Sir, – The Irish Soldiers Pardons Campaign (WW2), would like to commend Minister for Justice Equality and Defence Alan Shatter, for having the wisdom, compassion and moral courage in taking positive action to enable a resolution on the pardons issue to be achieved which will remove in so far as practicable the stigma of dishonour attached to those named as dismissed for desertion in the republished blacklist (Home News, June 13th).
Many organisations, politicians of different hues, members of the media, individuals and particularly the ordinary man and woman in the street throughout Ireland and further afield supported the Irish Soldiers Pardons Campaign (WW2) and are now entitled to share in the collective credit. On behalf of the very few elderly survivors left and their families we thank you all (Go raibh míle maith agaibh go léar). – Yours, etc,
Sir, – On the Emergency black market, a full standard issue Army kit would get you very far indeed. Possessing a veritable treasure trove of clothing and accoutrements, every deserting soldier had the potential to become a super “spiv” in between deserting and “joining up” again. While all those who fought the good against fascism deserve our gratitude, we should take care, as always, not to read their initial motivations backwards. – Yours, etc,