Cathryn Corns and John Hughes-Wilson explore the theme of execution in Blindfold And Alone (Cassell Military Paperbacks £10.99) focusing on some of the 351 men who were executed by firing squads drawn from the ranks of their own army.
Corns and Hughes-Wilson go through the cases and see how the unfortunate men came before the squads, which is a grim task, but necessary to understanding how it happened.
Their conclusions do not necessarily involve condemning the authorities of that time. They point out that the British commander Douglas Haig, often castigated as an uncaring butcher, or worse, turned down nine out of ten of the death sentences imposed by courts martial, and that understanding of the psychological effects of war improved rapidly during the conflict, when the term "shell shock" was first coined.
The authors start with the words of LP Hartley: "The past is a foreign country, they do things differently there." They have little sympathy for the campaign for general pardons for the executed men, and end by suggesting that we should leave the past alone.
Updated: 16:50 Friday, November 11, 2005
Comments: Our rules
We want our comments to be a lively and valuable part of our community - a place where readers can debate and engage with the most important local issues. The ability to comment on our stories is a privilege, not a right, however, and that privilege may be withdrawn if it is abused or misused.
Please report any comments that break our rules.
Read the rules hereComments are closed on this article