“I understand that men who died at the hand of a firing squad were just as courageous as the men who didn’t. They were torn apart by the horrors of warfare and they should be remembered with honour and respect.”
Robert Millward, William in the film
Keen to learn more about this aspect of First World War history, young people from West Midlands Central Youth Theatre took part in a research project at Wolverhampton Archives. They explored shell shock, life in the trenches and specifically how these conditions affected soldiers. More than 300 soldiers were labelled as cowards and then executed due to their inability to cope with the wartime expectation to be brave.
Fifteen members of the youth theatre aged between nine and 23 produced a film called After Dawn, which was based on their research and later screened to the general public. The actors were determined to make it an accurate portrayal of life in the trenches. The lead actor researched shell shock in detail and strove to make his acting as authentic as possible.
The production stirred up emotions among viewers and encouraged the audience to think about cowardice. Relatives of executed soldiers found the film engaging and recommended it to their friends and family to share the powerful message. As a result, people from a wide range of ages and backgrounds enjoyed the film and learned something new about the First World War. Copies of the film were distributed to local schools and community groups.
The young people also interviewed the families of executed soldiers and firing squad members. The participants showed the families their relatives’ pardons, which reduced any feelings of shame they may have had about their family history and the stigma surrounding cowardice executions.
Men line up with guns to execute a soldier for cowardice. A still from ‘After Dawn’, the film created by young people at Central Youth Theatre.
Making a difference
How the project achieved outcomes for heritage
- The young people uncovered the little-known heritage of executed soldiers. The stories were recorded and interpreted in an exhibition.
How the project achieved outcomes for people
- Fifteen trainees learned how to research a hidden part of history and developed skills in using archive materials. They also developed their communication skills through acting in the film and sharing the heritage at the exhibition.
- Viewers were shocked by the film’s content and changed their social attitudes towards cowardice as a result; people now think differently about this aspect of First World War heritage.
How the project achieved outcomes for communities
- The participants exhibited their research at the communal waiting area of Wolverhampton train station, meaning that a wide range of people could see it. People in the community fed back that they had learned about a little-explored aspect of First World War heritage.
Lessons learnt
The participants raised awareness of an aspect of the First World War that, out of shame or other reasons, is sometimes overlooked. It was a difficult and delicate aspect of heritage to learn about, even though all of the executed soldiers have now been pardoned. The project dealt with the subject matter by presenting controversial views from historians, which showed just how sensitive the 100-year-old history still is. As the project dealt with difficult subject matters, the project participants needed to be open-minded and listen to strong opinions that they did not necessarily agree with. At the same time, they learned to explore the heritage with confidence by exploring their own opinions, despite what others may say about this aspect of the First World War.
Soldier comforts the son of an executed soldier. A still from ‘After Dawn’, the film created by young people at Central Youth Theatre
British and Commonwealth military command executed 306 of its own men during the First World War for cowardice as well as desertion.
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