'The movement for the abolition of the Death Penalty for military offences is growing rapidly, as the recent debate and division in the House of Commons demonstrated. There is no doubt that these shootings in cold blood of men for desertion and cowardice (so-called) are repugnant to the great majority of the people of the country. Offences of this kind are almost entirely manifestations of nerve failure in one form or another and to the average man and woman, it is an outrage of justice that for such failure men should be shot by their own comrades, in accordance with the provisions of existing Military Law.'
Shootings at Dawn
11 November 1884 - Ernest Thurtle born New York State, USA
1886 - Family returned to England. Lived in Alfrick, Worcestershire, then Sebastapol, Monmouthshire
1906 - Joined Labour party
Travelled and worked in Europe, returned to England, then to USA
1912 - Married Dorothy Lansbury, daughter of Right Honourable George Lansbury MP
1914 - On outbreak of First World War, returned to England. Volunteered, joined ranks, then commissioned to Territorials of London Regiment. Served throughout war with 7 Battalion
1917 - Badly wounded at Cambrai
1918 - Invalided out of army
1919 - Began involvement in ex-servicemens movement
1920 - Military Discipline and Democracy published
1923 - Elected as Labour Member of Parliament for Shoreditch. First Labour Government
1924 - Defeat of Labour government, as a result of a parliamentary debate, forcing resignation of the government.
1929 - Compiled Shootings at Dawn as part of parliamentary campaign for removal of death penalty from British Army Act
1930 - Abolition of death penalty for military offences of cowardice, desertion, sleeping at post
1939 - Began autobiography
1940 - Manuscript and all other belongings destroyed in enemy bombing of London
1944 - Retired to Rottingdean on Sussex coast. Wrote Time's Winged Chariot - Memories and Comments
1945 - Publication of Time's Winged Chariot
22 August 1954 - Ernest Thurtle died aged 70
Military Discipline and Democracy