death would have to be confirmed by the commanding officer, and also by higher authorities at headquarters. Because 90 per cent of such death sentences would be commuted, the condemned man had every hope that he would not be shot. It was thought more humane to allow this belief to remain until the last possible moment. Many men were only informed of their impending execution the evening before they were to die.
The execution itself would invariably be carried out at first light. The prisoner would either be tied to a post, or seated in a chair. A piece of white lint, or paper, would be pinned over his heart and he would then be blindfolded. The firing party, which could consist of any number of men from eight to twelve, took their places about fifteen or twenty paces from the condemned man. From then on, military routine took over and the business was conducted as briskly as if they had been on a range. The order was given and all the men would fire simultaneously at the target. Most men died instantly, although occasionally it would be necessary for the officer in charge to deliver a coup de grâce , by finishing the man off with a pistol shot through his head.
Almost without exception, the executions carried out by firing squad were of single men, shot one at a time. Cases of multiple executions carried out simultaneously were rare. One such occurred at four o’clock in the morning on 26 July 1915, when four men from the 3rd battalion of the Worcestershire Regiment were shot side-by-side. The British army was less sensitive about this when dealing with other races. In February 1915, an Indian regiment, the 5th (Native) Light Infantry, were stationed in Singapore. On the day of the Chinese New Year, they mutinied and in the ensuing chaos, thirty-two Europeans were killed. The mutineers were rounded up, and no fewer than 202 faced a mass court-martial. Forty-seven were sentenced to death, of whom ten were reprieved. On 23 February, twenty-one Indian soldiers were lined up against a wall and shot by a firing squad consisting of 105 British troops. This must surely rank as one of the largest firing squads ever recorded.
The last British execution by firing squad, during First World War, took place only four days before the end of hostilities. Private Louis Harris, of the 10th West Yorks, faced a court-martial on 19 October 1918. He was accused of cowardice in the face of the enemy and desertion. He was acquitted of the charge of cowardice, but convicted of desertion. At dawn on 7 November, he became the last ever British soldier to be shot for desertion. All remaining soldiers under sentence of death had their sentences commuted.
One more British soldier was to be shot by firing squad. During the Irish War of Independence, which took place shortly after the end of the First World War, there was a mutiny among an Irish regiment called the Connaught Rangers, who were stationed in India. For a while, the tricolour of Ireland flew above the military base. Of the 300-400 men who joined the mutiny, eighty-eight were arrested and faced court-martial. Some were acquitted and of those convicted, the majority received sentences of fifteen years imprisonment. Fourteen were sentenced to death. Of these, thirteen had their sentences commuted to life imprisonment. Only twenty-one-year-old Pte James Daly had his sentence confirmed. He has entered the history books as the last British soldier to be executed by a firing squad. He was shot on the morning of 2 November 1920.
Josef Jakobs may have been the only German spy to be shot by firing squad in this country during the Second World War, but eight were also executed in this way, in the same place – the Tower of London – during the First World War. The first of these, Carl Hans Lody, was shot in November 1914. His was the first execution to take place in the Tower for over 150 years.
Carl Lody was an extraordinary man, who made a great impression on those who met him after his arrest
The execution itself would invariably be carried out at first light. The prisoner would either be tied to a post, or seated in a chair. A piece of white lint, or paper, would be pinned over his heart and he would then be blindfolded. The firing party, which could consist of any number of men from eight to twelve, took their places about fifteen or twenty paces from the condemned man. From then on, military routine took over and the business was conducted as briskly as if they had been on a range. The order was given and all the men would fire simultaneously at the target. Most men died instantly, although occasionally it would be necessary for the officer in charge to deliver a coup de grâce , by finishing the man off with a pistol shot through his head.
Almost without exception, the executions carried out by firing squad were of single men, shot one at a time. Cases of multiple executions carried out simultaneously were rare. One such occurred at four o’clock in the morning on 26 July 1915, when four men from the 3rd battalion of the Worcestershire Regiment were shot side-by-side. The British army was less sensitive about this when dealing with other races. In February 1915, an Indian regiment, the 5th (Native) Light Infantry, were stationed in Singapore. On the day of the Chinese New Year, they mutinied and in the ensuing chaos, thirty-two Europeans were killed. The mutineers were rounded up, and no fewer than 202 faced a mass court-martial. Forty-seven were sentenced to death, of whom ten were reprieved. On 23 February, twenty-one Indian soldiers were lined up against a wall and shot by a firing squad consisting of 105 British troops. This must surely rank as one of the largest firing squads ever recorded.
The last British execution by firing squad, during First World War, took place only four days before the end of hostilities. Private Louis Harris, of the 10th West Yorks, faced a court-martial on 19 October 1918. He was accused of cowardice in the face of the enemy and desertion. He was acquitted of the charge of cowardice, but convicted of desertion. At dawn on 7 November, he became the last ever British soldier to be shot for desertion. All remaining soldiers under sentence of death had their sentences commuted.
One more British soldier was to be shot by firing squad. During the Irish War of Independence, which took place shortly after the end of the First World War, there was a mutiny among an Irish regiment called the Connaught Rangers, who were stationed in India. For a while, the tricolour of Ireland flew above the military base. Of the 300-400 men who joined the mutiny, eighty-eight were arrested and faced court-martial. Some were acquitted and of those convicted, the majority received sentences of fifteen years imprisonment. Fourteen were sentenced to death. Of these, thirteen had their sentences commuted to life imprisonment. Only twenty-one-year-old Pte James Daly had his sentence confirmed. He has entered the history books as the last British soldier to be executed by a firing squad. He was shot on the morning of 2 November 1920.
Josef Jakobs may have been the only German spy to be shot by firing squad in this country during the Second World War, but eight were also executed in this way, in the same place – the Tower of London – during the First World War. The first of these, Carl Hans Lody, was shot in November 1914. His was the first execution to take place in the Tower for over 150 years.
Carl Lody was an extraordinary man, who made a great impression on those who met him after his arrest
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