I read recently in a extract from a war diary that an officer had gone on scotch leave i am presuming this to mean he had gone home to scotland. Was there an allowance of traveling time given as scotland or ireland etc would be long journeys to complete in say a weeks leave. john

The Officers noted in the East Yorkshire Regiment war Diaries are on leave the day they leave the battalion and down as back 5 or 7 days later, so I would say leave begins when you leave the transport lines, and no travelling times.

Regards Charles

I've always thought that this was unfair. A soldier with family in or near London was lucky, but other men could spend a heck of a lot of time travelling - and if their family was some way from a railway station...


Moonraker

This has been discussed before on the Forum.

http://1914-1918.invisionzone.com/forums/i...showtopic=15296

Post 10 seems to answer the question - get an extra day for the Orkneys!

Jim

G'day Munster (John),
I have just recently finished reading 'Over The Top', a diary of an Australian digger with the 2nd Battalion AIF, written by H. G. Hartnett and edited by Chris Bryett.
Page 199, second paragraph opens with:
"A pleasant surprise was in store for me on 6 September when I was informed that I was entitled to ten days'
leave in England. Next morning I set off for divisional headquarters . . . to collect my leave pass, pay and other necessary documents . . . . After midday I set off again to catch a 'leave train' . . . . When we did eventually to Boulogne the men going on leave had to wait around in billets ... . until 2.00pm the following day, where we boarded an old paddlewheel steamer . . . .to Folkestone. From there, at 4.00pm we left . . . .London, arriving at Victoria Station at 7.30pm. All Australians going on leave marched to AIF headquarters in Horseferry Road, Wstminster, where we had to listen to a lecture on "Behaviour' . . . .before our leave passes were stamped - leave to begin from that time - and we were free."
Page 201 continues:
"Our ten days leave passed quickly. Late at night on 17th September, we collected our rifles and equipment in readiness for an early start next morning on our way back to France."
Not much leeway was there!
Hope this is of assistance Regards
Pop
(Sean McManus)
p.s. read the book it is wonderful.

thanks all for replies from the link to old post it seems leave began and ended on embarkation, in the case of pop's aussie i counted it took 30 hours from div hq to horseferry rd chances are it would near double that to scotland. I will look out for over the top thank you sean.

Munster,
From the Diary of James Marchbank 8th Royal Scots.
4th November 1916-Went in car to Boulogne at 8.30 and sailed at 5 o'clock.
5th November 1916-Left Kings Cross at 11.30 and arrived at Edinburgh.
13th November-Left Edinburgh.
14th November-Arrived at Kings Cross and stopped in London all day.
15th November-Left London(Victoria Station) at 7.50 for Folkestone in the afternoon.Marched from Boulogne to rest camp at 11 o'clock at night.
16th November-Arrived Poperinge and walked to Reningelst.HQ.
George