The Execution of Pte James Haddock 1916

The following information was obtained from the web-site of the Commonwealth War Graves Commission. The first table gives the bare details of James military career and his place of burial.

Nationality:	United Kingdom
Rank:	Private
Regiment:	York and Lancaster Regiment
Unit Text:	12th Battalion.
Age:	32
Date of Death:	16/09/1916
Service No:	7595
Additional information:	Son of Edwin Haddock, of 21, Ranskill Rd., Tinsley Park, Sheffield.
Casualty Type:	Commonwealth War Dead
Grave/Memorial Reference:	VI. F. 5.
Cemetery:	VIEILLE-CHAPELLE NEW MILITARY CEMETERY, LACOUTURE

The Cemetery is in Vieille-Chapelle, a village north east of Bethune. From Bethune follow the D945 to Estaires for approximately 10 kilometres. Take the right turn onto the small road signposted to Vieille-Chapelle opposite Zelobes Indian Cemetery. Follow this small road and on entering Vieille-Chapelle village, the Vieille-Chapelle New Military Cemetery lies on the right hand side of the road.

Julian Putkowski, and Julian Sykes in their book state that James was a regular soldier, possibly a reservist at the beginning of the war, who had been recalled to the colours and arrived in France on 9^th September 1914. James was originally posted to the 2nd Battalion but was transferred to the Sheffield City Battalion (12^th Yorks. and Lancs.). At the time of his posting to the trenches on the Somme, he was already on a twenty year (later reduced to five years) suspended sentence for a previous offence of desertion. Despite thisd he left again on his way up to the trenches on 30th June 1916, the day before Somme Offensive of 1st July 1916. He went into hiding but was discovered five days later on 5th July by Military Police, seven miles from the Battalions trenches

At the subsequent Field Court Martial held on 24th August 1916, James defence was that he was suffering with his feet and the medical officer had told him to rest. He had got lost trying to find transport and when he was apprehended, he was actually looking for the police to ask for directions. To say that this was a flimsy defence is something of an overstatement. His orders at the time of his desertion were to follow his colleagues into the trenches - James did not - he went missing for five days and when found, he was hiding in a civilian wagon without either his equipment or rifle. he had made no attempt whatsoever to rejoin his colleagues.

But the most crucial element to the case was his past Army service record. Since arriving in France, he had deserted seven times as well as being charged with being drunk on active service and refusing to obey an order. He was already under a suspended sentence of five years that had been passed by a FGCM as recently as April 1916. The verdict of the Court Martial was inevitable - James was sentenced to death by firing squad. The Court Martial had no discretion on this matter but did add a recommendation for mercy. The verdict was then passed up the chain of command and the sentence was endorsed at every level. The recommendation for mercy was not a factor. It finally reached the Commander in Chief of the British army in France General Douglas Haig on 12th September 1916 who confirmed the verdict and sentence of the FGCM

The execution by firing squad took place at dawn 6.14 a.m. on 16th September 1916.

He was the first soldier from Sheffield to be executed in the Great War but sadly he would not be the last.

Unlike some of other soldiers who were executed, James did have experience of combat and so one can only speculate about the motives for his actions. Ralph Gibson and Paul Oldfield in their book "Sheffield City Battalion - 12th (Service) Battalion, York and Lancaster Regiment " comment that the most likely cause was a well known form of stress that is nowadays called "battle fatigue" but then came under the blanket term of "cowardice". They also mention that he may have been wounded prior to his desertion and he was experiencing problems at home - his wife died whilst he was on active service.

There is no mention at all of this case in the War Diary of 12th (Service) Battalion, York and Lancaster Regiment. His disappearance, capture, court martial and execution are totally ignored. He is not even commemorated in the publication "Soldiers Who Died In The Great War."

Ralph Gibson and Paul Oldfield mention that James had a family and that one of the Company Sergeant Major's in the Battalion adopted his son. It would be interesting to know if his son ever got to know how his father had died - the Army would not have told him that's for sure.

The 1901 Census shows James' father Edwin aged 39 a Coal Hack Washer who was born in Eckington, Derbyshire but lived in the Attercliffe district of Sheffield. The house in Ranskill Road was demolished years ago but it was in the area of Tinsley Park Road, Sheffield. The family look as though they initially came from Eckington in N.E. Derbyshire. The 1881 Census show James' grandparents (and father) as living in High Street, Eckington, Derbyshire. The 1891 Census has the family living at 5 High Street, Eckington, Derbyshire. (Rg12/2770). James parent's were called Edwin and Sarah and there were three sons and a daughter living at the address