| Notes: | MFP. Awarded the Victory and War Medals. Formerly served in the Highland Light Infantry, discharged medically unfit. 19/7/15 enlisted in the Royal Scots, No. 26181, age 30.2 years, occupation Labourer, later Pte. 250 Employment Company, 59 Division Train, Labour Corps. No. 473853. home address: 21 Brown street (North) Glasgow and later 18 Burnside Street, Glasgow. Transferred to the MFP 14/12/16 transferred to the Labour Corps, No.473853 23/1/18, for inefficiency. Served Home 19/7/15 to 12/3/17, BEF 13/3/17 to 26/3/18, Home 27/3/18 to 7/5/18, class Z reserve 6/2/19. Suffered injury to knee.
Enquiry in to the accidental shooting of No. S/310242 Pte. John McDonald, 3 Base Supply Depot, Boulogne. Letter from HQ L of C Area dated 24/12/1917. A disturbance occurred in the BASSIN LOUBET on the 18th of the month which resulted in one Chinese Coolie being shot through the hand and in the death of Pte. J McDONALD, Army Service Corps, who was accidentally shot through the head.
I forward for your information a copy of the investigation held by Colonel CUNNINGHAM on the incident of the shooting, together with my remarks. it brings into prominence the action of the police on this occasion, and although I think it would be difficult to proceed against either L/Cpl WILSON or L/Cpl DANIELS from the disciplinary point of view, I consider that they have proved themselves unfitted to be M.F.P. and should be removed from the Force.
With regard to instructions to the Military Police, Lines of Communication, Para. 3, I strongly recommend that a sentence should be incorporated into this Order stating that revolvers are not to be carried loaded. It is hardly conceivable that any occasion could arise which would necessitate such quick shooting, and the mere fact of having the revolver unloaded, gives a policeman time to think what he is doing, when perhaps under difficult circumstances he is apt to be rattled.
BOULOGNE BASE H W Wilberforce
24/12/1917 Brigadier General.
BASE COMMANDANT. |
