Missing Persons BRd 2

CHAPTER 40

MISSING PERSONS

(MOD Sponsor: FLEET DCS LAW)

CONTENTS

Para
4001. Definition of a Missing Person
4002. Apprehension of Absentees and Deserters
4003. Deserters and Absentees on Sailing
4004. When Absentees to be marked ‘Run’
4005. Voluntary Surrender
4006. Arrest by Naval Warrant
4007. Arrest without Naval Warrant
4008. Certificate of Arrest
4009. Recovery Abroad
4010. Identification of Absentees and Deserters
4011. Punishment and Drafting of Deserters and Persistant Leave-Breakers
4012. False Confession
4013. Dispensing with Trial
4014. Expenses of Army and Royal Air Force Escorts for Naval etc Deserters
4015. Monetary Charges against Absentees and Deserters
4016. Forfeitures Consequent upon Desertion
4017. Restoration of Medals Forfeited
4018. Removal of ‘R’ (RUN) by Admiralty Board
J.4019. Joint Service Units - Disposal of Absentees

ANNEXES

J. Annex 40A:Joint Service Units - Disposal of Absentees

J. Annex 40B:Signal Format for Sending Notification of Raising a Warrant for Arrest
J. Annex 40C:Signal Format for Sending Notification for Cancellation of a Warrant for
Arrest

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CHAPTER 40

MISSING PERSONS

4001. Definition of a Missing Person

1. The definition of a missing person is anyone who is reported to RN Service Police, or

any other Authority or Agency, whose whereabouts are unknown and there are either
grounds to fear for their safety, concerns about their welfare or any suspicious
circumstances surrounding their disappearance. Such a person will continue to be
considered missing until they are located or their well being, or otherwise, is established.
If, upon receipt of such a report, their well being is established but they remain absent from
duty, a Warrant for Arrest will be actioned and they will be categorised as a Naval
Absentee/Deserter.

Definition of Absence without Leave

2. By Section 17 of the Naval Discipline Act 1957 the offence of Absence without Leave
is defined as:

‘Every person subject to the Act -

a. absents himself without leave; or

b. improperly leaves his ship,

shall be liable to imprisonment for a term not exceeding two years or any less
punishment authorised by this Act, and to such other punishment by way of forfeiture
of pay or other benefits as may be prescribed by the regulations made by the defence
council.’

Definition of Desertion

3. By Section 15 of the Naval Discipline Act 1957 the offence of desertion is defined as:

1. ‘A person is guilty of desertion within the meaning of this Act if he:

a. Leaves or fails to attend at his unit, ship or place of duty, with the intention of
remaining permanently absent from duty without lawful authority, or, having left or
failed to attend his unit, ship, or place of duty, thereafter forms the like intention;

OR

b. Absents himself without leave with intent to avoid serving at any place overseas,
or to avoid service or any particular service when before the enemy’.

2. Charges in relation to desertion and absence are fully explained in BR 11, Manual
of Naval Law.

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4002. Apprehension of Absentees and Deserters

1. Initial Enquiries. Every possible effort is to be made to establish the welfare and
whereabouts of a person who has not returned to duty on the expiry of authorised leave.

a. If initial enquiries tend to suggest a person is missing, then the parent unit should
follow the Warrant For Arrest procedure immediately, emphasising that they
believe the person to be missing rather than absent.

b. Service kit and personal effects are to be removed and packed in accoradance
with current Service Police procedures. If the person is registered as missing this
kit will be removed and exhibited in conjunction with the Civil Police. Where it is
known that the person is absent, this process should be carried out at the 30-day
mark.

2. Apprehension - General. When the whereabouts of a deserter or absentee are

known immediate efforts are to be made to persuade the person to return to duty. If these
fail the normal method of recovery, i.e. arrest with/without warrant is to be carried out
(Sections 45, 103 and 105 of the Naval Discipline Act 1957 refer). When the welfare or
whereabouts of a deserter or absentee are unknown, a warrant for arrest is to be issued
in accordance with the clauses listed below. The appropriate Police division will initiate a
Missing Person enquiry upon direction from NPM(Eastern). Therefore it is of a matter of
urgency that known and definite Misper reports are reported to NM(E) immediately.

3. Warrants for Arrest. In the United Kingdom, upon completion of NOK/local checks by
reporting unit, Warrants For Arrest (Form S243 Revised 09/01) with the description
attached are to be sent; NBC Portsmouth, HMS NELSON, Portsmouth. He will be
responsible for forwarding copies of warrants for arrest to the police at the place where the
individual is likely to be. Information regarding absentees and deserters is to be
communicated to the National Identification Bureau, New Scotland Yard, London, by the
Commodore, HMS NELSON, for input to the Police National Computer. Action in
accordance with this clause should be taken not later than the day on which the person is
marked ‘R’, but may be taken earlier at the Commanding Officer’s discretion (see
Para 4004.). A facsimile copy of the completed S243 may be sent initially to the RN
MisPers Unit on Fax No 02392 812124, with the original followed by post. Outside UK
Territorial Waters in order to avoid undue delay, a signal format S243 may be sent to The
Commodore, HMS NELSON. This does not relieve the reporting unit from their obligation
to complete and forward the original S243 with accompanying RNMP Form 1 to 3
inclusive. A suggested signal format is shown at J. Annex 40B.

4. Warrants for Arrest, or descriptions of deserters thought to be in the Irish Republic, are
not to be sent to the Police authorities in that country, but sub-paragraph 3 above is to be
complied with in all other respects.

5. Local Regulations Abroad. On foreign stations Commander-in-Chief Fleet is to

make such special local regulations for the apprehension of deserters and absentees as
the circumstances may require, subject to the instructions contained in this section. Forms
S243 are to be sent to the The Commodore, HMS NELSON.

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6. No measures are to taken for apprehending deserters or absentees on foreign soil

without the permission of the local authorities.

7. No officer of Her Majesty’s Forces or their representative is to search any Foreign ship
for any naval deserter or absentee, whether such ship is in Foreign waters, or elsewhere,
even if a Warrant For Arrest under Section 103 of the Act has been issued.

8. Under Section 103(1) of the Act the authority for the issue of a warrant for arrest is
vested in the Commander-in-Chief, the Senior Naval Officer present in any port, the
Commanding Officer of a ship or Naval establishment, or the Officer in Command of a
tender on detached service. The Naval Discipline Act contains no authority to delegate the
power to issue warrants, and it is necessary that the Officer next in Command should have
assumed the powers and duties of the Commanding Officer in accordance with Para 0336
before he may issue a warrant in place of the Commanding Officer.

9. Notification of NOK. The Commanding Officer is to notify the NOK of any officer or
rating absent without leave for more than 7 days. This notification should only describe the
officer or rating as an absentee/missing when the facts are beyond all doubt. Otherwise
the notification should not describe him as missing or as an absentee, but should state the
circumstances of his absence, e.g. failure to report onboard from leave when expected,
and that enquiries are being made. The NOK is to be kept informed of continuing
developments. Copies of all letters are to be sent to NPM(E).

10. Casualties. Since cases of apparant absence without leave may arise as a result of
an accident, Commanding Officers should also consider whether there are grounds for
supposing that an accident has occured and, where sufficient evidence exists, should
follow the procedures in Chapter 51 and Chapter 53.

11. Reports of Recovery. The Commanding Officer of the ship in which a recovered
deserter or absentee is received is responsible for informing The Commodore, HMS
NELSON, by signal (suggested format at J. Annex 40C), who is to cancel all copies of all
warrants issued in compliance with Clause 3. On foreign stations the Commanding Officer
of the ship in which a recovered deserter or absentee is received is responsible for
cancelling all copies of all warrants and descriptions issued in compliance with Clause 5.

12. The Commodore, HMS NELSON, Portsmouth is responsible for the recovery and
disposal of all Naval and Royal Marines deserters and absentees at home, in accordance
with 4003 sub para 3 and BR 8587, Naval Leave and Travel Regulations, having
previously consulted the Commanding Officer of the individual’s ship in appropriate cases.

4003. Deserters and Absentees on Sailing

1. Reports. If any individual is absent without leave when a ship sails, Form S219
(Ratings absent and unlikely to rejoin ship before sailing) is to be rendered in accordance
with the instructions thereon and as required by local orders. A copy of every Form S219
for absentees at home is to be forwarded to The Commodore, HMS NELSON, Portsmouth.
The names of absentees whose absence has been reported on a Form S219 and who
returns to duty are to be reported by signal to The Commodore, HMS NELSON.

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2. Service Document Disposal. If the ship is likely to be absent for any considerable
period the absentee’s Service documents should accompany Form S219; otherwise
sufficient details are to be inserted on Form S219 to enable the case to be investigated
and dealt with if the ship does not in fact return for some time.

3. Recovery and Disposal of Absentees. If any such absentee should return or be

apprehended and brought back while his ship is absent, he may be:

a. sent to his proper ship; or

b. dealt with in another ship or establishment, in which case he must be drafted/

appointed to that ship or establishment before the trial begins, or by the
appropriate Flotilla Commander responsible for the ship from which the individual
is absent. Action under a. is preferable from the disciplinary point of view, provided
that it does not involve undue delay in the investigation of the case.

4. 60-Day Absence. If the individual has been absent for 60 days or more or his ship has
deployed, action in clause 3b. will normally be appropriate. These individuals should be
dealt with by the appropriate Flotilla Commander wherever possible.

5. Summary Punishment. The officer who deals with the case summarily is responsible
for seeing that the necessary action is taken in accordance with JSP 594, Naval Pay
Regulations.

6. Pay and Service Documents. Pay and Service documents of all absentees and
deserters at home discharged from ship’s books in accordance with 4004 sub para 3 are
to be transferred to the Commodore, HMS NELSON, Portsmouth, or the RM Historical
Records, Centurion, in the case of Royal Marines borne on Ship’s books. By the transfer
of documents under this article the Commanding Officer will be deemed to have agreed to
the drafting of the absentee or deserter to HMS NELSON for disciplinary purposes in
accordance with BR 11, Manual of Naval Law.

4004. When Absentees to be marked ‘Run’

1. Reports. If any person absents themselves from their duty without leave and fails to
give a good and sufficient reason for their absence, they are to be checked out to absence
on a Movements Occurance Report (Out) Form C121.

2. Marked Run. If an absentee has not returned at the expiration of seven days Form
C25 (Cessation or Resumption of pay form) is to be raised by the Captain’s Office on the
eigth day annotated ‘Marked Run’. On receipt of Form C25 the Unit Personnel Office will
record the occurence on the Unit Record (UR) and then despatch the Form C25 to EDS/
AFPAA, Centurion Building, as an input document.

3. Discharge (Papers only). When a person has been absent without leave for more
than three months the Commanding Officer may authorise their discharge (papers only)
from the ship. The absentee’s UR and Service documents are then to be transferred,
under cover of a letter explaining the circumstances, as follows:

RN ratings; HMS NELSON

RM other rankings; RM Historical Records, Centurion

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4. Payment. While marked ‘Run’ a person shall not be entitled to receive the pay which
has accrued to the date of his discharge, unless the court, or officer by whom he is tried,
or the Ministry of Defence, shall otherwise direct (see 4018 sub para 1 and Para J.4019.)

5. Notations on Service Certificates.

a. The necessary entries to close the Service Certificate of an absentee are not to
be made until the discharge (papers only) in accordance with Clause 3, when the
Service Certificate is to be annotated ‘R’ (RUN) with effect from the date on which
absence began, unless the absentee is recovered earlier and convicted of
desertion.

b. If an absentee is under 17½ however, when discharged in accordance with Sub

paragraph 3, no ‘R’ notation is to be made on the Service Certificate. If on
reaching age 17½ the rating remains an absentee, then a notation ‘R’ is to be
made on the Service Certificate.

c. If a junior absentee is discharged in accordance with Clause 3 after reaching 17½

the ‘R’ notation is to be made directly on the Service Certificate, as in Clause 5a.

d. No explanation is to be given on page 2 of the Service Certificate of a break in

service of a rating who deserts and is recovered before age 17½.

6. Removal of ‘R’. If the Commanding Officer should subsequently be satisfied that

there was no intention to desert, he is to remove the ‘R’, provided that the person has not
been convicted as a deserter, and to cause payment to be made of the pay accrued (but
see BR 11, Manual of Naval Law Chapter 2). In addition D/NPP Acs, Centurion Building,
is to be informed by letter or signal in order that Form C25 rendered in accordance with
Clause 2 may be cancelled.

7. Recovery before marked ‘Run’. Where an absentee is recovered before being

marked ‘Run’, but is nevertheless convicted of desertion, then action in accordance with
Clause 5, as appropriate, is to be taken.

4005. Voluntary Surrender

1. A deserter or absentee who voluntarily surrenders himself to a naval authority may be

dealt with under the Act, whether or not a warrant for his arrest has been issued and
without being brought before a magistrate.

2. A deserter or absentee who voluntarily surrenders to the police will be brought to a

police station. If it appears to the officer-in-charge of the police station that he is illegally
absent he may be handed over direct to naval custody, or may be brought before a
magistrate’s court, as the officer-in-charge of the police station shall decide (Section 108
of the Act).

4006. Arrest by Naval Warrant

1. The Commander-in-Chief, the Senior Naval Officer present, the Commanding Officer
of any of Her Majesty’s ships or naval establishments may issue a warrant for the arrest of
any person suspected of having committed an offence against the Act (see Para 4002. and
Section 103(1) and (2) of the Act).

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4007. Arrest without Naval Warrant

1. Under Section 105 of the Act a person arrested on suspicion of being a deserter or
absentee will be taken before a magistrate’s court. If the court is satisfied that there is
sufficient evidence to justify his being tried under the Act it will cause him to be delivered
to Naval Authorities, or commit him until he can be so delivered. He may then be dealt with
under the Act.

4008. Certificate of Arrest

1. When a person is delivered to Naval Authorities as illegally absent, there will be

handed over also a certificate giving particulars of the surrender, or of the arrest, or of the
proceedings before the court. This certificate will be prima facie evidence of the matters
stated as proceedings under the Act. (See also BR 11 Manual of Naval Law Chapter 12
Section 103 and 110 of the Act, and the Certificates of Arrest and Surrender (Royal Navy)
Regulations 1972 in BR11 Manual of Naval Law).

4009. Recovery Abroad

1. Commander-in-Chief Fleet is to make such special regulations as may be suitable.

Detailed instructions are contained in PLAGO Chapter 4, and FLAGO chapter 16.

4010. Identification of Absentees and Deserters

1. Notes of Proceedings. When any deserter or absentee, whether delivered to Naval

Authorities by order of a magistrate, or by Naval warrant, or by voluntary surrender, is
brought before the Commanding Officer of one of HM ships to which he does not belong,
to be dealt with summarily, a thorough investigation is to be made with a view to
establishing his identity and a note is to be taken in writing of the proceedings. The
offender is, at the same time, to be asked formally if he has any statement to make, and
such statement, if made, is to be signed by the offender and duly witnessed. The accuracy
of any such statement is to be tested carefully before the investigation is closed.

2. Retention of Written Notes. The written note of the investigation and the offender’s
statement are to be retained as enclosures to the punishment warrant.

3. Individuals Received from Foreign Vessels. Caution is to be exercised in receiving

men from foreign vessels who may represent themselves, or are reported, to be deserters
from HM Naval forces.

4. Identification. Railway warrants should not be issued or any other expenses incurred
(e.g. for escorts) in respect of an alleged deserter until action has been taken to confirm
as far as possible the naval identity of the individual and that he is in fact definitely
recorded as an absentee or deserter.

4011. Punishment and Drafting of Deserters and Persistant Leave-Breakers

1. In punishing deserters and persistant leave-breakers whom he regards as unlikely to

render any further useful service to the Navy, a Commanding Officer should consider
whether to apply, for the summary punishment of dismissal from Her Majesty’s Service
(see BR 11 Manual of Naval Law).

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2. The procedure for drafting deserters and persistant leave-breakers under suspended
sentences is given in BR 14 Drafting Instructions.

4012. False Confession

1. It is an offence under Section 96 of the Act for any person to represent himself falsely
to be a deserter or absentee from Her Majesty’s naval forces. The Navy cannot try this
offence. Any person in naval custody as a result of surrendering himself who proves to
have made such a false representation is to be handed over to the civil power.

4013. Dispensing with Trial

1. Section 74 of the Naval Discipline Act 1957 (NDA 57) provides that, if an individual
signs a confession of desertion, the Defence Council, or an authorised Flag Officer, may,
by order, dispense with the trial for desertion and, where appropriate, impose any such
forfeitures as could be imposed on conviction of that offence under part 1 of the NDA. This
authority has been delegated to Commanders-in-Chief, Flag Officer Scotland, Northern
England and Northern Ireland, Flag Officer Training and Recruiting, and Flag Officer Sea
Training, in the following cases:

a. Young ratings who have been sent to a Young Offenders’ Institution for some
other offence committed during desertion and who are to be retained in the Naval
Service.

b. Other ratings who are sent to prison for a long term as a result of some other
offence committed during desertion and who will not be retained in the Naval
Service.

c. Ratings who are apprehended, or surrender, after being absent for five years or
more, and who will not be retained in the Naval Service.

2. Whilst the offence of desertion must always be regarded as a grave matter, when a
deserter is apprehended or surrenders after being absent for five years or more, provided
he is prepared to sign a confession of desertion, his trial may be dispensed with by order
made under the provisions of Section 74 of the NDA 57 and the man may be discharged
administratively. In cases where the engagement of such a deserter has not expired the
appropriate method of discharge will be SNLR. Where the engagement has expired during
the period of desertion the normal notation ‘LS, CS or OE expired’ should be made on the
man’s Service Certificate and Form C25.

4014. Expenses of Army and Royal Air Force Escorts for Naval etc Deserters

1. Army or Royal Air Force funds will bear any expense incurred by Army or Royal Air
Force escorts in escorting deserters from the Royal Navy or Royal Marines; and no claim
that may be made locally by Army or Royal Air Force Paymasters for such service is to be
admitted. Similarly Naval funds will bear all expenses incurred by Naval or Royal Marines’
escorts in escorting deserters from the Army or the Royal Air Force.

4015. Monetary Charges against Absentees and Deserters

1. Expenses under Escort. When an offender is apprehended in the United Kingdom

and escorted back to his ship in the United Kingdom, the expenses of both the offender
and the escort are chargeable to public funds.

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2. Expenses - Return Unescorted. When an offender has surrendered in the United

Kingdom and returns to his ship in the United Kingdom without escort, his travel expenses
are his own liability. He may be issued with a repayment warrant if required.

3. Recovery Abroad. When an offender is recovered abroad the cost of his own fare
back to his own ship is to be charged against his pay. Similarly, the fare of an offender
deserting abroad who is recovered in the United Kingdom and is subsequently returned to
his own ship abroad is to be charged against his pay. The expenses of an escort in these
cases, whether naval, military, air force, or police, are chargeable to public funds.

4. Limitation of Charges. Commanders-in-Chief, or Flag officers, may at their

discretion, limit charges against offenders to such a sum as could be liquidated in three
months, if dealt with as debt under provisions of JSP 594 Naval Pay Regulations, care
being taken that advances of pay and allotments are restricted as laid down therein.

5. Notification of Charges on Punishment Warrant. The amount charged against the

offender’s pay is to be noted for information in the space provided in the Punishment
Warrant, and on Form S241 (Report of Offender). Where the amount cannot be
ascertained, the Punishment Warrant is to state: ‘I intend that he be liable to repay the cost
of his own fare to his own ship’. A similar notation is made on Form S241. The amount
charged etc is to be reported to the Director General of Defence Accounts in accordance
with BR 1950 Naval Pay Regulations Article 0837.

4016. Forfeitures Consequent upon Desertion

1. Forfeiture - General. For the period of his desertion a deserter forfeits all pay,
allowances, annuities, pensions or resettlement grants to the Crown, unless the tribunal
by which he is tried, or the Defence Council, shall otherwise direct. These forfeitures
should be remitted only in exceptional circumstances, and the reason for the remission is
to be reported to the Ministry of Defence (see BR 1950 Naval Pay Regulations Chapter 8
for accounting instructions). (See also BR 8748 Ratings’ Terms of Service and BR 1950
for forfeiture of time prior to desertion).

2. Disposal of Uniform. Authority, under Section 75 of the Act, to dispose of the uniform
and effects left by a deserter or absentee onboard, or at his place of duty, may be exercised
by Commanding Officers of Captain’s rank. Absentees and Deserters kit is to be collected
and dealt with as per Service Police procedures. These include authority to search and
treating all items as possible evidence. All items are to be forwarded to NPM(E) after 60
days.

3. Medals. The provisions of BR 11 Manual of Naval Law Chapters 9 and 23 apply to the
forfeiture of medals for desertion, whether tried summarily or by court-martial.

4. Good Conduct Badges. Under Order-in-Council dated 19 December 1958 any rating
or Royal Marine (whether or not the Royal Marine is subject to the Naval Discipline Act)
convicted of desertion shall forfeit any good conduct badges he may possess.

5. Forfeiture of Service. A person who is convicted of desertion shall forfeit the period
of his service in respect of which he is convicted.

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4017. Restoration of Medals Forfeited

1. Restoration Circumstances. Medals (other than Long Service and Good Conduct
Medals) which have become forfeit in consequence of desertion, may be restored with
Ministry of Defence approval in the following circumstances:

a. On completion of a period of three years’ service with ‘Very Good Conduct’ after
punishment for desertion.

b. On promotion to Petty Officer or Sergeant, if re-entered below that grade.

c. On mobilisation from the Reserve.

d. On re-engagement to complete time for pension.

e. At the discretion of the Ministry, in recognition of meritorious service not

necessarily recognised by a decoration or when otherwise specially
recommended.

f. Men who are discharged owing to:

(1) Time expiry; or

(2) Death; or
(3) Wounds or sickness not due to misconduct; before completing the qualifying
period of service as provided above, may be granted restoration of their
service from date of re-entry to the time of their discharge was free of Career
Checks.

2. War Service. If the desertion was during a state if war no award(s) instituted for
service during the period of hostilities in which desertion took place will be restored unless
the man subsequently rendered approved service in the armed force from which he
deserted, in the area and prior to the termination of the particular period of hostilities for
which the award was instituted. Approved service for this purpose may be paid service of
one day or more subsequent to sentence.

3. Application for Re-Issue. Application should be made to the Director, Naval Pay and
Pensions Division (NPP Acs), Centurion Building, for re-issue, which will be made:

a. Free of charge when the original medals have been returned to the Ministry of
Defence on being forfeited, or when the medals have been forfeited before issue;

b. On repayment as duplicate issues when the original medals were not recovered,
provided that a satisfactory explanation of the circumstances of the loss is
forthcoming (a report on this point should be forwarded as directed in 5903-5905).

4. Notation. Restoration of medals is to be noted on the man’s Service Certificate.

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4018. Removal of ‘R’ (RUN) by Admiralty Board

1. Qualifying Service. An individual may apply to their Commanding Officer for the ‘R’
to be removed when the sentence for desertion has been rehabilitated (see PLAGO and
BR 8748 Chapter 6 for details of rehabilitation periods and extensions to rehabilitation
periods resulting from further convictions).

2. Reserved Rights. Where an individual was convicted of desertion prior to 1 January

2000 he/she may apply for the removal of ‘R’ under Clause (1) above or, if more
advantageous, under the conditions prevailing at the time of the conviction, as follows:

a. An individual who has completed the following service with continuous ‘Very Good
Conduct’ (or free of Career Checks post 31 December 1999) may apply to their
Commanding Officer for the ‘R’ to be removed:

(1) Three years within five years of service after punishment for desertion;
(2) Four years within nine years of service after punishment for desertion;
(3) Six years within any time of service after punishment for desertion.

3. Approval of Applications. If the Commanding Officer considers the individual’s

general behaviour to have been satisfactory he/she may authorise removal of ‘R’. Action
is to be taken as soon as practicable after completion of the qualifying period at Clause (1)
or (2). The original Service Certificate is to be forwarded to EDS/AFPAA Centurion Building
(or Director Pay and Records Office, HQRM for RM, other ranks for appropriate action.

4. Non-Recommendation. If the Commanding Officer is not prepared to authorise

removal of ‘R’ the individual is to be informed. The Commanding Officer is to record his/
her decision upon the Request Form and a copy placed within the individual’s Conduct
Record.

5. Restoration of Time Forfeited. These rules apply also to the restoration, for the
purposes of good conduct badge and pension, of time forfeited by an ex-soldier or ex-
airman, as a result of desertion from the Army or the Royal Air Force, and not restored
before transfer or entry into the Navy solely because the man did not, after recovery from
desertion, serve sufficiently long in the Service from which he deserted to quality for
restoration of the time so forfeited.

6. Recovery Before Age 17½. These provisions do not apply to deserters recovered
before 17½, there being no permanent record of ‘R’ to be removed from Service
documents in such cases.

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J.4019. Joint Service Units - Disposal of Absentees

1. A serviceman who absents himself without leave from a Joint Service Unit is to be held
on the strength of the Joint Service Unit for eight days only. If he returns within eight days
and has an acceptable reason for his absence he may continue to serve with the Joint
Service Unit. After eight days the absentee is to revert to his parent Service and that
Service is thereafter to take all the necessary further action under the Service law
particular to that absentee.

2. The Commanding Officer of the Joint Service Unit is to report the serviceman’s
absence to the appropriate naval, military or RAF authorities, in accordance with the
instructions in J. Annex 40A.

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