deserter
n. countablen. a soldier who leaves their army without permission and does not return. This is a serious crime because it puts the rest of the team in danger.
n. a person who leaves their military post or unit without authority and with the intent to remain away permanently. Often carries a legal or disciplinary connotation.
The soldier was labeled a deserter after he fled the camp.
During the war, the general issued a warning that any deserter would be treated as a traitor.
The historical record shows that while some soldiers were genuine deserters, others simply sought to avoid the horrors of the front lines for a short period before returning to their units.
Borrowed from Latin desertor (“deserter”), from desero (“to forsake, to abandon”); or from desert + -er.