LOSS OF MEMORY.

Press, Volume LIV, Issue 16308, 4 September 1918, Page 5

LOSS OF MEMORY.

A STRANGE CASE. A remarkable development has occurred in regard to the strange case of tho young ifingiish. soldier who was returned to Australia on a transport in September 1917, as Gordon McDonald, 13th Light Horse (says the Sydney "Daily Telegraph"). Soon after his return it was discovered that the real Gordon McDonald, who enlisted in was serving with the A.I.F. abroad. Later he turned up in Sydney, and got into trouble for unlawfully wearing military decorations and finally Scotland Yard named him as an Imperial Army deserter. Since then he has been under detention in &ydney as a mental case. Now it has been clearly established that "McDonald's" real name is Richard Clifford Lewis. He has served in the British Army under the name of Williams, and there is veiy strong reason to believe that, though posted as a deserter, he came to Australia through no fault of his own. It would seem that he lost his memory in England, and by some moans or other "was ineludod in a number of soldiers returning to Australia as invalids. His real identity has been established through tho efforts of Mr E. A. Clarke, secretary of the Prison Association in Victoria, who encountered Lewis when he was brought to the city watch-house on a civil charge. Mr Clarke heard the youth's story, and wrote to people in South "Wales, whom Lewis claimed were his foster-parents. Replies received by Mr Clarke show that Lewis's foster-parents are Mr aqd Mrs David Probert, of Tredegar, South Wales. In a letter to Mr Clarke Mr and Mrs Probert say that they adopted Lewis at an early age. The lad assumed the name of Probert, and was known in Tredegar as Richard Clifford Probert. When war broke out he asked to be allowed to enlist. As ho was then only 16 years of age his foster-parents' refused permission.. Young Lewis thereupon went away from home and enlisted in the army under the name of W. G. Williams. .He served three times in France, was wounded, and eventually lost his memoir, after the "battle of Loos. His foster-parents lost all trace of him in 1917, and had been m great anxiety until receiving a letter from Australia. Mr Clarke, accompanied by Mr Ji. A. Maxwell, M.P., caHed on the Assistaflt, Minister for Defence, and put all the facts bofore him. As a result it is intended to send Lewis home to his foster-parents in South Wales at the earliest opportunity.