A HARROW Weald woman who believes her father was wrongly executed for cowardice in the First World War is petitioning the Government for a posthumous pardon.

Gertrude Harris, from Blackwell Close, who celebrated her 90th birthday yesterday (Wednesday), says the 20-minute court martial of her father, Private Harry Farr, did not consider medical papers displaying evidence of shell-shock. Nor did they allow him a "soldier's friend", an officer who could vouch for his good conduct.

The campaign to persuade the Ministry of Defence to clear Private Farr's name was started by his granddaughter, Janet Booth, 61, 11 years ago. It could lead to the relatives of the 305 other executed soldiers seeking pardons.

Private Farr served with the 2nd Battalion West Yorkshire Regiment, and fought at Neuve Chapelle and the Somme. He went over the top many times.

Gertrude maintains that he did not show cowardice but was suffering from post traumatic stress disorder when he was shot at dawn at Carnoy, France, on October 18, 1916, aged just 25.

"He had been in hospital for five months with shell-shock," she said. "When they did release him, he was all right until he heard the sound of guns, then he went to pieces. He reported in sick but because there were no visible wounds, he was sent back out."

The court martial papers reveal when the soldier was threatened by a sergeant major, Private Farr replied he could not go on.

"Field Marshall Haig kept saying examples must be made," said Gertrude.

Following her husband's death, Gertrude's mother was left a widow at just 21-years-old. Her pension was stopped and she had to work as a maid in Hampstead, bringing up three-year-old Gertrude alone.

"This has been for her all along," said Gertrude, who has lived in Harrow for 55 years. "The worst thing was the stigma."

A Ministry of Defence spokesman said a petition on behalf of Private Farr was being studied.