Harold Pringle

Harold Joseph Pringle (died 5 July 1945) was the only soldier of the Canadian Army to be executed during the Second World War, for desertion and murder.

Pringle enlisted in the Canadian Army with his father with the The Hastings and Prince Edward Regiment. On medical examination he was accepted but his father was turned away due to poor eyesight.

Pringle was a disciplinary problem for his unit, going AWOL many times, and he was sent to a reformatory camp for a year. He escaped after serving six months there and was sent to Italy where he was posted to the 1st Battalion, The Hastings and Prince Edward Regiment as a Private with the service number of 'C/5292'.

Pringle's combat record after the escape was unblemished until after the Hitler Line battle in central Italy, when he deserted to Rome to join the Sailor Gang. The Sailor Gang, though only five members, was similar to the larger and better organized Lane Gang—both gangs smuggled goods into Rome for the black market.

The members of the Sailor Gang lived pleasantly for many months, but then things started going downhill. They were almost always drunk, got into fights, and made rash decisions, up to the point where one of their members was shot by another. They tried to take him to the local field hospital, and all of his gang (except one who was given immunity for his testimony at their trials) alleged that he died on the way, claiming also that Pringle and the gang leader shot the man after he was dead several times so it would look like a Mafia killing.

The dead gang member was discovered and police apprehended almost all the members of the Sailor Gang, along with the members of the similar, but larger, Lane Gang. The various gang members were tried and Pringle was sentenced to death for murder. Pringle appealed the decision, which was rejected. On 5 July 1945 Pringle was executed by a Canadian Army firing squad.

He was buried in grave number 11, row B, plot VII at Caserta CWGC Cemetery in Italy.[1]

References

  1. ↑ CWGC :Casualty Details at www.cwgc.org
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