Quote:
Originally posted by angie999@Jan 15 2005, 10:56 AM
There were, of course, a number of American military executions at Shepton Mallet prison in Somerset, which was taken over by American forces during the war.
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As far as I can establish, there were 18 US military executions at Shepton Mallet in WWII, including two by firing squad, 20 year old Alex Miranda who shot his sergeant, on 30th May 1944 and Benjamin Pyegate who had stabbed a fellow soldier to death, on 28th November 1944. It is possible that other US personnel were hanged at British operated prisons - one web source hints at this without giving details - but the total probably was these 18.
My husband was once shown what was said to be the former wartime condemned cell at Shepton Mallet. This was actually a room in a house across the road from the prison, which, he was told, had been taken over by the US military. Apparently, the condemned prisoner would be taken over to the prison to be hanged. Is anybody able to confirm this (or otherwise)? It has always seemed doubtful to us.
Here is a link to an academic paper on the subject:
http://www.soci.niu.edu/~critcrim/dp/dppap...l.dirty.details
And another link (this one contradicts my condemned cell comments):
http://www.richard.clark32.btinterne.../sheptonm.html