breaker morant

[ivanhowe]

This unfortunate soldier is about to be executed for killing prisoners in a war. I think it is a political manoeuvre to keep politicians in power. It seems they think more of their own hide and don't are who has to suffer. Political rules of engagement have caused the deaths of American servicemen (Navy Seals) as well as imprisonment of soldiers defending themselves. Perhaps, going back to a time when leaders were in the battlefields would be good for us all. Some of these American women would sing a different song

 

[KiltedSoldier]

Mordant was an undisciplined Aussie thug executed during the Boer war for having murdered at least 20 enemy prisoners, while being held, rather than in battle, a minor distinction but a clear one under the British Empire's Kings Regulations. The firing party was provided by the Cameron Highlanders - would have been honoured to have been on that detail, cock hard tenting my kilt as the condemned man is dispatched.

 

[jon_b]

We have a video of this guy being shot - in our gore video section - if any members are interested and are unable to locate it - let me know and I will have it reposted.

 

[ivanhowe]

I would be firmly interested in seeing a soldier being executed by other worthy soldiers- even though I should shed a tear. And when Kilted Soldier returns after the firing detail, I would be honoured to serve him a cup of tea to soothe his savage breast.

 

[KiltedSoldier]

Aye Jon please let us know where the video can be found - maybe it is from the film maybe about the story - I vaguely remember it shows two Aussies being executed by firing squad for their indiscipline, it shows the kilted Cameron Highlanders making the simple wooden coffins, doing the execution then putting the fresh Aussie bodies in the coffins for immediate burial. One was too small for the man's body and he had to be pushed in.
Ivan is welcome to provide tea and whisky after the onerous duty of being on the firing party

 

[djbear]

I don't remember the coffins but they were tied into chairs as I recall and the film ended with the chairs going over backward at the force of the bullets. The young guy who was on trial with them was spared - or am I thinking of some different trial and execution. Unfortunately, mine was on VHS and I no longer am able to play VHS.

 

[jon_b]

Here is the video from my archives - which I THINK matches the photo posted by ivanhowe. My notes say he is being executed for rape and murder so this might be nothing to do with those caught up in the Breaker Morant affair - have a look and decide for yourself.

The original vid was quite underexposed in places - so I have re-exposed it - also there are some panned/zoomed stills at end - to show that the rope used for tying up the prisoner is the same as used in the pic posted by ivanhowe.

 

[ivanhowe]

Jonb you are a treasure. Your film is great. It is the same scene but from the opposite side. I would love to photoshop his death scene, but it might detract from the drama. I called this thread Breaker Morant because it represents governments acting for public approval. My photo comes from Paris Match and has the following caption-Nigerians are saving face. One of theirs has killed a Biafrain prisioner He must experience...-This Nigerian is paying for his mistake...
You will notice in the composite photo that maybe this executed soldier will go to heaven or hell. That's up to Someone else to decide.
If I remember correctly from the film Breaker Morant, there was a certain amount of treachery on the part of the government not to offend the German government and Breaker Morant was sacrificed for the greater good(haha)
Was George Washington and the cherry tree a hoax? If the truth be told...

 

[jon_b]

...and what an interesting thread it has turned out to be ivanhowe.....very thought provoking

 

[ivanhowe]

I hope one is aware that this thread is a comparison of1. the African soldier executed in the video, as well as the photo of the same person and 2. Breaker morant, an Australian film - both soldiers executed by their respective governments to save face with the rest of the world. I am attaching some photos from the film. Boots are English Ammo from the 1960's.-spitshined by a real English Guardsman, and myself.

 

[KiltedSoldier]

Jon thank you for the video - the man being executed seems to die fairly slowly for a firing squad execution - it is probably the usual African practice of prolonging it by starting low and working up, I don't see any chest wounds at the moment of the first shots. A competent military firing squad puts all the rounds centre chest and centre of gravity which will kill the man instantly, you should see one jerk then a floppy body. Pity the Aussies were shot tied to chairs, I think any soldier being executed should have right to die tall and proud standing with basic uniform on, some would argue their crimes should mean execution should be humiliating without military honour as is their burial.
Ivan you are right I think the British ordered the execution not just for the crimes they did, but to appease the Germans, a German pastor was among the men murdered by this pair, along with Boer prisoners, the Germans of course were not party to the Boer war although many Brits thought they supported the Boers in their hopeless fight with the British Empire. Lord Kitchener had to explain to the Aussies why 2 of their men were executed, just before Australia became independent. I like the picture on the right, the Highlander in tropical service dress shoving an Aussie corpse into the rough coffin, I expect the firing detail and the burial detail would be been separate, Officers would know that the men would find executing a fellow soldier distasteful however guilty they are and wanted to get it all over with quickly, before a cup of tea and some whisky from the sporran flask.

 

[omegaman11]

You don't know what you are talking about! .The orders were to execute the enemy if found to be wearing the uniforms of serving troops .....they were. The Boers had not just shot Morant"s (please spell his name correctly)...officer , Morant was in love with the officer's sister, he had been tortured and emasculated .No wonder he executed the culprits . To satisfy other nations outrage Morant was made a scapegoat of the empire. You are not fit to sniff his shit.....

 

[jon_b]

You don't know what you are talking about! .... You are not fit to sniff his shit.....

Whats with the venom omegaman???? This is a friendly site...we have an area for flaming if you really must..but in all other areas of CDG we expect to be able to relax & enjoy each others company, without being flamed.

 

[djbear]

Thank you Jon - the video you have put together is great. Obviously, he felt the pain of the bullets for a period - he did not die immediately.

 

[KiltedSoldier]

Thanks Jon - no need for Omegaman to throw his teddy out of the tent. I am only going by what I read about the incident, I realise there were many stories not all agree - this is what Lord Kitchener the British Commander wrote to the Governor of Australia

"In reply to your telegram, Morant, Handcock and Witton were charged with twenty separate murders, including one of a German missionary who had witnessed other murders. Twelve of these murders were proved. From the evidence it appears that Morant was the originator of these crimes which Handcock carried out in cold-blooded manner. The murders were committed in the wildest parts of the Transvaal, known as Spelonken, about eighty miles north of Pretoria, on four separate dates namely 2 July, 11 August, and 7 September. In one case, where eight Boer prisoners were murdered, it was alleged to have been done in a spirit of revenge for the ill treatment of one of their officers - Captain Hunt - who was killed in action. No such ill-treatment was proved.

I didn't give a toss why the Aussie soldier was executed, just that it was done properly by the book, per orders, which appeared to have been the case. A lot of people die in wars, some good, some bad, some who deserve it, some who don't.

 

[ivanhowe]

djbear-I have the same memory of the film. (Chair tipping over) If there were a coffim filling scene, I would have freaked out.