DESERTERS WHO REJOINED

Evening Star, Issue 24096, 17 January 1942, Page 8

DESERTERS WHO REJOINED

LINKED WITH A.i.F. COURTS MARTIALi (P.A.) WELLINGTON, Man. 16. Two soldiers who deserted from their units, one from an overseas port of call and one from Egypt, and who subsequently joined up with the Australian Imperial Force in Australia, pleaded guilty before district courts martial at Trentham camp to-day. In one case the soldier concerned' served oh Norwegian and American merchant ships after his desertion. The other soldier had previously left New Zealand for overseas, but" missed his transport from a port of call and was returned to New Zealand. Sent away again, he deserted from a transport at another port of call. The court has forwarded its findings and recommendations in regard to sentences, together with reports of the proceedings, to the officer convening the courts martial, the Adjutantgeneral, Brigadier A. B. Conway. 0.8. E., N.Z.S.C. The sentences will be announced after promulgation. Sapper Kenneth Dudley Walker, Divisional Engineers, 2nd N.Z.E.F., was charged with desertion on active service in that he . absented himself without leave at Maadi, Egypt, on April 2, 1941, till arrested by the Australian military police at .Sydney on December 12, 1941, He pleaded guilty. ; The accused’s statement to sergeant W. Jackson, Y.C., at Sydney, set out that -he absented himsef from Maadi camp and went to the Norwegian Consul at Suez. He joined an oil tanker and sailed for the Persian Gulf, returning with benzine *to Alexandria. He made several trips on this run. The ship was bombed on many occasions, and he was on it five months, till paid off at Aden, Arabia. He was three weeks in hospital after an operation for appendicitis, and then joined an American ship on the New YorkCalcutta run. Ho was paid off in Calcutta, suffering from malarial fever, and the company paid his fare back to Australia. “ The reason I left Egypt, was because I was always in trouble,” he said. “ f could never stand l discipline, and as a boy would not take any notice of my parents. I have been going to sea most of my life. I have that roving spirit, and cannot settle down. I have always been keen to do my bit. and think I can servo my country better in the Merchant Navy. J joined the A.I.F. because I thought Japan would be fighting on our shores. “ When I joined the A.I.F. at Sydney, the fact of being a deserter from the New Zealand forces was on my conscience,” he added. “I thought I was doing the right thing by declaring the facts toUhe adjutant and getting it off my mind. I am still willing to serve my country in any capacity, in Australia, or New Zealand, or overseas, and will do roy best to be a good soldier.” Captain W. Wood, assistant provostmarshal, Central Military District, said the ships’ discharge papers and references produced confirmed the accused’s statements as to his movements. He was married, with one child. Private George Henry Gardner. New Zealand Medical Corps. 2nd N.Z.E.F., was charged with desertion on active service at a port of call on February 17. 1911, in that, be absented himself without leave till arrested bv the Australian military police at, Sydney on December 13, 1941. He pleaded guilty. In a statement made to Sergeant W. Jackson. V.C., at Sydney, the accused said he enlisted in the New Zealand Amiy Medical Corps in April, 1940, and entered camp in September, 1940. He sailed for overseas in December, 1940. Because of the conditions under which he and others in custody were travelling, and the excessive heat to which they were unaccustomed, several decided to get ashore. He regretted his action next day, but, fearing the consequences and enjoying the first freedom of many weeks, he. decided not to go back. Ho had no difficulty in getting farm work.' and after some months be felt lie was in some measure secure. He enlisted in the A.1.F., and was rejected as unfit.

He joined up for the duration for homo service with a general hospital. To the court the accused said; “I did this in the first place on the spur of the moment, not realising the seriousness of my actions. 1 do now, and hope for a chance to balance, things a bit and get back into the Army.”