ARMY PAPERS VANISH

Greymouth Evening Star, 2 July 1936, Page 3

ARMY PAPERS VANISH

SERGEANT DENIES THEFT charge LONDON, May 22. The disappearance of papers relating co a court-martial was mentioned at a general court-martial at Victoria Barracks, Windsor, yesterday. Lance-Sergt. Alfred Clare, the Ist Battalion Coldstream Guards, was charged with: ' Stealing at Windsor on April 22 an original summary ol evidence in the case of Sergeant Instructor C. W. Reeve, of the Army Educational Corps, attached Coldstream Guards, and certain original exhibits in the case, including a picket report and a letter addressed by Reeve to the Quartermaster. Unlawfully and maliciously destroy.ng the documents with intent to prevent, obstruct, and pervert the course of nublic justice. Alternatively being guilty of condv.ct to the prejudice of good order, and military discipline. Lance-Sergeant Clare pleaded not guilty on all counts. Colonel A. G. C. Dawnay, commanding the Irish Guards, presided. Mr C. L. Stirling, Deputy JudgeAdvocate, was in attendance, and Captain Lord of Liverpool prosecuted. Mr W. E. Behrens appeared for Claio and Mr J. Hugh Jones watched the proceedings on behalf of an interested party. Lord Russell said that on April 21 Sergt Reeve was awaiting trial by court-martial at Windsor upon certain charges. - ,

Papers and original documents which were to be used as evidence were expected at the orderly room of the Coldstream Guards from the Brigades’ Office, London. Orderly Room Sergt. Parker on Saturday morning received instructions from the. Adjutant to deal with the papers when they arrived because the matter was urgent. On Tuesday, April 21, about 5 p.m., an envelope marked urgent and confidential containing the documents arrived from the London district, and vhey were handed by Sergt. Clare to Sergt. Parker, who opened the envelope and checked the contents. In addition to the exhibits there was in the envelope a letter from the London district setting out certain facts in the case.

Sergt. Parker was unable to deal with the matter that evening. He locked the envelope in a box in the orderly room of which he only had a key.

Next day he arrived at the orderly room at took the envelope out of the box, and checked the contents and found that everything was correct.

Unable to deal with them at the moment ho placed the envelope on the table in the clerk’s room aud for an hour and a-half was occupied' with routine work. At 10 o’clock he went to tho sergeants’ mess, leaving the papers still on his table. He did not say anything to Sergt. Clare, who sat immediately opposite, him, because it was an understood thing that when the orderly room sergeant left, tho other sergeant remained behind and was in charge without any instruction being given. Sergt. Parker was surprised at 10.15 to seo Sergt. Clare walk into the sergeants’ mess. Sergt. Parker immediately thought that he had better get back and he went straight to the orderly room. At 10.30 he was ready to deal with the envelope, but when he looked for it he found it was missing.

All work in the clerk’s room was stopped, and for two hours they searched for it without success.

VOLUMES OF SMOKE. Lord Russell said that shortly after 1.15 Sergt. Parker and Sergt. Clare left the orderly room. Guardsman Bend, the orderly left behind, would say that a few minutes after Sergt. Clare had left the room with Parker, Clare returned, gave Bond the key of his (Clare’s) bunk and told him to go there and' make up the bed. Clare told Bond that he would be in the. room until Bond returned. Bond would say ho was away for about 10 minutes.

At 1.30 Lance-Sergt. Dukes saw volumes of smoke’ cojning from the orderly room chimney. Thinking that the chimney had been set on lire, he opened the door of the clerk’s room and saw Clare there alone.

Drill Sergt. Stewart, who also noticed smoke comiug irom the direction of the orderly room, went into the clerk’s room and saw Sergt. Clare locking at the fireplace. In his hand he held several sheets of paper—about foolscap size. Stewart asked him what he was doing. At the same time he looked at the firer place, which ho saw was full of nearly burnt-up paper. Sergt. Clare said he was only burning some old papers.

Later Clare ordered Bond and another man to tidy the orderly room. Bond put the ashes from the fire into scuttle. v

Lord Russell described how the search for the papers was continued into the ’evening. That night Sergt. Parker remembered that some of the papers were fastened with peculiar square-shaped clips. Early next morning ho went to the orderly room and' Bond, searching the ashes, found two of those clips. Lt. Steele, Adjutant of the Ist Coldstream Guards, gave evidence that he took the summary of evidence in the case of Reeve from March 24 until April 16. Exhibits which, he forwarded to London were books and certain specimens of handwriting, some of Reeves’ himself.

Mr Behrens: The accused had nothing to fear from that court-martial? — No.

As far as you know, it did not concern Clare in any way?—As far as I know.

There are photographs of all documents and the court-martial will be able to proceed in any event?—Yes. Do you in fact know that Sergt. Reeve is complaining that owing to the destruction of these documents his defence has been seriously prejudiced?—l know he has mentioned that.

Sergt. L. F. Parker said that there were one or two visitors to the orderly room during the morning of April 22. The letter was on the table when he felt for the mess. Sergt. Parker denied that he and Sergt. Clare frequently left the or-

derly room together. Mr Behrens: Can you give any reason for anybody taking the papers? —No. Guardsman Bond gave evidence. He was asked by Mr Stirling: “Was it an unusual request when you were on duty in the orderly-room that you should make Sergt. Clare’s bed?” Guardsman Bond: Yes. The first time? —Yes. The Court adjourned.