You're right about them shooting deserters in WWi whether they were Irish or not Keith. I thought that Mr Farrington seemed a very timid sort judging by what they said on the BBC about him living in fear for sixty five years , polishing his gallantry medals in the dark and all that!

One my uncles was working in the north of England at the outbreak of WW2 . He was called up and tried every trick in the book to get out ,but they wouldn't let him leave.On parade he used to pretend that he was stupid -which he wasn't - and couldn't understand the orders when the sergeant was bawling them out .He kept marching when ordered to halt and stuff like that. "What do they say in Ireland when they want you to stop?" the sergeant asked him in exasperation . "Woaaah" said my uncle , (like you'd say to a donkey). The next time they were on drill parade the sergeant shouted to the squad " Halt! and you , you Irish bastard Woaaah!

Uncle Mike deserted as soon as he got his furlough and returned to Mayo. He was a windy type and never returned to England .Like Mr Farringdon he was constantly afraid of getting arrested for desertion.

The BBC report says that the bould Mr Farringdon joined the British army to fight the nazis , but how true that is who can really say ? Like the deserter I mentioned who got shot at the Normandy landing he could have had other motives.

Thanks for the correction on the point about the Irish Defence Force.