Impression sketch for What To Do With 'Drunken' Officers.
i
In a number of
insubordinations, various
Appearances of
officers stood before
Major-General Lord
Cheylesmore, who
Presided at a court-martial, Westminster.
A Commandant of Bisley Camp School
Of musketry, who
had in his youth been
Described as an
all round sportsman -
Though 'a little too
eager to shoot birds.'
Eager Major-General Lord Cheylesmore
Was fond of 'teaching the young idea
To shoot' - along with Karl Hans Lody trial
He had many court-martials under his belt.
He had many court-martials under his belt.
Major-General Lord
Cheylesmore now
Turned his talents to home grown issues -
Turned his talents to home grown issues -
He faced an accused
Second Lieutenant
F. L. Whalley, who had pleaded not guilty.
A charge held on the Lieutenant as drunk
On 6 September
1916, at the Wimbledon
Common camp, 10.45 p.m. - the court
Listened to how Whalley's story unfolded.
Listened to how Whalley's story unfolded.
A taxi cab driver
appeared at servant's
Hut on the camp, asking for Lieutenant
Whalley's servant Private Donovan, who
He addressed, to request the officer’s fare.
The driver had refused the idea of being
Given a cheque -
although not very clear,
Private Andrews likely
went to officers
Mess, to inform
another officer of events.
A further witness confirmed how Lieutenant
Whalley was
slumped on his bed to appear
Drunk - in shaking him he asked him what
He was going to do; 'give the man a cheque.'
Whalley asked them to write this for him -
Private Donovan
advised the driver a cheque
For 25s would be
posted - in his evidence
Whalley informed
court of personal worries.
Since late August his concerns centred
About his wife
having recently given birth -
On 5 September he
had been all day at the
Nursing home, returning to camp at 9 p.m.
He could not
sleep so then returned
To the nursing
home by 1 a.m., where
Two Doctors held
no hope for his wife.
In addition the child would not survive.
In addition the child would not survive.
Staying there for many hours he finally
Left 9 p.m. Whalley
took a taxi to stop
At a hotel, to
drink 3 sodas and brandies
He had not eaten
- but nor was he drunk.
Collapse came from mental worry and
Physical exertion
- court then heard how
Whalley had been
in army 11 years with
4 years
active service in South Africa.
During that time no crime had been made
Against him
- a letter was provided by late
Lord Roberts to Whalley's parents, to say
Lord Roberts to Whalley's parents, to say
He had been part of his close bodyguard.
Whalley carried out his duties smartly,
As a keen soldier - while Captain Neale
Advised he proved
to be excellent officer
And popular with
colleagues and men.
ii
From Bedfordshire
Yeomanry stood
Second Lieutenant
H. E. R. Craig, to be
Accused that on
16 September 1916 he
Was at Empire Music
Hall Promenade.
He was found
dancing whilst in uniform.
Captain T. V.
Brown, Assistant Provost
Marshal of
Australian Force, saw Craig
Step dancing, his arm around a civilian.
Captain Brown spoke to Craig to say his
Behaviour did not
become an officer -
The Lieutenant
replied he was not doing
Any harm - the Captain
asked for his card.
The reply was, 'I
have not got any,' to add
Was his word not
good enough? then given
An order to
report on Monday. 'I cannot
Do it' - then Craig followed Captain Brown.
Craig had asked for Brown's
card in order
He may lodge a
complaint; at 11.15 p.m.
A Captain Cameron asked him, after what
A Captain Cameron asked him, after what
Brown had said, why did he follow him?
Craig denied he followed Brown - asked
Again if he
understood he was to report
To the Provost-Marshals
office the next
Morning - the
reply was, 'I cannot report.'
After repeating that he must report, Craig
Was told not to
loiter but go on his way -
Giving back reply, 'I shall stay where I like.'
At that point he
was arrested and taken.
Travelling quietly in
the taxicab Craig was
Quite sober - at
Scotland Yard Lieutenant
Craig was put
into a cell, to perform steps
Of a dance as the
door was being locked.
Lieutenant Craig faced court-marshal over
3 charges of
insubordination to a superior
Officer - this he
denied, stating how he had
Only been at Promenade
talking to a friend.
Further to
explain that after being led into
The cell, where
all the windows were open,
Lieutenant Craig
stamped his feet to keep
Warm and that he
had not been dancing.
iii
Second Lieutenant A. E. N. Phillips, an
Officer of the Royal Garrison Artillery sent
A telegram to the
Anti Aircraft company,
Commander Captain
Rotteburg one Saturday.
His words, 'kindly
excuse me parade this
Morning:
unavoidably detained.' Without word
Until Monday 18
September, to say by wire
He would report Tuesday with explanations.
Second Lieutenant A. E. N. Phillips was
Actually absent
from Friday 15 to Tuesday
19 September - in
his decision not to give
Any explanations,
he instead gave evidence.
Stating that
his section had no weekend duty,
Phillips had
not realised that there were strict
Regulations
in what his absence had meant -
If known he would not have taken time away.
Lieutenant Phillips defended his character,
To state he had
been in the Matabeleland
And Natal Mounted
Police, South Africa -
Having gained
medals prior to his arrival.
He had decided to
leave his police post there
To travel to England
and fight for the Empire.
Having heard evidence,
the court remained
Undecided on Lieutenant
Phillips sentence.
Vi
On another day, without
any connection,
A second
Lieutenant of the Australian
Imperial Force, G.
D. Lemon, had been
Present in London,
23 September 1916.
Second Lieutenant Lemon faced charges
Of drunken behaviour in Leicester Square
10.30 p.m. when
he should have reported
To camp, catching
his train from Waterloo.
Missing the 5.50 p.m. train that evening,
Lemon advised he was
unaware of having
To get a specific
train - he met an Australian
Friend, intending
to travel to camp with them.
Lemon planned his return Sunday morning.
His promotion to
rank of Second Lieutenant
From private had
occurred in 1916; a court
Martial existed from August, for being drunk.
With Lieutenant Lemon's sentence yet to be
Decided, as
was Second Lieutenant Phillips,
Lieutenant Craig, the keen, sober dancer's
Lieutenant Craig, the keen, sober dancer's
Summing up said 'not
guilty' - while Whalley's
Concerns for
his wife, was found 'not guilty.'
by Jamie Mann.
Anon.,1916. Courts-Martial
- Charges Against Officers. The Daily Telegraph, [online] 7 October 1916. P.x14. Col.1.
Available at: <http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/ww1-archive/12213397/Daily-Telegraph-October-7-1916.html>
[Accessed: 11 October 2016].
Mann, J., 2016. 100 years Ago - Poems by Jamie Mann. [letter] (Personal
communication, 11 October 2016).
#WW1 #WW1centenary #GreatWar #WW1poem #GreatWar #WW1centenary
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