However, in the face of these extortionate requisitions some 20,000 Slavic soldiers deserted to the Arabs - with them went Armenia to the enemy.

It says army reinforcements arrived in the town, which is north of Hama, after 15 regular soldiers deserted to the opposition.

Punishments were draconian in nature, such as running the gauntlet, and despite the threat of hanging, many soldiers deserted when they could.

Some of the regular soldiers deserted, frightened or unwilling to fight beside the Protector's Pets.

Houston quietly pointed out the difficulties facing the soldiers in Matamoros, and many soldiers deserted.

In the 2006 fiscal year, 3,196 soldiers deserted, the Army said, a figure that has been climbing since the 2004 fiscal year, when 2,357 soldiers absconded.

However several hundred soldiers from the division deserted to the Allies.

In 2005, for example, the Army now says 2,543 soldiers deserted, not the 2,011 it had reported.

Over one thousand soldiers deserted.

Returning home without a shield meant the soldier deserted (A hoplite could not escape the field of battle unless he tossed away the heavy and cumbersome shield).