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Corporal Josef Jakobs (30 June 1898 – 15 August 1941) was a German spy, who was executed by firing squad in the Tower of London during the Second World War after conviction under the Treachery Act of 1940. He was the last person to be executed in the Tower.

The location of the execution was the old miniature .22 rifle range in the Tower's grounds. Jakobs was executed while seated blindfolded in a brown Windsor chair, due to having a broken ankle. A squad of eight Scots Guards armed with Lee Enfield .303 rifles took aim at a white cotton target (the approximate size of a playing card) pinned over Jakobs' heart. After being given a silent signal from Lieutenant-Colonel C.R. Gerard (Deputy Provost Marshal) the squad fired in unison. A subsequent postmortem examination found that one bullet had hit Jakobs in the head and the other seven had been on or around the marked target area.

Following the execution, Jacobs' body was buried in an unmarked grave at St. Mary’s Roman Catholic Cemetery, Kensal Green, London. The location used for Jakob's grave has since been re-used so the original grave site is therefore difficult to find.

External links

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-'''Corporal Josef Jakobs''' ([[30 June]] [[1898]] &ndash; [[15 August]] [[1941]]) was a German agent, who was shot by firing squad in the [[Tower of London]] during the [[Second World War]] after conviction under the [[Treachery Act of 1940]]. He was the last person to be executed in the Tower.  He was executed by a [[firing squad]] of eight [[Scots Guards]] while sitting down in a chair due to having a broken ankle.
+'''Corporal Josef Jakobs''' ([[30 June]] [[1898]] &ndash; [[15 August]] [[1941]]) was a German spy, who was executed by [[firing squad]] in the [[Tower of London]] during the [[Second World War]] after conviction under the [[Treachery Act of 1940]]. He was the last person to be executed in the Tower.
+The location of the execution was the old miniature [[.22]] rifle range in the Tower's grounds. Jakobs was executed while seated [[blindfold]]ed in a brown [[Windsor chair]], due to having a broken ankle. A squad of eight [[Scots Guards]] armed with [[Lee Enfield]] [[.303 British|.303]] rifles took aim at a white cotton target (the approximate size of a [[playing card]]) pinned over Jakobs' heart. After being given a silent signal from Lieutenant-Colonel C.R. Gerard (Deputy [[Provost Marshal]]) the squad fired in unison. A subsequent [[postmortem]] examination found that one bullet had hit Jakobs in the head and the other seven had been on or around the marked target area.
+Following the execution, Jacobs' body was buried in an [[unmarked grave]] at St. Mary’s Roman Catholic Cemetery, [[Kensal Green]], [[London]]. The location used for Jakob's grave has since been re-used so the original grave site is therefore difficult to find.
 == External links ==