Hello I am reading through my husband's grandad's service record. He was in the North Staffs and was killed at Anzio in 1944. His records show that he was courtmartialled in 1943 (FGCM). The offences are: Sec 5 (7) Army Act and Sec 6 (2) f Army Act. Does anyone have a copy of the act or the manual of military law so they could have a look and see what he did? He was found not guilty on Sec 5 and guilty on Sec 6 for which the punishment was reduced to Private and field punishment for 56 days Many thanks Nicola
Hi Nicola and welcome to the forum. What rank was he busted down from? Not sure where you are in the UK but all the FGCM Registers are held in the National Archives in Kew. Your grandfather should be recorded in one of them. They are not brilliant on detail but they will list the basics including what the offences were. Here's the problem though - Individuals are very hard to find in them as there is no real logical list to help you ID what register to look in. I looked through 5 Registers for a man. Each register contains around 200 to 250 pages with 25 names on each pages. I spent 3 hours of my life ( ) searching through 5 registers 25,000 names and didn't find who I was looking for. There are a lot more than five registers too. Cheers Andy
Nicola - Here are some examples I copied http://www.ww2talk.com/forum/veteran-accounts/41365-savagery-war-3.html#post464068
If you know the month of the FGCM it would be easier to find in the registers. Potentially one of these three volumes: WO 213/48, Field General Courts Martial (Abroad only) 1943 Feb. 22 - July 7 WO 213/51, Field General Courts Martial (Abroad only) 1943 July 12 - Nov. 16 WO 213/53, Field General Courts Martial (Abroad only) 1943 nov. 16 - 1944 Apr. 9 The sections you've mentioned are from the Army Act 1881, a copy of which can be found here: Manual of military law : Great Britain. War Office : Free Download & Streaming : Internet Archive Lee
Lee, The registers are dated by the date the Clerk received the info not the date of offence. The dates of the offence compared to the received date which the NA gives in the title can be up to 12 months between them. If you look at the examples I posted you will see the first line is the date the entry was made in the register-Look across and you will see the date of offence and conviction are completely different.
It's been mentioned on the forum before that the 1881 Army Act was still in force. There is a 1907 dated copy of the act on line. Section 6(2) relates to misbehaviour by a sentry. I couldn't find 5 (7) but the section seems to relate to similar acts carried out intentionally. Presumably it was the job of the Court-Martial to decide if it was deliberate or negligent.
Hello I am reading through my husband's grandad's service record. He was in the North Staffs and was killed at Anzio in 1944. His records show that he was courtmartialled in 1943 (FGCM). The offences are: Sec 5 (7) Army Act and Sec 6 (2) f Army Act. Does anyone have a copy of the act or the manual of military law so they could have a look and see what he did? He was found not guilty on Sec 5 and guilty on Sec 6 for which the punishment was reduced to Private and field punishment for 56 days Many thanks Nicola Welcome to the forum Nicola. Was your husband's granddad transferred to the North Staffs post his FGCM and if so, what Battalion, Brigade, Division, was he serving with previously. Had he been with the 8th Army in N Africa and wounded or otherwise hospitalised prior to the FGCM? There could well be a 'BIG' story behind his FGCM and I need your help in assisting you. It potentially involves a mass mutiny of otherwise very innocent troops (IMHO); they were effectively stiched up by the Army. Do you have your grandfather in law's service records and if so, could you share them with us?! Best, Steve.
Welcome to the forum Nicola. Was your husband's granddad transferred to the North Staffs post his FGCM and if so, what Battalion, Brigade, Division, was he serving with previously. Had he been with the 8th Army in N Africa and wounded or otherwise hospitalised prior to the FGCM? There could well be a 'BIG' story behind his FGCM and I need your help in assisting you. It potentially involves a mass mutiny of otherwise very innocent troops (IMHO); they were effectively stiched up by the Army. Do you have your grandfather in law's service records and if so, could you share them with us?! Best, Steve. Steve, Are you thinking Salerno? The opening day of the trial was 29th October 1943..Those at Salerno I believe were charged under section 7(3) A (I think!!!) Their charge was mutiny. I believe Rich may have it right ...I read somewhere that Army Act Section 6 was Leaving your post while on duty ...but then you have the little sub sections and numbers eg;- Sec 6 (1) K Sleeping while on guard duty.....Sec 6(1) F Assault ..cannot remember anymore..not sure I`ve got these in the right order to be honest Jim
What Steve is asking is was he involved in the 'Salerno Mutiny' ? Steve, Are you thinking Salerno? The opening day of the trial was 29th October 1943..Those at Salerno I believe were charged under section 7(3) A (I think!!!) Their charge was mutiny. I believe Rich may have it right ...I read somewhere that Army Act Section 6 was Leaving your post while on duty ...but then you have the little sub sections and numbers eg;- Sec 6 (1) K Sleeping while on guard duty.....Sec 6(1) F Assault ..cannot remember anymore..not sure I`ve got these in the right order to be honest Jim And there was me trying to be subtle, Owen. Hello Jim, I didn't read too much into the quote by Nicola, except location and timing during WWII - I wouldn't pretend to understand any of the Army Act. It is all very intriguing. Imagine if Nicola's ganddad in law had been part of the Salerno Mutiny - amazing. Nicola - Don't worry about any of the foregoing. Even if it is applicable, my own reading of the Salerno Mutiny is that there is no disgrace attached to the soldiers involved. More so a disgrace for the British army to grapple with. Service record information may be invaluable in assisting you! Best, Steve.
Hello all! Well I certainly wasn't expecting such a lot of responses! 31/7/1943, he was in 2nd Bn North Staffs. The entry says: Committed offence 23 Apr 43 under open arrest awaiting trail 23 Apr 43 to 25 Jun 43. Tried by FGCM on 26 Jun 43 and convicted of: offences under (i) Sec 5 (7) Army Act (ii) Sec 6 (2) F Army Act Finding (i) Not guilty (ii) guilty Sentence. To be reduced to the ranks and to suffer field punishment for 56 days. Confirmation. Confirmed by Comd 2 Inf Bde 29 Jun 43 Promulgation. Promulgated and extracts taken 1 Jul 43 to unit confinement. 31/8/43 - released from unti confinement 2 Aug 43 to duty 3 Aug 43 remission earned 18 days. He was a lance corporal and busted down to private. We think he was in North Africa at the time. Nicola
