Robert Elgar Datlen

 

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Walter James Datlen
Private 13425 – Royal Engineers
Report by Shaun Griffiths - “The Datlen World War One Project”
Originated November 2000    Last reviewed - June 2006

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Born: 22 November 1884
Father: Robert Elgar Datlen
Mother: Mary Ann Lawrence
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On 5th February 1904 Walter James Datlen applied to join the Royal Engineers. The approving Colonel recommended “that the man is enlisted for the Royal Engineers. He is a smart respectable looking man and is by trade a gas fitter”.

The War Office replied on 6th February “The enlistment of this man is recommended if of satisfactory character. The corps is as present closed to men of this trade”. And on the 8th February “Approved if character is entirely satisfactory”.

Walter’s character must have been “entirely satisfactory”. On the 22nd February he made his way to Canterbury and enlisted for 8 years service into the Royal Engineers. On his attestation forms he declares he was born in Dover and gave his age as 18 years 2 months, which would put his birth date as December 1885. His papers include a descriptive report from which we learn that he had a fair complexion with brown eyes and brown hair. He was 5 feet 6.5 inches tall, weighed 117lbs and had a chest measurement of 35 inches. He had no distinctive marks other than 3 vaccination marks on his left arm. His religious denomination was Church of England but this was crossed out on 20th October 1909 and changed to Wesleyan.

Walter spent his first few months of service in Chatham where he underwent various tests and examinations. He was found to be an “Indifferent Gasfitter” and was retained to train as an engineer in submarine mining. In March he received a 3rd class certificate of education. In April he passed a 60 yards swimming test and later at Plymouth became a qualified swimmer. In December 1904 Walter was with the 30th Company stationed at Devonport Station, Plymouth, where he received an “A” Skilled Qualification in Submarine and Defence Electric Lighting and also qualified as a “skilled electrician”.

Walter was admitted into Devonport hospital on 25th July 1905 where he spent 50 days recovering. The cause is given as D.A.H. I do not know what this could be and the medical officer’s remarks are difficult to read.

On 29th November 1905, Walter married Ruth Naomi Hutson. Whether she was a local girl or whether they met in Dover prior to his enlistment I cannot say. They were married in St Saviours Church, Plymouth. The vicar was J.Jones and the two witnesses were John Embleton Gray and Mary Nelsthorp.

Walter retained his “entirely satisfactory character” and in February 1906 was awarded the Good Conduct Badge. His training continued and his skills were reaching higher standards. In June he qualified as a “superior electrician”. His service in Plymouth came to an end in December 1906 when he was posted to his home town of Dover.

On 24th September 1907, Walter’s military career entered a new phase. He was posted to Gibraltar with the 1st Company RE where he and Naomi were to remain for four years. In this time they had a son, Walter Frank Datlen born 3rd November 1908 and baptised 9th December 1908.

In the summer of 1911 Walter was enjoying a period of leave. He was back in Dover, England where the temperature in August reached an unprecedented 100 degrees Fahrenheit. He was coming to the end of his 8 years service and his thoughts must have been on securing his future as a civilian. He may have already found suitable employment as he wrote the following letter:-

Walter wrote a letter dated 6th August 1911:-
 


Sir,
No 13425 Sapper Datlen W, respectfully solicits the favour of the Officer Commanding G Coy to forward him particulars of character in order do facilitate his obtaining employment as application has been made from Gilbraltar for transfer to reserve on expiration of leave.
(on conversion of service)
Signed W. Datlen, Sapper, 1st Company, Royal Engineers.
166 London Road, Dover.
 


Walter had 6 months remaining service. Army regulations would allow him to convert this service into the Army Reserves where he would be available for call up should war be declared but also meant that he was free to start employment.

His reply was sent on 2nd September 1911 :-
 


No. 13425, Sapper, W. J. Datlen, Royal Engineers.
In Reply to your letter of the 6th ultimo, addressed to the Officer Commanding “G” Company, R. E., requesting that a temporary character certificate be issued to you pending your transfer to the Army Reserve being carried into effect :-
You are informed that as you have not incurred any entries in your conduct sheets for drunkenness or other offences during the whole of your service with the Colours (7 years and 8 months) you will be awarded an “Exemplary” Character.
You hold trade qualifications as a “Superior” Electrician, and have obtained a Third Class Certificate of Education.
Signed Colonel, 1/c R. E. Records.
 


On 1st November 1911 Walter was posted to 3rd Company based in England and was finally posted to the Army Reserve on 23rd December.

Old ContemptiblesThe year 1914; Germany declares war on Russia and France and invades Belgium; Britain declares war on Germany; The Great War has begun. Britain sends the first British troops over to France. These first soldiers become known as the old Contemptibles. Sapper Walter James Datlen will be one of them.

On the 5th August 1914 Walter was recalled for service. He was mobilized and once more joined the 30th Company at Plymouth. On 21st November 1914 he was sent to France as part of the British Expeditionary Force where, on the 28th November, he was joined with the 7th Company, Royal Engineers at Armentiers. The company was involved in a multitude of tasks during this time: Digging trenches; drainage; building shelters; painting; making bombs and mortars; working on roads.

Just two weeks into his service in France and Walter was admitted to No 11 Field Ambulance suffering from Gastritis. Another week and he was admitted to No 12 General Hospital suffering from Dyspepsia. These complaints may well have been caused by the digestion of infected food or poison and were most certainly further aggravated by nervous tension and anxiety. Walter had it so bad that there was no way his service could continue and he was sent back home.

On the 21 Decmeber 1914 Walter was back in England he was “sent to Sheffield Hospital (3rd northern) suffering from dyspepsia and pains in back. Came to Plymouth on leave and had an attack of Rheumatism (both legs and feet swollen). Recovered from this and was sent to Chatham – then transferred to 30 Co. RE. At Plymouth. Was again sent to hospital (Salisbury Rd Hosp) March 1915, suffering from Neurasthenia has been, since then attending sick parade.” – This medical report dated May 1916 recommended Walter for discharge on the grounds that he was permanently unfit for service. “This man is in a very highly nervous state…he is in no way fit for work in his neurotic condition. Result of active service ‘Strain of bombardment at Armentiers.”  Despite his condition Walter was appointed Acting Lance Corporal, this was on 25th February 1916.

The discharge papers required his physical details. His age was given as 30 years and 4 months, still one year away from the truth. He still had Brown eyes and brown hair and his chest measurement was 35 inches when fully expanded. It seems though that military service stretched Walter by an inch as his height is now given as 5 feet and 7.5 inches. His intended place of residence was listed as 198 Francis Place, Leyton, London.

Walter’s date of discharge was 26th May 1916. His Military character was noted as Exemplary – “Total abstainer, thoroughly reliable, capable, honest, intelligent, and a superb electrician & gas fitter”. The reason for his discharge was given as “no longer physically fit for war service.”

The remainder of the papers concentrate on Walter’s pension allowance and give various accounts of his continuing condition. 17th November 1916 – “Trembling, easily scared.”; 14th June 1917 – “Complaints similar, giddy at times, off work for 3 months.”; 30th October 1917 – “Similar complaints, Had to stop work as electrician.”; 2nd May 1918 – “State unimproving, shaky at times.” A note is made of his new address from 8th December 1919 – 3 Cobham Road, Victoria, Kingston on Thames.

The last entry in Walter’s file is dated 4th May 1921 and is a final review of his weekly allowance paid due to his suffering from Traumatic Neurasthenia. He is awarded 9/6 for 70 weeks which includes an allowance for 1 child. A note on the form stresses the urgency of this review as “Man sails for Australia, 14 May” and asks for Walter to attend the office with a copy of his marriage certificate. His Australian address is later added to his records as Black Forest Estate, via Clarence Park, Adelaide. S.Australia.

Walter served a total military service of 12 years and 95 days, he was awarded the following medals:-

1914 Star
Clasp to 1914 Star
Roses issued 3 May 1920


Notes relating to Neurasthenia
A neurosis in which there is much mental and physical fatigue, inability to concentrate, loss of appetite, and a failure of memory. (Baillière’s Nurses Dictionary, Kasner & Tindall)

The following is taken from a posting by a medical professional to a mailing list that I (Forrest Anderson) am a member of, and I think should explain things...

There has been much discussion of PTSD and WW1 psychiatric disorders, including shellshock, recently.  I hope the list will bear with me if I attempt to explain the very confusing psychiatric diagnostic terms that were used during this period. During WW1, there was no such book as the Fourth Edition of the American Psychiatric Association's Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (DSM4), currently the psychiatrist's bible for psychiatric definitions, in fact there was no valid classification of the stress induced anxiety disorders at all.

During WW1 many, very sick, soldiers were misdiagnosed as being cowards or malingerers and, as Julian has so graphically demonstrated to us, a number were executed for cowardice. If they were lucky, and their illness was recognised, these sick soldiers were diagnosed as suffering one of a multitude of illdefined diseases: these included 'neurosis', 'anxiety neurosis', or 'neurasthenia' (this latter term technically means "weakness of the nerves", whatever this was), 'psychosis' including "mental stupor" or "insanity", and 'hysteria'. 'Effort Syndrome' or Disordered Action of the Heart, known as DAH, (palpitations, weakness, faintness on exertion) was a common diagnosis at Gallipoli, possibly reflecting the doctor's medical student training as being almost entirely in organic illness, and the individual doctor's desire to try to find a physical cause for the perplexing manifestations of psychiatric illness with which he was confronted. These manifestations also included paralysis, blindness (one corporal Hitler went temporarily blind after being involved in an explosion) mania, or violent behaviour, uncontrolled weeping and confusion, often leading to the soldier absenting himself from the battlefield, with fatal results to him if he were caught..

The diagnoses were perforce vague and confused and reflected the very low understanding of mental disease of the time.  The term "shellshock" was first introduced late in 1915 and Butler, the Austalian medical historian wrote that probably the medical officers unconsciously copied the lay soldier's concept of a direct and causative relationship between the "shock to the nervous system" and the 'windage', (later called blast) of a shell explosion.  It was later discovered that there was no organic damage to the brain and that the condition was a 'traumatic neurosis' but the evocative term, 'shell shock', persisted until WW2, when it was replaced by other illdefined, but more descriptive diagnoses such as 'anxiety disorder' and 'anxiety state'.  However 'neurasthenia' was still widely used during WW2, as was 'hysteria' and 'war neurosis' and it was only after the Vietnam conflict that it was realised that many veterans suffered from a set of well defined symptoms occurring in those who had been exposed to "stressors". These stressors have been defined in the DSM4 as occurring when the"person experienced, witnessed, or was confronted with an event that involved actual or threatened death or serious injury, or a threat to the person's, or other people's, physical integrity; and the person's response to that event involved intense fear, helplessness or horror". It was realised that those who had been exposed could suffer from a specific disease, Post Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD).

In PTSD there are a number of characteristic symptoms including: (i) flashbacks of war experiences (intrusive memories flooding the mind when awake) (ii) recurrent distressing dreams or nightmares (iii) intense psychological distress at conversations, or even TV programmes, concerning war events.  The sufferer cannot tolerate everyday experiences that recall the war (such as the veteran who threw himself to the ground when he heard an explosion, thunder or a car backfiring) (iv) sweating or trembling attacks on exposure to experiences that recalled the events of war, I have seen several veterans who had panic attacks of sweating, trembling and fear whenever a helicopter flew over them. (v) efforts to avoid activities, places, or people that arouse recollections of the trauma, for instance avoiding reunions or Anzac Day marches.

These sufferers also have a diminished interest in previously enjoyed activities, a feeling of detachment or estrangement from others and an inability to feel love and affection.  Depression is common and unfortunately, so is suicide. A major symptom is irritability and outbursts of temper, divorce is only too common. Alcohol abuse is often used as a form of self medication for their symptoms.

Many WW1 veterans must have suffered from this well defined condition but documentation in medical histories was so poor that individuals can rarely be diagnosed in retrospect, however our sister site,the WWW/WW1 Archives, has an important article by Dr Rivers, published in the Lancet in 1918, and Rivers clearly describes what would now be recognised as PTSD. (The article can be accessed at http://raven.cc.ukans.edu/~kansite/ww_one/medical/medtitle.htm, or in the main body of the site under Special Projects). Having now seen and examined over 1250 Australian WW2, Korean , Malayan Emergency and Vietnam war veterans, I have no doubt that many of the earlier psychiatric diagnoses were also wrong and many were indeed cases of PTSD.
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Sources:
Civil Registration index of births, marriages and deaths for England and Wales
 “The Datlen Family Tree” book by Andy R Datlen, first edition March 1999
WW1 Service Records for Walter James Datlen
WW1 War diaries for the 7th Field Company Royal Engineers - Dec 1st - Dec 5th 1914
WW1 Medal Index Card
 


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