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Private William Barry Nelson – Shot at dawn. William was from Seaham, County Durham. At just 17 years of age, he volunteered to fight for his country in September 1914. He served with the 14th Battalion, Durham Light Infantry.

Shortly after joining the Army, his father was taken prisoner when his ship was captured by the Germans. Soon afterwards his mother died leaving his sister and brother orphans.

The teenager fought in the Battle of Loos where he was wounded and subsequently spent two months in hospital. William was tormented with worry about the welfare of his younger siblings. On two occasions in late 1915 and again in early 1916, he went absent without leave.

For the first offence, he was given one year’s imprisonment and for the second penal servitude for life. However, the need for men to fight resulted in him being returned to his unit.

Clearly in a state of mental turmoil, he deserted again. At his Court-martial he offered the following testimony in his defence:-

‘I have had a lot of trouble at home, and my nerves are badly upset. My father is a prisoner in Germany and is losing his eyesight there through bad treatment.

My mother died while I was still in England, leaving my sister aged 13 and my brother aged 10. I am the only one left. I had to leave them in charge of a neighbour.

I had no intention of deserting. I did not realize what I was doing when I left the camp. When I did so I went and gave myself up. When I went to the store my object was to get a night’s sleep and then go and surrender in the morning. I thought it was too late to do so that night. I did not know when the battalion was coming out of the trenches.’

He was found guilty and sentenced to death.

A senior officer commented ‘This is a bad case of deliberate desertion to avoid duty in the trenches by an old offender. Private Nelson is not a good fighting soldier. I recommend that the sentence of death be carried out. If it is commuted it will encourage others.’

Ultimately the commander-in-chief Douglas Haig endorsed the sentence. He was executed by firing squad at 5.15am on 11th August 1916.

William is buried in Acheux British Cemetery

Private William Nelson was not quite 20 years old when he was killed. Postscript: In 2006 the British Ministry of Defence granted posthumous pardons to 306 men who were executed for military offenses during World War 1. William Nelson was one of them.

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