CHARGE OF THEFT

Gisborne Herald, Volume LXXI, Issue 21305, 18 January 1944, Page 2

CHARGE OF THEFT

AIR FORCE OFFICER

COURT-MARTIAL 'HELD

NEW PLYMOUTH. Jan. 18.

Charged with the theft of a pair of American polarised day glasses and case from another member of the Royal New Zealand Air Force and alternatively with being found improperly in possession of these articles, Flying Officer Oswald Ralph Smart was court-martialled at New' Ply-

mouth air station. Evidence was given by Flight Sergeant M. Crampton that lie placed the glasses on a table in the crew room and when he returned about an hour later they were missing. Flying Officer Smart said he had not seen them. , . , Constable V. Woodward explained how he recovered them from Flying Officer Smart’s home. Fliying Officer Smart, in evidence, said lie saw 1 lie glasses on the table and put them in his locker with the intention of handing them to the fiignt commander. Later he considered they might be his own and did not send them to the flight commander. When Flight-Sergeant Crampton spoke to him he had not checked up, but he now realised he had given a foolish answer. He did not intend to deprive the owner of the glasses. He had been in the air force 34 years and had been an officer for between two and three years and had seen service in Britain, Gibraltar, Malta, the Middle East and Far East. Some time ago he suffered a nervous.breakdown. He did not tell Flight Sergt. Crampton he had the glasses because he was “pig headed” and wanted to see if they were his own, but at no stage had ire opened the case to examine the glasses: . The court found Flying Officei Smart not guilty on the second charge The decision on the theft charge will be announced later.