28 Bays’ Prison For Avoiding Troopship

Northern Advocate, 9 October 1941, Page 4

28 Bays’ Prison For Avoiding Troopship

[Per Press Association.—Copyright! CHRISTCHURCH, This Day. Twenty-eight days’ imprisonment with hard labour was the sentence imposed by a court-martial on Private Elmer Morrell, cook, of A Training Battalion, Burnham, who was charged with desertion. The sentence was confirmed by the officer commanding the Southern Military District (Brigadier O. H. Mead). Morrell was charged that, when posted for active service, he absented himself without leave from 10 o’clock on the night of a recent embarkation of troops for overseas until he was arrested in camp at 8.30 next morning. Charges of desertion from Burnham mobilisation camp with intent to avoid embarkation were preferred against two soldiers of the Second N.Z.E.F. at a district court-martial at Burnham yesterday morning. Accused were Privates William Henry Hudson and Gordon Noel Boyd. One Returned to Camp Each was charged with desertion in that, being posted Tor active service, he absented himself without leave before embarkation and failed to return to camp until after the draft had sailed for overseas. Hudson was arrested by military police, but Boyd voluntarily returned to the camp. In both cases the finding of the court will be communicated to the convening officer (Brigadier Mead) and promulgated in due course.