COURT-MARTIAL

Press, Volume LXXIX, Issue 23971, 11 June 1943, Page 6

COURT-MARTIAL

SOLDIER CHARGED WITH DESERTION GRADE I; BUT SAID TO BE SUB-NORMAL IP.A.) WELLINGTON, June 10. A man. stated in a medical report to be simple, cbildsh, and of sub-normal Intelligence, but who Ivad been passed Grade t when called by ballot for military service, was charged before a District Court-martial at Trentham with desertion (tor 21 months) and the loss of equipment. He left Trentham. where he was in a medical unit, in September. • 1941, and was arrested at Auckland last month wearing civilian clothes. Warrant Officer G. Lyttolis, Auckland, said that he questioned the accused on the Auckland waterfront, where he produced ration and E.P.S. cards and wharf pass, all in the name of Norton. The accused collected £l7 pay for the week when he was arrested, and said that he earned £lB the previous week. The witness’s opinion of the accused was that a man who earned £l7 a week was no fool. Lieutenant-Colonel F. W. Kemp, senior medical officer at Trentham, said that In his opinion the accused was definitely of low mentality. The witness was absolutely satisfied that it had been Incorrect to have graded the accused fit Cor military service. Man Not Insane Lieutenant-Colonel Kemp said that the normal medical examination for military service was primarily physical, though certain questions were asked as to whether the person being examined had any previous history of nervous breakdowns, The accused was not Insane. Cunning attributed to the accused by other witnesses was a common symptom of persons of low mentality. The accused’s physical condition was fair. The fact that he earned big wages on the waterfront was not proof, in hi? opinion, of it being better than fair. He did not think the accused could stand up to real hard labour, but he could do moderate exercise. If he were punished his mental condition would deteriorate and It might lead to his being a permanent charge on the State. Lieutenant-Colonel Kemp said that he agreed with a report of Dr. N. I. Lewis, Acting-Deputy-Director-General of the Mental Hospitals Department, which stated that the accused was simple, childish, and of sub-normal intelligence. Reason for Deserting His condition was so obvious that It was certain that he would be a butt for other soldiers. Dr. Lewis's report continued that he thought there was every reason to believe the accused when he said that it was his reason for deserting. "My own opinion is that It would be sheer cruelty to court-martial this man. I have not seen his full medical file, but It is hard to believe that he has ever been examined by a properly-constituted medical board and graded one. He is a clear-cut case for urgent medical boarding. and his obvious medical grading is four,”

The Court’s finding will be announced later.