Scandalous Conduct: Canadian Officer Courts Martial, 1914-45

During the First and Second World Wars, hundreds of Canadian officers were dismissed for disgraceful deeds such as drunken disorderliness, cowardice in battle, writing bad cheques, vulgarity, sexual indecency, and adultery. Scandalous Conduct explores the forgotten experiences of these dismissed ex-officers and how changing definitions of scandalous behavior shaped the honor crime known as "conduct unbecoming an officer and a gentleman." The book reveals that the ideal of military honor was not as stable as leaders believed, depending on changing social circumstances and disciplinary requirements.

Format: Hardback
Length: 260 pages
Publication date: 05 April 2022
Publisher: University of British Columbia Press

Scandalous Conduct delves into the untold stories of these dismissed ex-officers, providing a fresh and critical perspective on the concept of honor and dishonor. Matthew Barrett examines how evolving definitions of scandalous behavior shaped the quintessential honor crime known as "conduct unbecoming an officer and a gentleman." The loss of commissioned rank, symbolized by dishonor, posed a direct threat to the officers' prestige, livelihood, and sense of manhood. By examining fascinating court cases that have previously been overlooked, Scandalous Conduct convincingly demonstrates a surprising finding. The scope of officer misconduct revealed that the ideal of military honor was not as stable as leaders believed; rather, it was influenced by changing social circumstances and disciplinary requirements.

Dimension: 229 x 152 (mm)
ISBN-13: 9780774865456