I wondered if anyone could help me. I've just received my grandmother's WRN service records and on 9 Jan 1945 her records state 'ran', 'deserted', 'discharged'. She had recently been sent to Cornwall, and I suspect she'd had enough. Would anyone know what was meant by 'ran', 'deserted' and 'discharged'? Also, would her desertion from the WRN's been seen as serious - i.e. as serious as a soldier? Any assistance would be greatly appreciated. Many thanks, Nicola
Hi Nicola. It just means that your mother did a 'runner', as it was once called. Also known as 'jumped ship', and all sorts of other names. The runner becomes a criminal & is hunted by the authoritys namely Police & Royal Navy Provost, until such time as they are caught or surrenders to the law. Thousands used to do it every year. I don't know what the treatment would have been for a female deserter quite lenient I hope. A soldier would probably be sentenced to Jail & serve his punishment in a Military institution such as Colchester (The Glasshouse) Hope this was of some help to you. wedgetail ....(James)
Hi Nicola. It just means that your mother did a 'runner', as it was once called. Also known as 'jumped ship', and all sorts of other names. The runner becomes a criminal & is hunted by the authoritys namely Police & Royal Navy Provost, until such time as they are caught or surrenders to the law. Thousands used to do it every year. I don't know what the treatment would have been for a female deserter quite lenient I hope. A soldier would probably be sentenced to Jail & serve his punishment in a Military institution such as Colchester (The Glasshouse) Hope this was of some help to you. wedgetail ....(James) James, Thank you so much. Very interesting and informative. In the WRN's she had more of a clerical role, so maybe they weren't too harsh. It also might have been different if she'd deserted in the thick of the war. Nicola
James, Thank you so much. Very interesting and informative. In the WRN's she had more of a clerical role, so maybe they weren't too harsh. It also might have been different if she'd deserted in the thick of the war. Nicola At that point, the war was still going full bore. The fighting in the Ardennes had just ended and Japan looked to go on well into 1946.
