Absentee With a Double, 3rd July 1918

On 3rd July 1918 an 18 year-old man was brought before the magistrates in Nottingham charged with failing to respond to his call-up notice. Frederick Morley had served in France but was discharged when it was discovered that he was under-age. At the time of his arrest, he was living with a woman who had lost her son – another Frederick Morley who had died of wounds on the Somme.

“ABSENTEE WITH A DOUBLE.

“A remarkable set of circumstances was brought to the notice of the magistrates at the Nottingham Guildhall by Major McGuire to-day [3rd July 1918] in connection with a charge of failing to report preferred against Frederick Morley, 18, described as a labourer, 8, Kebir-terrace, Nottingham.

“The major explained that he failed to respond to a calling-up notice sent to him in April, and the police instituted inquiries, visiting the house where he was supposed to live. Mrs. Morley informed that her son Frederick enlisted in August, 1914 [1], and was killed in action on September 26th, 1916 [2]. He was assumed to be the same man, but it was subsequently discovered that defendant had re-registered at the same address, Kebir-terrace, and had since been dodging about. He joined the army and served overseas, but was claimed out as being under age, and discharged the very day the other Morley was killed. Defendant, who was wearing service stripes, was handed over to the military.” [3]

[1] He enlisted in Nottingham on 25th August 1914. He landed as a reinforcement to the 9th Battalion Nottinghamshire & Derbyshire Regiment at Gallipoli on 13th September 1915. Sentenced to 168 hours Field Punishment No. 1 on 4th December 1915 for “Smoking cigarettes when Standing To” on 24th November 1915, he was admitted to No. 3 Canadian Stationary Hospital at Mudros suffering from exposure on 6th December 1915.

[2] Pte. Frederick Morley, 9th Battalion Nottinghamshire & Derbyshire Regiment, “Died of Gun Shot Wound Compound Fracture Right Thigh” at No. 44 Casualty Clearing Station on 27th September 1916. He is buried in Puchevillers British Cemetery.

[3] 'Nottingham Evening Post', 3rd July 1918.