“NOTHING TO DO"

Press, Volume LXXVIII, Issue 23798, 18 November 1942, Page 5

“NOTHING TO DO"

STATEMENT BY ARMY OFFICER DENIAL BY COMMANDER OF UNIT (P.S.S.) NELSON, November 16. “A veiy serious position is revealed by your statement,” said Mr J. Dicker, a membtr of the Armed Forces Appeal Board, at a sitting in Nelson, when an officer of an independent infantry company stated that there was almost nothing for him to do in the unit at present “We are taking men out of industries for the armed forces and in doing so are seriously dislocating some industries, and you tell us that units of the armed forces are doing nothing,” added Mr Dicker. Appellant was asking for a further period ct leave. He said his unit and others of a simi'ar type had been detailed as "fatigue units" attached to other units of the forces, and while the men were doing fatigues there was j very little for officers to do. Further, while a unit was concerned with fatigues '.hero was practically no training being done. In reply to Mr Dicker's remarks witness said: “1 am sorry to have to admit it. but that is the position at present.” The board’s decision was deferred pending production of a medical certificate concerning the health of the appellant’s wife, the grounds upon which appellant based his appeal. When the hearing of the appeal was continued tne next day, the commanding officer of the unit concerned, Major IT. G. Brodie, gave evidence on instructions from the area commander. Lieutenant-Colonel C. R. Duke. J Major Brodie said that the officer’s statements that there was almost nothI ing for officers to do, and no training | was being done while the unit was detailed to fatigue, were untrue. He also stated that the appellant was no longer an officer of that unit, having been marched out and placed in Area Pool oih August 19, Since that time he had not been on the strength of the unit and a logical conclusion therefore was that his remarks were based on hearsay. Replying to Major Brodie. the appellant stated that he had not realised his remarks would be given puolicity. He had enjoyed very pleasant associations with the unit and held a very higvi regard for the company commander, who had however, at the time they had been serving together, shared the feeling that the unit was not doing work as useful as it might have been doing. Major Brodie contradicted this suggestion. The board granted a further period of two months' leave.