Tags
Dundee, Fife, Newport-on-Tay, Peter Black, Remembrance Day, Shell-shock, The Somme, Ther Black Watch, War Memorial, World War One
Just before dawn on the 18th of September 1916, Peter Black ‘an incorrigible and worthless solder’ of the 4th Black Watch ‘scum of Dundee’ was executed at La Creche, on the French/Belgium border. His crime? Deserting from the Somme area for the second time. A former resident of the Fife town of Newport-On-Tay. Peter was roughly twenty one. 
It was what a lot of young men were doing, many without realizing just what they were signing up for. And who wanted to be handed a white feather in the street, after all? 
The problem really wasn’t what to do about these men during the war…. No, that was very clear from the numbers who were branded cowards and shot. The problem was what to do about them after. One town was very clear. The community’s sons had gone to war together and now that same community would refuse a memorial unless all its dead ‘came home’ …together.
. Lest anyone think this was an idle threat…. 
And so, a town sticking to its guns, bucked a nation’s dilemma. Peter Black’s name was on the memorial when it was unveiled. 
At the going down of the sun indeed. This has been a different post today, I know. So, I’m going to leave you with this one last fact. 
Such a sad human tale. I wonder how often men look upon other men’s frailties with such compassion and zeal. I also wonder how I’d do on a battlefield–couldn’t even carry the gun!
Well…that’s the thing isn’t it! We none of us know. Thank you so much for commenting. I’m being serious today!!!
Powerful and some!
Thank you and for reblogging x
Reblogged this on Tales From a Silver River.
A timely reminder of the sacrifice of war and society’s poor treatment of those who willingly risk their lives. Nicely done Shey.x
Jane thank you so much for coming by and taking the time to read. Lovely to see you.
Oh Shey, I love this story. Such a touching twist on Armistice Day. You really need to write this, you know. What a great short story this could be.
Lol, I just wanted to do something different in terms of an Armistice Day blog. That you see that my doll, is good enough for me!! My grandfather suffered from shell-shock and I know it blighted his family. Seriously though this would make an amazing story, just how these young men stuck together. xxx
An incredible post for this!
Mishka!!! My doll, I just wanted to do something different and I believe this wonderful story deserves retelling.
Peter Black is remembered on the Newport and also the Flisk School War Memorials. He was born in St Andrews on the 1st April 1895 and lived at Fliskmarch, Flisk in 1903 where his brother was born. By the 1911 Census they stayed at Queen Street, Newport where he is down as a Scholar aged 16. He entered the theatre of war on the 24th February 1915 and was charged with desertion on the 27th November 1915 and sentenced to 3 years Penal servitude. On the 3rd September 1916 he was again charged with desertion and sentenced to be executed which was carried out on the 18th. He is buried at Trois Arbres Cemetery, Steenwerck, France.
Sandy, thanks for all this. I knew he was also on the Flisk memorial and it’s good to have found him in that census.
Such appalling things were done in World War I. So many who had suffered terribly were branded cowards or handed white feathers.
Exactly Cat. And there wasn’t any help for those who came home gassed to rags.
A sad but beautiful tribute Shehanne. 🙂 Well done!
D.G. Thank you. I chased the hamstahs off this one. But they will be back.
Having grown up in the area, it has always been instilled in me that people here stick up and look out for each other. I only learned about the history of Peter and his schoolmates a few years ago. I had no idea growing up, the depth of wider family tradition in the town but am not surprised by it at all.
Well, I lived in the area for a long time and yes there is a sense of community there. Neil, it is lovely to speak to you and for you to take the time to read this. I think Peter’s story is testament to many things.
Thanks for this Shey. It’s so important to recognise that the heroes of war aren’t always those who face the battle fearlessly. If ever there is another world war, I will be shielding my son and grandsons and they can shoot me if they want to send them to war.
Well… it depends how you define hero doesn’t it? These young men had no idea of what they were going to be facing, how they would live in the trenches…anything. Anyway, I just wanted to tell this story I guess!
Exactly. I so agree. Glad you shared too.
Sad story, dear Shehanne.
But bravery and commitment with peace are even more powerful …
May Brotherhood surround us and be the most important value among us.
All the best to you, Aquileana 🙂
My darling….I totally agree. it is the more important value. Thank you so much xxxxxxxxxxx
Dear Aquileana, may brotherhood surround us😀 very important as you say. Very best regards Martina
May it do that indeed x
:):):)
I remember it now! Superb
Lol, I am sure it ain’t really but I thought about sounding it for these guys.
While I miss the hamsters, this was a poignant story, and timely. This weekend in America we honor and recognize veterans for their service. Both those who voluntarily signed up for service and those who didn’t. Even those, like Black who didn’t quite know what they were signing up for. Thanks for good story-telling.
Yeah I had to shut the yappy dudes up for this post. I just wanted to come from a different angle. So many of these young men didn’t know what they were signing up for. My grandfather couldn’t wait to run off to enlist. He was 14. Nice to see you Ann. Thank you for reading xxx
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This is so very moving and beautifully expressed. 🌷
Oh, how wonderful of you to take the time to read. My understanding is that they were the only place to insist that it was every name or none. There was no disent re that. Si thank you and for the lovely comment xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
What was done to Peter Black and so many others in his predicament during World War I was despicable. Thankfully, by the time World War 2 came along, this practice had ended but not before the terrible injustice of branding a man a coward and shooting him with the intention of consigning him to ignominy and his family to everlasting shame had resulted in hundreds, maybe thousands of murders like this. I think what his community did for him was amazing, given the prevailing opinion at the time. So many others didn’t have this support. Thank you for sharing this, Shey. May Peter Black – and all those who were shot in these appalling circumstances – Rest in Peace
It is quite a story Cat. And yes, this small community, so far as I understand it, were the only ones to stand up,as a community and say there will be no memorial unless he’s there. Just appalling what these men were consigned to. may they all rest.
I remember that book, Shehanne, about the first world war and that generation of young people, which lost their lives on the Somme, very sad !
I know. A lost generation and even those who came home, didn’t. Not as the men they’d been xxx
This is absolutely true, unfortunately!
xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx Exactly