h2g2 The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy: Earth Edition

I thought this article was very interesting to read and well researched.
It brought back memories of that documentry I saw on the History channel, where it was shown a typical court martial for, so called cowardace in front of the enemy. I noticed that most of the officers that made up the panel of the court martial, had never been to the front, or seen Action of any kind for years. Yet they had the right to have a man shot by firing squad, who was probably suffering from shell shock. This is so called milatry justice, like in the R.N. when your up in front of the skipper. If you say anything in your defence, you are done for insubordination, if you dont speak at all, your done for dumb insolence. A typical example of milatry justice.Smudger.

Most of the officers were not from the man's battalion mainly because they didn't come back. For many involved in a major attack, it was common for them to suffer some 90% casualties, this would leave only replacements and support officers. Shell shock was also not recognised until late in the war, so the FGCMs drew their own conclusions on what we would now call a wrong premise. There's nowt like hindsight

There is more than a little suspicion that the men shot were done so as an example to the others. Some may have deserved it, but there was sometimes little evidence from other than those who arrested them. Don't forget that only a very small percentage were actually shot. There were far more killed by our own artillery as they advanced behind a creeping barrage.

Seems like the term "Friendly Fire" has always been with us, some people thought it was recent thing?? yet it goes back through all conflicts, the Yanks seem to hold the record for it, as it seems to happen a lot when they are involved.
Smudger.

That reminds me of a comment from the Italian Campaign at Casino.

"When the Germans bombers came over, we took cover. When our bombers came over, the Germans took cover. When the Yanks came over, we all took cover!"

Some things never change.

Looks like nothing changes, God help our lads if they have to go back out to the Gulf again, the Yanks got twelve of them the last time
Smudger.