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Cenotaph Parade - London - November 2003
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The BBC's David Dimbleby in
his commentary described the Shot at Dawn section of the parade as
interestingly the Shot at Dawn Pardons Campaign are campaigning to
secure a pardon for those who were shot at dawn for supposed cowardice in
fact more often for shell shock and mental disorder.
John Hughes-Wilson an ex British Army Intelligence Officer and Mr Dimbleby's
co-commentator retorted sharply of course the majority were executed for desertion. Wilson's
comments are indicative of a reluctant British establishment unwilling to
accept the new reality. On the 19th of September 1914, the C in C of the
B.E.F, Sir John French issued instructions to courts martial that while
their duty was to consider the weight of evidence, they were also to
consider the effect of the offence on the discipline of the Army. He
went on to state that in the interest of discipline no matter how severe
the sentence, no feeling of commiseration for the individual must deter them
from their duty. French's instruction was an overt interference
into the discretion of a courts martial and as a consequence his requirement
inter alia as the ultimate confirming authority, undermined from the outset,
the entire military legal process during world war one. Those Shot at
Dawn were executed for example see courtsmartial
Private Patrick Joseph Downey.
In a letter to the Times [30/11/00], His Honour
Mr Justice Anthony
Babington QC
referred to the decision in Regina v Johnson (Harold) (Law Report, Times
2, Nov 21) and concluded that many of those convictions were unsafe
according to the standards of today and stated that the British Government
should look again at these cases in the light of the court of appeals
decision. Excluding other legal or mitigating circumstances, 50% of
the Irish cases alone were adjudged by courtsmartial which consisted of
officers from the defendents own regiment and as a consequence are in
violition of the current law on human rights; see
[Morris v The United Kingdom.[No 38784/97] which found that the British system of courtsmartial infringes article 6 of
the European Convention on Human Rights which states everyone is
entitled to a fair and public hearing. . . by an independent and impartial
tribunal. On the 14th of September 2000, the New Zealand Government granted
Pardons
to five of their soldiers who were executed. Surely a
British Government could follow "their example" ?.
Significantly, whether by design or default, the BBC did not transmit any
visual images of the Shot at Dawn contingent at today's Remembrance Parade
and as a consequence we report on our participation.
Approximately one hundred
supporters and relatives of the Shot at Dawn Campaign world wide gathered
for today's Royal British Legion cenotaph parade in London. Each participant wore a white disc which
showed the executed soldiers name, rank, number, nationality and date of
execution. This year the Black Police Officers Association with friends led the Shot at Dawn section
with John Hipkin the leader of the
Shot at
Dawn Pardons Campaign and Peter Mulvany coordinator
Shot at Dawn Campaign Irl. Accompanied by a disabled veteran from Jamaica,
members of the Black Police Association laid a wreath in support of a pardon
for Herbert Morris Private 7429 aged 17 years of the 6th British West Indies
Regiment from Jamaica, executed by firing squad on 20th September 1917. The National Union of Journalists were represented and laid a
wreath. The Shot at Dawn Campaign in Ireland paraded with relatives of Patrick Joseph Downey
Private 6/227 6th Bn., Leinster Regiment, aged 19, executed by firing squad
on Monday 27 December 1915. Wreaths were laid on behalf of the
Royal Munster
Fusiliers Association (1992) Limerick and the
Irish Seamen's Relatives Association
[1939-46]. We marched around to Horse Guards Parade where the Duke of
York, Prince Andrew took the salute. Passing the dias, the Prince turned to
the President of the Royal British Legion, Lt Gen Sir Roderick Cordy-Simpson
and appeared to be expressing an interest as to why members of the Shot at
Dawn Campaign had white target discs pinned to their chests ?. On
Horse Guards at the conclusion of the Parade many veterans approached and
indicated their support. |
Poppy Wreath from the Royal Munster
Fusiliers Association , Limerick; British Police officers representing
the Black Police Association parading in remembrance for Herbert Morris
Private 7429 aged 17
years, 6th British West Indies
Regiment from Jamaica, Shot at Dawn, 6.10 am on 20th September 1917
; John Hipkin of the Shot at Dawn
Pardons Campaign with Relatives.
Irish relatives remembering Patrick Joseph Downey Private 6/227 6th Bn., Leinster Regiment, aged 19, executed on Monday 27 December 1915. Son of
Michael and Mary A. Downey, of 1, Kellys Range, Vizes Fields, Limerick. Post
parade, a silent dignified vigil was held by the
Shot at Dawn Campaign Irl
outside the British Cabinet office in Whitehall, to protest at the British
Government's refusal to grant the mercy of a pardon to those 26 Irish and 275
other ranks Shot at Dawn by the British Army during World War One, and who
through sheer arrogance and blind ignorance continue to visit a profound
injustice on these deceased soldiers and their families, denying them the right
to remember their dead with dignity.
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Note:
Founded on the 27th June 2002
The Shot at Dawn Campaign Irl
co-ordinated by the
Irish Seamen's Relatives Association (1939-46)
is an independent Irish based group who successfully campaigned to persuade the British Government to grant
pardons to
26 Irish born
British soldiers in particular and
275 other
ranks in the British Army who were executed during world war one for
various military offences which ceased in 1929 to be punishable by death:
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Since 2005, one individual from Northern Ireland located in the UK, has continually represented
himself to the general media et al, as a relative of
Private Bernard McGeehan, thereby adroitly
attaching himself on the back of the
British Shot at Dawn Pardons Campaign and by default attaching himself via
the back door with
the independent Shot at Dawn Campaign Ireland effort, to the
detriment of our Irish based support. Despite conveying our concerns, todate,
this person has not proved to our satisfaction his relationship to any of the 26 Irish Shot at
Dawn. Consequently, we must advise caution in dealing with this source.
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We wish to
state that the Shot at Dawn Campaign Irl is not linked with any UK grouping
styling itself as the Shot at Dawn Campaign, Shot at Dawn Pardons Campaign,
Shot at Dawn Wales or Wales Shot at Dawn. |
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A book entitled
Forgotten Soldiers: The Irishmen Shot at
Dawn was launched in Belfast on Thursday the 25th October 2007.
The Shot at Dawn Campaign Irl is not involved or linked in anyway with this
publication. An extract
from
Walker's book reproduced in the Belfast Telegraph states inter alia that
Peter Mulvany had recently established the
Irish branch of the Shot at Dawn group.
The Shot at Dawn Campaign Irl
co-ordinated by the
Irish Seamen's Relatives Association (1939-46) is an independent Irish based group and not part or an adjunct of the
British Campaign. To link the Irish SAD group with the UK end in this way is
perverse and untrue. |
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The Irish Shot at Dawn Campaign to secure pardons for Irish born British
soldiers executed for military offences 1914 -18
