Clause 75

Where a soldier signs a confession that he has been guilty of desertion or of fraudulent enlistment, a competent military authority may, by order dispense with his trial by a court-martial, or by any subsequent order, award the same forfeitures and the same deductions from pay (if any) as a court-martial could award for the said offence, or as are consequential upon conviction by a court-martial for the said offence, except such of them as may be mentioned in the order.

If upon any such confession, evidence of the truth or falsehood of such confession cannot then be conveniently obtained, the record of such confession, counter-signed by the commanding officer of the soldier, shall be entered in the regimental books, and such soldier shall continue to do duty in the corps in which he may then be serving, or in any other corps to which he may be transferred, until he is discharged or transferred to the reserve, or until legal proof can be obtained of the truth or falsehood of such confession.

The competent military authority for the purposes of this section means the Army Board, or any prescribed general officer or brigadier.