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Garfield Edward Jickles
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SUMMARY OF COURT MARTIAL PROCEEDINGS FOR Garfield Edward Jickles 21ST BATTALION Library
and Archives Canada reference
NOTE: There have been many different variations in the
spelling of the last name. In the Court
Martial proceedings, as well as the service record, the spelling changes from page to
page. This is only a personal judgment, but I
believe the proper spelling is “Jickles”.
My reasoning for this is the fact that he signed his discharge certificate
with that spelling, as well as the same spelling is used on his grave marker. The Court Martial was authorized on
November 23, 1916. President of the
proceedings
Major WE Rothwell,
8th R. Innis Fus Court Members
Captain L Murphy,
2/R Irish Regt 2nd
Lieut GJ Forbes, 7/8th R Irish Fus The Court Martial convened on November 25,
1916. 1st Charge: Ø Committing a civil offence, that is to say, assault. In that he, in the field, on the 3rd
November 1916, assaulted Martha Doise, a Belgian girl.
(Sect 41(5) A.A.) Plea: o Guilty Finding: o Guilty Sentence: 1 year
imprisonment with hard labour First Prosecution Witness
NOTE: The Victim, Martha
Doise. She did not speak English so an
interpreter, R. Hoormaert, attached to the APM, 41st Division, had to be used
to translate for her. Martha Doise
stated that “at about 12.30 noon on November 3rd, 1916, I was placing a
halter on a cow at my father’s farm hear Reninghelst when a soldier, coming up behind
me seized me and threw me to the ground; after throwing me to the ground, face downwards,
he jumped on me, and put his knees on my back. He
had something in his hand, which I think was a knife.
My mother was about 200 yards away from me, and I screamed, hoping that she
would hear me. The accused tried to smother
my screams, by placing his hand over my mouth, and in trying to scream and struggle away
from him, he bruised me under both eyes and on the nose and lips. I continued screaming and the accused then left me
and ran away. The accused did not try to do
anything indecent to me. My age is thirteen
years. The accused is the soldier who
assaulted me.” The accused declined to question the
witness. Second Prosecution Witness Constant Doise, father of the Victim. He also required the use of a translator, M.
Lysen. He stated that
“About 12.30 noon November 3rd, 1916, my daughter Martha, left my house
near Reninghelst to go out to tend the cows. She
had no bruises or wounds on her face when she left. She
came back crying about ten minutes later and had bruises on her cheeks, nose, and chin. The accused declined to question the
witness. Third Prosecution Witness
Felicie Corneillie Doise, mother of
the victim, who also used the services of the translator M. Lysen. She
stated that “I am the mother of Martha Doise. I
live near Reninghelst. About 12.30 noon
November 3rd, 1916, my daughter Martha left the house to tend the cows. About eight minutes afterwards I heard Martha
screaming. I went to the door and saw Martha
running towards the house. She was trembling
and crying “Mother, Mother” and had mud on her face and bruises on her cheeks,
nose, and chin. There were no bruises on
Martha’s face before she left the house. I
did not see any soldier assault my daughter. The accused
declined to question the witness. Fourth
Prosecution Witness 55400, CSM Corke, G.O., 1st
Canadian Tunneling Coy He stated
“Sir, on instruction from 41st Division MMP, I ordered 2nd Cpl
Karney, W., to put the accused under close arrest on November 11th, 1916.” The accused
declined to question the witness. Fifth
Prosecution Witness 67984, 2nd Cpl W Karney,
25th Canadian Battalion, attached to the 1st Canadian Tunneling
Company. He stated
“Sir, on the evening of 11/11/16 on instructions from CSM Corke, I put the accused
under close arrest.” The accused
declined to question the witness. EVIDENCE After the
court made it’s finding of Guilt, evidence was introduced that spoke of the character
of the accused by 2nd Lieut SR Attwood, 1/15th London Regt. It consisted of a summary of the record of the
accused which showed 2 instances of being Absent Without leave for short periods. In one instance he was confined to barracks for 10
days plus 3 hours of pack drill. In the
second instance he was confined to barracks for 2 days. The accused
was also offered the opportunity to speak on his own behalf, but he declined. Both the finding of guilt and the sentence were upheld by the Officer Commanding the Canadian Infantry. |
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