MISSING POLICEMAN

Greymouth Evening Star, 8 September 1939, Page 2

MISSING POLICEMAN

JOINED FOREIGN LEGION. LONDON, July 22. A London policeman who disappeared on his beat four months ago and was sough in vain by Scotland Yard has been found—-in the Sahara. He was Constable Patrick McPartland, and a letter from him has cleared up the mystery. He is in the French Foreign Legion, and at the time he wrote the letter to his wife and six-year-old son he was in a military hospital in Ihe Sahara, suffering from malaria.

McPartland joined the Inniskilling Dragoon Guards. He was a fine athlete and very popular. He married the daughter of his sergeant-major and when he left the Guards joined the London police. He studied and passed his examinations to become a servant. But he never got his stripes. McPartland’s young wife this week explained why not; “He was a clever musician. He played in three police bands and used to run dance bands of bis own. He began to go often to the West End and his life was one round of parties. This got to the ears of the authorities, and he was transferred several times. “Joining the legion was the last thing I expected him to do. Now I doubt if my boy and 1 will ever see him again. Ido not think he will ever return to this country. “By going like this he has forfeited all rights to his pension.” 1