ABSTRACT
Few court records at the regimental level have survived, because these lower courts’ verdicts needed only to be reviewed by the commanding officer of the regiment, unlike General Courts Martial decisions, which had to be sent to the War Office for royal review. The Guards regiment was more likely than other regiments to be stationed around London, which meant that the records of its regimental court proceedings could be more easily maintained and stored. They thus provide a rare record of more petty army offences, such as this excerpt of a corporal who was seen fraternising with a man of lower rank. This particular instance offers insight into the ways in which soldiers might maintain contact with families while they served far from home.
