DEFIED MILITARY

Evening Post, Volume CXXXIII, Issue 135, 10 June 1942, Page 5

DEFIED MILITARY

HOME GUARD COURT-

MARTIAL

(0.C.) ' LONDON, April 13. Two brothers, ex-members of the Cheshire Home Guard, were courtmartiaJled at Chester. It is the first case of its kind since conscription of Home Guards came into force. v Joseph Ralph George, of Hale, and John Leslie George, of Altrincham, were charged with insubordination, and not obeying an officer's order. Captain J. F. Collins, of the King's Shropshire Light Infantry, prosecuted, and Second-Lieutenant E. A. Ward, of the Royal Corps of Signals, defended. There was a plea for the defence against the general jurisdiction of the Court, as the two brothers were now civilians and not subject to military law. Captain- Collins said that the men resigned from the Home Guard on February 7. This resignation did not take effect for 14 days, and the men were subject to military law for a further three months after leaving the unit

Joseph George was alleged to have said to an officer: "I have no intention of parading with the guard" His brother: "That goes for me, too."

AN QFFICEE'S CANE. The two accused should have been on guard on January 31. They did not arrive until after it had been mounted, and were taken before the orderly officer. It was alleged that they slouched in, were improperly dressed, did not have on any equipment, had their hands in their overcoat pockets, and were insolent.

Second-Lieutenant J. E. Charlney, the orderly officer, was tapping his left hand with his cane in front of the accused men when Joseph George, it was alleged, said: "You hit me with that cane, and see what happens to you. We don't want any German methods here."

For the defence it was said that the accused were arrested by two civilian and three military police, 'handcuffed, and detained for 12 hours,

The Judge Advocate stated that the Court bad no findings to announce to the case of Joseph Ralph George. His brother. Leslie George, was found not guilty of using insubordinate language Other findings will be promulgated.