Det danske Fredsakademi
Kronologi over fredssagen og international politik 1. November 1999 / Timeline November 1, 1999
Version 3.5Oktober 1999, 2. November 1999
11/01/1999
Pardon for Executed Soldiers
Section F - Motions and Amendments
BUSINESS BULLETIN 81/1999
S1M-223# Dr Elaine Murray:
Pardon for Executed Soldiers—That the [Scottish]
Parliament believes that it is not too late to restore the names
and reputations of the soldiers of the British Empire Forces court
martialled and executed, mostly on the Western Front, in the four
years 1914-18, following charges ranging across desertion,
cowardice, quitting posts, sleeping at posts, disobedience,
striking a superior officer and casting away arms; regrets
deficiencies in their opportunity to prepare adequate defence and
appeals; notes the marked and enlightened change in the Army's
attitude just over a score of years later to the consequences of
soldiers enduring long periods of severe cold and damp, lack of
food and sleep coupled with the stress and shock of constant
shellfire with the result that not a single solider was executed on
these charges throughout the six years from 1939-45; considers that
the vast majority of the 307 executed were as patriotic and brave
as their million other compatriots who perished in the conflict and
that their misfortune was brought about due to stress, or the
stress of their accusers, during battle, and that even if the
behaviour of a small minority may have fallen below that of the
highest standards then time, compassion and justice dictates that
all of these soldiers should now be treated as victims of the
conflict, and urges Her Majesty's Government to recommend a
posthumous pardon, thus bringing to a close a deeply unhappy and
controversial chapter in the history of the Great War.
Supported by: Brian Adam, Dennis Canavan, Mr Lloyd Quinan, Michael
Russell, Linda Fabiani, Roseanna Cunningham, Elaine Smith, Donald
Gorrie, Alex Neil, Michael Matheson, Hugh Henry, Cathy Jamieson,
Kay Ullrich, Phil Gallie*, Fiona McLeod*, Alasdair Morgan*, Mr Adam
Ingram*, Mrs Margaret Ewing*, Malcolm Chisholm*.
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