One of the great anti-heroes of the Great War, Topliss was once the most wanted man in Britain for his part in mutinies that went on behind the lines. Well that's the myth anyway - a biography of him is here This chemeleon-like character was played by Paul McGann (left) in the tv series written by Alan Bleasdale. Topliss was depicted as a reknowned officer impersonator who used his bluffing instinct to carry him through the various scrapes.
The web is full of anecdotes through local history - one old lady sold him a packet of cigarettes, someone caught him and let him go...have a search and see what turns up. Filmmaker Alex Cox has a script he wrote on the subject here - not sure if you can read it - maybe you have to pay...
There is some of the facts surrounding the controversy of this case on this forum The Etaples mutiny is written about here
SHOT AT DAWN
The site mentioned above is worth a look - its a campaign to have the 300-odd soldiers shot for cowardice and desertion reviewed. http://www.shotatdawn.org.uk/ Many of the soldiers shot had no council and were tried, convicted and executed on the same day
There is a book on the subject here but the website gives no information as to what it has. This crime site has an interesting page
Copies of the novelisation of the tv series turn up occasionally.
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