PRIVATE LEAN S DEATH.

Horowhenua Chronicle, 17 March 1923, Page 4

PRIVATE LEAN S DEATH.

NO OM:; TO HLAAIE. WHLLJNOTUX, I,ast Night . The Military Hoard of Inquiry found Pie. Lean was injured by a bayonet in j the ride held by Private M. McLeod in ' the course of a friendly " rag " and that no blame was attachable to Ale. Lcod. The. Hoard's report will be forwarded to headquarters. The news of Lean's death caused a great shock to ins comrades from Port Chalmers and Dunedin. The body is being taken south to-night. Air, K. K. Hunt, H.M.. coroner., opeyn. ed the inquest this afternoon in camp, when several witnesses were examined. Prom evidence., it transpired that the occupants of hut fit, anticipating a raid from a neighbouring hut, barricaded their door, and some of the men, to give affair the semblance of at sham light, fixed the bayonets on their rifles, leaving the scabbards on. Water had been thrown into both No. r,l and the adjoining hut. No. 52. and iiresenlly the men from 1,2 came to re. monstratc. An argument, followed as to who throw the water into ill. and there was an invitation by someone in No. 52 contingent to “ come and put us out." Th. 5 1 s accepted and a good Matured soudle began. During tills the l:ghts were turned off.and when they were switched on again’ it was seen that Lean was injured. Donald Alorrison AleLeod, of Gore in evidence, said that when lie saw some of his comrades in hut 51 fixing their bayonets and getting ready to rec ive the visitors in good natured sham fighting fashion, he was near the door. When the lights were extinguished lie leaned across his bunk to switch-them on again. He could only suppose that the deceased, in the darkness, was thrown forward during the scramble on to the bayonet, from wh’ch tli" scabbard had been accident, ally removed by contact with the clothes of some of the struggling men. Lieut.. Colonel ‘Burgess, chief exec.u. tive. officer for the Army Kiffi; Association, detailed the routine and the steps taken to preserve discipline in the camp. There were N.C.O.’s in hut 51, but as it was the last night in camp, some of the senior men had left for their homos and the juniors were, in some cases, men with no experience of military camp ronl.ine. This was not like a training camp, it was more in the nature of a sporting meeting and the men were on their honour to behave properly. Pull details of the measures to secure proper discipline were posted up in the standing orders and placed in all hutments. The inquest was adjourned sine die,