“LOST HIS HEAD”

Evening Star, Issue 22891, 24 February 1938, Page 2

“LOST HIS HEAD”

, POLISH PETTY’OFFICER .This tale—with its almost happy end-ing-concerns a lass and a sailor lad, and the intervention of th<j chairman of the Cowes, Jsle of Wight, District Council, Councillor P. 'L. Pullinger, J.P. The sailor lad, a handsome Polish petty-officer, and the lass, an attractive local girl, had been close friends for months. But the sailor lad fell madly in. love with the lass. Together one evening, at a Cowes dance, they waltzed to the tun 1 One Night of Love.' They sat out the next dance, and in faltering English the sailor lad asked the lass to become his wife. She refused. The sailor lad loft her, and walked from the dance hall broken-hearted. The band was playing ‘ Smile When You Say Good-bye.’ Seeking solace, the sailor lad turned to wine. In his cups he committed a breach of navy discipline. An escort arrived in Cowes from Poland to take him homo for court martial. The result would normally have been dismissal from the service and imprisonment. Here let Councillor Pullinger take up the story: “ We had 150 Polish sailors in Cowes at the time,” he related. “ They were here to take delivery of two flotilla leaders being built for their navy by Messrs J. Samuel White. “ The breach of discipline by this sailor was the ono bit of trouble we had from the men. “ He evidently lost his head over the girl, and I took the liberty of writing to Rear-Admiral Unrug, the Chief of Staff of the Polish Navy, pleading for leniency. “ I said I was voicing the feeling of the people of Cowes. “ I got the following reply from Admiral Unrug;— “ ‘ I am deeply touched by your letter, and thank you for this proof of the really friendly feeling shown by the people of Cowes toward onr sailors. “ ‘ 1 need not say how sincerely [ regret the isolated case of bad behaviour on the part of the petty-officer in question. In view of your intervention, this petty-officer will hear no other consequence of his ill-behaviour.’ ”■