Grâce à Joffre, l’armée crée une justice d’exception, rapide et
expéditive. La plupart des “fusillés pour l’exemple” le seront en 1915.
Au point que sous la pression de la presse et de l’opinion, le pouvoir
finira par reculer et encadrer les tribunaux militaires.

Thanks to Joffre, the army created a unique justice, quick and effective. Most of the “shot as an example” would occur in 1915. Under pressure from the press and public opinion, the practice would stop eventually by reeling in and restricting the military courts.

Les fraternisations de Noël 1914 sont bien loin.                                                         
Après ce dernier moment suspendu, la guerre s’est enfoncé dans la férocité pour
durer. La misère des tranchées, l’horreur des offensives, les combats dans la
boue des boyaux, la mort mitraillante et les coups de pioche des obus. L’idée
d’une guerre rapide, pimpante, presque, à l’image du rouge des pantalons n’est
plus. Et les états-majors n’ont pas comme seule préoccupation de combattre
l’ennemi. Ils craignent aussi de perdre le contrôle de leurs soldats.

The Christmas 1914 fraternisations were long past.                                             After the last interruption (Christmas eve), the war drove on in it’s ferocity and length. The misery of the trenches, the horror of the offensives, the combat in the mud of the trench passages, the deaths by machine guns and the pick-axe like holes made by exploding shells. The idea of a quick war, spruce and neat as the image of the red pants of the army, was no more. And the French senior officers were not only preoccupied in fighting the enemy. The feared also losing control of their soldiers.

Obnubilée par les risques de panique, la justice militaire cherche à faire plus peur encore que l’ennemi.
Et elle invente le concept du “fusillé pour l’exemple”. Même plus
besoin de se mutiler, de déserter ou d’abandonner son poste pour risquer le
poteau d’exécution. En août et en septembre 1914, deux décrets créent les
Conseils de guerre spéciaux, à l’instigation de Joffre, dont la procédure est déjà
en elle-même expéditive et rapide.

Obsessed by the risk of panic, the military justice looked to instill a fear (in their troops), other than the enemy.

And they invented the concept of “shot as an example”. No more need for self mutilation, neither to desert or abandon their posts,  otherwise risk  a firing squad. In August and September 1914, two decrees created the “special” council of war (special court martial), at Joffre’s instigation, including a process that already existed, more effective and rapid.

Mais les militaires y ajoutent encore un cran
plus : l’instruction est supprimée, ainsi que toute possibilité d’appel ou de
recours. But the military added another notch: investigation (of court decisions) were eliminated, that is no possibility of recourse to an appeal.

Les juges sont les officiers de l’unité. En cas de condamnation à
mort, la sentence est exécutable dans les 24 heures. C’est dans ce contexte que
dans l’Aisne, le 60ème régiment d’infanterie, éprouvé par de durs combats près
de Soisson, est confié au lieutenant-colonel Auroux. Un soldat durci au feu,
issu de la “coloniale”. Décidé à reforger son régiment, il apprend
qu’un deuxième classe, le soldat Lucien Bersot, a reçu une punition mineure
pour avoir refusé de porter un pantalon maculé de sang et d’excréments, pris
sur un de ses camarades tués..

But the military added another notch: investigation (of court decisions) were eliminated, that is no possibility of recourse to an appeal.  

The judges were officers of the unit. In the case of the death sentence, it was to be executed within 24 hours. It was in this context in the Aisne department, the 60th infantry regiment , severely tested by hard combat near Soissons, was entrusted to lieutenant-colonel Auroux. A soldier hardened under fire in the French colonies. He decided to strengthen his regiment, he took a 2nd class soldier, Lucien Bersot, who had received a minor penalty for refusing to wear an issue of trousers soaked in blood, excrement end mud, removed from a dead colleague…

Extra information: Lucien Bersot’s crime was refusing to wear a pair of trousers issued by the uniform orderly. The reason he refused was that the pants had been removed from a dead soldier and were caked in blood, mud and excrement. His immediate officer imposed a custodial sentence of  eight days in a cell but a new commanding officer lt col Aroux had other ideas. He called a court martial and brought Lucien Bersot before the court and accused him of ‘disobeying an order in the face of the enemy’. He was found guilty and condemned to death by firing squad. He was executed at 06h00 the following morning. That gross miscarriage of military justice happened  100 years ago on 13th February 1914.

Lucien Bersot’s anniversary was remembered at 18h00 mass in St Patrick’s church Monkstown on Sat 14th Feb 2015 by Fr Michael Cody.

The story of Lucien Bersot will be told by Bill Nelson on RTE’s “The History Show” on Sunday 22nd Feb at 18h05, presented by Myles Dungan