古德明英語軍事小故事：軍 法 (中英對照)
古德明《征服英語》之英語軍事故事，古德明，香港英語教育作家，他開了一個《征服英語專欄》，在專欄中專門用英語寫了世界近代史上的軍事小故事，用英語講述歷史中那些驚心動魄的戰爭。
軍 法
In February 1916, Private Beverstein wrote to his mother in London:"We were in the trenches, and I was ill, so I went out and they took me to prison and I am in a bit of trouble now and won't get any money for a long time- I will try my best to get out of it, so don't worry." The next letter his mother had was from the War Office informing her of her son's execution.It is believed that 300-odd British soldiers of World War I were shot for cowardice and desertion. Many of them were boys still in their teens, and had joined up by giving a false age. Hebert Burden, for instance, lied that he was two years older. He was shot at the age of 17 for desertion. His unit had been issued orders to make for he front just before he went missing. He said he had gone to see a friend stationed nearby.
一九一六年二月，二等兵貝弗斯坦寫信給倫敦家中的母親說：「大家都在戰壕里，我感到不適，走出戰壕，給抓入獄，現在有點麻煩，很久都不會獲發金錢了。我會盡力脫身，不必擔心。」他母親其后收到的一封信，由陸軍部寄出，說她兒子已遭處決。第一次世界大戰的英軍，因怯陣或開小差遭槍決的，估計有三百多人，其中不少無非十多歲的孩子。他們為求從軍，虛報了年齡。例如赫伯特．伯登報大了兩年，最后因開小差罪被槍決，死時不過十七歲。他在所屬部隊奉命上前線之后，馬上失蹤。據他自己說，是去了看附近駐守的一個朋友。
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