 AM

Then I stand corrected.

Rog

Subject: RE: The Deserter- in real life
From: pavane
Date: 27 Nov 08 - 06:48 AM

I think the tale predates the .303. (?1880)
It was almost certainly lashes in the song

Subject: RE: The Deserter- in real life
From: GUEST,Black Hawk on works PC
Date: 27 Nov 08 - 06:43 AM

I understand that the original was believed to be from the 18th century in which case .303 cartridges had not been invented.
Plus, later verses mention 503 which would be an odd calibre.

Also, later verses mention that he had 'only' received 33 & 53 respectively so does that mean he was shot with smaller calibres? :-)

Subject: RE: The Deserter- in real life
From: GUEST,Rog Peek
Date: 27 Nov 08 - 06:28 AM

Whoops! Hit the wrong key!

I always thought thet the '303' was a euphemism for him being shot, .303 having been the standard issue bullet in the service.

Rog

Subject: RE: The Deserter- in real life
From: GUEST,Black Hawk on works PC
Date: 27 Nov 08 - 05:57 AM

Wish I had more time - we could have a 'hit' here :-)

Subject: RE: The Deserter- in real life
From: NormanD
Date: 27 Nov 08 - 05:39 AM

That's really funny, B-Hawk. I can see this one getting stolen.

Can I suggest (n.b. the small addition at the end) -

"It could have at least 21 verses:

Introduce character (who/when)
Idea for making money
1st joining
2nd etc - 17th
Capture
Fate

© 2008 B-Hawk"

You could, of course, leave it for the folk process to develop it into "trad. arr. by (INSERT NAME HERE)"

Subject: RE: The Deserter- in real life
From: GUEST,Black Hawk on works PC
Date: 27 Nov 08 - 04:22 AM

It could have at least 21 verses :-)

Introduce character (who/when)
Idea for making money
1st joining
2nd etc - 17th
Capture
Fate

Subject: RE: The Deserter- in real life
From: NormanD
Date: 27 Nov 08 - 03:12 AM

Hmm, that's a reasonable explanation.

But would it sound good set to music?

Subject: RE: The Deserter- in real life
From: GUEST,Black Hawk on works PC
Date: 27 Nov 08 - 03:09 AM

17 times?
Could it be that he got his pay for joining up (Kings shilling?) then absconded & joined up elsewhere to get his joining up fee after boozing away the previous?
Then someone recognised him & he was caught.
Just an idea.

Subject: RE: The Deserter- in real life
From: NormanD
Date: 26 Nov 08 - 12:07 PM

In the 'new' Deserter, the protagonist is sentenced to be shot only after his second desertion. He was sentenced to 303 (I presume lashes) after being caught the first time. George Smith (aka French) managed to bunk off 17 times. I wonder why his escape attempts were so unsuccessful?

Subject: RE: The Deserter- in real life
From: pavane
Date: 26 Nov 08 - 10:56 AM

I thought Prince Albert was in the "New" deserter anyway. There must have been an older one.

Subject: The Deserter- in real life
From: Paul Burke
Date: 25 Nov 08 - 12:51 PM

From the Ipswich Journal:

February 5th 1785

At a court martial held at Ipswich, his Majesty has approved the proceedings that George Smith alias French, a private in the dragoon regiment quartered at Ipswich for desertion was sentenced to be shot.
It is said the unhappy criminal has deserted 17 times from different regiments.

February 12th 1785

The dragoon who was sentenced to be shot is to sent to the West Indies for life.

So no Prince Albert in his carriage and six (he hadn't even been born then anyway), and certainly no happy ending to this one, though if he was lucky he might have descendants living in the West Indies.