DESERTION CHARGE

Nelson Evening Mail, Volume 76, 6 August 1941, Page 4

DESERTION CHARGE

COURT-MARTIAL AT TRENTHAM YOUNG SOLDIER < HAROLD JOINED UP UNDER AGE Wellington, This Day. A soldier not yet 20 who falsified his age by three years to join the Army ! was charged before a district court martial at Trentham yesterday with I deserting His Majesty's service at Trentham on 21st July in absenting him self without leave till apprehended by ! the civil police the same day wearing (civilian clothes. Accused was Private Ronald Bridge, N.Z. Temporary Staff, and attached to the camp staff company. He pleaded not guilty to desertion, but ! said he would admit being absent without leave. A report of the proceedings : will be forwarded to the officer convening the court martial. Brigadier N. W. McD. Weir, N.Z.S.C. The court was constituted as follows:—Major A. E. Gorton, M.M., N.Z.T.S. (president'. Captain W. Huse and Captain C. G. Wallace and Captain C. N. Mitchell (waiting members j, Captain E. A. Porritt, M.C. (prosecutor). Lieutenant I. Macarthur, 2nd N.Z.E.F. (defending officer), Major A. B. Sievwright. E.D.. N.Z. Army Legal Depart- ! ment (judge advocate). Captain E. King, second in command, No. 1 Training Battalion, and W. O. I. ;I\ McKenzie, camp sergeant-major, gave 1 formal evidence. Sergeant J. C. Fletcher, a police officer, said that Constable Weston found accused in an enclosed area off Plimmers Steps at 6.45 p.m. on 21st July Witness also saw him. Accused gave his correct name and said he was off j a ship, producing a discharge from the s.s. Tairoa. As witness knew the Tai- : roa had been sunk by the Graf Spee i last year, he asked accused what he i had done since. Accused said he had been on odd jobs but could not name any employers. At the police station accused admitted that he had that day attempted to secure a job on an overseas ship but as he had no papers he was unsuccessful. Accused was frank and sober. There had been another man with accused, but he had left and accused did not know his name. When a kit bag in accused’s possession was turned out it was shown to belong to Trooper Garner and contained military gear. Constable C. F. Weston said that at ,6.45 p.m. on 21st July he saw a man ljump over a wall at Plimmers Steps, go into Lambton Quay and soon beI come lost in the crowd. He went to the spot this man came from and found accused. Questioned, accused said he had just come off one boat and was looking ! for another. CASE I OR DEFENCE The defending officer said that accused was not yet 20. He falsified hi* ! age three years to join the Army and entered camp on Bth September. 1939. After a short spell at Fort Dorset he was posted to the army service corps section of the first echelon. Later he ! was medically boarded and as a result attested for the temporary staff on Ist February, 1940. He was placed on the camp patrol and latterly was a (servery hand at No. 1 mess. Accused, in evidence, said that after I week-end leave he returned to camp on 20th July. He was fed up with the job |he had and without interest in it. He decided to go back to town for a couple jof days. He did so and had much liquor, during which time he changed i into civilian clothes. He had these clothes at the camp and was taking them into Wellington to leave with a ; friend as civilian clothes were forbidden in camp. He had no intention of j deserting. To the prosecutor, he said he had had the clothes in camp since he entered it and had heard the prohibitory order several times. He had numerI ous leave periods, but this was the first time he decided to take the clothes in. Apart from being influenced by ( ! liquor lie could give no reason for hi* I ( change into civilian dress. Because ! of the liquor he had he could neither : ] deny nor confirm his statement to the police that he called at a shipping of- : flice to seek a ship. The judge-advocate advised the > Court that the criterion between ab- ; sent without leave and desertion wn* ! intent. Then the question was ev - 1 dence of intention not to return. He ‘ considered the facts sufficient to establish the Court finding that accused in- : : tended to desert and. if possible, join ; an overseas ship.—P.A.