Gardenerbill Posted 26 March , 2018 Share Posted 26 March , 2018 The following information was given to me by forum pal Sgt Stripes and we wondered if anyone had any further information on this event. The discharge papers for Pte 38374 Ernest James Crabtree 9th East Lancs from Accrington state "Tried by Court Martial 29/5/1918 for joining in a mutiny in forces belonging to H M regular forces. Sentenced to one year confinement, confirmed by GOC". A diary by 35716 Pte Charles Lowe has the entry for Thursday 9 May 1918; "Work as usual 4 hours. One platoon under xxxxxxx failing to go". The name of the Platoon commander is crossed out. An entry in the war diary of Captain Cumberland RAMC attached 9th K O R Lancaster regiment; "30.May 1918. Court martial took place for 24 men of the 9th East Lancashire who six weeks before had refused to obey the orders of their company commander. A few were let off. The NCO,S were reduced to the ranks and the ring leaders sent to military prison." According to the war diary the the battalion was at IRIKLI well behind the lines to south of Lake Doiran, here is the entry for 6th May and then 3rd of June 1918 all the entries inbetween are "Nil" : 6th May 1918 Work on 2nd line defences commenced 3rd June moved to SAIDA where they relieved 8th KSLI in N0 3 sector in the line to the west of Doiran Looks like they were digging trenches at the time, this was back breaking work in the heat and the rocky mountainous terrain. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bushfighter Posted 5 June , 2019 Share Posted 5 June , 2019 If you go back six weeks from the court martial date, as Captain Cumberland states, there was intense work going on in continuous shifts on Pioneer Hill. Maybe that triggered a refusal to carry out orders. Harry Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gardenerbill Posted 5 June , 2019 Author Share Posted 5 June , 2019 Hi Harry, I'd forgotten about this post, I assume you mean Captain Cumberland's diary, I don't have a copy but presumably forum pal @Sgt Stripes has one. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sgt Stripes Posted 6 June , 2019 Share Posted 6 June , 2019 (edited) Hi. Yes I have a copy of Captain Cumberland's Diary 9TH Kings Own . The diary only starts on 6th March 1918 A few of the early entrées give a real insight into life at the front in the Salonika Campaign. 18th March 2LT GIBERT killed near Exeter ravine also 20th arrived in DOLDZELI RAVINE, 25th March A bomb exploded in Elbow ravine killing a number of men. The diary also states that the men were covered in Lice and Nits which gave the Khaki cloth a greyish colour. One other entrée from the diary for 18th April is, A search for Lance Corp Longhurst found only his boots and parts of his bayonet . They were buried in a grave at Torquay Cemetery also Pte Brown of A company was killed by a shell in Exeter ravine. His company commander saw the shell drop between his legs. It blew him to pieces. In fact only a few small pieces of brown were found to be buried. Capt Cumberland they goes on to say about Pte Brown " Poor Brown caused a lot of trouble because he would not keep himself clean and tended to infect the other men. I had intended sending him to the field ambulance as a mental case but the shell ended everything. Brown was unwashed covered with Lice and running sores and with secretions dripping from his nose. He was the dirtiest man I ever saw in the Army. . Edited 6 June , 2019 by Sgt Stripes Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
familyhistoryman Posted 6 June , 2019 Share Posted 6 June , 2019 On 26/03/2018 at 19:57, Gardenerbill said: The following information was given to me by forum pal Sgt Stripes and we wondered if anyone had any further information on this event. The discharge papers for Pte 38374 Ernest James Crabtree 9th East Lancs from Accrington state "Tried by Court Martial 29/5/1918 for joining in a mutiny in forces belonging to H M regular forces. Sentenced to one year confinement, confirmed by GOC". A diary by 35716 Pte Charles Lowe has the entry for Thursday 9 May 1918; "Work as usual 4 hours. One platoon under xxxxxxx failing to go". The name of the Platoon commander is crossed out. An entry in the war diary of Captain Cumberland RAMC attached 9th K O R Lancaster regiment; "30.May 1918. Court martial took place for 24 men of the 9th East Lancashire who six weeks before had refused to obey the orders of their company commander. A few were let off. The NCO,S were reduced to the ranks and the ring leaders sent to military prison." According to the war diary the the battalion was at IRIKLI well behind the lines to south of Lake Doiran, here is the entry for 6th May and then 3rd of June 1918 all the entries inbetween are "Nil" : 6th May 1918 Work on 2nd line defences commenced 3rd June moved to SAIDA where they relieved 8th KSLI in N0 3 sector in the line to the west of Doiran Looks like they were digging trenches at the time, this was back breaking work in the heat and the rocky mountainous terrain. Hi i don’t if you are aware that Crabtree’s medals were sold on eBay some time ago Tony Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
familyhistoryman Posted 6 June , 2019 Share Posted 6 June , 2019 Could family members have information of the event? I have found that Ernest James had one child - a daughter who married in Accrington area in 1960. PM me if you want further information. Tony Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sgt Stripes Posted 6 June , 2019 Share Posted 6 June , 2019 Hello. At this moment in time I am the current custodian of Pte Crabtree's war and victory medals. PM sent. Sgt Stripes Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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