I imagine that there were many other such 'characters' escaping justice by going to the Colonies around 1900, and Mr. Counter seems to have led an interesting life. No record of his grave at Find A Grave, any information on his service during the war?
FROM BATTLEFIELD TO DOCK.
THE VARIED CAREER OF AN EX-LANCER.
Stockbroker's clerk, Lancer, enteric patient, electrical engineer, opium eater - all those rôles have been played by Albert Walter Counter, and all in four years. At the Guildhall, London, on Monday, he appeared in still another part - that of a prisoner in the dock on a charge of forging a cheque on the London and Westminster Bank. It was said he committed the crime in 1896, when he was a clerk in the employment of Messrs. Cousins and Co., stockbrokers. He was said to have forged the name of the firm to the cheque, which was presented and cashed.
He was said to have been arrested on a warrant, but he vanished, and has only recently been heard of at a nursing home, invalided from service at the front. Immediately after the warrant had been issued he enlisted in the 12th Lancers, and was in the service until 1898, when he deserted. Apparently to escape the consequences he went to South Africa, and got work as an electrical engineer. So he continued until the war broke out. Then his military enthusiasm re-awoke, and he enlisted again.
He was badly wounded at Elands Laagte, but he recovered sufficiently to go back to active service, and he was in the action at Spion Kop, and was sent home as an invalid to the nursing home at Warwick. In view of his career, and of the fact that his health would probably prevent his surviving a term of imprisonment, no evidence was offered against him. He was, however, held in custody on the charge of desertion.
(Leek Post, Saturday 29th September 1900)
