Capital Courts Martial: 1914-20
A brief explanation –
During the Great War, there were four different types of courts martial. Two of which could lead to the sentencing of death penalty. These types of Courts Martial was the GCM (general court martial) and the (FGCM) field general court martial.
There were over 3000 men sentenced to death in these courts although approximately 9/10 of the sentences were repealed and replaced with other punishments like hard labour. The punishable offences consisted of murder, striking an officer and – the most common crime punished by firing squad – desertion.
Blindfold and Alone 
We have been to the Arboretum at Staffordshire where there is a memorial to those shot at dawn, with my Husband William Hunter we stood in the silence closed our eyes and paid our respects to our relative Private William Hunter and also those who where also killed in this way.
The Arboretum is a gentle quite place and it felt as if they knew we where there.