At the Upwey Camp
a detachment
Of 3rd Dorset
Regiment
Was stationed,
guarding reservoirs,
Providing water
supplies to Portland.
On night of Sunday
29 November,
A disturbance
quickly broke out,
In the Regiment's
canteen.
Officers and a
Captain Graham,
Moved into the
fray to restore order -
Disagreements
became intense.
Exactly how and
what was said,
Remained a
mystery - when
Rifle fire was
suddenly discharged.
Out from one of
the huts,
Shots rattled
about - shot through
The roof and
windows in apparent
Random aim - firing of which
Amounted to
rounds of 150.
The event was
recounted
At the Weymouth
Coroner's court -
A whodunit turned
into whydunit.
Unnamed witnesses,
spoke how
That one, Corporal
Wilson,
Had fired out of
the window
Around the time,
when
Private Wallace
Williams
Ran into the hut
- his face
Covered with
blood - he shouted
'Mutiny!' before
running outside
Taking a rifle,
to be found dead -
Shot directly
through the heart -
While another
private was wounded.
The investigation
of Private Williams'
Death, heard how
he was coldly
Described as 'mentally
deficient,'
And how that his
past conduct
Had undermined
discipline -
Corporal Wilson admitted
taking shots,
Having fired
through the window.
It was beyond
doubt how his shot had
Killed Williams - Wilson
was charged
With manslaughter
- but that the man
Had no intentions
of shooting anyone.
So mercy was recommended
on him -
As he was placed
under military escort.
The process with
hindsight,
Is odd, with no
mention of why
Only to say the
victim was not
Of sound mind -
perhaps
A trap to be rid
of a disliked man,
And a cover up by
the military?
by Jamie Mann.
Anon.,1914. Shooting
Affair in Camp. The Daily Telegraph, [online] 7 Dec. p.2. Col.3. Available at:
http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/ww1-archive/11271150/Daily-Telegraph-December-7-1914.html
[Accessed: 7 December 2014].
Mann, J., 2014. 100 years Ago - Poems by Jamie Mann. [letter] (Personal
communication, 7 December 2014).
#WW1 #WW1centenary #GreatWar #WW1poem #GreatWar #ww1centenary
#worldwarone #worldwaroneremembered
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