SOLDIER’S SUICIDE

Greymouth Evening Star, 24 December 1942, Page 2

SOLDIER’S SUICIDE

“INTENSE DISLIKE FOR CAMP”

AUCKLAND, December 23. “You heard a shot andjshould have gone into the house,” said the Coroner (Mr. F. K. Hunt, S.M.), when the evidence of a warrant-officer of a provost section was heard at the inquest into the death, of Private Richard John Smithson, aged 20, who was found shot at his home at Green Bay, New Lynn, on November 21. Warrant-Officer George Lytollis, of the provost section attached to the Drill Hall, said that in company with Sergeant Rowland, also of the provost section, he visited Smithson’s home on November 21 to interview him about his absence from camp without leave since November 13. No answer was received to knocks on the door, but Lytollis said that he heard the noise of someone in a room. .“I then heard the bolt of a rifle being withdrawn and almost immediately afterwards a shot was fired,” he added. “Then I heard some person in the room say: ‘Open the door. I’ve shot myself.’ ” Mr. Hunt: Didn’t you go in? Lytollis: We had no right of entry. Lytollis added that he then communicated with Captain Matthews, his commanding officer, who returned to the house with them. Constable O’Sullivan also went to the house. Lytollis said that he did not telephone Captain Matthews but went to get him. There was no reply at the house to further knocking, so an entry was forced and Smithson was found lying dead on the floor. ‘lf you are in charge of a case like this and you hear a shot fired, break in, law or no law,” said Mr. Hunt. Constable O’Sullivan said that he went to Smithson’s home at 8.40 a.m., and received no answer to his knock or call. Soon afterwards Captain Matthews and two non-commissioned officers arrived. When the door was forced Smithson was found lying dead with a .303 rifle near his body. He had a large bullet wound on the left side and two wounds in the back. Smithson was fond of shooting and had two air guns and an air pistol. “Warrant-Officer Lytollis and the sergeant were not armed, while inside the house was a man juggling with a rifle, and they did not know what was in his mind,” said Captain Matthews. “If he was going to shoot himself he might just as easily shoot the two men. “What about the poor old police constable?” asked Mr. Hunt. Captain Matthews: We returned with arms. ~. , Mrs. Smithson, the soldier’s mother, said that her son had an intense dislike for camp, where he was in the kitchen peeling potatoes. He had said that he would not go back as others were constantly teasing him. He was a delicate boy. He was lonely and had met no other boy at the camp with whom he could be friendly. Mrs. Smithson said that she had written ta the officer commanding and the chaplain at the camp, and she produced replies she had received since her son’s death. Sergeant Edwards, representing the police, said there was nothing to suggest that Smithson had been bullied or teased. The chaplain had spoken to Smithson and had found him gloomy. A verdict of suicide by shooting was returned. ______