GOT BACK TO N.Z.!

Grey River Argus, 19 July 1941, Page 3

GOT BACK TO N.Z.!

SOLDIER FROM CRETE Trial for Desertion STOWED AWAY IN SHIP IN EGYPT. AFTER SUFFERING INJURY IN BOMBING RAIDS. P.A. WELLINGTON July 18. A district court-marshal was held, having been convened by Brigadier N. W. McD Weir, N.Z.S.C.. to hear a charge against Private Robert Hope Martin. It transpired in the course .of the hearing that Private Robert Martin had accidentaly been locked in a padded cell in the ship upon which he had stowed away, and that he was discovered, soon after the ship had left a port in Egypt. Martin was charged before the' district court martial with deserting from His Majesty’s service in that he absented himself, without leave, until he had been apprehended when concealed in a ship at sea, and dressed in civilian clothes. Private Hope Martin said that, after being bombed and machine-gun-ned in Crete, he had decided, because of the state of his health, and of his nerves, to get back to New Zealand. He had donned civilian clothes to board the ship as a member of the crew, but he never intended to desert. He pleaded not guilty. Lieut. Col. J. P. E. Vea’e was President of the Court. The prosecutor was Capt. G R. Powles, and the Defending Officer was Lieut. B. N. VickerYnan. FOUND IN CELL. Lance-Corporal J. S. Wyrell, a medical orderly on the ship, said that on June 11 he saw Private Martin in the padded cell. Martin said that he was one of the crew, and that someone had shut him in while he was having a look round. As soon as he was released, Martin, who looked white and faint, rushed for a drink of water. Witness then sent fo r the boatswain to identify Martin. Martin went down to the crew’s quarters to have a shower, after having a drink. There he admitted that he was a stowaway. In evidence, Private Hope Martin said that he was assistant cook at Base Headquarters in Egypt. He had had previous cooking experience. His battalion mav have been at one of two other places in Egypt at the time. He had heard that some of the New Zealand personnel were to return to New Zealand, and he had decided, as he was run down, to fake a trip home. He left the Base, and went to the port from which the ship was leaving. He attempted to go aboard in uniform, telling; a sentry that he was one of the orderlies returning to New Zealand. He was told by a sergeant to wait until 3 a.m., before he could go aboard. HELPING HAND. Martin said that, later, he went up another gangway, and he was again sent back. Then he met so ne Scotch seamen and some Australians, who invited him to join them in , drinking beer. He then said tnat he was going to take a trip on the snip, but that he couid not get aboard m uniform; and it was then suggested that one of the men should enangc clothes with him. They did so, ana lie thus got aboard, saying he was one of the crew. He eventually reached the padded cell, and, while he was in it, someone, seeing the door of an adjacent cell swinging, bolted both of the' doors, and locked him in, not knowing that he was there. Il was very, very hot —wel.l over a nunred degrees. His intention was to remain in the cell until the sh p h parsed Aden, and then to give him self up to the rmlitaiv autnor.iie.-. Continuing, Pr.vate Martin sa.a that, because of the heat in the c< if, he was in a state of collapse when he was released. He told the ship’ captain that he was a New Zealand soldier, and handed h.m his pay o and identity d sc. The capta.n handed him over to the 0.C., and he was charged. Martin said that a summary o. evidence was taken in his (Ma Un’ absence, and witnesses were brought before him only when this summary was read to him. He had not seen the evidence before that. On th* way to Ne w Zealand, the shin ms do various caUs. and he was locked in an annex to the padded cell. There he noticed the key to a lavatory which fitted the door of the room m which he was locked. He could hfive made use .of it to leave the room nt anv time, but he did not do so. “I never intended to desert me Army, and I am still a soldier.” Martin concluded. When cross-exammed bv Capt Powles. Martin said that, on June 7 his dutv was at Base Headquarteis. In leaving there, he had committed a militarv crime. He was determined to get back to New Zealand nut not to desert His Majesty’s Forces. The state .of his health and of his nerves had caused his decis on to get back to New Zealand, and the only possible chance that he had of boarding the' ship was bv using civ’lian clothes. He had intended to use them only to get aboard the ship, and then to get his uniform again. He naa never reported sick except once, when he had influenza, in Greece. He could have reported sick when he felt in bad health in Egypt, but he knew that he could not get much satisfaction. His sickness was more or less a mental and nervous disability. To the Court. Private Martin said that he did not take his uniform on board in a parcel, because he gave it to a seaman for the latter’s civilian clothes. There were plenty of slrps going anywhere, but he did not intend to desert He did not suffer from mental delusions. His uniform consisted of a khaki shirt and snorts, not battledress. He had left his hat on the pier. Pie was in Crete.

BOMBED IN CRETE. “How did you cease to be a member of vour battalion, and to be posted to Base Headquarters in Ew ' asked a member of the Court. _ “In Crete I was in an air raid, ano I was bombed at Suda Bay,” said Martin. “1 remember shrapnel flying all around me, .and then I remember being in what seemed to be the same air raid, but I was aboard a tramp steamer, and it was bein'- 1 bombed and machine-gunned. The intervening time is just a blank Whether I was struck by shrapnel” o’suffered concussion, I cou’d not say.' Martin said that the ship went in Alexandria, and, bv virtue of his iniurv, he went to the Base- Reception Camn and from th ore tn the B-sc Headauarters, wnere ne near! the” danted cooks He put in for the job. and he was for six days in the k'tchen as a cook. When he arrived at Alexandria, he added, he was held for s’x davs for identification by the English Field Security, and he was instructed by an Australian Provost t proceed to the Base. QUESTION OF LAW. Captain Powles said that Martin’s contention that he was not a deserter almost amounted to a question of law. The prosecution submitted th"' if a man left one branch of the service, intending to go to another, he

committed the crime of desertion. Martin’s story seemed to ring fairly true. His state of mind was that he was going to get out of Egypt sot-ne-After the Court had deliberated, Lieutenant W. Wood, Assistant-Pro-vost Marshal, Central Military District, produced a record of the accused’s Army service. This included sentences of 28. 10, and 28 days’ detention respectively on three charges of being absent without leave on active service. The accused was arrested on September 14, 1939 The offences previously referred to occurh between late in May and early in Julv last year At the conclusion a record of the proceedings was forwarded <o the Office Convening the Court MartiaC Brmad’er N. W. McD JVeir, N.Z.S.C, Sentence will announced after 'is promulgation.