Harold Pringle
Encyclopedia
Harold Joseph Pringle was the only soldier of the Canadian Army to be executed
during the Second World War for military crimes.
Pringle enlisted in the Canadian Army with his father. On medical examination he was accepted but his father was turned away due to poor eyesight.
Pringle was a disciplinary problem for his unit and went AWOL many times and in the end 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
.
Pringle's combat record was unblemished, but after the Hitler Line
battle, he deserted
and went to Rome
where he joined the Sailor Gang. The Lane Gang was a bigger and better organized gang in Rome that smuggled goods for the black market. The Sailor Gang did much the same things, but on a smaller scale, as it only had five members.
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
. All of his gang (except one who was given immunity for his testimony
at their trials) said he died on the way. They did not want to get caught with the body, so they put him in a ditch, and Pringle and the leader shot him several times so it would look like a Mafia
killing.
The dead man was discovered and police apprehended almost all the members of the Lane Gang and the members of the Sailor Gang. The members were tried and sentenced to death for murder. Pringle appealed the decision, which was rejected, and on 5 July 1945, the sentence of death was carried out. He was shot by a Canadian Army firing squad.
He was subsequently buried in grave number 11, row B, plot VII at Caserta
War Cemetery.
Execution by firing squad
Execution by firing squad, sometimes called fusillading , is a method of capital punishment, particularly common in the military and in times of war.Execution by shooting is a fairly old practice...
during the Second World War for military crimes.
Pringle enlisted in the Canadian Army with his father. On medical examination he was accepted but his father was turned away due to poor eyesight.
Pringle was a disciplinary problem for his unit and went AWOL many times and in the end he was sent to a reformatory
Reformatory
Reformatory is a term that has had varied meanings within the penal system, depending on the jurisdiction and the era. It may refer to a youth detention center, or an adult correctional facility. The term is still in popular use for adult facilities throughout the United States, although most...
camp for a year. He escaped after serving six months there and was sent to Italy
Italy
Italy , officially the Italian Republic languages]] under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages. In each of these, Italy's official name is as follows:;;;;;;;;), is a unitary parliamentary republic in South-Central Europe. To the north it borders France, Switzerland, Austria and...
where he was posted to the 1st Battalion, The Hastings and Prince Edward Regiment
The Hastings and Prince Edward Regiment
The Hastings and Prince Edward Regiment is a Primary Reserve infantry regiment of the Canadian Forces. The regiment is headquartered in Belleville, Ontario, with companies in Peterborough and Cobourg....
as a Private
Private (rank)
A Private is a soldier of the lowest military rank .In modern military parlance, 'Private' is shortened to 'Pte' in the United Kingdom and other Commonwealth countries and to 'Pvt.' in the United States.Notably both Sir Fitzroy MacLean and Enoch Powell are examples of, rare, rapid career...
.
Pringle's combat record was unblemished, but after the Hitler Line
Hitler Line
The Hitler Line was a German defensive line in central Italy during the Second World War. The strong points of the line were at Aquino and Piedimonte. In May 1944, the line was re-named the Senger Line, after General von Senger und Etterlin, one of the generals commanding Axis forces in the area...
battle, he deserted
Desertion
In military terminology, desertion is the abandonment of a "duty" or post without permission and is done with the intention of not returning...
and went to Rome
Rome
Rome is the capital of Italy and the country's largest and most populated city and comune, with over 2.7 million residents in . The city is located in the central-western portion of the Italian Peninsula, on the Tiber River within the Lazio region of Italy.Rome's history spans two and a half...
where he joined the Sailor Gang. The Lane Gang was a bigger and better organized gang in Rome that smuggled goods for the black market. The Sailor Gang did much the same things, but on a smaller scale, as it only had five members.
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
Field hospital
A field hospital is a large mobile medical unit that temporarily takes care of casualties on-site before they can be safely transported to more permanent hospital facilities...
. All of his gang (except one who was given immunity for his testimony
Testimony
In law and in religion, testimony is a solemn attestation as to the truth of a matter. All testimonies should be well thought out and truthful. It was the custom in Ancient Rome for the men to place their right hand on a Bible when taking an oath...
at their trials) said he died on the way. They did not want to get caught with the body, so they put him in a ditch, and Pringle and the leader shot him several times so it would look like a Mafia
Mafia
The Mafia is a criminal syndicate that emerged in the mid-nineteenth century in Sicily, Italy. It is a loose association of criminal groups that share a common organizational structure and code of conduct, and whose common enterprise is protection racketeering...
killing.
The dead man was discovered and police apprehended almost all the members of the Lane Gang and the members of the Sailor Gang. The members were tried and sentenced to death for murder. Pringle appealed the decision, which was rejected, and on 5 July 1945, the sentence of death was carried out. He was shot by a Canadian Army firing squad.
He was subsequently buried in grave number 11, row B, plot VII at Caserta
Caserta
Caserta is the capital of the province of Caserta in the Campania region of Italy. It is an important agricultural, commercial and industrial comune and city. Caserta is located on the edge of the Campanian plain at the foot of the Campanian Subapennine mountain range...
War Cemetery.