Ireland to pardon 5,000 war ‘deserters’

The Irish government is to pardon 5,000 soldiers branded deserters and blacklisted for fighting for Britain against Nazi Germany.

Justice and defence minister Alan Shatter apologised to the former troops, who were dismissed under special powers introduced during the Second World War.

Officials were concerned that a blanket pardon for desertion between 1939-45 would cause major issues for other soldiers court martialled for going AWOL.

Mr Shatter, who regarded the soldiers as idealists, told the Dail in Dublin yesterday that people’s understanding of history has matured and that it was time for understanding and forgiveness.

“The government apologises for the manner in which those members of the defence forces who left to fight on the Allied side … were treated,” he said.