IN the early 19th century there was certainly no talk of redundancies in the British Army. Quite the contrary, it had more than enough trouble hanging on to those who had been cajoled into joining its ranks without getting rid of any on purpose.

During the Napoleonic Wars the strength of the Army was 250,000, the highest ever recorded, but there was desertion on an industrial scale and this led to the publication of regular lists of personel who had gone AWOL, from the humble footslogger to officers.

It’s amazing what turns up in these newspaper offices from time to time and sifting through some old filing cabinets the other day a colleague made a remarkable discovery. There, in a folder, were three copies of a fading and quite delicate news sheet called The Hue and Cry and Police Gazette. One from April 10, 1813, one from July 24, 1813 and the third from February 3, 1816. How they came to be in our possession no one knows.

Although they were found among a collection of historical items relating to the newspaper industry and so that might be the connection.

However they got here they make fascinating reading because, open out the double page supplement and the centre spread is devoted to a comprehensive and extremely detailed list of soldiers who were on the run It was published by the War Office and the reason was quite clear once you read the small print.

The intention was to encourage members of the public to hand in deserters and for this there was a substantial reward.

If the man belonged to the Regular Army, the local magistrates would pay 40 shillings and if he was from the militia there was a reward of 20 shillings.

The War Office added another 20 shillings. So to capture and hand in a deserter would mean 60 shillings in the back pocket. No wonder there were bounty hunters.

The lists published in the Hue and Cry cover just about as complete a description of a person you can get outside a photograph.

There was naturally the height, age and hair colour, but also categories you would never think of today, such as head size, type of face (round, narrow, etc), colour of eyebrows, size of nose, size of mouth, size of shoulders, neck, legs, hands and feet. Lacking photographs, it is probable that our predecessors were much more aware of physical characteristics than we are today. There was also the date and place where the absconder was last seen.

Thus you read that John Turner, a pattern maker of St Nicholas, Worcester, disappeared from a recruiting party of the Warwick Militia on February 14, 1814, in Warwick.

He was aged 34, 5ft 7.5ins tall, well made with a long head, large nose and grey hair and he was wearing a brown coat and light cord trousers.

Or that Thomas Jones, a labourer of Whitton on Severn [sic], Worcestershire, absconded from the 74th Regiment of Foot on November 19, 1816, at Aylesbury, Buckinghamshire.

Aged 21 and 5ft 6.75ins tall, he is described as “stout with a fresh complexion, hazel eyes and light hair and wore a dark coat and corduroy trousers.”

And that John Jones, another labourer of Tenbury, Herefordshire [sic], disappeared from the ranks of the Oxford Militia on June 30, 1813, after breaking open a stable at Richmond, Surrey.

Aged 30 and of stout build, he ran off in his regimental clothes.

But it wasn’t only the foot soldiers who hopped it.

John Bissett was an officer in the 7th Light Dragoons when he vanished from their company in Hyde Park, London and John White was master tailor to the Regiment of the West Kent Militia when he scarpered.

Accompanying each entry is a brief account of distinguishing characteristics or how the missing soldier might be recognised.

“Bears marks of punishment” is a common description and one culprit even appears to have been branded with a D on his arm.

But less expected is the common labourer who “speaks several languages”, someone who “plays the bassoon” or another who is “much addicted to smoaking [sic]”.

Shoemaker Michael Burns of Dublin was said to be “of genteel appearance”, while William Gilbert, a 30-years-old labourer of Maryweek, Cornwall “attempts to pass as an idiot”.

Another decription says “appears silly” but my guess is that he probably wasn’t.

So, whatever you looked like or whatever you did, the British Army of George III had its eye on you.