From the Globe and Mail:
Nine decades after their ignominious death by firing squad, dozens of Canadian First World War soldiers executed for desertion may soon be getting posthumous pardons.
The British Defence Ministry says it will seek parliamentary approval to pardon more than 300 soldiers who paid the ultimate price for battlefield offences such as desertion or cowardice.
Canada has already recognized 23 First World War soldiers who were shot by firing squad as part of the British High Command's effort to impose harsh battlefield discipline on front-line troops.
The impression is that these troops were shot in a desperate attempt to instill terror in the rest of the troops, all ready to bolt except for fear of their murderous officers.
In 2001, Veterans Affairs said the men were owed a measure of dignity and announced it would add their names to the Book of Remembrance, the honour roll of Canada's war dead.
Are the other soldiers listed in the Book of Remembrance treated with dignity when they are forced to share the pages with these executed men?
The excuse made here is that some men might have been executed too quickly, but that we can't be sure who, so best to pardon everyone.
Relatives of the executed soldiers have long argued that the deserters suffered from post-traumatic stress syndrome and broke down amid the horrors of First World War battle.
Again, the idea of a weeping soldier, his mind broken, shot by heartless officers hoping to terrify the others into obeying orders.
Who were some of these men? From the Canadians Shot at Dawn website, advocating this pardon:
During W.W. I, 23 Canadians were "shot at dawn". Twenty-three young Canadian men were executed for desertion. We are not saying their actions merit any degree of praise. We are not trying to cast more upon these men than their actions merit. We are saying, however, that these men did not deserve to be tied to a post, blindfolded and killed.
It is our opinion that the executions of young men is beyond the scope of Canadian justice. We cannot even begin to understand the stress and blind fear that would have taken over these men. How many of these men needed treatment? If it became necessary to "set an example" then other courses of action should have been used.
Leopold Delisle, 22nd Canadien Francais Battalion, 5th Brigade, 2nd Canadian Infantry Division, Private
Shot: May 21, 1918
DesertionNorman Ling, 2nd Eastern Ontario Battalion, 1st Brigade, 1st Canadian Infantry Division, Private
Shot: August 12, 1918
DesertionJames H. Wilson, 4th Central Ontario Battalion, 1st Brigade, 1st Canadian Infantry Division, Private
Shot: July 9, 1916
Desertion
Desertion. Sounds like unwilling conscipts who refused, just once, to "go over the top". Here are the stories of these three men.
Leopold Delisle:
Leopold Delisle was born in Montreal during 1893. Following the outbreak of war, Delisle tried to enlist 3 times before he was finally accepted for overseas service in April 1915. One month later, Delisle sailed with the 22nd (French-Canadian) Battalion.
However, Delisle rapidly accumilated [sic] offences on his conduct sheet.
Date Offence Punishment 25 June 1915 Refusing to obey an order 14 days' Field Punishment No 1 1 September 1915 Drunk & absent from parade Fined $2 5 November 1915 Insubordination 7 days' Field Punishment No 2 27 November 1915 Absent from parade Fined 1 days' pay 8 January 1916 Refusing to go on parade 28 days' Field Punishment No 1 22 March 1916 Striking a superior officer 1 years' Hard Labour 5 September 1917 Outside area without pass 3 days' Field Punishment No 1 10 September 1917 AWOL from drill parade 21 days' Field Punishment No 1 On 29 March 1918 Delisle's unit was ordered forward to attempt to stem the German advance on Arras. However, when the roll call was made Delisle was absent. Five days later, Delisle was arrested just outside Arras. This time, Delisle's court-martial found him guilty of desertion and sentenced him to death by shooting.
At 04:24 on 21 May 1918, Delisle (aged 25) was executed by firing squad. His remains are now located in Bellacourt Military Cemetery, Plot II, Row J, Grave 6.
Norman Ling:
Wilson Norman Ling was born on 5 July 1896 in Toronto.
During May 1915, Ling enlisted in the 59th Battalion, which sailed for England later than year. During 1916, Ling was sent as part of a reinforcement of the 2nd (Eastern Ontario) Battalion in France.
On 22 June 1916 and 8 July 1916, Ling went absent from his unit in France. When he was recaptured after the 2nd attempt, Ling was charged with desertion. At his court-martial, the charge was reduced to AWOL and Ling was sentenced to 90 days' Field Punishment No. 1
During October 1916, Ling again went absent. Four months later, Ling was recaptured and tried by court-martial. He was found guilty and sentenced to death. However, the sentence was commuted to 2 years' imprisonment with hard labour. In turn, this sentence was suspended and Ling was released on 15 June 1917.
Six days later, on 21 June 1916, Ling again went absent. Eventually, almost one year later, Ling was arrested by the military police in Mazingarbe. After his arrest, Ling gave a false name and had another soldiers paybook in his possession. At his court-martial for desertion, Ling was found guilty and sentenced to death by shooting.
On 12 August 1918, Ling (aged 22) was exceuted by firing squad. His remains are now located in Cerisy-Gailly Military Cemetery, Plot II, Row N. Grave 20.
James H Wilson:
James Wilson was born in Limerick (Ireland) in June 1879. After serving 9 years in the Connaught Rangers, Wilson emigrated to Canada.
When war broke out in August 1914, Wilson enlisted in the Canadian Army. However, his conduct was poor from the start. Although Wilson was discharged as "undesirable for military service" on 3 February 1915, he was readmitted for service on 13 March 1915; just over one month later.
Before arriving in France in July 1915, Wilson had been charged at least four times with various offfences including being AWOL, kicking a NCO and using abusive language.
After being in France for just over 24 hours, Wilson went absent and was found drunk. After being arrested by the military police, Wilson escaped. He was quickly recaptured and was sentenced to 70 days' Field Punishment No. 1.
A quiet (from the conduct point-of-view) period of service followed before Wilson was charged with disobeying a lawful command. Wilson received a punishment of 90 days' imprisonment, however this was later suspended. However, on 25 February 1916 Wilson again went absent until he turned himself in during May 1916.
This time Wilson was charged with desertion. At his court-martial he was found guilty and sentenced to death by shooting. At 04:20 on 9 July 1916, Wilson was executed by firing squad. His remains are located in Poperinghe New Military Cemetery, Plot II, Row H, Grave 2.
Volunteer soldiers who then repeatedly and habitually committed serious offenses, and who were over and over again granted less severe punishments than they might have received. Despite this, they continued to offend, exhausting the patience of their commanders and representing a real challenge to the integrity of the military command.
I take issue with the argument that all these soldiers ought to be pardoned because some soldiers were treated harshly after only one offense, and that we can't sort out today who earned the harsh punishment in effect at that time, and who did not. It is true that some soldiers did not seem to get a second (and third and fourth) chance, but I had no problem finding details concerning the repeat offenders. Soldiers like Eugene Perry, with only one offense on his record to recommend him to the firing squad, seem to be in a minority.
Maybe the soldiers who fought and died in battle are a forgiving lot, and would not mind that the names of these executed men appear beside theirs. I just hope that that there are limits to a pardon, and that we don't try to expunge the record of the circumstances of their deaths. That would be an offense against history.
