For the Sake of Example

[carltonlost]

5872steve there was a right of appeal it went up the chain from battalion commander right to the commander in chief, they weren't executed on a whim every death sentence was given proper thought and consideration. Remember 90% were commuted Haig acted with input from the offenders officers all the way along the chain.

[andrewkenworthy]

the thing is , its the bodys and brains natural reaction to fear is to freeze or become immobile, icapable, its normal to not want to die and be afraid, those generals and officers that killed their own should have faced the same firing squads for murdering innocent people fooled into going to war to for their country and then are murdered. just sick. needless war sold on lies and scaremongering of civilian nations, kings and lords game of chess with mens lives. was nothing more.

[jan1035]

@andrewkenworthy you're right, this needless war where thousands of men were sacrificed for just a few meters of land. I've heard from eyewitnesses that soldiers on their way to the front, made sheep sounds while parading in front of their officers. They knew they were sacrificed like sheep.

[dewARTvideo]

Actually jonwvin that's not quite true. There was an Australian who joined the NZ army and was one of those executed in WW1.

Admittedly he wasn't classed as an Australian soldier.

[jonwvin]

NO Australian Serviceperson has been excuted since the Bore war

[5872steve]

Those lads were Murdered " 15 minute court marshall, no representative of law, and no right of appeal. We even shot soldiers who were underage. And to think that Butcher Haigh looks down at us from his plinth in London celebrated as a war hero. It make"s me sick to my stomach.

[MrMike3865]

not bad acting

[xummij]

Very good verse.

[THthefirst]

@dewARTvideo read Mud, Blood and Poppycock - it's all in there. Then come back.

[dewARTvideo]

@THthefirst

No thanks.....Unlike your good self I tend not to believe everything I read.

[THthefirst]

@dewARTvideo No, only the parts you want to hear.

To be reasoned you have to take both sides of the debate, not hand pick those that agree with you.

90% of the death sentences were not carried out and the men who were shot had records of repeatedly leaving their post etc.

Many thousands did not leave their posts but stayed, regardless of their fear. They all knew what the penalty was.

You simply cannot impose 2010 values on the first world war.

As i say, widen your perspective

[dewARTvideo]

@THthefirst

I'm not certain that you are in a position to talk about being reasoned. Looking at comments on your Youtube channel you are clearly a troubled person.

I have no interest in continuing to debate with a bigotted person, so I'll end it here!

[tompouceful]

@THthefirst Listen Hero, you talked with a coward now, a run away person, a stay alive under all circumstances person. I know for sure when I was there in that time, I should escape this total madness by all means. You can call me a deserter, or somebody who repeatedly leaving his post, instead of blowing away in ten thousand pieces. Give me one reason to take my right away, to stay alive. And don't come with the honour, the countrie, the queen, the flag, the comradship or god

[truffyt]

@THthefirst Why do you try to defend murders? It doesn't matter that many who were executed had comitted a crime like murder (which isn't true). 306 soldiers from the Commonwealth and GB were still shot for desertion or cowardice, and they hadn't murdered anyone. Today they would have been treated by psychiatrists which they needed, and already back then most psychiatrists said that it didn't have anything to do with cowardice. You say that we can't impose 2010 values on WW1, when we're...

[truffyt]

@THthefirst ...talking about the right to live your bloody life. Or is that something we invented yesterday? Not one single veteran who was in the trenches defends the executions, quite the contrary, but you sit behind your computer in your underwear, drinking Cola, watching TV, and in the commersials you claim that the men who had seen their comrades gased to death, blown to pieces, gotten their stomaches ripped open by shrapnel and shouting for their mothers while trying to collect their...

[truffyt]

@THthefirst ...guts were cowards! To be frank with you, there is nohting good about who you are or what you do if those are your oppinions.

[535006]

@THthefirst

Germany only executed 25 troops . That is a big difference The Bristh general were very unhappy that they cound't execute Australian troops because the aussie goverment would not allow it. They even exeecuted toops a couple of days before the war ended . Bristh officers were sent back home if they coudn't cope.

[boum62]

@535006 So sad but true. And guess what we have a similar bunch of politicians sending our young men to war to face bullets.

[THthefirst]

have you actually bothered to do any research at all?

you do realise that over 90% of all death sentences were not carried out and of that were these included murderers who would have been hanged anyway and the soldiers executed had repeatedly left their posts etc and been given chances.

[dewARTvideo]

@THthefirst

...and that excuses over 300 men who were shot by their mates on the orders of senior officers....does it ? Of course I researched it !!!!! There were murderers, true. If they had been civilians they would have been hanged, that's true. Not shot by their mates with other men on parade to witness it. Why was that ? If not for the Sake of Example.???? How much research did you do !!!!?

[THthefirst]

@dewARTvideo It is the army in the times of war - different rules apply to the niceities of peace time. They weren't actually shot "by their mates" at all but by random soldiers from other regiments.

If you research each case you see that there are only two or three where questions can be raised about the trial etc. It is myth to suggest they all had shellshock and were murdered.

[dewARTvideo]

@THthefirst

My Grandfather was in a firing squad. They had to shoot two men together (Middx Regt.) He knew both men. Why were officers treated (read about some of the war poets) yet their men were not. Please don't try to justify murder for military purposes.

[cgjoe64]

@THthefirst

Actually my wifes Grandfather was the officer in charge of a firing squad and carried out the sentance on a close friend. He never got over it

[THthefirst]

@dewARTvideo Setting an example is a vital part of any army in wartime, because men have to do horrible things to the enemy in war that do not come easily. It is completely naive and shows a lack of understanding of the military and war to suggest that army discipline is not important and that men should just be left to their own devices. Setting an example is vital.

The firing squad didn't know who had killed the target because there were blanks.

agree it is unpleasant but that's war

[cd1690]

@THthefirst You state that "The firing squad didn't know who had killed the target because there were blanks". Well I will tell you the moment the trigger is squeezed the firer will know immediately if it is a blank or live round he has fired. As anyone who has any experience will tell you there is a vast difference.

The horror of the Great War is something beyond our imagination and we cannot even begin to comprehend it - therefore we MUST NOT Judge but remember with utmost respect.

[Zeamus634]

@cd1690

Research your answer before posting it, if you had then you would know that what you have just said is false!

[cd1690]

@Zeamus634 My "research" is based on practical experience of firearms gained over many years service in the British Army. Including .303 Lee Enfield bolt action with both live and blank ammunition. There is much less recoil when firing blanks. The empty case after firing is also different between blank and live and as soon as the firer opened the bolt to eject the empty case it would be obvious (apart from the recoil, as mentioned). If you don't believe me; ask any ex-soldier

[Zeamus634]

@cd1690 In more recent times, such as in the execution of Ronnie Lee Gardner in Utah in the United States in 2010, a rifleman may be given a "dummy" cartridge containing wax instead of a bullet, which provides a more realistic recoil.

[Paganwarrior2000]

Great recreation, uniforms and guns seem to be authentic as near as I can tell (no expert), I'd venture to say even the manner of grooming was on par. Only thing I have to say, it was too jumpy and it seemed to distract. I know, everyone's a critic. The B&W was awesome and spot on, but the jumping looked like it was caused digitally, not as a natural cause of the camera's actions. Al in all, fine job, and good poetry!

[dewARTvideo]

@Paganwarrior2000

Did you mean the flashing before the title? That was intended. Anything else was not. The chap that played the officer actually made all those uniforms. They were all very fussy about how they looked.

[Paganwarrior2000]

@dewARTvideo Actually no, the flashing before the title I liked, I thought that you were trying to replicate the old jumpiness of old films or something. Just curious, I am assuming you to be an English man, and I know the weapons laws are very strict there, so what are you guys using? Are the actors war re enactors or was all this done just for this film? Also, great set work! Trenches and all!

[dewARTvideo]

It was the shell bursts that we were after at the start. Yesi I am English. The rifles were genuine but decommissioned. The guys were from a group who go out to the battlefields and stand guard. That's where I first met them. It is very spooky to walk into a trench or memorial site and suddenly come across them. The guy that played the padre was a farmer and he dug the trench in one of his fields. It has been used for a few films and TV shows. Sadly he is no longer with us.

[fighter138]

like lambs led to the slaughter...WW1 truly was the worst of all wars. Those who gave their today, gave us our tomorrow. Lest we forget

[tina6581]

The government has been giving out pardons to a lot of the guys we executed in ww1. Some did committed crimes that had the death penalty. But, not all the guys did and none got what we would now call a proper trial. Not a high point in the countrys history I think, but, something we should try to remember.

[flesch317]

Thats just as brutal as any enemy. If they dont want to fight,big deal. Who wants to got to war? Sickning. Yeah, just shoot em. Evil mankind....always war always kill. God help us.

[prissyiam]

this is sad i think i would hide if i was being over run by enemy soldiers to.

[mundjed]

that was not real man

[potapoff]

Good work. No pain

[verrebleu]

quelle honte! A shame!

[movitmovit]

very sad

[spaceman1979]

I´m English. I was born and lived for 25 years in England. Serving in the British army in Bosnia and Northern Ireland. 1997-2002.

[lukesixtynineuk]

Simple way to stop war:

Anyone who votes for war should be sent to the front line and stand shoulder to shoulder with Field Marshalls, Generals and the working class cannon fodder.

There would never be another war.

[spaceman1979]

Little wonder why during ww1 more british officers killed were found with british bullets in them than german ones.

[lespaulsmooth]

i doubt more of them were found with british bullets in them. Quite a few, but I doubt the majority.

[spaceman1979]

Research the topic yourself

[killercrabman]

bullshit.. tommys mostly got shot not officers and if you read about the amount of officers killed on the from line eg= Bellewarde lake at ypres june 16th 1915 wavell's 9th brigade lost 73 of its 96 officers by german shelling and thats just one day...the brits would have to have set up concentration camps for their own officers if they wanted to kill as the germans were.

[painsey]

and all for bullshit fucking rule britania it makes me wanna fucking puke

[CrossCountryTrans]

so he was executed for running away?

[36anty]

y did they exicute them

[dewARTvideo]

Depends who you believe! Some were shot as deserters, cowards, striking an officer etc. Many people believe they were sacrificed to keep other soldiers in line. What ever the reason it is a national disgrace !

[spaceman1979]

Because the Britsh are the most ruthless evil empire to ever rule, who give a fuck for their own people. It would be a different story if one of their senior officers or lords couldnt take the stress of the trenches, but then no, they wouldn´t put them there in the first place in the line of fite.

[killercrabman]

COZ THEY WERE COWARDS!..you prob dont remember leaving the comment but what the hey.

[AConcernedBlogger]

Yeah I know:) Go Black adder

[AConcernedBlogger]

Most arsehole generals were miles away from the front while the British troops were mowed down from Haig's wonderful 'Big Push' tactic. A good thing for morale would have been his resignation and suicide.

[meadeETX125pe]

AConcernedBlogger

Wasn't that quote "A good thing for morale would have been his resignation and suicide" first made by a certain Captain Edmund Blackadder.........

[princedraay]

that last bit you wrote is kind of funny

[pigslefats]

I wonder how many arsehole Generals led the charges over the top. No-they were having cups of tea, way behind the front lines because they were 'indispensable'

[hwoods01]

zero

[londonkev22]

thankfully times change no longer are men suffering from ptsd or battle stress executed but still not enough is being done to help men&women of modern conflicts

[zippL0ck]

There certainly isn't anything great about this or any other war.

It's so tragically sad that humans can behave in this way. What really bothers me about things like this, is that the other soldiers who where just like them (the 1's being shot) followed the orders from the upper class pricks , instead of following their hearts and what they know is right.

Fuck the meglomainiac upper classes.

[dewARTvideo]

Not the words I would have used but....amen to that !

[maxlorygabry]

l'essere umano è l'anello debole dell'universo

[davidgrahamscott]

Very impressive. Check sequences of my film Hanging with Frank on my channel. May be of interest.

[5chadenfreud]

that was really good, quite professional..

[merowinger10]

HORROR.

[beowulfsword08]

a most sad and poignant moment

[Fridomfry]

One of the most sick things ever invented by human organizations to keep control.

Thanks for having a thought for these guys.

The figures are:

Fusillés 1914-18 : Condamnés Exécutés

Armée Britannique 3000 > 400

Français 2000 700

Allemands 150 48

Gerard Oram, "British Military Law and the Death Penalty (1868-1918)", Crime, Histoire & Sociétés, 2001, vo. 5, nº1, p. 93-110.

[tomo26690]

really makes you think alot more about what went on during the Great War its made me think more about it and those soldiers who lost their lives during it

[pohatuonuatahu]

is this from a film or sumin

[dewARTvideo]

It is a short film I made from a poem I had written, some years before, following a visit to the Western Front battlefields and cemeteries in France.

[pohatuonuatahu]

yeah i did that i went to the somme and war memorials with my dad