NEW ZEALAND SOLDIERS SENTENCED TO DEATH DURING WORLD WAR ONE

DEATH SENTENCES IN THE NEW ZEALAND EXPEDITIONARY FORCE 1914-1918

Published with permission of Dr C Pugsley from his book "On the Fringe of Hell: New Zealanders and Military Discipline in the First World War" Christopher Pugsley (Hodder & Stoughton 1991).

There were five New Zealand servicemen were executed during the First World War. They were given a pardon by the New Zealand Government on 14 September 2000.

SURNAME FORENAMES RANK SERIAL No REGIMENT OFFENCE DATE OF EXECUTION
BRAITHWAITE John (Jack) Private 24/1521 2/Otago Mutiny 29Oct1916
HUGHES Frank Private 24/2008 2/Canterbury Desertion 25Aug1916
KING John Private 6/1598 1/Canterbury Desertion 19Aug1917
SPENCER Victor Manson Private 8/2733 1/Otago Desertion 24Feb1918
SWEENEY John Joseph Private 8/1384 1/Otago Desertion 01Oct1916

There were a total of 28 New Zealand servicemen who were court-martialled during the First World War (including the above). For further information please see the above book (Page 350).


SERIAL No RANK SURNAME FORENAMES OCCUPATION AGE BIRTHPLACEOFFENCE DATE SENTENCE
12/1142 Private BAKER Frederick J Carter 26 NZ Desertion 04Jul1917 Death
13/3246 Private BARNETT William Labourer 28 NZ Desertion 11Aug1916 Death
7/1594 Driver BASHAM William E Carpenter 22 NZ Desertion 03Jan1918 Death
17751 Private BLACK John W Labourer 33 NZ Desertion 12Apr1917 Death
11401 Private BLACK William Compositor 40 Scotland Desertion 30Aug1917 Death
24/1521 Private BRAITHWAITE John Journalist 35 NZ Mutiny 11Oct1916 Death
21940 Private BURT John Rabbiter 26 NZ Desertion 01Dec1916 Death
7/1563 Private CLOSE Charles H Labourer 25 NZ Desertion 10May1918 Death
4/1563 Private CRAWFORD Edward R Labourer 29 Australia Desertion 03Jul1917 Death
24143 Private DAIKEE Henry O Labourer 22 NZ Desertion 19Oct1917 Death
10/549 Private DUNN John Robert Journalist 26 NZ Sleeping at post 18Jul1915 Death/Mercy
6/4610 Private GEORGE Thomas Shepherd 22 NZ Desertion 08Oct1917 Death/Mercy
8/3281 Private HAMPDEN Alexander Chemist 25 UK Desertion 30Aug1916 Death
24/2008 Private HUGHES Frank Labourer 28 NZ Desertion 12Aug1916 Death
12547 Private KERR William A Labourer 38 Australia Desertion 04Sep1917 Death/Mercy
6/1598 Private KING John Miner 33-39? Australia Desertion 05Aug1917 Death
12/2018 Private LOWRY Thomas Coach painter 28 Ireland Desertion 26Dec1916 Death
12/3728 Private MEYRICK Louis H Ironmonger 24 NZ Desertion 06Apr1918 Death
23011 Private MORGANS Alfred H Farmer 22 NZ Desertion 08Oct1917 Death/Mercy
24/2041 Private MORRISON Thomas C Labourer 38 NZ Leaving guard 04Aug1916 Death
14864 Private RAYNOR John Bridge Builder 33 Australia Desertion 03Aug1917 Death
6/1209 Private RUMMEL Constantine Labourer 20 NZ Desertion 16Jun1917 Death/Mercy
8/2733 Private SPENCER Victor M Engineer 20 NZ Desertion 17Jan1918 Death
8/1384 Private SWEENEY John J Labourer 37 Australia Desertion 13Sep1916 Death
12/2132 Private THOMAS Charles Labourer 28 NZ Desertion 24Aug1916 Death
23/1227 Private WALKER Harold H Bootmaker 32 NZ Desertion 01Dec1916 Death
12/2881 Private WELSH William Labourer 41 England Desertion 24Aug1916 Death
12/3197 Private WILLIAMS James T Carrier 31 NZ Desertion 24Aug1916 Death

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