KILLED: 17 July 1916

KILLED: 17 July 1916

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by the Belgrade Theatre presented by Bang Theatre directed by Elizabeth Elstub Kitchener called. Brave working men, often from the same town and factories, answered in their ten’s of thousands. They became known as the Pals’ Battalions. During World War One over three million men were slaughtered in the fields of France. 306 of those men did not die for King and Country. No trial. No hope. No pardon. They were executed by firing squad for desertion in the face of the enemy. For one terror stricken boy in khaki the end was a kitchen chair hidden in a French quarry. This is his story. Lest we should forget. ‘Aye, best time of my life, all pals together, all soldiers. It was just a game then. I wish it could have stayed that way.’ Inspired by the eye witness account of Private P.J. Kennedy, 18th Manchester Regiment, of the execution by firing squad of a fellow soldier for desertion in the face of the enemy: Killed: July 17 1916 was originally created by The Theatre in Education Company at the Belgrade Theatre Coventry.