The life and death of Private Harry Farr

[Draggingtree]

J O U R N A L O F T H E R O Y A L S O C I E T Y O F M E D I C I N E

 

 

 

The life and death of Private Harry Farr

 

Simon Wessely

 

J R Soc Med 2006;99:440–443

 

Last month the Defence Secretary Des Browne announced a

 

formal pardon for Harry Farr, who had been shot at dawn

 

for cowardice on 16 October 1916. The long-standing

 

campaign for a pardon, not just for Harry Farr but for all

 

those executed for military offences during the First World

 

War, has been concluded. Most people will probably have

 

been pleased by the result, and feel that justice has finally

 

been done. Now that a pardon will be granted, it is timely

 

to review what we know about the life and death of Harry

 

Farr.

 

There is little dispute about the sequence of events on

 

17 September 1916 that led to the execution of Private

 

Farr. Harry Farr was a member of 1st Battalion West

 

Yorkshire Regiment, which was taking part in the battle of

 

the Somme. That day his battalion was moving from their

 

rear positions up to the front line itself. At 9.00 am that

 

morning Farr asked for permission to fall out, saying he was

 

not well. He was sent to see the medical officer, who either

 

found nothing wrong with him, or refused to see him

 

because he had no physical injury—the Court Martial

 

papers are unclear on this point. Later that night Farr was

 

found still at the rear, and was again ordered to go the

 

trenches. He refused, telling http://jrsm.rsmjournals.com/content/99/9/440.full.pdf

[pollyannaish]

Absolutely fascinating! Thanks for posting this.

[cudjo]

wonderful reading