MIMOT THE DESERTER.

North Otago Times, Volume CV, Issue 13936, 19 July 1917, Page 8

MIMOT THE DESERTER.

RETURNED SOLDIERS' STATE MENTS, A deputation of six wounded soldiers went to the New Zealand Obscivei of fice in Auckland last week and icquested that the papei should nsk £n James Allen "What were the New Zealand casualties tho night aftci the deseition of Stretcher Beaici Nnnot, of the New Zealand Army, to tho Germans?" No. 10/9370, Pin ate A. 11. O'Neil, of this deputation, said (states the Obsenei) "I saw Nimot go ovci to the Gciman trenches on the day he left the regiment. He said he was.going for souvenirs." This deputation declared that it was a common occurrence when "nothing was doing" for soldiers to steal out for this purpose. But in Nimot's case he got to the German trenches without fire from either the British or .German guns. When it was seen that he was actually going into the German front line the machine gun? of the Ist Wellington Infantry Regiment were turned on tho place w;ie:e. hojivns disappearing, They declare it to be impossible for any soldier to have crossed into the German trenches without being shot at by the Germans unless.it .was a deliberately-planned move,. They suggesting!)'. mid- that Armentieres was at the time full of spies. During that day New Zealand troops had been carrying cylinders of gas into their front line trenches and a gas attack was contemplated, They regard it as sinister that on the following day points that could not be known to German gunners were 'heavily shelled—dumps, gas cylinder stores, headquarters and well-concealed guns, Tho casualties were heavy, O'Neil says that he was led to make his declaration by the fact that fifteen of his own mates were killed as a result of the unusual German activity on the day succeeding the desertion.' of Stretcher-Bearer Nimot,