Shot at Dawn: Executions in World War One by Authority of the British Army Act

by Julian Putkowski, Julian Sykes

Containing details of all World War I executions carried out under the authority of the British Army Act, this book includes the names, ranks and regiments of those shot by firing squad, together with their offences, trials, execution details and burial places, where known. The text is illustrated with photographs and unit badges to aid the researcher. The authors set out to demonstrate what they consider to be the ineptitude, ignorance and unfairness of the British court martial system at the time, and how frequently condemned men were proved to have been formerly brave soldiers who had simply cracked under the pressure of trench warfare. Contending that they were judicially killed as a lesson to other soldiers in order to discourage acts of gross insubordination, desertion and cowardice, the authors present eye-witness accounts which show how, in many cases, the condemned men went to their deaths with great courage and dignity. Evidence is also provided of instances in which next-of-kin were hoodwinked into believing that their men had died in action - a system of cover-up which, it is claimed, still exists today. Some men, the murderers and rapists, even by today's standards probably deserved their end, but the accounts of others, who were unrepresented - and in some cases in their late teens and early twenties - make harrowing reading.

304 pages, Hardcover

First published January 1, 1990

Reviews

[Frederick · Rating 5 out of 5]

Thorough and ghastly piece of work chronicling the executions performed under the authority of the British Army in World War One for desertion, cowardice, murder, and an assortment of bad behavior. Considering the inhuman and apocalyptic conditions under which that war was fought it is surprising that more men did not choose to simply throw down their weapons and try to escape. This is an important reference work for anyone studying The Great War.

[Kristin · Rating 4 out of 5]

I would like to thank Pen and Sword for the opportunity to read this book in exchange for an honest review.

This book covers all of the soldiers that were shot on the western front under the British Army Act (ie those that were serving with British units). The majority were shot for desertion or cowardice and this book goes into the details (where known) of their unfair trials. A lot of these soldiers were clearly showing signs of shell shock/PTSD.

The Armed Forces Act 2006 pardoned all of those who were shot for desertion or cowardice. A memorial has been built at the National Memorial Arboretum to commemorate them.



(photo belongs to me)