Poster - commons.wikimedia.org #Edith Louisa Cavell (1865 – 12 October 1915) was a British nurse celebrated for saving the lives of soldiers from both sides without discrimination and in helping some 200 Allied soldiers escape from German-occupied Belgium during the First World War. Arrested and court-martialled, she was found guilty of treason and sentenced to death. Despite international pressure for mercy, she was shot by a German firing squad. Her execution received worldwide condemnation and extensive press coverage.#
Source: Wikipedia.
A Dame and former director-general of MI5, has made a startling claim on the centenary of Cavell's death. Namely: Cavell's network was indeed smuggling intelligence back to the Allies. The former director-general delved into the military archives in Belgium, where she found evidence overlooked by historians to show the dual nature of Cavell's organisation.
Along with the public condemnation for her death, Sir Arthur Conan Doyle wrote: "Everybody must feel disgusted at the barbarous actions of the German soldiery in murdering this great and glorious specimen of womanhood."
The German military governor of Belgium who signed the warrant for Cavell's execution maintained that she had knowledge of the espionage operation.
According to the official who produced the BBC documentary, circumstantial evidence points to Cavell being aware of the espionage, even if not directly involved. "Cavell was certainly not a naive woman - her shrewd testimony before her German interrogators proved that. As so many leading members of the network were involved in espionage, it would have been truly extraordinary for her to have been completely unaware of the intelligence-gathering.
"The story we have always been led to believe – of a simple nurse just doing her duty helping soldiers – turns out to have been a lot more complicated, nuanced, and dangerous than we had ever previously thought."
And there you have it. An innocent heroine, held up by all as unjustly condemned, knew of the espionage going on around her.
People are such complicated creatures. We judge the circumstances, and then decide what to do, be it turn a blind eye or take action.
I'm guilty of the same thing in my everyday life. My friend and I used to walk beside a paddock every day where a shaggy, neglected old horse roamed. We even took him carrots. Then, one day he wasn't there. Later, we found out he'd died. The people who owned the stables had left him unaided because of his owner's non-payment of fees. I, along with everyone else walking by, should have reported the horse's condition to an animal welfare establishment.
Let the person who has not been guilty of any misdeed or omission cast the first stone.
Do you find decisions that will affect others hard to make?
Source: Wikipedia.
A Dame and former director-general of MI5, has made a startling claim on the centenary of Cavell's death. Namely: Cavell's network was indeed smuggling intelligence back to the Allies. The former director-general delved into the military archives in Belgium, where she found evidence overlooked by historians to show the dual nature of Cavell's organisation.
Along with the public condemnation for her death, Sir Arthur Conan Doyle wrote: "Everybody must feel disgusted at the barbarous actions of the German soldiery in murdering this great and glorious specimen of womanhood."
The German military governor of Belgium who signed the warrant for Cavell's execution maintained that she had knowledge of the espionage operation.
According to the official who produced the BBC documentary, circumstantial evidence points to Cavell being aware of the espionage, even if not directly involved. "Cavell was certainly not a naive woman - her shrewd testimony before her German interrogators proved that. As so many leading members of the network were involved in espionage, it would have been truly extraordinary for her to have been completely unaware of the intelligence-gathering.
"The story we have always been led to believe – of a simple nurse just doing her duty helping soldiers – turns out to have been a lot more complicated, nuanced, and dangerous than we had ever previously thought."
And there you have it. An innocent heroine, held up by all as unjustly condemned, knew of the espionage going on around her.
People are such complicated creatures. We judge the circumstances, and then decide what to do, be it turn a blind eye or take action.
I'm guilty of the same thing in my everyday life. My friend and I used to walk beside a paddock every day where a shaggy, neglected old horse roamed. We even took him carrots. Then, one day he wasn't there. Later, we found out he'd died. The people who owned the stables had left him unaided because of his owner's non-payment of fees. I, along with everyone else walking by, should have reported the horse's condition to an animal welfare establishment.
Let the person who has not been guilty of any misdeed or omission cast the first stone.
Do you find decisions that will affect others hard to make?
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