2722550 Guardsman Jonathan PILKINGTON, 1 Irish Guards

Date of Enlistment: 1940
Date of Discharge: -

Army Number: 2722550
Rank: Guardsman
Name: Jonathan PILKINGTON
Unit: 1 Irish Guards

 

Campaign Stars & Medals : 4:1*

• 1939-45 Star
• Africa Star, *with 1st Army Clasp
• Defence Medal
• War Medal 1939-45

Address given at time of application (no date):
61, Thirlmere Avenue, St. Helens, Lancashire


Handwritten note: Awards Forfeited

 

Belfast Telegraph 30 December 1954

 

Excellent find Tony56.

Think he must’ve been a “problem child” to get such a harsh sentence.

He looks to have been an 18/19 year old recruit in 1940 - unlikely to be a conscript to IG so soon in the war?

I’d expect his A&S group would’ve been demobbed by Oct 46 - unless he had been a bad boy previously and forfeited at least some of his service (time in detention etc).

I did see mention in a SG file of a general amnesty for “outstanding”
wartime deserters was issued in 1954 but perhaps his immediate post war “peacetime” desertion was outside the terms of that amnesty?

Steve

EDIT TO ADD

Known as Jonty Pilkington in RL circles. Still alive in 1984 so must’ve applied for his own medals.

Slight factual error in link - is reported as deserting WG rather than IG but his account of desertion agrees in all other respects with newspapers report -

Saints Heritage Society : Jonty Pilkington

 

Thanks again Tony for that article !

And Steve too for the link.

 

Jonathan (Jonty) Pilkington, 30 May 1922 - 5 Nov 1987