On November 11th, 2025 the Redditch Remembered Through Art Group unveiled their tribute to the soliders of the First World who were Shot at Dawn.
"Shot at Dawn" refers to the execution of British and Commonwealth soldiers by firing squad at sunrise during World War I for offenses like desertion, cowardice, striking a senior officer, disobeying a lawful order, casting away arms, mutiny and sleeping at post.
It represents a practice where soldiers were often sentenced after a brief trial and executed by their own comrades. There is now widespread recognition of the unfairness and trauma involved, leading to posthumous pardons for many of the executed men.
Shell shock - now called post-traumatic stress disorder - was not recognised as an illness but many soldiers could not come to term with fighting in the trenches of WW1.
Most of the three million British troops soon knew they faced almost certain death on the battlefield. Day after day they would witness the annihilation of their friends, never knowing if or when they would be next. On some occasions whole battalions were wiped out, leaving just a handful of confused, terrified men. But those who shirked their responsibility soon learned there was no way out of the horror - if they ran from German guns, they would be shot by British ones.
Escaping this horror, for whatever reason, was unacceptable to the military commanders and hence the punishment was must seen as a deterrent to other hence death by firing squad.
Over 3000 soliders faced these charges and for 309 the outcome was to face execution by firing squad. To make matters worse, the 5 strong firing squad often included friends and comrades from their own regiments. And the punishment di not end their. Their names were no included in war memorials, relative at home were shunned and no war pensions paid to them.
Today, it is recognised that some were underage when they volunteered and that many of them were suffering from Post Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD), which was not recognised as a medical condition until 1980. In 2006 they were officially pardoned by the British Government.
The Shot at Daw Memorial at the National Memorial Arboretum in Staffordshire is deliberately located at the most easterly part of the Arboretum where the sun rises first, Shot at Dawn, first dedicated in 2001.
In 2024, vital funds were raised toward the restoration project. Over six weeks, an army of nearly 200 passionate corporate volunteers worked alongside our grounds team on the restoration, which included installing new drainage underneath the memorial and landscaping that will improve access around it.
Each of the individual posts and their plaques were also replaced. The new posts are made from durable, recycled material which will no longer need to be replaced after four to seven years. In addition, a maintenance fund has been set up that will be used to preserve the memorial for future generations.
The Redditch Remembered Through Art Group'sr tribute poppy is deicated to remembering these soldiers.
"Shot at Dawn" refers to the execution of British and Commonwealth soldiers by firing squad at sunrise during World War I for offenses like desertion, cowardice, striking a senior officer, disobeying a lawful order, casting away arms, mutiny and sleeping at post.
It represents a practice where soldiers were often sentenced after a brief trial and executed by their own comrades. There is now widespread recognition of the unfairness and trauma involved, leading to posthumous pardons for many of the executed men.
Shell shock - now called post-traumatic stress disorder - was not recognised as an illness but many soldiers could not come to term with fighting in the trenches of WW1.
Most of the three million British troops soon knew they faced almost certain death on the battlefield. Day after day they would witness the annihilation of their friends, never knowing if or when they would be next. On some occasions whole battalions were wiped out, leaving just a handful of confused, terrified men. But those who shirked their responsibility soon learned there was no way out of the horror - if they ran from German guns, they would be shot by British ones.
Escaping this horror, for whatever reason, was unacceptable to the military commanders and hence the punishment was must seen as a deterrent to other hence death by firing squad.
Over 3000 soliders faced these charges and for 309 the outcome was to face execution by firing squad. To make matters worse, the 5 strong firing squad often included friends and comrades from their own regiments. And the punishment di not end their. Their names were no included in war memorials, relative at home were shunned and no war pensions paid to them.
Today, it is recognised that some were underage when they volunteered and that many of them were suffering from Post Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD), which was not recognised as a medical condition until 1980. In 2006 they were officially pardoned by the British Government.
The Shot at Daw Memorial at the National Memorial Arboretum in Staffordshire is deliberately located at the most easterly part of the Arboretum where the sun rises first, Shot at Dawn, first dedicated in 2001.
In 2024, vital funds were raised toward the restoration project. Over six weeks, an army of nearly 200 passionate corporate volunteers worked alongside our grounds team on the restoration, which included installing new drainage underneath the memorial and landscaping that will improve access around it.
Each of the individual posts and their plaques were also replaced. The new posts are made from durable, recycled material which will no longer need to be replaced after four to seven years. In addition, a maintenance fund has been set up that will be used to preserve the memorial for future generations.
The Redditch Remembered Through Art Group'sr tribute poppy is deicated to remembering these soldiers.
Images from The National Memorial Arboretum site
