WARSHIP SABOTAGE

Greymouth Evening Star, 20 July 1944, Page 8

WARSHIP SABOTAGE

TWO MEN SENTENCED. SYDNEY, July 19. An Australian Naval court-martial to-day sentenced Ordinary Seaman Andrew Gordon Kilpatrick, aged 25, to 12 years’ penal servitude. Kilpatrick had been found guilty on 10 charges, the offences having occurred aboard an Australian warship on various dates from April 4 to May 8. The charges included maliciously throwing two hand grenades into a ship’s motor-boat and damaging it, having in his possession a hand grenade with intent to injure certain members of the ship’s company, writing and sending an anonymous threatening letter to the wardroom, maliciously casting adrift a whaler, throwing overboard a dinghy, and stealing 14 dozen bottles of beer and 17 bottles of whisky, . Anonymous notes, crudely printed and signed “The Gohst,” were shown to the Court. It was stated in evidence that the accused, when asked to write the word “ghost” had written “gohst.” Robert James Gray, aged 22, a wireman, who admitted having taken a minor part in acts of misconduct,, was sentenced to 18 months’ imprisonment on Monday. Gray said he had been terrorised by Kilpatrick, who was a strong man, and one night had held the accused (Gray) over the side of the ship. The charges against Grey included one of failure to report that he believed Kilpatrick had committed an act of sabotage.