The British Government plans to seek Parliamentary approval of a pardon for more than 300 soldiers executed for military offenses during World War I. The announcement came just after a pardon was revealed for Private Harry Farr, who was executed at age 25 for refusing to fight.
Defense Secretary Des Browne said:
“I believe a group pardon, approved by Parliament, is the best way to deal with this. After 90 years, the evidence just doesn’t exist to assess all the cases individually.
“I do not want to second guess the decisions made by commanders in the field, who were doing their best to apply the rules and standards of the time.
“But the circumstances were terrible, and I believe it is better to acknowledge that injustices were clearly done in some cases, even if we cannot say which - and to acknowledge that all these men were victims of war.”
(The Guardian - online edition, August 16, 2006; Press Association). See Clemency and Military Death Penalty.
