Pte Arthur Crease was only 23 years of age but a veteran with nearly 10 years Army service. He enlisted at the age of 14, was discharged for being under age, re-enlisted and even served in the French Army. He had seven gold wounded stripes - and ended up in Luton Police Court on Tuesday, July 24th, 1917, for being an absentee from the Lincolnshire Regiment stationed at Grimsby.

The case, said The Luton Reporter newspaper [July 30th, 1917], was one which "gives point to the criticisms against the disadvantageous uses made of man-power under the military machine". Its report went on:

Crease was apprehended that morning in bed in a house in Chapel Street, Luton - the house of his girl's mother - by Det Bacon acting on private information received the previous night.

The young soldier admitted he had been absent three weeks. He stated that he had been at Grimsby only three days after being discharged from the 1st Eastern General Hospital at Cambridge before he absented himself, and the reason he gave for doing so was that he had been up to London and was waiting an inquiry which was being made by a gentleman who was taking his case in hand with a view to getting him out of the Army.

"You don't look very fit," commented the Magistrates' Clerk, Mr William Austin, whose eye had caught the seven gold stripes and ascertained that the man had been wounded in France seven times. "He deserves sympathy - something better than being handed over to a military escort," he commented.

Mr Austin inquired if he had the means to get back to Grimsby, and the soldier said that he had not, but promised that if he was given a warrant he would go back the same night. The Chief Constable [Mr Charles Griffin] said he could get a warrant for the man if it was the magistrates' wish, and Mr George Warren replied that if he could it would be better as it was an exceptional case.

Put on his honour by the Chief Constable, the soldier promises faithfully to return if he was allowed to do so, saying that if it had not been for the recent air raids he would have been out of the Army by now, but each time his case had come up it had to be put back. He had been in five or six different hospitals, including Cheltenham and Cambridge.

"I have served ten years altogether in the English and French armies and this is my third time in," added the soldier. "I enlisted at the age of 14 and did it on them over my age, but got discharged through being under age. Then I done it on them again and went into the R.F.A. I've also served two years in the French Army."

Asked if he was suffering much now, he replied in the affirmative, adding that he had five complaints he knew of and a sixth one was suspected. He had varicose veins, varicocele, curvature of the spine, one lung damaged, weak bladder and palpitation of the heart.

On his promise to return to his regiment, Mr Warren discharged him and left him in the hands of the Chief Constable.

The Magistrates' Clerk, on learning that he was an engaged man, expressed the hope that the soldier would have good luck.

[The Luton Reporter: Monday, July 30th, 1917]