217715 Pte. Denis Jetson Blakemore British Army 8th Btn. North Staffordshire Regiment from:Shrewsbury, (d.9th Jul 1917) Denis Jetson Blakemore was executed for desertion 09/07/1917 age 28, and buried in Locre Hospice Cemetery in Belgium. he was the son of George L. and Sophia Blakemore, of 3, St. George's St., Mountfields, Shrewsbury. Native of Bicton, Shrewsbury.
Blakemore was the son of the headmaster of Bicton school near Shrewsbury. He initially served in Ireland and then travelled with his battalion to France in 1916. At least two of his brothers also served in the First World War. At 5.40 am on 7th June 1917 he was reported missing as his unit formed up to attack. He was discovered hiding in a shell hole in the rear of the assembly trenches and then formed up, but later was found again to be missing. At his trial he pleaded not guilty and simply said he was too upset to go on with his section. Having previously been found guilty of being absent without leave, and been given a suspended sentence of 15 years penal servitude, a death sentence was almost inevitable. A guilty verdict was recorded and in the early hours of 9th July Denis Blakemore's life came to a sad end.
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