HOUNDED TO DESERTION

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXIX, Issue 21326, 29 October 1932, Page 3 (Supplement)

HOUNDED TO DESERTION

SOLDIER'S LIFE A MISERY A SWEETHEART'S PLEA A sentence of 28 days' detention was imposed lately by an Aldershot court-mar-tial on a soldier who made an extraordinary statement to the Court. The soldier was Ernest William Matthews, of the Royal Army Service Corps, and he pleaded guilty to desertion. He described how, after having been previously tried- by court-martial and honourably acquitted on charges of stealing Government property, his life had been rendered intolerable and a misery. " As soon as I returned to duty," Matthews said, " tHe stigma of the offence of whicH "-J had been acquitted was brought to bear upon me by my comrades. Whenever anything was missing suspicion fell upon me, and I was regarded as the thief. My life was a misery, and things became intolerable. My mind was becoming affected, and I decided to get away and try and forget everything. I deserted on July 2 last year, giving myself up on August 15 this year. " I obtained employment, and then fell in love with a girl. Just before we were to be married she had to go to hospital for an operation. She was ordered luxuries for which I had not the money to pay, and to enable me to provide them I stole a ring—my first theft. I was arrested,, but a London magistrate, after hearing my story, gave me one day's imprisonment only. " When my sweetheart left hospital she begged me to give myself up to the Army authorities, and then she would stand by me and marry me. I gave myself up, and when I have served my sentence from this Court I will try and redeem the past, marry her, and become a good soldier."