Wauwatosa news. [volume] (Wauwatosa, Wis.) 1900-1948, 1913-01-17
PENALTIES FOR TOMMY ATKINS.
How British Soldier is Punished for oifenses in
Time of War.


When soldier proceeds on active service he
has to mind his 'p's" and "qs" for ofenses which
in peace time would be lightly punished may In
the field render him liable to death, says London
TitBits In time of peace II Tommy Atkins be-
ing on sentry go sleeps or is drunk on bis post
or quits II without being properly relieved, he
will probably get off with short dose of impris
onment or perhaps OF detention only. On ac
tive service the penalty for these onenses Is
death
RI would not usually be enforced nowadays,
except for repeated offense or where, owing to
the prevalence of misbehavior among sentries. II
is necessary to make an example" but still the
liability to death is there
In peace the maximum penalty for desertion
is two years imprisonment with or without hard
labor but in practice a first offense viii get a
short term OF imprisonment. On active service
the deserter takes the risk of death II recaptured
and If the offense is committed actually in face OF
the enemy he will probably be shot
Similarly, acts of INSTRUMENTATION which in the
ordinary way would be comparatively venial of
feuses become punishable by death active
service. In passing 1t may be mentioned that
even in peace insubordinate soldier may be
sentenced to death If convicted by general
court-martial on one or another of the following
charges: Striking using or offering any
violence to his superior officer being In the exc
eutfon of his Office disobeying, in such man
ner as to show a willful defiance of authority,
any lawful command given personally by his SUI
perior officer in the execution OF his office
whether the same is given orally or in writing
or by signal or otherwise.
In peace however. the maximum penalty has
rot been inflicted for these offenses for many
years
Active service brings into being offenses which
practically do not exist In peace. One OF thu
most serious of crimes peculiar to active service
is forcing safeguard" The commander of an
invading army win often detaeh parties of his
own men 10 protect the persons and property of
civilian inhabitants from violence by his own
side To force such a safeguard almost invari-
ably means death.
breaking into house or any other place in
search of plumber may also mean death. even
when there is no safeguard; but as rule les
ser penalty would be inflicted It depends a
good deal on the commander Some generals
wink at footing; others-Lord Roberts. for one
are very severe It,
During the Boer war more than one of our
men was executed for the sake OF a Boer fowl
or bottle of "squareface" On one occasion only
the readiness of an Irish Tommy saved him
from the firing party or the galows. He was
caught with couple of fowls under his coat and
by no less parsonage than "Bobs' himself. out
riding with his staff
Asked for an explanation. he instantly replied
that he had caught the fowls running loose on
the veldt and that hearing the commander in
chief was on short rations he was on his way 70
ask his ordship to accept them as a present.
The fowls and the explanation accepted
1t is possible for soldier to show cowardice
in time Of peace. In such a case he would prob.
ably be charged with act or conduct ito the
prejudice OF good order and military discipline "
sentenced TO a stiff dose Of Imprisonment and to
be discharged with ignominy."
On active service any act OF cowardice is pun
ishabe by DEATH while a soldier who. an action
previously to going into action. uses words cal.
culated to create unnecessary alarm or despon.
dency,' Is liable to penal servitude
Who carries out sentence of death on active
service? This is the duty OF the provostpcarehaI
who. with a large force. is officer OF fairly
high rank He Is responsible for making all ar
rangementg for the execution and II necessary
he must himself act executioner In the Boer
one provostmarshal was Major (now Col
oneD r VI. Poore. the famous Hampshire crick
eter