Frederick Malyon

13224 Sapper Malyon, 12th Field Company attached Royal Field Artillery, was tried with desertion at a Field General Court Martial (FGCM) held at Mazingarbe on 21 March 1917. On 31 July 1916, while Sapper Malyon’s unit was at Brandhoek, he absented himself from his unit, until apprehended by the Military Police at Wulverdinghe on 27 January 1917.

President:	Major E.V. Manger (2^nd Durham L.I).
Members:	Captain G.C. Bell (14^th Durham L.I).
	2^nd Lt. G.E.R. Oakes (1^st West Yorks Regt).

After returning an unanimous guilty verdict, the court heard that the accused had several previous offences.

Date	Sentence	Offence
23/8/12	Admonished	reporting himself at guardroom at 9.30pm on 25/8/12.
31/8/14	8 Days Detention	Absent from 6pm parade till reporting himself at the Guard Tent at 9.15pm 7/9/14.
20/9/14	3 Days FP2	Absent from parade till reporting himself to the Orderly Corporal at 7am 21/9/14.
6/5/15	7 Days FP2	Absent off Public Works from 10am to 2pm.
24/5/15	7 Days FP2	Absent from Roll Call 8.30-9.45pm.
29/5/15	5 Days FP2	Absent from billet whilst a defaulter.
5/7/15	8 Days FP1	Insolence to a NCO.
19/10/15	8 Days FP1	Absent from duty 8am to 3.45pm.
18/3/16	14 Days FP1	Absent from parade 8.30am to 10pm.
4/6/16	7 Days FP1	Absent from billet.
26/6/16	28 Days FP1	Absent from billet.

After the court-martial announced its verdict the Major commanding the 12th Field Company RE provided the following character reference.

This man’s character from a fighting point of view was POOR. He was continually going sick when under orders for the trenches.

I have had no opportunity of judging his conduct in action nor have any of my officers.

Sapper Malyon joined the 12^th Field Company on 30 April 1915, and served continuously till going absent on 31 July 1916.

State of discipline of the unit is very good.

When Sapper Malyon first went absent this unit was under orders to move and it was generally believed that the Division was going to the Somme battlefield. I consider it possible that the crime was committed with the object of avoiding subsequent operations but I am unable to give a definite opinion.

Sapper Frederick Malyon, whose age is unknown, was sentenced to death by shooting with no recommendation for mercy.

The sentence was carried out at 6.34am on 4 April 1917 at Nouex-les-Mines. The death was witnessed as being instantaneous by Captain Anderson, RAMC, of the 17^th Field Ambulance.

Frederick Malyon is buried at Noeux-les-Mines Communal Cemetery, Grave Reference I.P.18.