Theodore Schurch
Encyclopedia
Theodore William John Schurch (May 5, 1918 - January 4, 1946) was an Anglo
-Swiss
soldier who was executed for treachery
following the end of the Second World War. He was the last person to be executed in Britain for an offence other than murder.
, London
while his Swiss father was living in England
. During his late teens Schurch was a member of the British Union of Fascists
.
On July 8, 1936 he enlisted in the British Army
as a Royal Army Service Corps
driver.
at Tobruk
during the war in North Africa
. Shortly afterwards he began working for both Italian
and German intelligence
. Often he would pose as a captured prisoner-of-war to gain the trust of fellow Allied prisoners, including Colonel Sir David Stirling
, founder of the Special Air Service
.
in September 1945. He was found guilty of all charges against him; nine counts of treachery under section one of the Treachery Act 1940
and one of desertion. He was defended by Alexander Brands.
Theodore Schurch was hanged
at HM Prison
Pentonville
on January 4, 1946 at the age of 27. His execution was conducted by Albert Pierrepoint
. Schurch was the only British soldier executed for treachery in World War II
. However, Duncan Scott-Ford
, a merchant seaman
for the British Merchant Navy, was also hanged under the Treachery Act 1940
for giving information to German agents, while Patrick Stanley Vaughan Heenan
, a Captain
in the British Indian Army
, was convicted of spying
for Japan
during the Malayan campaign of World War II
, and reportedly shot dead by one of his guards shortly before the Fall of Singapore to the Japanese.
William Joyce
(Lord Haw-Haw
) and John Amery
were executed as traitors under the historic crime of treason
. This differed from the offences covered under the 1940 Treachery Act. Its powers were suspended in 1946 and abolished completely in 1973.
United Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...
-Swiss
Switzerland
Switzerland name of one of the Swiss cantons. ; ; ; or ), in its full name the Swiss Confederation , is a federal republic consisting of 26 cantons, with Bern as the seat of the federal authorities. The country is situated in Western Europe,Or Central Europe depending on the definition....
soldier who was executed for treachery
Treachery Act 1940
The Treachery Act 1940 was an Act of the Parliament of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland enacted during World War II to facilitate the prosecution and execution of enemy spies, and suspended after the war and later repealed...
following the end of the Second World War. He was the last person to be executed in Britain for an offence other than murder.
Early life
Schurch was born at Queen Charlotte's HospitalQueen Charlotte's Hospital
Queen Charlotte's and Chelsea Hospital is one of the oldest maternity hospitals in Europe, and until recently occupied a site on Goldhawk Road, Hammersmith, West London. Originally called Queen Charlotte's Hospital, it merged with the Chelsea Hospital for Women and is now based at the Hammersmith...
, London
London
London is the capital city of :England and the :United Kingdom, the largest metropolitan area in the United Kingdom, and the largest urban zone in the European Union by most measures. Located on the River Thames, London has been a major settlement for two millennia, its history going back to its...
while his Swiss father was living in England
England
England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west, with the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...
. During his late teens Schurch was a member of the British Union of Fascists
British Union of Fascists
The British Union was a political party in the United Kingdom formed in 1932 by Sir Oswald Mosley as the British Union of Fascists, in 1936 it changed its name to the British Union of Fascists and National Socialists and then in 1937 to simply the British Union...
.
On July 8, 1936 he enlisted in the British Army
British Army
The British Army is the land warfare branch of Her Majesty's Armed Forces in the United Kingdom. It came into being with the unification of the Kingdom of England and Scotland into the Kingdom of Great Britain in 1707. The new British Army incorporated Regiments that had already existed in England...
as a Royal Army Service Corps
Royal Army Service Corps
The Royal Army Service Corps was a corps of the British Army. It was responsible for land, coastal and lake transport; air despatch; supply of food, water, fuel, and general domestic stores such as clothing, furniture and stationery ; administration of...
driver.
Betrayal
In June 1942 Schurch was captured by the Afrika KorpsAfrika Korps
The German Africa Corps , or the Afrika Korps as it was popularly called, was the German expeditionary force in Libya and Tunisia during the North African Campaign of World War II...
at Tobruk
Siege of Tobruk
The siege of Tobruk was a confrontation that lasted 240 days between Axis and Allied forces in North Africa during the Western Desert Campaign of the Second World War...
during the war in North Africa
North African campaign
During the Second World War, the North African Campaign took place in North Africa from 10 June 1940 to 13 May 1943. It included campaigns fought in the Libyan and Egyptian deserts and in Morocco and Algeria and Tunisia .The campaign was fought between the Allies and Axis powers, many of whom had...
. Shortly afterwards he began working for both Italian
Servizio Informazioni Militari
The Italian Military Intelligence Service was the military intelligence organization for the Royal Army of the Kingdom of Italy from 1900 until 1946, and of the Republic of Italy until 1949...
and German intelligence
Abwehr
The Abwehr was a German military intelligence organisation from 1921 to 1944. The term Abwehr was used as a concession to Allied demands that Germany's post-World War I intelligence activities be for "defensive" purposes only...
. Often he would pose as a captured prisoner-of-war to gain the trust of fellow Allied prisoners, including Colonel Sir David Stirling
David Stirling
Colonel Sir Archibald David Stirling, DSO, DFC, OBE was a Scottish laird, mountaineer, World War II British Army officer, and the founder of the Special Air Service.-Life before the war:...
, founder of the Special Air Service
Special Air Service
Special Air Service or SAS is a corps of the British Army constituted on 31 May 1950. They are part of the United Kingdom Special Forces and have served as a model for the special forces of many other countries all over the world...
.
Trial and execution
Schurch was arrested in Rome in March 1945 and tried by Major Melford Stevenson in a court martial convened at the Duke of York's Headquarters in Chelsea, LondonChelsea, London
Chelsea is an area of West London, England, bounded to the south by the River Thames, where its frontage runs from Chelsea Bridge along the Chelsea Embankment, Cheyne Walk, Lots Road and Chelsea Harbour. Its eastern boundary was once defined by the River Westbourne, which is now in a pipe above...
in September 1945. He was found guilty of all charges against him; nine counts of treachery under section one of the Treachery Act 1940
Treachery Act 1940
The Treachery Act 1940 was an Act of the Parliament of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland enacted during World War II to facilitate the prosecution and execution of enemy spies, and suspended after the war and later repealed...
and one of desertion. He was defended by Alexander Brands.
Theodore Schurch was hanged
Hanging
Hanging is the lethal suspension of a person by a ligature. The Oxford English Dictionary states that hanging in this sense is "specifically to put to death by suspension by the neck", though it formerly also referred to crucifixion and death by impalement in which the body would remain...
at HM Prison
Her Majesty's Prison Service
Her Majesty's Prison Service is a part of the National Offender Management Service of the Government of the United Kingdom tasked with managing most of the prisons within England and Wales...
Pentonville
Pentonville (HM Prison)
HM Prison Pentonville is a Category B/C men's prison, operated by Her Majesty's Prison Service. Pentonville Prison is not actually within Pentonville itself, but is located further north, on the Caledonian Road in the Barnsbury area of the London Borough of Islington, in inner-North London,...
on January 4, 1946 at the age of 27. His execution was conducted by Albert Pierrepoint
Albert Pierrepoint
Albert Pierrepoint is the most famous member of the family which provided three of the United Kingdom's official hangmen in the first half of the 20th century...
. Schurch was the only British soldier executed for treachery in World War II
World War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
. However, Duncan Scott-Ford
Duncan Scott-Ford
Duncan Alexander Croall Scott-Ford was a British merchant seaman who was hanged for treachery after giving information to an enemy agent during World War II.-Family origins:...
, a merchant seaman
Merchant Navy
The Merchant Navy is the maritime register of the United Kingdom, and describes the seagoing commercial interests of UK-registered ships and their crews. Merchant Navy vessels fly the Red Ensign and are regulated by the Maritime and Coastguard Agency...
for the British Merchant Navy, was also hanged under the Treachery Act 1940
Treachery Act 1940
The Treachery Act 1940 was an Act of the Parliament of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland enacted during World War II to facilitate the prosecution and execution of enemy spies, and suspended after the war and later repealed...
for giving information to German agents, while Patrick Stanley Vaughan Heenan
Patrick Stanley Vaughan Heenan
Patrick Stanley Vaughan Heenan was a Captain in the British Indian Army who was convicted of treason, after spying for Japan during the Malayan campaign of World War II. Heenan was reportedly killed during the Battle of Singapore...
, a Captain
Captain (OF-2)
The army rank of captain is a commissioned officer rank historically corresponding to command of a company of soldiers. The rank is also used by some air forces and marine forces. Today a captain is typically either the commander or second-in-command of a company or artillery battery...
in the British Indian Army
British Indian Army
The British Indian Army, officially simply the Indian Army, was the principal army of the British Raj in India before the partition of India in 1947...
, was convicted of spying
Espionage
Espionage or spying involves an individual obtaining information that is considered secret or confidential without the permission of the holder of the information. Espionage is inherently clandestine, lest the legitimate holder of the information change plans or take other countermeasures once it...
for Japan
Empire of Japan
The Empire of Japan is the name of the state of Japan that existed from the Meiji Restoration on 3 January 1868 to the enactment of the post-World War II Constitution of...
during the Malayan campaign of World War II
Battle of Malaya
The Malayan Campaign was a campaign fought by Allied and Japanese forces in Malaya, from 8 December 1941 – 31 January 1942 during the Second World War. The campaign was dominated by land battles between British Commonwealth army units, and the Imperial Japanese Army...
, and reportedly shot dead by one of his guards shortly before the Fall of Singapore to the Japanese.
William Joyce
William Joyce
William Joyce , nicknamed Lord Haw-Haw, was an Irish-American fascist politician and Nazi propaganda broadcaster to the United Kingdom during the Second World War. He was hanged for treason by the British as a result of his wartime activities, even though he had renounced his British nationality...
(Lord Haw-Haw
Lord Haw-Haw
Lord Haw-Haw was the nickname of several announcers on the English-language propaganda radio programme Germany Calling, broadcast by Nazi German radio to audiences in Great Britain on the medium wave station Reichssender Hamburg and by shortwave to the United States...
) and John Amery
John Amery
John Amery was a British fascist who proposed to the Wehrmacht the formation of a British volunteer force and made recruitment efforts and propaganda broadcasts for Nazi Germany...
were executed as traitors under the historic crime of treason
Treason
In law, treason is the crime that covers some of the more extreme acts against one's sovereign or nation. Historically, treason also covered the murder of specific social superiors, such as the murder of a husband by his wife. Treason against the king was known as high treason and treason against a...
. This differed from the offences covered under the 1940 Treachery Act. Its powers were suspended in 1946 and abolished completely in 1973.