'Gay' officers in the First World War -- can you help?

[queencorgi1]

I am researching the lives of officers who were either court martialled or tried in a civil court for homosexuality (then a criminal offence of course) during the war, or for whom there is clear documentary evidence that they were homosexual, although they avoided prosecution.

I attach a list of the 44 men I have discovered to date. I would very much like to find any references to them at all in contemporary sources, whether or not these make any reference to their sexuality. I am concerned to portray them as individuals who served in the war, while exploring what effect their sexuality may have had on their military careers and/or personal lives.

If you've come across any of them in the course of your own research, please get in touch.
Please contact me through messaging rather than posting in this thread, as messages about 44 different men could get very confusing! Many thanks for reading this post.

[Biggles50]

If you do not have access then perhaps a brief subscription to the BNA might help.

https://www.britishnewspaperarchive.co.uk/

Additionally Find My Past has Newspapers included.

[LizzieL]

If everyone just sends PMs, they would not know whether someone else has already sent the same information. Perhaps to post "researched xxx, PM sent" (or similar) on this thread would avoid duplication of effort.

[queencorgi1]

If you do not have access then perhaps a brief subscription to the BNA might help.

https://www.britishnewspaperarchive.co.uk/

Additionally Find My Past has Newspapers included.

Thank you, yes, I have FindMyPast. What I'm looking is private accounts by other people who either served in the same battalion, or were related or friends of the individuals. I have done and will continue to do all the research on publicly available resources.

[queencorgi1]

If everyone just sends PMs, they would not know whether someone else has already sent the same information. Perhaps to post "researched xxx, PM sent" (or similar) on this thread would avoid duplication of effort.

Thank you for this suggestion, which should be adopted.
I reiterate that I am not looking for suggestions of publicly available resources on these men's lives such as FindMyPast or Ancestry, or in a few cases Wikipedia, but any diaries or letters known to Forum members which might relate to these 44 men's lives, particularly while they were serving as officers. I have found a few such examples myself, but would very much like to have others suggested. If you know of an officer who served in the battalions mentioned who left a diary or letters, please let me know. I'm very happy to check out these resources myself.

[IanStB]

Not on your list, but are you aware of Captain Edward Brittain MC, brother of Vera Brittain, and the circumstances around his death in action?

Some details here:

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Edward_Brittain
https://simonjoneshistorian.com/2015/05/07/where-and-how-did-edward-brittain-die/

[queencorgi1]

I am aware of the Brittain case, which has of course been much discussed. My original focus was on those officers who were court martialled or faced a civil court for 'indecency'. As my research has progressed I have explored some cases where an individual was under suspicion, but it was decided not to prosecute; and some men who subsequently wrote about their homosexuality. Edward Brittain would fit into the first of these categories, so I will consider including it. I am hesitant, though, about including him, as I wouldn't want the research to appear to be merely retracing established material, rather than uncovering hitherto unknown stories.

[IanStB]

Thanks. I look forward to your finished project.