TWO COURTS-MARTIAL

Evening Post, Volume CXVI, Issue 36, 11 August 1933, Page 9

TWO COURTS-MARTIAL

WINDSOR CASTLE GUARD

Two charges relating to the' guara at Windsor Castle were heard before courts-martial at.Windsor recently. An allegation that he was asleep on sentry duty, was made against Guards-_ man A. Harris, of the Ist Welsh Guards, who was charged with leaving his post without being. properly .relieved, says the "Daily Mail." Lance-Corporal Barnett said that Harris was at No. 7 post under the Brunswick Tower on the midnight to 2 a.m. relief. Sergeant McDonald said that when he visited the post he could not see the sentry. He found Harris sitting on the steps leading to tho East Terrace Gardens asleep. ' He called to him, but he did 'not. answer, at .first,. When he did he said he1 was;ill. ' Harris's rifle aucl bayonet was loaning against a pillar at the top of tho steps. Harris in evidence, said he felt something come over' him, and everything went black. It >was a case of falling down or sitting down, and lie sat down, and-rested; his head between his knees* without; taking off his bearskins. Ho had been subject to fits of fainting ever since he was a child. He,heard the patrol coming, but was too ill to spoak or open his eyes. When he told the sergeant he. was ill the sergeant replied that he was pretending. . Harris's company officer said that he was one of the best men he had under him. .'■■■■ At the other court-martial a charge of failing to send out patrols and failing to gee that the relief guard was ready at the castle four days later was brought against Lance ; Scrgeant Forest, of the same regiment.' ~': He pleaded not guilty. . ; . „., : : Company-Quartermaster-Sergt. dues, senior sergeant of the castle guard, said; that :al midnight he handed over to Forest the duties of parading the patrols, 'visiting the- > sentries,, and parading reliefs. • At 4 a.m. a castle policeman told Mm that ■ roliof had not been posted.., 5 ... ( ~ ..,.. He "went to wakeI'the incit;; and saw Forest get up from his bed with a book in his hand. . ~'. ... Forest, in evidence, said lie was not aware, that the senior sergeant's duties had. been handed^overto him as he had not been so informed; C.Q.M.S^ Giles was asleep at midnight at the time he said he handed over the duties.