The SAD Campaign that Secured Millennium Pardons for British and Commonwealth Soldiers Executed during the First World War
On 21 June 2001, hundreds of people, including relatives, supporters and local schoolchildren, gathered at the National Arboretum Memorial near Lichfield to honour soliders of the First World War who had been shot at dawn for cowardice and desertion. At 10ft statue of 17-year-old Private Herbert Burden of the Northumberland Fusiliers was movingly unveiled by Gertie Harris, aged 87, the daughter of Private Harry Farr, who, at 25, was also executed.
The statute centrepiece of the Shot At Dawn plot was the work of Andrew DeComyn, a Birmingham sculptor, who had worked hard to prepare the whole of the commemorative plot. He felt the memorial is a place where descendants can grieve. He said, “It is somewhere for relatives to come and grieve and also for people to come and reflect about the tragedy of the wars of the 20th century.” Posts that carry the identity of 307 British and Commonwealth soldiers accompany the statute arranged in a semi-circle. The layout takes the form of seating in a Greek theatre to symbolise the “tragedy” of the deaths, and to commemorate these forgotten victims of war. The enterprise was funded by generous donations from home and abroad. The Shot At
Dawn Campaign extends its heartfelt thanks for such kindness. Director David Childs said, “The memorial asks us to recognise these deaths as another of the tragedies that warfare has brought about and invites us to work for a peaceful future for all young men today.”
Great-grandmother Gertie Harris, from Harrow, was especially drawn to the post that is dedicated to her father – Private Harry Farr. “I am extremely pleased,” she said, “this is something I didn’t think I would see in my lifetime. These were very brave soldiers who fought for their country and they should be pardoned.” She has good reasons for
Her views. Her farther was one of the first to volunteer in 1914 and fought in many battles in France. One year later, however, he was admitted to hospital with shell shock. He was in such a bad physical state that nurses had to write his letters home because he was shaking so badly. Released from hospital he went on to fight in the Somme. He then relapsed and sought medical treatment that was denied him. His courts martial took just twenty minutes to find him guilty of desertion.
Proudly representing the World War One Veterans Association were Jack Davies, aged 106 and Fred Bunday, 101. [Seen in the photo in reverse order]. They were given a very warm welcome. Jackie Fisher, the Arboretum Co-ordinator, was pleased to see all the arrangements coming into play. She observed, “Some of these soldiers’ families weren’t told they had been shot for cowardice and some of the men were even executed in French slaughterhouses.”
Veteran campaigner, John Hipkin, 76, spoke briefly after a short religious service, which also included Jewish prayers.
The National Arboretum will, of course, continue to need funding for maintenance and upkeep and if anyone wishes to send contributions they can do so to the following address. Cheques can still be made payable to “Sot At Dawn”.
Mrs. Jackie Fisher
National Memorial Arboretum
Croxall Road
ARELWAS
Staffordshire DE13 7AR
( 01283 792333
Fax 01283 792034
