Family Challenge WW1 Execution

[marcs990]

@carltonlost

Cont... We did have one guy break down but we looked after him gave him rest and in a week he was back with us doing a great job. In the eyes of the law you can't be guilty if you have lost control, and there is no shame in that. All of these men have rightfully been pardoned. RIP guys and I am proud of them.

[marcs990]

@carltonlost

The executions were wrong, as for your comment on the rules of the day, these men were innocent as they lost control due to the extreme stresses they were under, some people can get through it some can't, that's the way it is. I do have the experience of 10 years service in the army and I have been shot at, but nowhere near what these men went through, and I can tell you it's not easy.

[carltonlost]

It is not for us sitting in the 21st century to hand out pardons for events nearly a hundred years ago. It was a different time with different rules and standards of morality, and though I wouldn't approve of those type of executions now it is not up to us to hand out pardons for everything from the past we disapprove of, or where do we stop. They broke the laws of the time, some may have had PTSD but they receieved a court martial under the rules of evidence of that era medical as well.

[balmainguy]

@carltonlost My grandfather returned from WW1 shell shocked and suffered from it until he died may years later. In 1942 my father falsified his birth certificate, ran away from home (Dublin) and enlisted in the the RAF and served until 1946. When I asked his view on this issue he said what the British did was criminal and should never have been allowed to happen. So I wonder, do you have any personal experience with war? Or do you hold your view based on a nice, safe & easy upbringing?

[andrewkenworthy]

imagine being in the war for two years ..going mad ..and then being executed by your own on orders of a general who sits in a cushy office, it a travesty.. the germans didnt execute their own..they were advanced and understood stress disorder..sick were hospitalized not shot, or sent home. what the fuck was up with the brits,,executing even teenagers who lied about their age to get in..unbelievable..

[hwoods01]

Any real Christian refuses to kill others.. Just as the 10 commandments state. 

[markee91]

"REAL MEN LED BY DONKEYS"

[mrbeatnikjd]

The real cowards were the executioners! It is obvious this man was suffering from PTSD. There are some ridiculous comments by idiots that were not there and have no knowledge of the real situation.

[EbsNhexz]

@VredesStal It's more to do with post traumatic stress disorder than having your spirit broken. The bravest man in the world can be crippled by it in an instant. I think most soldiers suffered from it, just depends if and when they have breakdowns.My great uncle survived the war and came back home seemingly ok. then a year later he suddenly broke-down on the way too work, tremors unable walk for weeks ect. If he had had it over a year earlier in the trench he would have been executed as-well..

[boxwoodgreen]

This shot at dawn movement is based primarily on falsehoods and dishonest generalizations. Just over two dozen Canadian soldiers were shot for court marshal crimes. Only one displayed behavior, and symptoms which suggest "shell shock. Most were caught far from the front, in disguise with false paers.. Madmen don't create false identification. Several were shot for deliberate murder of comrades.

[boxwoodgreen]

There's an executed deserter buried in a Commonwealth Cemetery 30 yards from my great uncle who was killed in action on the Somme. I wish that deserters body had been dumped in a field somewhere else too. His carcasses presence dishonours the men who died in combat. Only a kilometer from where Farr was executed is Devonshire Cemetery, The stone at the gate reads:"The Devonshires held this trench, They hold it still". Those are the men we should be remembering.

[xTheGerbilx]

Strange how everybody likes to react so fiercly. Do not forget that this is only one side of the tale, though it may be saddning. The officers in an army have the responsability to maintain order and discipline, and if they see a man refuses to step up and do his duty, they have to take action. The man may have suffered from shellshock (though we cannot be 100% sure, since the term was only invented after the war), but it's commonly known that there were loads of fake cases of illnes or wounds.

[5872steve]

Pardon does not cut it with me" Sorry what was done was Criminal, would go a lot further. And lets not mince words these guys were MURDERED!

[63gstone]

Good greef! After almost 100 years those assholes won't even pardon that man knowing all that they now know about this case?! I would like to see those pencil pushers spend TWO YEARS in the trenches dodging machine gun fire and mustard gas!

[Talentz92]

RICH MANS WAR POOR MANS BLOOD

“It is my conviction that killing under the cloak of war is nothing but an act of murder.”

[sharmanboys]

harry farr we rember

[planetrockford]

Jeff Hoon is a pig, a vile individual. What a pathetic bunch of vermin to shoot someone.

[lhopzeta]

il.youtube.com/watch?v=RRv56gs­qkzs&feature=related

[dale3858]

What is the problem, give the poor guy a pardon, man that is messed up...

[flesch317]

He deserves a pardon and a medal. Mankind isnt born killers, we learn that whether thru anger or military training. It isnt natural to kill. Its really an unaural act and the longer were on the planet, the easier it is for mankind to cultivate hate greed,selfishness and bigotry. No wonder at one time God repented for creating man.......Its in the bible.

[godlessworld08]

@flesch317 wow

[MOSESCAT69]

This man served for two years in WW1 he DESERVES a pardon, he served his country, he fought for two whole years of hell, (probably had no choice, was called up) and suffering from shellshock. He had guts, god bless x

[snuckles108]

Why don't we just send the old people that declare war in the first place? The people working in the government are the ones that are cowards lets face it they have armies to fight for them.

[vintagechica82]

@snuckles108 Yeah, when is the last time you heard of a member of Congress going to fight or one of their children for that matter? You haven't because their children are rich enough to not have to fight in a war for a college education.

[snuckles108]

@vintagechica82 Long story short they're cowards 

[snuckles108]

@vintagechica82 Rich people are always cowards and selfish using their money for protection. Why do you think rich people pay less in tax? the rich will care for us when they finally grow old and weak that they're ready to die.

[j0andc0]

The man is no coward, he's a brave man, he fought with the original BEF in 1914, right through to the Somme, which was one of the most horrendous battles of all time, in between these times he was injured and scarred mentally which was a factor in what happened to him in the end, unfortunetely Britain still had leaders that were living and thinking in Victorian mindset.

[60jess90]

i could not agree with u more! my name is jessica farr so for a luagh me and my mate looked up farr and this came up. i'm so glad it did i think its horendos wat they did to people they said were 'cowards' i had a greatgrandfather in the first world war, also by the name Farr he died in the english cavelry. they didnt stand a chance against the machien guns.

[mondoftw]

@60jess90 you should see if your related :) Maybe....

[MrsPoodle78]

I admit, healthy, it would have been all I could do not to run and hide during a battle. Its an instict that takes a massive force of will to overcome. Does anyone know if they still execute military personel for "cowardice'?

[snecko]

Not in Britain. A lot of shell shock victims were executed for cowardice as psychological illnesses werent seen as real then

[planetrockford]

@snecko The condition was known at the time, the general staff liked to make examples of individuals so that the other troops to become aware of the consequences of non conformity. He should be pardoned and people should see that even now soldiers are just pieces of meat thrown into the blender by asshole politicans or religious nutcases.

[snecko]

@planetrockford Hear, hear.

[535006]

@planetrockford

The useless UK generals ( upper class ) had no idea in battle plans, one had a nickname "butcher". He begged to be allowed to excute Australian troops but was not allowed by the Australian goverement . He said i will use it spareling but he could not win this one. He did excute New Zealanders , Candians ect and some troops were kids as well . Rest in peace 309 murdered Allied troops to Germanys 25 troops

[planetrockford]

@535006 Thanks.

[yardhill]

if you don't obey orders yeah... they call it desertion..

[godlessworld08]

@MrsPoodle78 im in the US military but the british but i know we still technically can

the Last US soldier shot for cowardice and desertion was Private Edward Donald “Eddie” Slovik in 1945

[MrsPoodle78]

I admit, healthy, it would have been all I could do not to run and hide during a battle. Its an instict that takes a massive force of will to overcome.

[scubanecky]

rip

[mjn3457]

We are a primitive species. We like war. We like to kill what we do not understand. We kill the things that make us afraid. Since we are afraid of everything...then let's kill everything...

[Franz49125]

Do not say WE, i am not with you, not like are you and the others

[mrcrazyman95]

it amazes me that "civilized" countrys' can shoot their own soldiers but it amazes me even more that this notion of war exists. war is a term used by politicians, hell is a word used by soldiers. they both mean the same thing but nothing changes. war is a thing politicians use as an escuse to gain territory and resources. war is something that people die in. it is hell

[filminima]

HOW DARE the generals and field marshells accuse soldiers of being cowardly. They werent the ones constantly fearing for their lives in the trenches instead they were miles behind the frontline away from the blood,mud, death etc.

[Fridomfry]

My friends, you're speaking the language of everyday-morality, which was irrelevant concerning this huge, inhuman war. It's a problem of big systems, that modern societies had created. I've read many soldiers diaries. The problem was not that generals were fearing for their lives — actually dozens of them were killed on the front, nor that the ruling class sent only the poors to the trenches (the great war the graveyard of the European aristocracy, whose sons were junior officers).

[adkinsjr]

cowardous was a crime in those days; it was considered like desertion. the generals were probably unaware of the shell shock phenomena. it would have seemed as if the soldier was trying to pull some BS to get out of fighting becuase he was scared.

[Eveon10]

I agree. But back in those days, it was consider cowardice. And cowardice meant mutiny. I don't need to explain what they did to people who tried to preform mutiny do I? The whole pictures spell it out - Death.

[epicpolyphony]

shoot the damned generals

[eridder]

should have started with Haig

[300spata]

"Older men declare war. But it is the youth that must fight and die."

-Herbert Hoover

[acidsunrise]

the british govt murdered 1 soldier a month in ww1-so what was it we were afraid the germans were going to do?the ruling class at the time were obviously,with hindsight a far greater threat to ordinary britons

[Shillax1]

"the ruling class at the time were obviously,with hindsight a far greater threat to ordinary britons"

Nothing changes either.

[mjn3457]

Truthfully, I would like to savagely beat to death many of my co-workers for dereliction of duty.I say this not to make light of the serious subject matter being discussed. Soldiers who crack in combat and are subsequently executed is the height of barbarism. I would hope we are now past this kind of behaviour. But selectively shooting under-achieving co-workers might lend itself to a more efficient big tech system. The decision is simple: a few have to be executed "pour l'exemple".

[epicpolyphony]

fire them, dont kill them. Killing would lead to an industry that no one would enter willingly, and those that were in it served under pain of death; constantly scared for their lives. why would you want to create such a system as that?

[Fridomfry]

Allow me to add a cold remark (while I share your feelings). Shooting a few soldiers is just the top of the pyramid of military sanctions. Once we agree on defending our countries (or whatever group), we need order and discipline. Huge armies are like big tech systems: If anything can go wrong, it will go wrong. However heroic, a subordinate who disobey can put a whole regiment in danger. Thus, the decision is simple, although awful: A few men have to be executed "pour l'exemple".

[gusplaer]

Fuck That!!!

[CULAVE]

In my opinion the culture of punishing 'cowardice' was one of the most shameful aspects of WW1. Apart from the 330+ British soldiers executed (many more amongst other nations as well) many other men were subjected to the 'white feather treatment'- thankfully I think that mentality has largely gone now as we understand more issues like pacifism and shell-shock. If a few of the soldiers were genuinely scared who could blame them? This pardon is welcome but long overdue.

[ultradumbass]

all soldiers in the war including those who committed murder in the war should be pardoned. those who died of desertion or shell shock were just being natural and though it was bad tat small handful of them murdered someone, they were still in the battles themselves so they would of died the same way any soldier on the battlefield died and should be treated the same way.

[buththay]

Many of these poor men proved they were brave by refusing to be blindfolded for their executions. They stared down the barrels of the guns which were about to kill them. That's not cowardice but corouge.

129 Australian troops including 119 deserters that was sentenced to death during the war in France was not shot.

[ultradumbass]

what is irritating is that it is the generals who are sitting by cleaning their toilet while others are dying who give the executions out. it should be only those actually fighting who should have rights because very likely they would not execute someone knowing what they are going through.

[Mutrino]

RIP Harry, you deserved better than that. Amazing how soldiers are 'thanked' by their governments for giving their lives.

[ultradumbass]

i agree mutrino, ironically, it seems that the germans that the british looked as "bad guys" cared more for their men than the allies because they were treated, and the only ones who were shot were 17 charged for murder or attempted murder who were above the age of 30 who did not go to the kaiser for forgiveness.

[Frach438]

Shot soldier to be on memorial

Sam Jones

Wednesday December 27, 2006

The Guardian

A first world war soldier who was shot for cowardice but pardoned four months ago will have his name engraved on a war memorial more than 90 years after his execution.....

[ultradumbass]

it matters very little sadly they give his name on pardon, they killed him, he will never know of the pardon because british and french had stupid generals in ww1 killing their soldiers because the generals acted like it is easy to go to war.

[Frach438]

Sad, but true. I do, however, believe that he does know of his pardon ;o)

Pax+

[Frach438]

Farr from First World War Receive Pardon

Harry Farr receives pardon

08/11/2006