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deteriorated. They were almost always drunk, got into fights, and made rash decisions, to the point where one of their members shot another. They tried to take him to the local field hospital, and all of his gang (except one who was given immunity for his testimony at their trials) alleged that he died on the way, claiming also that
Pringle and the gang leader shot the man after he was dead several times so it would look like a Mafia killing. The dead gang member, a Canadian soldier named John (Lucky) McGillivary, was discovered. Police later apprehended almost all the members of the Sailor Gang, along with the members of the similar, but larger, Lane Gang.
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many times, and 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 with the service number C/5292. Pringle's combat record after the escape was
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The Sailor Gang, though only five members strong, was similar to the larger and better organized Lane Gang—both gangs were made up of military deserters who smuggled goods into Rome for the black market. The members of the Sailor Gang lived pleasantly for many months, before their situation
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The various gang members were tried; Pringle was sentenced to death for murder. An appeal against the decision was rejected. On 5 July 1945, Pringle was executed by a
Canadian Army firing squad. He was buried in grave number 11, row B, plot VII at
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Canadian Army. On medical examination, he was accepted, but his father was turned away due to poor eyesight. Harold Pringle was formally enrolled in the army in February, 1940, aged 20.
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A Keen
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Another Kind of
Justice: Canadian Military Law from Confederation to Somalia
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in central Italy, when he deserted to Rome to join the Sailor Gang.
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340:(14 January 1920 - 5 July 1945) was the only soldier of the
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480:"A secret execution – Pvte. Harold Pringle"
376:unblemished until after the battle for the
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624:People executed by Canada by firing squad
109:Learn how and when to remove this message
356:Pringle was born in the small hamlet of
589:Canadian Army personnel of World War II
425:Gilmar, Paige Jasmine (July 12, 2023).
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366:The Hastings and Prince Edward Regiment
364:. He and his father tried to enlist in
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634:Hastings and Prince Edward Regiment
599:Canadian people convicted of murder
316:Hastings and Prince Edward Regiment
524:Alfred A. Knopf, Canada, Toronto,
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569:20th-century executions by Canada
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277:Royal Canadian Infantry Corps
609:Executed military personnel
427:"To Kill the Right to Kill"
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538:UBC Press, Vancouver,
505:CWGC :Casualty Details
534:Madsen, Chris (1999)
520:Clark, Andrew (2002)
338:Harold Joseph Pringle
283:Years of service
144:Harold Joseph Pringle
16:Canadian Army soldier
43:improve this article
458:Lukits, Dr. Steve.
395:Cemetery in Italy.
188:Cause of death
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399:See also
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