In the Nick

Just been having a chuckle over my Grand Uncles Military Crime Sheet as logged in his Troop, Battery and Company Defaulters Book dated 6 October 1882 - 3 November 1883.

Len (Ciphers)

13 Months of his service covered.

653 Private Daniel Cocklin, East Kent (The Buffs) Regiment.

Enlisted 3 October - posted to Regiment 6 October 1882

Date Offense Punishment

20 Nov1882 Absent from barracks 20 - 24 Nov Admonished

14 Dec 1882 Causing a disturbance in barrack room 10 Days CB

2 Jan 1883 Absent from parade 4 Days CB

12 Jan 1883 Drunk and creating a disturbance
in barracks 7 Days CB

17 Jan 1883 Absent fro Defaulters Parade 7 Days CB

4 Feb 1883 Drunk in street - bad language to NCO 14 Days CB

2 Mar 1883 Absent from Coal Fatigue 2 Days CB

4 April 1883 Carelessness and laughing in the ranks Admonished

24 Aug 1883 Making an improper reply to an NCO 10 Days CB

28 Aug 1883 Dirty and drunk 3 Days CB

1 Oct 1883 Speaking improperly to Commissioned
Officer Admonished

3 Nov 1883 Drunk in street (Civil Police - Civil Court) 21 Days Hard Labour

14 Dec 1883 Causing a Disturbance after Tattoo 10 Days CB

Ah, yes the things that soldiers (and other service people get up ). I don't come from a military background, but my dad and my Grandad were commissioned during the First War, and Second Wars. the only person who let things down a tad was little old me. A couple of offenses that lost me seniority as a Corporal - oh the shame of it. I never did any jankers but it was enough to be on Guard Duty or as a RP Corporal that I didn't want to end up in the nick as a sus.

It seems that boredom, then drink was the downfall of many a soldier. sailor and airman to go off the rails at times, and end up in the Guardroom or Military Nick. I have never gone back into my family histories to find out if there were any more who took the Kings shilling or the Queens Shilling during Victorian times - no doubt there were a few.

Len, my wife's grandfathers conduct sheets are a bit similar, he has a few incarcerations for AWOL. It is interesting to note that in those days, instead of having your "Nick time" added on at the end of service, you went down a snake and started again - effectively you could have served 12 months but not have any accumulated service! It couldn't have done him any harm as he finished up as RSM of the Lancashire Fusiliers!

My regimental 'rap sheet' read like a short novel, which is why at the 15 year point I was refused an LS&GC. Looking back I think I Joined to young, I was an immature headstrong 17 year old who knew it all and as a result had many regimental entries including three spells in nick, I'm talking local nick not MCTC. First with 16 Bn RAOC Bicester, then a year or so later I spent a couple of weeks in 45 Regt RA nick at Hohne, later a short spell courtesy of 2 Coldstreams at Fally. The worst was 45, they had me wearing a highly polished silver tin lid and I would often be seen carrying a bloody great shell around!