AIR FORCE AFFRAY

Dominion, Volume 31, Issue 98, 20 January 1938, Page 9

AIR FORCE AFFRAY

Australian Charged With Striking Officers

GUEST NIGHT TROUBLE

By Telegraph.—Press. Assn. —Copyright

London, January 18.

Pilot Officer Frederick. Robert AleQuire, aged 23, of the 114th Bomber Squadron of the Royal Air Force, who stated that he, with a friend, flew from Australia to join up, pleaded not guilty at a court-martial at the AVyton Aerodrome to charges of striking his superior officers. The prosecution alleged that during an inter-squadron guest night on December 9 there were the customary mess games, including cock-fighting, in which officers lay on the floor and attempted to turn each other over with their legs. Squadron feeling developed, and it was alleged that McQuire twice struck Flight Lieutenant Ash, who asked him to play fair, an'd also twice struck Squadron Leader Freebody, commanding officer of the 114th Squadron, who told McQuire to go to his room and then placed him under arrest. Squadron Leader Freebody, in giving evidence, said that cock-fighting was a common custom in the three services. He ordered two of the biggest officers t oguard AlcQuire's room when people wanted to beat him up, AlcQuire, in his evidence, said that he had been a boxer. He apologised for striking the officers and said that he remembered little regarding the events. His head had got “wuzzy” at dinner-time.

For the defence it was urged that a man with such a character should not be lost to the Air Force.

Sentence is being promulgated