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[diggerdave]

I have come across 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, and I shall post one point each week for your reading.

This week's "Soldier Don'ts" is Number 1:

1. Don't show the white flag unless your officer orders you to.

Next week, Number 2.

[diggerdave]

This week's "Soldier Don'ts" is Number 2:

2. Don't stop firing or advancing because the enemy shows a white flag till your officer orders you to do so.

Next week, Number 3.
 

[diggerdave]

This week's "Soldier Don'ts" is Number 3:

3. Don't, however, fire deliberately at the man showing the flag.

Next week, Number 4.
 

[diggerdave]

To ‘speed things up’ and to perhaps make this topic a bit more interesting, I shall be posting not one, but multiple “Soldier Don’t’s”, commencing this week.

This week's "Soldier Don'ts" are Numbers 4, 5 and 6:

4. Don’t have any friendly chat with the enemy; he is just as likely to be treacherous as not.

5. Don't kill a man who has thrown his arms down as a sign that he has ceased to resist.

6. Don't be heartbroken if you kill such a one by mistake; it is his fault for having resisted up till too late.

More next week.
 

[diggerdave]

This week's "Soldier Don'ts" are Numbers 7, 8 and 9:

7. 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.

8. Don't hide your weapons or your uniform.

9. Don't spare an enemy who does the same; haul him to your officer and let him deal with him.


More next week.
 

[diggerdave]

This week's "Soldier Don'ts" are Numbers 10 and 11:

10. Don't rub or file your bullets; if you are caught with such bullets on you, you will be shot, and serve you right.

11. 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.

More next week.
 

[diggerdave]

This week's "Soldier Don'ts" are Numbers 12 and 13

12. Don't become a prisoner of war if you can help it, they will be getting short rations by June.  

But, if caught:

13. Don't resist your guards.

More next week.
 

[diggerdave]

This week's "Soldier Don'ts" are Numbers 14 and 15:

14. 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.

15.  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.

More next week.
 

[diggerdave]

This week's "Soldier Don'ts" are Numbers 16 and 17:

16. Don't fail to escape if you get a chance.

17. Don't maltreat prisoners of war when first captured, or take their private property.

Ten to go. More next week.
 

[diggerdave]

This week's "Soldier Don'ts" are Numbers 18 and 19:

18. Don't fail to shoot a prisoner of war who tries to escape.

19. Don't fail to shoot a prisoner of war trying to assist the enemy.

Eight to go. More next week.
 

[diggerdave]

This week's "Soldier Don'ts" are Numbers 20 and 21:

20. Don't fail to shoot a prisoner of war who assaults you viciously.

21. Don't fail to down a prisoner of war who resists you in any other way.

Six to go.

More next week.
 

[diggerdave]

This week's "Soldier Don'ts" are Numbers 22 and 23:

22. Don't torture a prisoner for information.

23. Don't give parole except through your officer.

Four to go.

Two more next week.
 

[Ted Harris]

I wonder if you are able to say from the details you have as to whether the list of Soldier's Dont's had any sort of official backing.

Were they printed BY the Army, FOR the Army or just on a journalistic whim?

[diggerdave]

This week's "Soldier Don'ts" are Numbers 24 and 25:

24. Don't act treacherously or in any way which has a hint of meanness in it.

25. Don't let yourself be caught by the others acting treacherously.

Two to go, then the list of “Soldier Don’ts” is complete.

Next week, we’ll be starting a series of “Christmas Don’ts” which were published in one of the local Hunter Valley newspapers in December 1914, the first Christmas of The Great War.

We hope you will enjoy reading those as much as you have enjoyed reading the “Soldier Don’ts”.
 

[diggerdave]

This week, "Soldier Don'ts" conclude with Numbers 26 and 27:

26. 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,

27. Don't go beyond your rights, and do as you would be done by.