The SECRET Execution Of Harold Pringle - The Only Canadian Executed During WW2

During the Second World War there was a top secret execution that was carried out by the Canadian Army, in which one of their own soldiers was shot by a firing squad. This man, Private Harold Pringle remained the only Canadian executed by the Canadian Army during the whole of World War 2, but his execution is one which can be considered debatable. When he signed up to fight, Pringle was underage and lied to the recruitment officers. He had a rather indifferent time inside of the army, as he was known for regularly going AWOL and deserting to go and visit women he had met in different towns.

Because of this he was fined and even locked up for short time, but he then rejoined with his regiment and fought in the Invasion of Sicily and the Invasion of Italy. Pringle was known to have been a courageous soldier when he felt like fighting, but in Italy he went AWOL again and joined a black market gang, known as 'The Sailor Gang.' Here the group sold black market goods for profit, and lived life like small time gangsters inside of Rome. The group was made up of deserters from other nations, and they were known for debauchery and poor behaviour. But one evening one of Private Pringle's friends in the gang was shot by another member. Pringle helped to transport the body to a quiet countryside lane outside of Rome, and he fired a second shot into his friend Lucky McGillivary before another member of the gang shot a third time.

The body was discovered, and then the men were rounded up and placed on trial. Harold Pringle was later sentenced to death following the murder of Lucky McGillivary, and for this he was executed by a firing squad. His execution was controversial as it was not know whether his actions had killed his friend, or if his friend had died before. However he was executed by a firing squad near to the Italian town of Avellino, and much of the details regarding his death and execution was kept very quiet.

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Music - I Am A Man Who Will Fight For Your Honour - Chris Zabriskie.