MADE GOOD IN ARMY

Evening Post, Volume CXXXIV, Issue 154, 28 December 1942, Page 6

MADE GOOD IN ARMY

(0.C.) SYDNEY, October 27. A splendid war record saved William George Riley (41), of Sydney, from completing a gaol sentence he had evaded for seven years by escaping from hospital in December, 1935. He bad served four months of a three years' term for housebreaking when he was sent to hospital for a serious operation. He escaped, and in the intervening years started a small business near the city. He closed this to enlist in the A.1.F., and became a sergeant. He served in Malaya, was invalided out of the Army, and started up his business again. , When he was charged with having escaped, it was stated that he enlisted in World War I at the age of 15. While a sergeant in the present war. he was in charge of an escort which delivered £34,000 from a Melbourne bank to a country camp. The accused was sentenced to six months' imprisonment, the sentence to be concurrent with the original term, but the Judge said that if Riley was released on licence on the housebreaking sentence, he would recommend his release at the same time on the sentence for escaping,. The case was reviewed by the Minister of Justice (Mr. Dowling), who two weeks later ordered Riley's release.