Re: Buckingham bullets, was (ahem!)

--- Robin Paul <Robin.Paul@tesco.net> wrote:

> I recall, from reading Biggles books, something
> about British pilots
> carrying written orders if using Buckingham
> ammunition (for balloon-busting
> on the Western Front), in an attempt to protect the
> pilot from accusations
> of using illegal weapons.  I've no idea if this is
> correct or not, but W E
> Johns was a RFC pilot. Perhaps it was an unofficial
> practice on the part of
> front line officers, rather than a legal
> requirement?

It couldn't be a legal requirement because written
orders to commit warcrimes (if Buckingham ammunition
is in fact illegal) do not excuse their actual
commission.  The SS had written orders establishing
concentration camps and laying out some of the
procedures to follow.  Oddly enough, a lot of them
still got hung for running themm.

John

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