Voyager Rating Found Dead At Harewood

Press, Volume C, Issue 29681, 27 November 1961, Page 16

Voyager Rating Found Dead At Harewood

A young Australian rating on H-M.A.S. Voyager was found dead in a room in the transit housing area adjacent to the United States Antarctic advance headquarters at Christchurch Airport on Friday evening. He was John Walter King, aged 21, of Melbourne, an ordinary seaman King's lanyard was around his neck and was fastened to a door handle.

Six seamen from the Voyager formed a firing party during a naval ceremony when King was buried at Lyttelton at 9 a m. yesterday The Voyager, which was visiting Lyttelton, sailed for A leklsnd an hour Later. Information about King's death was released by the ship’s acting captain. Lieu-tenant-Commander J A Robertson on Saturday King, who joined the Royal Australian Navy about a year ago, failed to return from leave on Thursday. Detectives made inquiries during the week-end. but as far aa is known there are no suspicious circumstances. An Inquest into King's death, opened on Saturday, was adjourned sine die after

evidence of identification had been given. When approached by “The Press" a spokesman for the United States Naw said yesterday that the sailor’s body was found about 7 pjn. on Friday in a building is the transit housing area adjacent * the United States Antarctic advance headquarter*. It was discovered by aa enlisted man from the VX6 Squadron. He reported to the duty officer, who notified the Christchurch police and riX-A S. Voyager. United States Navy officers said they wer» not conducting aa investigation as the matter was one for the police and the Australian Navy.