List of Canadian soldiers executed for military offences

During the First World War, members of the Canadian Expeditionary Force were subject to British military discipline, which allowed execution by firing squad for crimes such as desertion or cowardice.

Excluding the two who were found guilty of murder, Veteran Affairs Minister Ron Duhamel announced on December 11, 2001 that executed soldiers would have their names added to Canada's Books of Remembrance housed in Parliament Hill.

On 16 August 2006, British Defence Secretary Des Browne announced that the government would issue full pardons for all 306 Commonwealth soldiers (including the twenty-three Canadians) who were executed under these circumstances during World War I. William Alexander was born in the UK during 1880, and served for 8 years in the British Army before emigrating to Canada.

After arriving in France during 1915, Sergeant Alexander fought with the battalion at the 2nd Battle of Ypres (April 1915), Festubert (May 1915) and Mount Sorrel (1916).

Following his recovery from an inflamed knee, Alexander rejoined his battalion in time for its involvement in the attack on Hill 70, which started at 04:25 on 15 August 1917.

His remains are located in Barlin Communal Cemetery Extension (Pas de Calais), Plot II, Row D, Grave 43.

[2] Born in Cleveland, Ohio on 25 April 1890, Frederick Stanley Arnold initially served in the US Army before enlisting in the Canadian Field Artillery in September 1914.

The 25-year-old Private was executed by firing squad at 05:43 on 26 March 1916, and his remains were buried in Trois Arbres Cemetery, Plot III, Row H, Grave 5.

The Battalion was disbanded upon reaching England at the end of 1916, and its troops were used to re-man other units who had taken high casualty rates during the war.

Within three weeks, Carter once again went AWOL, this time just before the Battle of Vimy Ridge, eluding military police for five days before being re-captured.

On 23 September 1914, one month after the outbreak of war, Dagesse enlisted in the Canadian Expeditionary Force (CEF) under the name Dagasse.

His conduct as a soldier started badly and continued in poor fashion, with no fewer than fifteen convictions, thirteen for absence and two for drunkenness.

While awaiting trial for this offence, Dagesse escaped custody and remained absent for five months before being re-arrested in Paris on 4 October 1917.

His remains are now located in Villers Station Cemetery, Plot XI, Row B, Grave 23, 11 kilometres northwest of Arras.

Private Fowles was treated for a self inflicted gunshot wound to the left hand on February 3, 1916, and eight days later he was sent back into the field.

After several more warnings about his conduct, Kerr rejoined his unit in October 1916 as it prepared to attack Regina Trench as part of the Somme Offensive.

On moving up to the trenches during the Summer of 1916, as part of the 3rd Battalion contribution to the battles around Mount Sorrel, Laliberté left the ranks and refused to go forward.

Lodge took a quick leave of absence from his unit in November 1917, during preparations for the Battle of Passchendaele, and was warned by an officer that if he tried again it would be considered desertion, yet nonetheless went AWOL again that same night.

Born at Kings Cove Bonavista Bay Newfoundland on 5 August 1895, John William Roberts served in the Royal Navy Reserve for four years, before enlisting in the 2nd Canadian Mounted Rifles in May 1915.

He was executed by firing squad at 04:36 on 30 July 1916, and his body is now interred in Boulogne Eastern Cemetery, Plot VIII, Row A, Grave 154.

Over the next two months, the 8th Battalion was involved in a number of bloody skirmishes surrounding Passchendaele, and at some point during this fighting - Welsh went missing for a third time.

Born in Limerick, Ireland in June 1879, James H. Wilson spent nine years serving in the Connaught Rangers before emigrating to Canada before the war.

Wilson enlisted at the start of the war in August 1914, but was discharged the following February 3 after a series of infractions left him "undesirable for military service".

Born in Kyiv, Kiev Governorate, Russian Empire (in modern Ukraine) in 1895, Dimitro Sinicky (#830020) emigrated to Canada.

He voluntarily enlisted in Winnipeg's 144th Canadian Infantry during December 1915, and after shipping out to England, was one of a handful of troops used to reinforce the Ontarian 52nd Battalion after its losses at the Battle of Vimy Ridge.

Born in London, England on 11 June 1888, Alexander Butler served in the 7th Queen's Own Hussars for nearly seven years, before emigrating to Canada.

On 8 June 1916, while stationed behind the front lines of Hesdin, Butler took his rifle and opened fire, shooting Trooper Mickleburgh dead with five shots in the chest before he was overpowered and arrested.

He was court-martialled 16 days later, and while the courts made mention of his mental instability, several doctors testified that the claims were exaggerated and he was competent to stand trial.

Born 29 March 1888 in Winkler, Manitoba, Benjamin De Fehr enlisted as a driver in the Canadian Army Service Corps following the outbreak of war, and was duly transferred to England in 1916.

He had no incidents of poor conduct, until 19 August 1916, while serving in France with the 1st Canadian Reserve Park in the rear areas near Hazebrouck.