An Unusual Police Gazette Deserter & Absentee Listed WW1 Medal Trio, Medically Discharged after 12 Years of Gonorrhoea, awarded to 17370 Pte G. Wilson, 10th Highland Light Infantry.

George Wilson was born at Glasgow during 1877, working as a labourer, prior to joining the ranks of the Highland Light Infantry on the 24th of August, 1914.

He disembarked France with the 10th Battalion on the 18th of July 1915, serving on the Western Front, soon transferring to the 3rd Battalion. He was listed in the Police Gazette for Deserters & Absentees From His Majesty’s Service on the 5th of December, 1916 (Volume XXXII No.3284), having deserted on the 24th of November, 1916, whilst in Edinburgh.

It is not clear how long he was absent for, and what his punishment was, but his service records show that his battalion disembarked Alexandria on the 1st of March, 1917, positioning near Gaza on the 8th of April, where the battalion was involved in the 1st, 2nd, & 3rd Battles of Gaza at Wadi el Hesi, the capture of Junction Station, the Battle of Nabi Samweil, and the Battle of Jaffa. The Battalion were relieved during March 1918, returning to France. It is not clear which actions Wilson was involved in himself, as his personal 12 year battle with Gonorreah had him in hospital several times!

Due to his urethra problems, Wilson was eventually transferred to ‘A’ Company, 984th Scottish Command Labour Corps (service number 542801) during 1918, where he served until his medical discharge, due to the complications caused by persistent Gonorrhoea, on the 16th of January, 1919. He was awarded a Silver War Badge, number B.78756 due to ‘Sickness’.

The medals are mounted as worn, on original ribbons, with a ribbon bar attached as part of the mounting, good copied research confirming all of the above, and are as follows -

1914/1915 Star, 17370 PTE. G. WILSON. HIGH. L. I.; British War & Victory Medals, 17370 PTE. G. WILSON. HIGH. L. I.

Condition, very fine and better