User Reviews

James Crozier (Aidan Gillen) lied about his age to join up and fight in World War One. He was executed in February 2016 to encourage the other soldiers to step in line.

James like a few others who were underaged joined to do his bit for king and country. A war that was likely to be over by Christmas. He applied to join the Royal Irish Rifles in September 1914.

His mother was not happy about it. Helping these young men to enrol was Lieutenant Colonel Frank Crozier (Nigel Terry.) Recognising that young James has the same surname, he promised the mother he would look after James.

Unfortunately Lieutenant Colonel Frank Crozier was a no nonsense arrogant type of leader. His men were cannon fodder, he had no time for shirkers and does who disobeyed orders. The British army did not recognise shell shock at the time.

Over the course of the coming years young James was under extreme stress. He was surrounded by bodies of fellow soldiers who had died in battle in the trenches of the Somme.

James left his post and was found wandering around. He was court martialed any sympathy was in short supply.

A break from the norm, it was more an examination of the plight of soldiers executed for a recognised condition but it just not recognised back then.

There was no miscarriage of justice in the ordinary sense here in this episode. As Edward Woodward explained there was also no desertion or cowardice. The army wanted to make an example of James Crozier.