DESERTION CHARGE

Ashburton Guardian, Volume 61, Issue 282, 10 September 1941, Page 2

DESERTION CHARGE

THREE SOLDIERS ACCUSED. COURT-MARTIAL AT TRENTHAM. (P.A.) WELLINGTON, September 9. Three soldiers of the 2nd New Zealand Expeditionary Force, including one who served in the Great War and had done six months’ service in Fiji during the present war, were charged with desertion before a district courtmartial at Trentham to-day. In eacli ease a report o fthe proceedings will he forwarded to the convening officer, Colonel N. W. McD. Weir, and the sentences will bo announced when promulgated. Private Carlyle Pardoe was charged with desertion, in that lie was absent without leave from July 23 to August 28, when he surrendered himself at Trentham camp. He pleaded not guilty. The prosecuting officer said the question for the Court was whether 36 days’ absence without leave constituted desertion.

Evidence was given that accused was due back in camp on July 23, after seven days’ sick leave. He .actually returned on August 28, having been posted as a deserter on August 1. The defending officer said that to establish desertion, as distinct from absence without' leave, it must be shown that there was intention to desert. It was difficult sometimes to distingfiish between the two offences. Mere length of absence was not evidence of desertion. A soldier could he absent a year and not be guilty of desertion. On the other hand, he could be away only six hours and he guilty of desertion. It was all a matter of intention, and in this case the accused returned voluntarily in uniform. Absence of 74 Days. Private Gordon Smith Wilkinson was charged with desertion on active service, by being absent without leave from June 16 till apprehended by the civil police at Feilding on August 27. The prosecuting officer said accused’s absence of 74 days followed a term of service in Fiji. It was not sufficient for the accused to say, in effect, “1 was arrested in uniform, therefore that shows I did not intend to desert.” The defending officer said intention and motive for desertion must he proved. The fact of 74 days’ absence was not in itself proof of desertion, and the evidence of this absence was all there was before the Court. Accused served in the Great War and for six months in Fiji in the present war. Tie came back aiid probably tried the “old soldier’s trick” of wanting more leave, and just taking it. The judge advocate said the criteria of desertion, as against absence without leave, were the items showing intention. The facts in this case were accused’s absence for 74 days, and his being arrested 114 miles from his camp. Accused might well have remained in uniform to get the advantages of it. It could he seen from his ribbons that lie had served in the Great War, and he could truthfully tell people that he had served in this. Thus, as an old soldier he could expect hospitable treatment. Accused’s ‘age was 40. He had been charged with absence without leave for 15 days before a district court-martial in, September, 1940, when the sentence was reduction to the ranks (from sergeant).

Escape From Detention Barracks, Private Ronald Edward Jukes, aged 24, was charged with deserting on May 2u, 1941, in that he absented himself while in arrest from the detention barracks at Trentham, till apprehended by the civil police at Dunedin on August 21, wearing civilian clothes. This soldier was not represented by a defending officer. Evidence was given that accused was sentenced to 90 days’ detention by a district court-martial at Trentham in May last on a charge of desertion. In that case, he had been absent without leave from December 4, 1940, to May 1, 1941, when he was arrested at Blenheim wearing civilian clothes. Accused, who pleaded guilty, made a statement that he bad been advised by a friend that she was in difficult circumstances He had been worried about her, and' anxious to assist. After serving six days of the 90 days’ detention he decided to escape, and see what he could do to help her. He escaped and then went to Dunedin, where his friend was, and got a job. His idea was to get money to help his friend', and when she was no longer embarrassed, to return to camp. He knew when he determined to escape that he would have to face another court-martial, but thought he would stand by his friend, whose difficulties wore not cf his making. He was genuinely anxious to serve his country, and to go overseas at the first opportunity. He was a volunteer.

DETENTION FOR THIRTY DAYS (P.A.) AUCKLAND, Sept. 9. Sentence of 30 days’ detention imposed by a court-martial on Private Harry Robert Bowman, a member of a Maori reinforcement, who” pleaded guilty to a charge of desertion while on active service, has been confirmed by Brigadier P. H. Bell, and promulgated at Papakura Camp. The charge was that Bowman deserted from a troopship in Wellington on June 27, and remained absent until apprehended at Lambton quay on August 12, dressed in civilian clothes. In defence, it was stated that Bowman left the troopship to visit his wife, who had suddenly been taken ill. The court-martial sat at Papakura Camp last Tuesday.