§ 82. Sir G. Foxasked the Secretary of State for War what sentences were imposed on the 200 men who were charged with mutiny in Sicily; how many of them were sentenced to penal servitude; how long each of those so sentenced served; and what were the respective dates of their release.
§ Mr. Lawson:I assume that the hon. Member is referring to 189 men who were convicted of mutiny arising out of an incident at Salerno in September, 1943. Three sergeants were sentenced to death, their sentences being commuted to reduction to the ranks and 12 years penal servitude. Five corporals were sentenced to reduction to the ranks and 10 years penal servitude. 180 private soldiers were sentenced to seven years penal servitude and one to five years penal servitude. The sentences were suspended immediately, or within a few weeks, in all cases, except two where the men concerned were found to have had recent previous sentences of penal servitude. In these two cases suspension was directed after 11 months and 21 months of sentence had been served.
Subsequently, however, a number of sentences were put into execution as a result either of further convictions or of unsatisfactory conduct while under suspended sentence. In these cases the soldiers failed to take advantage of the act of clemency extended to them by suspension, and their committal to undergo punishment may be attributed to this rather than to their convictions for mutiny. Most of the sentences have since been suspended again, but I cannot give 412W the exact position in all these cases without detailed inquiry in several commands.