Punishment in Normandy

Paul Reed · 22-06-2007, 05:40 PM

We read a lot about those executed in WW1, but there is very little about British Army punishment in the Second World War. I came across the following PtII Order in a unit war diary while in the archives this week, and I must say the contents suprised me a little. While you couldn't be shot anymore, you were facing some pretty hefty prison sentences if caught deserting etc. See below.

Capt.Sensible · 22-06-2007, 06:04 PM

Blimey! Penal Servitude? What do you think that meant? Did we have some sort of equivalent to the French Devils' Island? Ref. item 20, I would be very pissed off by this: all that bleedin' way and not a sniff of a steak tartare, I mean, it's just not cricket!

Gibbo · 22-06-2007, 06:16 PM

Penal servitude means being imprisoned & having to work, but not on such back breaking work as entailed by imprisonment with hard labour.

sapper · 22-06-2007, 07:47 PM

There was another crime not mentioned here....having Calvados Brandy in your water bottle...Straight in the Glass House. Military prison to the uninitiated!
Only those that are not in their right mind, would choose to commit a crime that meant the Glass House. For the punishment in the "Glasshouse" is brutal in the extreme, nonstop, and plainly horrific.
When I say Brutal... it was something that no sane man would contemplate. Field punishment is, or was, BRUTAL ....but that pales into insignificance alongside the "Glasshouse" They had one in Normandy.
Sapper

marcus69x · 22-06-2007, 10:59 PM

My god Sapper, what did they do to you in there?

Excellent research Paul. A question though:

Why did the French authorities prohibit the sale of meals in restaurants to allied troops?

sapper · 22-06-2007, 11:22 PM

I was not aware that the French prohibited sale in cafes? It is very seldom that the front line troops would find a place to buy anything. We had our own grub ...Though we did barter for eggs and spring onions and farmhouse butter.
I cooked some horse meat in butter with onions, in a fox hole with a hell of a war going on all around,,,Best meal I had for years. I had lost half my eating tools and went through the war with one billy can and one spoon for eating everything. No bother,the enemy shelled my knife and fork and the other billy can, Bastard! Only the insane risk the Glass house !
Sapper

Owen · 22-06-2007, 11:55 PM

Cheers for that Paul, see it was Battalion Orders for a 43rd Div unit.
11th July he shot himself, 7th Hampshires were fighting in Maltot , hard battle and he couldn't take any more , I assume.
Very interesting, like you say we know all about Field Punishment in The Great War, wonder how it took shape in WW2.
It must have been just a massive non-stop beasting session.

CROONAERT · 23-06-2007, 09:11 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Owen D

,
Very interesting, like you say we know all about Field Punishment in The Great War, wonder how it took shape in WW2.
It must have been just a massive non-stop beasting session.

ever seen "The Hill" ?

morse1001 · 23-06-2007, 10:07 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by CROONAERT

ever seen "The Hill" ?

Several times! Once at RAF Turnhouse watched it in the TV room and you could cut the hate in the room when Harry Andrews came into view!

Owen · 23-06-2007, 10:19 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by CROONAERT

ever seen "The Hill" ?

Yup, bloody great film.

22-06-2007, 05:40 PM	#1 (permalink)
Paul Reed Ubique Join Date: Feb 2004 Location: Kent/France Posts: 3,600	Punishment in Normandy We read a lot about those executed in WW1, but there is very little about British Army punishment in the Second World War. I came across the following PtII Order in a unit war diary while in the archives this week, and I must say the contents suprised me a little. While you couldn't be shot anymore, you were facing some pretty hefty prison sentences if caught deserting etc. See below. __________________ The WW2 Society: Remembering those from Britain & The Commonwealth who served 1939-45 - http://www.battlefieldsww2.50megs.com/ww2_society.htm

22-06-2007, 06:16 PM	#3 (permalink)
Gibbo Senior Member Join Date: Mar 2005 Location: Edinburgh Posts: 320	Penal servitude means being imprisoned & having to work, but not on such back breaking work as entailed by imprisonment with hard labour. __________________ Martin

22-06-2007, 11:55 PM	#7 (permalink)
Owen Top Moose Join Date: Dec 2005 Location: Under the stairs Posts: 9,464	Cheers for that Paul, see it was Battalion Orders for a 43rd Div unit. 11th July he shot himself, 7th Hampshires were fighting in Maltot , hard battle and he couldn't take any more , I assume. Very interesting, like you say we know all about Field Punishment in The Great War, wonder how it took shape in WW2. It must have been just a massive non-stop beasting session. Last edited by Owen; 23-06-2007 at 12:00 AM.

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22-06-2007, 06:04 PM	#2 (permalink)
Capt.Sensible Senior Member Join Date: May 2007 Location: Directly above the centre of the earth... Posts: 407	Blimey! Penal Servitude? What do you think that meant? Did we have some sort of equivalent to the French Devils' Island? Ref. item 20, I would be very pissed off by this: all that bleedin' way and not a sniff of a steak tartare, I mean, it's just not cricket!

22-06-2007, 07:47 PM	#4 (permalink)
sapper WW2 Veteran Join Date: Nov 2004 Posts: 1,513	There was another crime not mentioned here....having Calvados Brandy in your water bottle...Straight in the Glass House. Military prison to the uninitiated! Only those that are not in their right mind, would choose to commit a crime that meant the Glass House. For the punishment in the "Glasshouse" is brutal in the extreme, nonstop, and plainly horrific. When I say Brutal... it was something that no sane man would contemplate. Field punishment is, or was, BRUTAL ....but that pales into insignificance alongside the "Glasshouse" They had one in Normandy. Sapper

22-06-2007, 10:59 PM	#5 (permalink)
marcus69x I love WW2 meah!!! Join Date: Dec 2006 Location: Middlesbrough, UK Posts: 1,526	My god Sapper, what did they do to you in there? Excellent research Paul. A question though: Why did the French authorities prohibit the sale of meals in restaurants to allied troops?

22-06-2007, 11:22 PM	#6 (permalink)
sapper WW2 Veteran Join Date: Nov 2004 Posts: 1,513	I was not aware that the French prohibited sale in cafes? It is very seldom that the front line troops would find a place to buy anything. We had our own grub ...Though we did barter for eggs and spring onions and farmhouse butter. I cooked some horse meat in butter with onions, in a fox hole with a hell of a war going on all around,,,Best meal I had for years. I had lost half my eating tools and went through the war with one billy can and one spoon for eating everything. No bother,the enemy shelled my knife and fork and the other billy can, Bastard! Only the insane risk the Glass house ! Sapper

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