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Soldier's Don'ts |
| Courtesy of http://huntermilitaryhistory.net.au |
| The following list of
"Soldier's Don'ts" which were prepared for the guidance of
Australia's soldiers and published in the newspapers in April 1915. At
the time of publication they were no doubt discussed with a great deal
of interest by all ranks, and the reading public. These "Soldier
Don'ts" contained a wealth of information with regard to
international law compressed into a very small space, and provided for
practically every contingency that a soldier might be called upon to
face without someone to guide him. The list contains twenty seven points. |
- Don't show the white flag unless
your officer orders you to.
- Don't stop firing or advancing
because the enemy shows a white flag till your officer orders you to
do so.
- Don't, however, fire deliberately
at the man showing the flag.
- Don’t have any friendly chat with
the enemy; he is just as likely to be treacherous as not.
- Don't kill a man who has thrown his
arms down as a sign that he has ceased to resist.
- Don't be heartbroken if you kill
such a one by mistake; it is his fault for having resisted up till
too late.
- Don't fail to shoot a wounded man
who continues to fight; he is quite right to do so, but you cannot
be expected to treat him differently from a "hale" man.
- Don't hide your weapons or your
uniform.
- Don't spare an enemy who does the
same; haul him to your officer and let him deal with him.
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Don't rub or file your bullets; if you are caught with such bullets
on you, you will be shot, and serve you right.
- Don't shoot a spy offhand; he
is doing a very plucky thing and deserves a trial. All the same, don't let him off,
and don't give him time to make up a story.
- Don't become a prisoner of war if
you can help it, they will be getting short rations by June.
- But, if caught: Don't resist your
guards.
- Don't refuse to work; you have no
right to jib at any work except such as is connected with the
fighting actually in progress.
- Don't refuse to give your
name and regiment; it doesn't do any good, and your people won't
know what has become of you.
- Don't fail to escape if you get a chance.
- Don't maltreat prisoners of war when first
captured, or take their private property.
- Don't fail to shoot a prisoner of war who
tries to escape.
- Don't fail to shoot a prisoner of war trying
to assist the enemy.
- Don't fail to shoot a prisoner of war who
assaults you viciously.
- Don't fail to down a prisoner of war who
resists you in any other way.
- Don't torture a prisoner for information.
- Don't give parole except through your
officer.
- Don't act treacherously or in any way which
has a hint of meanness in it.
- Don't let yourself be caught by the others
acting treacherously.
- Don't be a brute because the enemy is one.
If he breaks the laws you may be sure that some suitable punishment
will be thought out and inflicted; but, as for yourself,
- Don't go beyond your rights, and do as you
would be done by.
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