British Army Executions Mazingarbe, France, Part A

Translated from a plaque mounted on the execution wall at the abitior.

“The Mazingarbe slaughterhouse will be used on several occasions by the British army as an ideal location for military executions.

The communal cemetery has a large concentration of graves of executed soldiers. There is nothing on the headstone to suggest that the soldier below encountered anything other than death at the hands of the enemy or at least in service to his nation. Their stories are all very different, from those who simply stayed away, to those who decided that obedience to military orders was not for them. A man even killed one of his friends. 

Lieutenant H. Foster SMITH testifies to an execution at Mazin-garbe: 

“It was dawn, freezing and gray weather, with other officers we were at the entrance to a semi-circular courtyard surrounded by ponds where cattle were rounded up before going to the slaughterhouse, through the gates almost at the end of a long brick building. 

With the stable door open, the convict's wrists were shackled and escorted by two required officers. He was led to an iron object attached to the wall where he was tied up. 

An officer read the soliers name,  number, regiment, his crime. 

As the blindfolded prisoner was positioned, his greatcoat was removed and a square of white paper was pinned to his tunic. 

Ten or twelve soldiers lined up in formation appeared in front of the condemned man. 

The company officer ordered the firing squad to “fire!” »

Quo Officium Compellit

"Where Duty Calls"