Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1913-01-16
PENALTIES FOR TOMMY ATKINS.
How British Soldier Is Punished for Offenses in
Time of War


When soldier proceeds active service he
has TO mind his .p's' and "qs," for ofenses which
in Deace time would be lightly punished may III
the field render him liable to DEATH says Lonoon
Tit-Rits In time of peace, il Tommy Atkins pc
ing on sentry go, sleeps or is drunk on MS post
or quits it without being properly relieved, he
will probably get off with a short dose OF lmprls
onpoent or perhaps Of detention only. On ac-
tive service the penalty for these ofenses Is
death.
It would not usually be enforced nowadays
except for repeated offense or where, owing to
the prevalence of misbehavior among sentTles, II
is necessary to make 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 ofense will get a
short term of imprisonment. On active service
the deserter takes the risk of death if recaptured
and if the offense is committed actually in face OF
the enemy he will probably be shot.
Similarly, acts of characterization which in the
ordinary way would be comparatively venlal Of
lenses become punishable by death on active
service In passing it may be mentioned hat
even in peace insubordinate soldier MAJ be
sentenced to death if convicted by a general
court-martial on or another of the following
charges: Striking using offering any
violence to his superior officer, being in the exc
cution of his office; or disobeying in such man
ner as to show willful defiance of authority,
any lawful command given personally by his su-
perior officer in the execution Of his office
whether the same is given orally or in writing
or by signal or otherwise.
In peace. huwever, the maximum penalty has
not been inflicted for these offenses for many
years.
Active service brings into being offenses which
practically do not exist in peace. One of the
most serious uf crimes peculiar to active service
is forcing a Safeguard.' The commander Of an
invading army will often detach parties Of his
own men to pfNtect the persons and property of
civilian inhabitants from violence by his own
side. To force such safeguard almost invari-
ably means death.
Breaking into a house any other place in
search of plumber may also mean death. even
when there is no safeguard: but rule les
penalty would be inflicted. It depends a
good deal the commander. Some generals
wink at looting; others-Lord Roberts, for one
are very severe on 1t.
During the Boer war more than of our
men was executed for the sake of a Boer fowl
or bottle Of "squure-face'' On one occasion only
the readiness of an Irish Tommy saved him
from the firing party or the gallows. He was
caught with couple Of fowls under his coat and
by nc less parsonage than "Bobs" himself out
riding with his staff
Asked for explanation, he instantly replied
that he had caught the fowls running loose or
the veldt and that, hearing the commander in
chief was on short rations, he was on his way to
ask his Iordshlp to accept them as present
The fowls and the explanation were accepted.
It is possible for soldier to show cowardce
in time Of peace. In such a case he would prob
ably be charged with an act conduct ito the
prejudice Of good order and military discipline -
sentenced to a stiff dose Of Imprisonment and to
be discharged with ignomny.''
On active service any act of cowardice is pun
ishable by death, while soldier who '1n action
previously to going into action uses words cal
culated to create unnecessary alarm or despon-
dency,' is liable 10 penal servitude
Who carries out sentence of death on active
service? This is the duty of the provost-rnarshaJ
who, with a large force, is officer Of fairly
high rank He is responsible for making all ar
rangements for the execution and if necessary
he must himself act as executoner. In the Boer
war one provost-marshaI was Major (now Col
onen R. NJ Poore, the famous Hampshire cricf
eter.