Dimensions
135 x 216 x 19mm
A Penguin Classic Military History.
From the outbreak of the First World War in 1914 to the end of March 1920, some 346 men and officers were executed following court martial.
Little or no account was taken of their defences. Terms such as "shell shock" and "nervous exhaustion" were barely recognised, and, regardless of the damaged mental state of these men, they were considered guilty of cowardice, treachery and betrayal. Frequently they were given no recourse to appeal, but were informed of their impending executions the night before or the morning they were to take place.
Judge Anthony Babington is the first writer to have been allowed access by the Ministry of Defence to the files relating to these cases. Revealing the grim details of the trials and executions, this ground-breaking book has given rise to a widespread sense of shame and led to demands for posthumous pardons.
