The Colfax chronicle. [volume] (Colfax, Grant Parish, La.) 1877-1981, 1913-02-01
PENALTIES FOR TOMMY ATKINS.
How British Soldier 10 Punished for onenses IN
Time Of War.

Whom a soldier proceeds active service nc
has to mind his "p's' and "Q's" for onenses wn'cn
IN peace time would be lightly punished may IN
the field render him liable to death, says LONDON
TitRits In time of peace II Tommy Atkins, be-
ing ON sentry CO. sleeps or is drunk on MS post
or Quits it without being properly relieved ne
vii, probably get on with short dose OF impr1s-
onment or perhaps of detention only On &C
tive service the penalty for these onenses
death
It would not usually be enforced nowaoass
except for q repeated offense or where. owing 70
the prevalence of misbehavior among sentr1es.
IA necessary to make an example," but sun tne
liability to death II there
In peace the maximum penalty for desertion
a two years imprisonment, with or without nafu
labor but In practice nrst onense wii get
short term of imprisonment On acrve seiv'ce
the Saserter takes the risk of death II recaptured
and II the offense is committed actually In face OF
the enemy he will probably be shot
Similarly acts of characterization which IN tne
ordinary way would be comparatively veniai Of
lenses become punishable by death on acuve
service In passing 1t may be mentioned mat
even in peace an insubordinate soldier may be
sentenced to death II convicted by general
court.martial on one or another of the following
charges: Striking or using or onerlng any
violence to his superior onicer. being IN tne exc
cution of his office: or disobeying. In sucn man
ner as to show willful defiance OF authority
R~AeSA~s>.-s
perior officer in the execution OF his once
whether the same IL given orally or IN writing
or by signal or otherwise.
In peace. however, the maximum penalty has
not been inflicted for these offenses for many
years.
practically do not exist In peace. One OF the
most serious of crimes peculiar to active service
is .forcng a safeguard" The commander OF an
invading army will often detach parties OF MS
own men to protect the persons and property OF
civilian inhabitants from violence by his own
side. To force such safeguaru almost "Soif
ably means death.
Break, 1g into house or any other place IN
search of plumber may also mean death. evan
when there is no safeguard but as rule is
ser penalty would be inflicted. It depends .
good deal on the commander. Some generals
wink at looting; others-Lord Roberts. LOT one
are very severe on 1t.
a During the Boer war more than one OF our
men was executed for the sake Of Boer fowl
or bottle of ssquare-face." On one occasion only
the readiness of an Irish Tommy" saved him
from the firing party or the gallows He wai
caught with a couple of fowls under his coat and
by no less parsonage than "Bobs himself, ou'
riding with his stan.
Asked for an explanation. he instantly replied
that he had caught the fowls running loose Oh
the veldt and that hearing the commander n
chief was on short rations. he was on his way t.
ask his lordship to accept them az present
The fowls and the explanation were accepted.
It is possible for soldier to show cowardict
in time of peace In such case he would prob
ably be charged with an act or conduct TO tn
prejudice of good order and military discipline.
sentenced to stin dose of imprisonment and T.
be discharged with ignominy."
:. On active service any act of cowardice 10 pun
ishable by death. while a soldier who in actor
or previously to going into action. uses words cal
culated to create unnecessary alarm or despor
dency," il liable to penal servitude.
Who carries out a sentence Of death on activ
service? This is the duty of the provost-marsha
Who with large force il an ofncer Of fairl
high rank He is responsible for making all al
rangements for the execution and, II necesar,
he must himself act as executioner. In the Doe
war one provost-marshal was Major (now Co
oneD r. NJ Poore. the famous Hampshire eric,
eter.