I don't know who Danny Deever is. I'm not going to bother to google him. Reservist pukes? Let's not call Reservists and Guardsmen pukes. They'll pulling their weight over there and elsewhere. This guy has made his decision and will stand by the consequences. Let him. I'd rather have someone over there who is willing to do his/her duty than those who do not want to. Look, he signed a contract, he's trying to break it, he'll be dealt with fairly. He's a 12-year veteran and I'm sure he's aware of what his actions may bring him. My beef with him is that it appears he was willing to serve until he was actually called upon to really serve. I know he did one tour over there, he doesn't want to go back. Should have thought about that before he re-upped. If he truly is a C.O. he should keep his face out of the press.
Danny Deever is a poem by Kipling.
The poem deals with a military execution of a soldier for a civil offence, namely murder. Under the Army (Annual) Act 1881, re-enacted annually, all ranks of the army were subject to both civil and military law and under certain circumstances could be charged in a military court with committing a civil offence. Murder within the unit when overseas was dealt with in such a way. Although public executions had ceased in Britain in 1868, military executions overseas were carried out in the presence of the garrison, though not the general public. However, recourse to the death penalty was not that common, 37 men being executed between 1865 and 1898.
There is no evidence that Rudyard Kipling ever saw a military hanging. That he was well informed on the details is borne out by the closeness of his description of events and mood to that given in an eyewitness account (reprinted in the Kipling Journal No 110, July 1954) of the execution of Private Flaxman for the wilful murder of a sergeant of his unit, the 2nd Battalion, The Leicestershire Regiment. The execution took place at Lucknow in India in January 1887. The garrison paraded at 8.15 a.m. and the band played the "Dead March in Saul" as the condemned man was marched onto the parade ground with his coffin on a cart behind him.
That Kipling may have seen an account of this particular execution is made more likely since the accused in this case was reported to have been one of three men who ‘dealt a pack of cards and agreed that the one with the ace of spades should shoot the sergeant’. Rudyard Kipling introduced an identical situation into his story "Black Jack", which first appeared in the Indian Railway Library edition of Soldiers Three in 1888.
What are the bugles blowin' for?" said Files-on-Parade.
"To turn you out, to turn you out", the Colour-Sergeant said.
"What makes you look so white, so white?" said Files-on-Parade.
"I'm dreadin' what I've got to watch", the Colour-Sergeant said.
For they're hangin' Danny Deever, you can hear the Dead March play,
The regiment's in 'ollow square -- they're hangin' him to-day;
They've taken of his buttons off an' cut his stripes away,
An' they're hangin' Danny Deever in the mornin'.
"What makes the rear-rank breathe so 'ard?" said Files-on-Parade.
"It's bitter cold, it's bitter cold", the Colour-Sergeant said.
"What makes that front-rank man fall down?" said Files-on-Parade.
"A touch o' sun, a touch o' sun", the Colour-Sergeant said.
They are hangin' Danny Deever, they are marchin' of 'im round,
They 'ave 'alted Danny Deever by 'is coffin on the ground;
An' 'e'll swing in 'arf a minute for a sneakin' shootin' hound --
O they're hangin' Danny Deever in the mornin'!
"'Is cot was right-'and cot to mine", said Files-on-Parade.
"'E's sleepin' out an' far to-night", the Colour-Sergeant said.
"I've drunk 'is beer a score o' times", said Files-on-Parade.
"'E's drinkin' bitter beer alone", the Colour-Sergeant said.
They are hangin' Danny Deever, you must mark 'im to 'is place,
For 'e shot a comrade sleepin' -- you must look 'im in the face;
Nine 'undred of 'is county an' the regiment's disgrace,
While they're hangin' Danny Deever in the mornin'.
"What's that so black agin' the sun?" said Files-on-Parade.
"It's Danny fightin' 'ard for life", the Colour-Sergeant said.
"What's that that whimpers over'ead?" said Files-on-Parade.
"It's Danny's soul that's passin' now", the Colour-Sergeant said.
For they're done with Danny Deever, you can 'ear the quickstep play,
The regiment's in column, an' they're marchin' us away;
Ho! the young recruits are shakin', an' they'll want their beer to-day,
After hangin' Danny Deever in the mornin'.
(I had to google this analysis myself, but I remembered the poem).