Family Challenge WW1 Execution

The family of a First World War soldier shot for cowardice, is hoping to get him a conditional pardon at the High Court.
Private Harry Farr's granddaughter Janet Booth spoke to BBC Breakfast about the circumstances of his death.
24th October 2005

Category:

People & Blogs

Tags:

• first
• world
• war
• ww1
• execution
• cowardice
• desertion
• shot
• at
• dawn
• private
• harry
• farr
• pardon
• shell
• shock

[epicpolyphony]

shoot the damned generals

[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.

[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.

[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?

[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.

[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.