QSR1915/4/3/2

Statement - Harold Fountain

30th October 1915

From: 1915 To: 1915

To the Honourable Chairman. 30.10.15 Sir, I wish to state my case before you, on being an absentee from my regiment I came home to my brother and stayed there for 4 days telling them I have got six days leave. On the expiration of the fourth day, I told my brother that I wasn’t going back tonight as I thought I would stay another day or two, his wife on hearing this, said to me well, Harold you had better go up to your sister Ada’s to stay as we do not want any trouble here. So I went to my sisters house but on reaching it I found that she was out and on my asking where she was the next door neighbour said that she had gone away to see her husband before he left for the Front and would not be back for 2 or 3 days’ time. So I told my brother that Ada was away to see her husband, but I could not get beck to his house for support so I went and slept in the fields for the night and having no food I was obliged to get it by fraud. So, on the next day I went round to a number of houses pretending that I was billeting and so obtained a billet by fraud telling them soldiers were coming in town from Aldershot to be billeted and I told them that I was finding billets for them, so on the next day at evening I went to some houses in Hitchen Road and out of them I applied to 105 Hitchen Road the owner being Mrs Jeffs and I asked her if she could take any soldiers and she replied yes we can take two, and then I said I wanted a billet myself and I went and billeted myself on Mrs Jeffs and on reaching the house I wrote out a paper stating that she was to get money from the officer when he came round. I had been at this house for 3 days. On Monday evening I got in about 10.30pm and I found that their was a little bunch of women outside talking as fast as they could go but I took no notice but went straight into the house. I had been in about fifteen minutes when I saw two police entering the back door and two more at the front door on them entering Sergt. Clarke came and sat down beside me, and he said what have you been billeting for, I gave him no reply and he said have you a pass I replied yes and I showed it him and then he said this has been made out by yourself I told him I fill in the pass, which we are allowed to do, but I got a [Pte], to fill in the signature of the Captain and the next day I was charged of having obtained food and lodgings for 3 days the value being 10s/3½d, to which I pleaded guilty to. Sir I am sorry that this has happened as |I was just regaining my character again and trying hard to do my best, and to hold my head up in the world but I was greatly tempted to do this foolish thing after being refused lodgings by my brother, as I had to get food from somewhere, so I was tempted to get it by fraud. I done wrong to help myself, I join the colours to be able to help my country, but I find I have a very poor chance to help it. So I beg of your Worship to take a lenient view of my case, as I earnestly wish to still remain in the Army, and that I wish to rejoin my regiment as soon as possible so as to get out and to do my part in this great European struggle, as it makes me feel ashamed of myself at times to be in prison when my comrades are fighting to free their country from the enemy. I also must say that I think it has learnt me a lesson to keep outside of prisons, while waiting my 2½ months trial. I hope and will do my utmost to keep from the wrong after this, and to lead a straightforward life hereafter, which I think is the best way to go, for moreover it makes me think that honesty is the best policy. Your obedient, H. Fountain

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Clarke, Arthur,
Fountain, Harold,
Jeffs, Sarah

LUTON, Aldershot, theft, fraud