Would any of you know where to find information on US Army deserters in the European Theatre (France) in 1917/18? Like how many are recorded as having done a runner and were any caught etc etc?
Prosper Keating
Prosper Keating
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A good place to start might be an inquiry submitted to the US Army's Military History Institute at Carlisle Barracks, Pennsylvania. Their reference librarians seem to be able to turn up answers to a host of interesting questins, or to point you in the right direction if they do not have the information. An interesting tpic you're researching. Here is the link to the Institute's web site:
http://carlisle-www.army.mil/usamhi/ -
Thank you very much, Bill. It's actually an enquiry on behalf of a friend. He will be very grateful for the pointer.
Regards,
ProsperComment
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I have to admit to having virtually no experience researching American WWI records, but have done quite a bit of Canadian research. If you can obtain copies of war diaries and "Part II Orders" (or the US equivalent) you should find entries for desertion, including records of charges, FGCMs and that kind of thing. Makes pretty interesting reading.
You can also find out who had stoppage of pay for VD and the like!
AdamComment
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Going a bit further to the Macabre
Hello Prosper,
Going a bit further, those convicted of desertion would be executed. I knew a retired officer who was in charge of executions in Europe during WWII. There is an MOS description for this job. Military Executioner, what a job description, huh?Detailed information included such things as determining the length of the rope in regard to the condemned person's weight. Exact measurements of the gallows are included in the text. The idea being to snap the neck quickly on the first jerk, however he explained that some would be beheaded because of their weight others would slowly choke.
This officer coordinated executions of convicted Axis and Allied military as well as civilians convicted of crimes from the war.. He did not know the facts of their trials, he couldn't find out, there were too many to do and no one would dare to question. He said he was haunted by the number of women from France who met the noose. Many were young teenagers. Again he did not know their cases. He could not leave Europe until late in 1947. He had to get his congressman involved to get out of the service. The Army said they had no one to replace him.
Thus he had a two and a half year extension. Some German POW's thinking they were returning home were very surprised when they met the rope. He wouldn't give me any details on any particular event, but for a year after the end of the war it was a daily occurance, sometimes several a day. Americans were included. His job was the "Danse Macabre."Comment
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