1941: George Johnson Armstrong, under the Treachery Act

ExecutedToday.com ^ | July 10, 2018 | Headsman

[CheshireTheCat]

Marine engineer George Johnson Armstrong on this date in 1941 was hanged at Wandsworth Prison … attaining an unenviable distinction as the first of five Britons executed under the Treachery Act of 1940.

One of the very first laws enacted by the incoming wartime government of Winston Churchill as the Wehrmacht overran France, the Treachery Act anticipated two potential difficulties in punishing various forms of aid that folk might thereafter attempt to extend to the Third Reich.

We’ll let all about those difficulties:

if we rely upon the Treason Act — the main Act, as I have said, is an Act of great antiquity — and other Acts which establish special procedure and special formalities, we shall have a much more complicated and cumbrous procedure than may, in existing circumstances, be justified.

There is also this further point. The law of treason in this country applies, of course, to every British subject wherever that British subject is living, because every British subject owes allegiance to the King. The law of treason also applies to aliens in so far as they owe to the King local allegiance — that is to say, as long....

[beethovenfan]

I can think of a few today who might well follow in his path.

[ProtectOurFreedom]

If we passed our own “Treachery Act,” would there be a single Democrat who wouldn’t be convicted under it?

[The_Media_never_lie]

If people were hung for treason in the West today, there would be a shortage of gallows.

[Dundee]

Plenty of trees, plenty of street lamps...

[If You Want It Fixed - Fix It]

Markle!