Naval Traitor Tree To His Own Description

Northern Advocate, 19 December 1945, Page 7

Naval Traitor Tree To His Own Description

(Rec. 3 p.m.) LONDON, Dec. 18. “This is the case of a man who has described himself, perhaps you may not think inaccurately, as a rat,” said the • Attorney-General, Sir Hartley Shawercss when Walter Purdy, Royal Navy junior engineer, was chained at Old Bailey with high treason. Purdy was captured when H.M.S. Van Dyck was sunk off Norway in July, 1940. Besides allegedly helping the enemy by giving radio talks, Purdy was charged with giving information while a prisoner about the existence of a secret tunnel and a wireless receiving set, also with serving with the S.S. Corps and preparing pamphlets, etc., as propaganda.

Sir Hartley said the evidence showed that even on Purdy’s own account, he had sold himself to the enemy.

He was not unwilling to betray both fellow prisoners and his country for more favourable treatment for himself than usually accorded war prisoners. By arrangement with William Joyce, he made 10 broadcasts in return for a promise to be allowed to escape. After a period of freedom in Berlin, Purdy arrived at a war prisoner camp where he learned of a secret tunnel and secret wireless set and of the activities in Berlin of a war prisoner named Brown, which were of great help to the Allies. Brown’s activities were stopped within a few davs and the wireless set discovered.

Sir Hartley said Purdy had been a member of the British Union of Fascists before the war. The court adjourned.