In Suspicious Circumstances (TV Series) Have a Drink on Me (1994) User Reviews

Two more war time executions.

[Sleepin_Dragon · 8/10 · 17 February 2023]

Two Privates, Arthur Wild and Herbert Crimmins go out for a few drinks the night before a huge battle at The Somme, the pair miss The Early morning parade, and face some severely harsh consequences.

As with the previous story, it's another frontline war story, one that highlights the true misery and horrors, you can only imagine what those men must have seen and heard, when Wild recounts the story of what he discovered, it's incredibly sad. What it must have done to The British soldiers that had to deal with them, heaven only knows.

I found this and the previous a little odd, great stories, but the premise of the show being suspicious circumstances, I'm not white sure either truly fitted into the category.

Amazing how it took so long for shellshock to be recognised, I wonder how many brave men from that huge tally were suffering.

Were Wild and Crimmins just two wild spirits, or just two men trying to get through the miseries of The Second World War, suffering from shellshock or some other recognised condition? Two very interesting men, two men who were once again made an example out of.

As with the previous, it's so well made, and again I'd say better than so much of today's content.

8/10.

Have a Drink on Me

[Prismark10 · 6/10 · 14 January 2024]

As with the previous story of James Crozier from Belfast. This continues the injustices of those soldiers accused of cowardice or desertion or just neglecting their duties in World War One.

At first sight it is hard to feel sympathy for Private Arthur Wild and Private Herbert Crimmins. Two soldiers from Bradford who despite orders forbidding them. Slipped out for a few drinks the evening before a big battle of The Somme.

They missed roll call the next morning and the battle where many British soldiers died. The 18th West Yorks regiment sustained more than 440 casualties on that first day. More than half of the battalion.

Wild and Crimmins were frightened to return to their battalion immediately. They remained wandering around for three days then handing themselves in.

They were court martialed and sentenced to be shot with a recommendation for mercy. It was for their previous good conduct or trauma they had suffered. Their commanding officer did not have any mercy to spare.

Edward Woodward makes it clear at the end of the episode. That both Wild and Crimmins as well James Crozier suffered extreme stress. It was not recognised at the time.

They were just 3 of 306 British Army and Commonwealth soldiers executed for desertion and other capital offences during World War One.

By 1994 a campaign was on the way for these men to be pardoned. They finally were pardoned in 2007.

In 2001 a statue was unveiled called the Shot at Dawn Memorial for those soldiers executed.