Any person subject to this Act who commits any of the following offences, this is to say,—(a)when in command of a guard, piquet, patrol or post, releases without proper authority, whether wilfully or without reasonable excuse, any person committed to his charge or refuses to receive any prisoner or person so committed; or(b)wilfully or without reasonable excuse allows to escape any person who is committed to his charge, or whom it is his duty to keep or guard;shall, on conviction by court-martial, be liable, if he has acted wilfully, to suffer imprisonment for a term which may extend to fourteen years or such less punishment as is in this Act mentioned; and if he has not acted wilfully, to suffer imprisonment for a term which may extend to two years or such less punishment as is in this Act mentioned.
