"SCRAPPED."

Auckland Star, Issue 154, 2 July 1934, Page 5

"SCRAPPED."

NAVAL OFFICER. TRAGEDY CF ALAN CASEY. COMMISSION TO INVESTIGATE I (From Our Own Correspondent.) SYDNEY, June 20. On March 27 a coroner's inquest was held into the death of Lieutenant-Com-mander Alan D. Casey, R.A.N. The verdict was that Casey died from carbon monoxide poisoning, having inhaled coal gas while temporarily deranged. Dr. Colliii3, who had been a E.A.N, medical adviser, and is now president of the 8.M.A., expressed the view that Casey's recent dismissal from the Navy had preyed upon his mind. The coroner,. Mr. Farrington, S.M., made the singularly heartless comment: "If, as ait officer of the Navy, he had received a sudden shock, he should have been man enough to stand up to it"; and the verdict of suicide was duly recorded. Hut there was a great deal behind the inquest and the verdict that had not yet been brought to light, and Casey's relatives and friends determined that the whole of the facts should be revealed. Today it is announced from Canberra that tlie_ Federal Cabinet has decided to appoint a Royal Commission of inquiry. Exceptional Ability. At the inquest a large amount of information concerning Casey's life and career in the Navy was given by Donald McKenzie, a retired lieutenant-com-mander cf the R.A.N, and one of Casey's oldest and most intimate friends. Casey entered Jervis Bay College in 1916 when he was only 13 years old. He was 31 years old when he died, and he had thus spent the intervening 18 years—the whole of his life—in close association with the Navy and naval work. When he entered the college he had to pass a searching examination as to physical and mental fitness; and coming through this successfully, he was officially recognised as belonging to "the pick of

the nation." He graduated in 1919, and in due course passed "with distinction" to the rank of lieutenant. In 1928 he I was selected to go to Portsmouth for a I course of special training in signalling J and wireless telegraphy. He passed this j course with so much credit that he was | sent on to Greenwich for a more ad-1 vanced course at the Royal Naval College, and there, too, he was remarkably | successful. But the prolonged strain I of these studies and his constant devo-1 tion to his duties affected his health, I and in 1930, finding that the Naval authorities were making reductions in personnel, he offered to resign. But the Naval Board declined to accept his resignation, on the ground that lie had proved himself to be an officer of more than average capacity, and that his retirement would be a loss to the service. In 1931 Casey was placed in charge of the signal school at Flinders Naval Depot, and in .1932 he was promoted lieutenant-commander and appointed to a squadron. But in 1933 his health grew worse, and he fell a victim to insomnia. Dr. Collins, a Macquarie Street specialist, who was then medical adviser to the Navy, recommended that he be given light duties for a month. In the following November Dr. Collins examined Casey again and testified at the inquest that he regarded him as completely recovered. He could find no trace of organic disease, and the neurotic condition, which Dr. Collins attributed entirely to the prolonged strain of overwork and responsibility, had entirely disappeared. Yet in November the Naval Board notified Casey that he was to be invalided from the R.A.N, on the ground that he was "below Naval physical standard." For the four remaining months of his life Casey endeavoured constantly to persuade the Naval Board to grant him a "re-survey"—that is another medical examination. But they refused absolutely, and so the unfortunate young man, driven to desperation by the knowledge that, after a life spent in the service of his country, lie was "thrown upon the scrapheap," finally put an end to an existence that had become to him intolerable. Without Compensation. It may be pointed out here that the Naval authorities and the Federal Minister of Defence, Sir Geo. Pearee, have tried to make capital out of the fact that Casey was not thrust out penniless.

lie received nearly £1000 in deferred pay and pay in lieu of leave of absence. But all this lie had earned, and lie got no compensation for dismissal, whereas, if lie had been permitted to resign when he wished in l!KiO, he would have received compensation as well. But Casey was concerned not with the pecuniary side of the question, but with his consciousness that he had spent his life to 110 purpose, and that liis superiors insisted that his alleged inability to "carry on 7 ' was due not to overstrain but to "constitutional causes." All these tilings combined preyed upon liis mind and harried liim to his tragic end. According to his life long friend McKenzie, "the only trouble he had was the heartbreak, due to being scrapped." and this view of the ease was largely confirmed bv Dr. Collins.

Everybody interested in Casey's fate feels that lie should not be allowed to rest under this stigma of unfitness, after giving so many proofs of efficiency, and that the events leading up to his death should be fully disclosed. So strong has the agitation grown that Sir George Pearce has thought it necessary to make a public statement on the matter, in which, as in duty bound, lit: supports liis departmental officials an the Naval Board. But there is nothing in his statement to explain why, im mediately after Dr. Collins had found Casey fully recovered with 110 tracc of organic weakness, the Naval Medical Board discovered that he was constitutionally unfit and discharged him. Of National Importance. Another aspect of the case is put by the "Bulletin" in very convincing form: "If Casey was not found medically unfit by the Naval Board, why was he discharged? If he was found medically unfit, why was he not compensated?' The Minister cannot easily evade this dilemma and the efforts made by the "Bulletin" and other newspapers have produced an insistent demand foi a searching' inquiry. But apart from the injustice which Casev seems to have suffered, it is claimed that this matter is one of national importance. For "if an officer with an unimpeachable record is to be arbitrarily retired without compensation on the ground of physical in-c-apacitv against the recommendation of responsible medical experts," then 110 officer, whatever his rank or capacity, can ever feel safe, and the "morale" of the defence services will be destroyed.