On the 24th April 1915 it emerged that a Canadian Soldier had been found crucified against a barn door at St Julien near Ypres. The story of The Crucified Soldier caused international outrage until the outcome of a post-war investigation by the British Government declared the account untrue, claiming it was nothing more that a myth of the trenches and war propaganda.
The crucified Canadian is one of the most infamous of all war atrocity stories. Yet despite its dominant presence in atrocity accounts, and its ripple-effect in post war debate, memorials, art and film - historians have never attempted to fully investigate the story.
Now more than 80 years later, a letter, a statue and a fresh assessment of the psychology of war provide compelling new evidence that turns the myth back into reality and reveals the identity of The Crucified Soldier.