#shotatdawn — Public Fediverse posts

Series of men who were executed for desertion in WWI:
We remember Sergeant John Thomas Wall.
John Thomas Wall was born in 1895, Worcestershire. He was the son of William Wall and Harriet Passey.
In 1912 he enlisted in the Worcestershire Regiment 1st Battalion as a Drummer Boy. Service No. 13216.
He had served on the Western Front from the beginning of WW1. When he arrived in France with the 3rd Battalion on the 12th August 1914, his rank was that of a Lance-Corporal. He had fought with his Battalion in every engagement and was promoted to Sergeant.
In August 1917 the 3rd Battalion was in action near the Bellwarde Ridge, when Sergeant Wall went missing during the attack. This was unlike him and it could have been that he was suffering from "battle fatigue" which affected his mental state. Unfortunately, this was not considered at his trial.
On the 6th September 1917, Sergeant Wall was executed by firing squad, for desertion, at Poperinghe. He was 22 years of age.
He is buried at Poperinghe New Military Cemetery Belgium. #WW1 #shotatdawn

Series of men who were executed for desertion in WWI:
We remember Private Henry Hughes.
Henry Hughes was born in 1891, Sheffield, Yorkshire. He was the son of John Charles and Ellen Hughes.
Henry joined the York and Lancaster Regiment. Rank Private. Service No. 242904.
Private Hughes unit was based in a hamlet called Potijie just off the road that runs from Ypres. On 8th January 1918 he was detailed to join a working party in the trenches near the Hussar camp (Leper) but instead he deserted his unit. Private Hughes was already under sentence of death for deserting the previous December and was arrested on the 8th February 1918 at Poperinge.
The Court Marshal was assembled on 19th March 1918. It could only be convened if the accused was on active service or stationed overseas. At the hearing Private Hughes was described as from a fighting point of view he was of no value. Private Henry Hughes was sentenced to death and was informed he would be shot the next morning.
At 5.50am on the 10th April 1918 Private Henry Hughes was shot through the heart in accordance with military code at Millekapelle aged 27. Henry was the third person from Sheffield to have been executed. He is buried at Huts Cemetery, Flanders, Belgium. #shotatdawn #WW1

Series of men who were executed for desertion in WWI:
George Ernest Roe was born in 1894, Sheffield, Yorkshire. He was the son of John L Roe and Mary Wells.
In 1911 Geoge’s occupation was a Labourer aged 17. He lived with his family at 16 Alfred Road, Brightside, Sheffield, Yorkshire.
George joined the King’s Own Yorkshire Light Infantry (KOYLI) 2nd Battalion. Rank Private. Regimental No. 3/1433.
Private George Ernest Roe was executed by a firing squad for desertion on 11th June 1915 aged 19. He is buried at Perth Cemetery China Wall, Belgium.
His battalion had seen heavy fighting & suffered huge casualties in the Ypres Salient. He was undefended at trial, where he was given a good character, but said to have lost his nerve
On 7 November 2006, the UK government announced retrospective pardons for all British personnel executed during the Great War.
There seems to be a discrepancy about his age as he was almost 21 when he was executed. But the information from the CWGC have him down as 19. Some young soldiers did lie about their age in order for them to join the army. However, it is worth noting that he was in the regular army at the time of his death. #WW1 #yorkshire #shotatdawn

Series of men who were executed for desertion in WWI:
Charles Bladen was born in 1888, Barnsley, Yorkshire. He was the son of John Bladen and Elizabeth Leech. n 1915 Charles married Alice M Orchard.
Charles joined the York and Lancaster Regiment 10th Battalion. Rank: Private. Service No. 14537. On 20 Dec 1915, he deserted from his battalion which was fighting at Armentières. When arrested in London on the following January 29th 1916, Bladen said that he had merely overstayed his home leave. He then made 3 attempts at escape which failed; his trial followed, and he was executed on March 23rd 1916 aged 26. He is buried at Cite Bonjean Military Cemetery, France. Private Bladen was pardon by H.M Government, and he is remembered on the National Arboretum, Lichfield. #WW1 #shotatdawn

2. But in November he was evacuated to hospital following a nervous breakdown, returning a second time to his battalion early in 1916. Prior to the attack on Delville Wood in August 1916, he went missing, unable to stand the strain.
He was executed on 18th November 1916 for attempted desertion at Deville Wood near Penin, France aged 29. Buried at Arras Road Cemetery, France. Private Alfred Leonard Jeffries is remembered at the National Memorial Arboretum, Staffordshire. #WW1 #shotatdawn

1. Continuing the series of Men who were Shot at Dawn WW1:
Alfred Leonard Jeffries was born in 1886, Bristol. He was the son of Leonard George Jeffries and Georgina White.
Alfred joined the 6th Battalion Somerset Light Infantry. Rank Private. Service No. 9970. He was wounded in the month following his arrival in France in May 1915 and returned to active service in due course. #WW1 #shotatdawn

1. Series of men who were executed for desertion in WWI:
William Hunter was born in 1897, Percy Main, Northumberland. He was the son of James Gibson Hunter and Margaret Dixon.
In 1911 William aged 15 was an inmate, school, Durham, Sunderland. In 1914 William joined The Loyal North Lancashire Regiment 1st Battalion. Rank Private, Service No. 10710. In 1915 he went to France. #WW1 #shotatdawn