Shot at Dawn?: A recreation of the Court Martial of Willie Stones and the 'DLI 6'

Published on 10 September 2021

This is a recreation - by WFA volunteers - of two WW1 courts martial. The first is the case of Willie Stones (who famously claimed he blocked the trench with his rifle to stop pursuing Germans) and the second is a "mass" court martial of six men from the DLI.

These two courts martial were recreated "back to back" and enable us to see how these 'Field General Courts Martial' were carried out.

This is not fictionalized but the exact, verbatim, account of the events at two 'trials' which took place in 1916 extracted from the transcipts of the courts martial. 

At the end of the proceedings, we ask: would you consider the men on trial here were guilty? Should they have been executed? If you are in any way interested in the subject of 'Shot at Dawn' cases, this is not to be missed.

Shot at Dawn?: A recreation of the Court Martial of Willie Stones and the 'DLI 6'
Key benefits of membership

Becoming a member of The Western Front Association (WFA) offers a wealth of resources and opportunities for those passionate about the history of the First World War. Here's just three of the benefits we offer:

Bulletin Magazine Icon
Bulletin Magazine

This magazine provides updates on WW1 related news, WFA activities and events.

Virtual Battlefield Tours Icon
Virtual battlefield tours

Access online tours of significant WWI sites, providing immense learning experience.

Podcasts Ebinars Icon
Podcasts

Listen to over 300 episodes of the "Mentioned in Dispatches" podcast.

Other Articles

Se5a.
27 February 2026

India’s RAF Ace: Indra Lal Roy’s ten victories in 13 days

Read more
Gemini Generated Image D653dtd653dtd653
26 February 2026

The Nature of Courage: Lord Moran with the First Battalion Royal Fusiliers in the Great War

Read more
Sentry In A Trench IWM Gemini Generated Image 5W2dh5w2dh5w2dh5
25 February 2026

Archie's letters from Suvla

Read more
M Zeebrugge 12 4C Jun06 2000X1222 (3) (1)
24 February 2026

'I am going to be an Admiral': The life and times of Roger Keyes

Read more
Snipped Dual
18 February 2026

The Boy Who became an Ace: Captain Alexander Beck

Read more