Veteran Ron wants end to First World War shame

Ron Shambley is writing to the Ministry of Defence, calling for action to be taken to clear the names of soldiers who were executed during the 1914-1918 conflict for offences ranging from cowardice to hitting officers.

He said many would have just broken down in the horror of the war.

Mr Shambley, aged 65, of Clough Avenue, Westhoughton, said his grandfather, Joe Shambley, was left disgusted after he witnessed the execution of one soldier from the Manchester Regiment.

"As a boy I spoke with survivors of that war, and their abiding bitterness was not about the loss of men in battle, but about the British soldiers from Lancashire shot by their own side," said Mr Shambley. "The Germans shot none of their own.

"My grandfather could never talk about the war, but with some disgust would tell me about witnessing the execution of a soldier.

"He died still saying he understood why and how some of these men broke down in the war. He, along with his comrades, felt that they must be pardoned."

Mr Shambley said that many soldiers were court marshalled and executed because officers wanted to "set an example" to the other men.

He was told by one veteran that an Irish soldier was shot at dawn for kicking his commanding officer's shins.

Mr Shambley believes it is time for the Government to pardon the soldiers who were shot in such circumstances for the sake of their families.

"It is time to take the decision about the 300 soldiers we shot at dawn out of the hands of bureaucrats and politicians in London. It is time this shameful act of class barbarity was corrected," said Mr Shambley.

A spokeswoman for the Ministry of Defence, said: "The situation regarding posthumous pardons was reviewed in 1998 by the then Defence Minister, Dr John Reid. The Government's position has not changed.

"After the review, Dr Reid said in the House of Commons that soldiers had been pardoned in all but legal terms, and he asked that their names be added to books of condolences."