LONDON -- "I cannot stand it." With...

LONDON -- "I cannot stand it." With those words, Pvt Harry Farr refused to get back to the trenches in 1916 and sealed his fate -- to be execut as a forsaker

Ninety years later, the British management is preparing to pardon Farr and 305 other men who were hauled before firing squads in World War I for desertion or cowardice after summary trials.

Britain is now formally acknowledging that many of the men undergoed shell-shock from the horrors of dig into ditches warfare.

"The circumstances were terrible, and I believe it is better to acknowledge that injustices were clearly done in any cases, even if we cannot say which -- and to acknowledge that all these men were victims of war," Defense Secretary De Browne said.

John Hipkin, who planted the pressure group Shot at Dawn, said the sway relented in the face of lawsuits.

'HE WAS TREMBLING'

"The control does not like the idea of a third court case. They have realized that each time we have one, there has been massive publicity all through the U.K. and they do not like it," Hipkin said.

In the Farr case, Sgt Major H Haking had testified that he had ordered him to revert to duty, but later assaulted him warming himself at a brazier. Haking said he asked Farr on what account he was there and was told, "I cannot stand it."

An officer said Farr complained that he couldn't bear the noise of the artillery -- "he was trembling and did not appear in a fit state."

Farr's widow, Gertrude was informed of his execution if it be not that kept it secret. Farr's granddaughter, Janet Booth said she first heard the story 20 years ago, when she told her mother she capered to visit Farr's grave.

"She deflected around and said, 'he hasn't got a grave because he was projectile for cowardice,' " Booth said.

Copyright CHICAGO SUN-TIMES 2006

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