SHOT AT DAWN
The Trial and Execution of Privates James
Templeton and J.F. McCracken
15th Bn,
Royal Irish Rifles
James Templeton ref No WO71/454 ; of the 15th Bn,
Royal Irish Rifles
executed on Sunday 19th March 1916. of Enfield
Street, Belfast. James' date of enlistment was 10/10/14, he went to
France with the Unit on
4th October 1915. There is no record of any problems
with his conduct until
27th December 1915 when he was absent from the 3.30 pm
parade, the
punishment being 7 days FP No 1.On 20th January 1916 he disobeyed an order given by an
NCO - punishment of
28 days FP No 1. On 29th January 1916 he was absent from
parade at 2am and 8am -
punishment 14 days FP No 1.On
18th February 1916 he was absented from parade -
punishment 28 days FP No 1
given out on 20th February 1916.From the witness statements it appears the offence he
was executed was
for being missing from 9 pm on 20th February to 6 pm
21st February when he
gave himself up to a Lt Corporal Robert Holdsworth.
This does seem to
suggest that he went missing at some time after being
given the 28 days FP
No1 punishment on that same day.
Having given himself up on 21st February, he was again
absent from parade on
22nd February 1916 - punishment 7 days FP No 1
In the PRO papers there is a statement by Major William B Ewast (??) who says
that James 'no doubt left the front line deliberately but doubtless looked at
this action as any of his previous ones and did not realise how serious an
offence he was committing, no case of this nature having previously occurred in
the Battalion or within the knowledge of the men'.In a statement by a Brigadier
General Withycombe he says: ' I recommend that the extreme penalty in the case
of No 15/890 Rifleman J. Templeton, 15th Batt. Royal Irish Rifles be carried out
as a deterrent to other men committing a similar offence.' A statement dated 3rd
March 1916 by a Major-General Commanding 36th Division goes on to say: ' As
there have been recently 3 previous cases of desertion in the 15th Battalion
Royal Irish Rifles for which the extreme penalty was not awarded, I concur in
the opinion expressed by Brigadier-General Withycombe that the death sentence in
the case of No. 15/890 Rifleman J.Templeton, 15th Battalion Royal Irish Rifles,
be carried out as a deterrent to other men in this Unit.' This decision was made
in spite of the fact that the earlier statement by Brig. Gen Withycombe to which
the Major-General above was referring, stated that 'The discipline of the
15th Battalion Royal Irish Rifles is fair for a Service Battalion'. Why would
they then find it necessary to execute 2 of their men (McCracken was also
executed with James on that fateful Sunday morning) as a deterrent if the
Battalion was not considered to have a problem with discipline?
JF McCRACKEN : Rifleman 15/13211 15th Bn.,
Royal Irish Rifles
aged 19, executed on the 19th of March 1916.
As with James, McCracken's poor character was only
evident recently and in a
statement by Major Ewart (??) he says 'this man's character is lately poor, but I attribute
this more to the fact that his mother died since he came to France, as,before this happened his
crimes were of a very minor nature, and whilst in
action, before his mother's
death, I have no serious complaint to make about him.From notes on the front on McCrackens' papers by
Julian Putkowski, he appears to have
said he still felt unwell after some time in hospital.
AFB enlisted 4/9/14
Arrived in France 4/10/15
Mother died 27/12/15
absent from parade
24/1/16 dirty ammo/falling out of parade
29/1/16 absent from working party
20/2/16 - fell and hurt back - sent back to duty by MO
21/2/16 Arrive for duty in trenches from hospital,
said he still felt unwell after having left hospital
21/2/16 - went absent
22/2/16 surrendered himself
McCracken's defence statement:
'I had only just come out of hospital and was not
feeling fit. I am sorry
for what I have done'
© Eileen Hinken 12.11.2002
The Irish Shot at Dawn Campaign to secure pardons for Irish born British
soldiers executed for military offences 1914 -18
