HC Deb 04 February 1999 vol 324 cc730-1W
Mr. Hesford

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he will list(a) those serving soldiers who were executed in the First World War in respect of whom posthumous pardons have been sought who were born or resident on the Wirral and (b) the (i) names, (ii) regiments and (iii) offences of serving soldiers executed in the First World War who were in the (1) Cheshire Regiment and (2) Liverpool Regiment. [69243]

Mr. Doug Henderson

The place of birth and home address of accused soldiers were not routinely included in the record of their Court Martial. This information would normally be available in the individual soldier's service records, but the destruction of the majority of First World War soldiers' documents due to enemy action in 1940 means that we have no complete authoritative source for this information.

The following soldiers serving with the Cheshire Regiment and the King's Liverpool Regiment were executed in the First World War: Cheshire Regiment Pte. E. Bolton (10263), 1st Bn. CM for Desertion. Executed on 14/4/16. Pte. E. Bryant (20101), 10th Bn. CM for 2 x Desertion Executed on 27/10/17. Pte. J. Cuthbert (28719), 9th Bn. CM for Disobedience. Executed on 6/5/16. L/Cpl. (Pte.) J. Holland (13857), 10th Bn. CM for Cowardice and Leaving Post. Executed on 30/5/16. Pte. (L/Cpl.) W. A. Moon (17790), 11th Bn. CM for Desertion. Executed 21/11/16. Cpl. G. H. Povey (10459), 1st Bn. CM for Leaving Post. Executed on 10/2/15. King's Liverpool Regiment Pte. J. Anderson (20062), 12th Bn. CM for Cowardice. Executed on 12/9/16. Pte. J. Brennan (4567), 1/8th Bn. CM for Desertion. Executed on 16/7/16. Pte. J. McFarlane (265427), 4th Bn. CM for Desertion x 3 (Guilty 1 x Desertion and 2 x AWOL). Executed on 22/5/18. Pte. B. McGeehan (2974), 1/8th Bn. CM for Desertion. Executed on 2/11/16. Pte. J. C. Smith (52929), 17th Bn. CM for Desertion and Disobedience. Executed on 5/9/17. Pte. J. Tongue (11850), 1st Bn. CM for Desertion. Executed on 8/1/17.