Correlli Barnett, a military historian, said last night that the mass posthumous pardon was "pointless" after all these years. "These were decisions taken in the heat of a war when the commanders' primary duty was to keep the Army together and to keep it fighting. They were therefore decisions taken from a different moral perspective," he said.
"For the people of this generation to come along and second-guess decisions taken then is wrong.
"It was done in a particular historical setting and in a particular moral and social climate. It's pointless to give these pardons. What's the use of a posthumous pardon?"
Those who were shot for cowardice or desertion were by and large treated fairly, according to the standards of the time, he added.
"For the people of this generation to come along and second-guess decisions taken then is wrong.
"It was done in a particular historical setting and in a particular moral and social climate. It's pointless to give these pardons. What's the use of a posthumous pardon?"
Those who were shot for cowardice or desertion were by and large treated fairly, according to the standards of the time, he added.
For starters their names can now be added to the relevant War Memorial whereas pre-pardon they were denied that right.
Connaught Stranger.
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