HC Deb 24 April 1951 vol 487 cc198-9
30. General Sir George Jeffreys

asked the Secretary of State for War whether, in view of the fact that the evidence at his trial showed that Driver Fargie had been relieved as sentry and was not on his post or with his guard, but on the public road when the fatal shot was fired, he has taken appropriate steps regarding the irregularities in the posting orders and duties of guards and sentries as disclosed by the proceedings of the court-martial on Driver Fargie.

Mr. Strachey

I would refer the hon. and gallant Member to my reply to the hon. Member for Harrow, East (Mr. Ian Harvey) on 3rd April.

Sir G. Jeffreys

Is it not a fact that the proceedings disclosed that the guard had received no proper orders, that neither the posting nor the relief of sentries was properly carried out and that Driver Fargie was away from his guard when the fatal shot was fired? Does not the Secretary of State think that strong steps ought to be taken in view of the lack of discipline and system that was displayed?

Mr. Strachey

All those points were hotly contested between prosecution and defence in the proceedings and for the reasons that I gave to the House the other day, I really would not like to express an opinion.

Colonel Gomme-Duncan

Is it not a fact that the proceedings reveal very clearly that something was far wrong in that nobody posted a sentry to relieve the other one and the other said that he had not been relieved; and that, whatever the rights or wrongs of the prosecution or defence, the thing was thoroughly unsatisfactory?

Mr. Strachey

If the guard was unsatisfactorily posted that is a question for the commanding officer of the unit, but I do not think it reveals anything unsatisfactory in the character of the instructions and directions to sentries which we have twice sent out in the last 12 months.

Mr. Sydney Silverman

Will my right hon. Friend bear in mind that, whatever the rights or wrongs of the orders given or the procedure applied, a perfectly innocent civilian lost his life as a result of this? Have any steps been taken to offer any compensation to the relatives?

Mr. Strachey

That is another matter.

Sir G. Jeffreys

Is it not a fact that there was no unit, as referred to by the Secretary of State in this case, that it was a reinforcement camp and a mixture of men of many units far behind the line, that there were no written orders as there should be for a guard of this importance, and that there was no system and no discipline about the posting of this guard at all?

Mr. Strachey

I do not agree with all those assertions.