H.M.A.S AUSTIALIA

Ashburton Guardian, Volume XXXIX, Issue 9657, 14 July 1919, Page 5

H.M.A.S AUSTIALIA

DETAILS OF MUTINY

For having participated ia a"mutiny on board H.M.A.S. Australia, at Fre r mantle on June 1, five men, all youthful in appearance, were on June 2(>< sentenced to imprisonment,, and three of them to dismissal from His Majesty's Australian Service upon theexpiration of their sentences,. One of them was among the volunteers forthe* Ze-ebrugge raid, and holds'tie D.C.M. The circumstances of the outbreak were told before a court-martial held on board H.M.A.S. Encounter. The men charged were: D. J. 0. Rudd' (D.S.M.), able seaman; W. Thompson-, ordinary seaman; K. H. "Paterson, ordinary seaman; L. T. Rudd, stoker; and W. G. Mclntosh, stoker. They were charged with " having, -while belonging to H.M.A.S. Austrdia, and then being persons subject to tlm Naval Discipline Act. joined in a mutiny not accompanied by violence oir board the Australia on Juno 1, 1919.' r'

Captain Cumberlege, of H.M.A.S. Australia, appeared to prosecute.-- Thecharge was accompanied by a circumstantial report of Captain Cumbcrlege r stating that at about 10.30 a.m. on: Sunday, June 1, at Fremant'le, his attention was directed to a large body of men, between 80 and ]00 :in number, who came on the quarter-deck and - assembled in front of "P v turret.' He noticed that many of the men wore the rig of liberty-men, and that they straggled on to the quarter-deck, and formed up there with a more or less ■ even front, but no attempt at orderly formation, was made. It v/aa, in fact, what may be termed a moli, rather than an orderly deputation. The commander reported that the assembly. • through a spokesman, asked that tho ship might be delayed in eaiHng, so that the ship's company insight .be' given a further opportunity to entertain their friends from Fremr-ntle. On receiving this information he. at once realised that this was no ordinary request preferred in a legitimate manner in accordance with the customs of the, service and articles of war, and he, ' speaking quietly, and in measured tones, indicated that it was impossible to accede to the request, which, mr deed, amounted to a demand, to delay the ship's sailing, and then ordered them off the quarter-deck. A ■ number of ejaculations of an insubordinate . nature were being made by them, and certain persons, obviously fomenting trouble, were noticed, and tbeir names were taken. At this time the ship was actually 1 sanding by to proceed to sea.

Very shortly v after this the Commodore having come aboard and the last boat having been hoisted, he ga7e the order "Let go aft," when siraaltaneously from the telephone room he received a communication that the stokers on watch had left the boiler--room. Certain persons were seen to bo conferring on the mess deefca prior to the assembly, and these persona' intentions were to collect others-' with a view t to forming the 'assemblj I»fore referred to. Immediately after the assembly had straggled off the quarterdeck, a number of men, some of whom had their faces masked with black silk handkerchiefs, proceeded belo;V to the boiler-room, and intimidated or in-' duced the watch of stokeia l>o t quit thoir duty, which had the effect of holding up the ship from proceeding to sea until such time as it waa possible to fall in the chief potty officers,-petty officers, and officers, and twH off the necessary duty men for. steadying .the ship. The act of mutiny committed by the accused consists in the fact that a body of men, of which the ■■following.' 1 formed part, resisted lawful aTSoh/iritv', inasmuch as thoy prevented tailing his ship to sea. The accused pleadod gui'ity, and in a signed statement said: " O'or respective ages range from 18 to 23 years., and we have been on active ?jorvice. principally in the North Sea, for periods ranging from threo to five years. Upon arrival at Freraaatle wo were the recipients of a great T/elcome by the people of Western Australia, and many kindnesses were shown us. On the last day, whilst hirl:.uT participating in the hospitality of the , pooplc, the rumour went round that the vessel could not leaves tntf! Monday, it being then Saturday, uncl also that the people would bo admitted on board on Sunday evening. Thia gave great satisfaction to the crew, as we felt that we would be able to _show in some- small degree our appreciation of all the good things that had fceon done for us. When we returned on board on Sunday morning, and learnt ;Jpr tho' fii-st time that tfce -ship woq sailing in an hour or two, n great deal of resentment was evidenced among iho crew. Personally, wo are not clear of what followed, as we wore feeling * more or less the effects of four clays' iesbmties. Certainly we did not realise t-h<j seri-' ousness 'of attempting to present tho departure of the ship, or that, the same would be tantamount to an act of mutiny. We do not consider that the foregoing in any way justifies, tho sub- , sequent action taken by ns.antl other members of tlie crew. Wo had no desire to be disloyal to our officers or to bring discredit on our sbip.';) _ A special plea was made on beiiali of Paterson that he had beenexposed to evil counsels before tho joined tho Australia,, and it was not *ritil ho heard .the articles of, war vee-u i'or tho 1 first time on the Sunday in question that he realised what a seriotja matter it was for a. large body of men to refuse duty. The Court's decision was Sfs ioiiows: Mclntosh to be put to hard labour for two years, and at tho expiration oi- • the term to bft dismissed from the Service; L. T. Rudd to be imprisoned # for two years, and at. the expiration or the term to ho dismissed horn tho Service; D. J. 0. Rudd-to bfl imprisoned for IS months, and dismissed I the service; and Thompson raiil'PatevI son each to be imprisoned for ->»v) year..