• Biscot Camp where Francis Merritt was stationed.

For some men even prison was preferable to their soldier's life in the Army. One such was Francis Merritt, a professional gymnast earning £32 a week before joining up. In a Luton courtroom he pleaded "absolutely guilty" to smashing a shop window and stealing five shillings worth of chocolates. He pleaded for no sympathy and got none - a month in prison with hard labour. This was his story as reported in the Luton Reporter newspaper on February 26th, 1917.

A remarkable story was related to the Luton magistrates on Wednesday [February 21st] concerning a private in the R.F.A., named Francis Merritt, stationed at Biscot Camp, who was brought up in custody on a charge of stealing a quantity of chocolate, valued at 5s, the property of Robert Fuller, of 47 Waller Street.

Sgt Janes stated that in consequence of receiving information of a plate-glass shop window in Waller Street having been smashed about two o'clock in the morning and some chocolates taken, he proceeded to the casual ward at the Union House, where he found the defendant detained.

When asked to account for the possession of the chocolate,he said: "You know as much about it as I do." He was conveyed to the police station, and on the way he said: "I have done it for a purpose, and if I don't get my purpose I shall do something worse afterwards."

Asked if he gave any indication of what his purpose was, the sergeant said he took it to be his discharge from the Army, but the soldier said that was not the case. He gave up a very good position worth £32 a week when he joined the Army and it had absolutely ruined him.

He had been out to France and done his share, and been wounded, and just because he was out after ten one night he got detention. He had never before been inside a prison in his life, and he swore that the next time he would go to prison for something.

It was elicited that the soldier had served four months in France before being wounded on the Somme, and the Clerk remarked that it looked as if in a fit of temper he had blasted his career.

"Well, I am absolutely done for," replied the defendant. "Getting detention rather spoiled me, I think."

The sergeant said the man had only just come out from doing 21 days detention, and the Clerk observed that it seemed a great pity that out of pure temper he should go and throw everything away, after he had been and fought for his country and been wounded.

"I never wanted the chocolate," said the soldier. "I am an athlete and I don't eat chocolate."

At the request of the police Merritt was remanded in custody until Saturday [February 24th] for the preferment of a second charge relative to the smashing of the plate-glass window. The window was on Saturday valued at £8 by Mr Fuller, who said a big hole was smashed in it right in the middle.

Sgt Janes stated that when the defendant said he did not attain his object by this he should do something worse next time he added that after he did it he stood for some time waiting for someone to come along, as he was "fed up with soldiering".

Defendant pleaded "absolutely guilty" and said he wished to plead for no sympathy whatever. His military crime sheet was produced by an officer, and on this he told the Bench that, apart from his military crimes, there was absolutely no civil offence against him, and he had travelled all over the world.

Asked what his quarrel with the military was, he said he gave his services to the military thinking he would be employed in the capacity in which he would be most serviceable to the country, as a professional gymnast, and instead of that they were taking no notice of it. As a consequence, he was not getting the exercise he had in private life, and he thought that upset him.

"Evidently you know by this time that when you get into the Army you cannot do what you like, but have to do what you are told," was the comment of magistrate Mr Low Giddings in sentencing the man to a month's imprisonment with hard labour - seven days for the theft, and 21 days on the wilful damage charge.

[The Luton Reporter: Monday, February 26th, 1917]