lmf

I recently blogged about L.M.F., a novel by friend of wtmc Matt Bin.

L.M.F. stands for "Lacking Moral Fibre" - a former British military designation for what is now recognized as Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder.

Today I see this story:

The British government is expected to announce Wednesday that it will seek a group pardon for over 300 First World War soldiers executed for offences such as cowardice and desertion, a list that includes 23 Canadian soldiers.

Defence secretary Des Browne is expected to announce the posthumous pardon of 306 soldiers on moral grounds, the Guardian reported.

The soldiers were shot for cowardice or desertion, many after court martial hearings that lasted just minutes.

Descendants of the soldiers and advocates for the pardon have long argued that many were clearly suffering from post-traumatic stress disorder.

The families of the executed soldiers received no military pensions, in addition to the stigma they suffered.

Can you imagine? After people had a normal and completely human reaction to the abnormal stress of war, they were killed. This, from the highly civilized British Empire. It reminds me of cultures where women are executed for having been raped. It boggles the mind.

I hope the posthumous pardon can bring the families of these soldiers some measure of peace.