SEAMAN WOUNDED

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXXVII, Issue 23780, 7 October 1940, Page 9

SEAMAN WOUNDED

SENTRY'S BAYONET WHARF ALTERCATION CHALLENGE NOT HEEDED A seaman from the coastal steamer Kakapo. Andrew Simrns, was taken to the Auckland Hospital 011 Thursday night suffering from two bayonet wounds. One is a slight cut in the thigh and the other, deeper but not serious, is in the chest. It is officially stated that lie was wounded when attempting to rush a corporal at one of the waterfront guard points. At this point a barbed wire kniferest is placed in position at 6 p.m. every night, after which people seeking entry to the wharf have to be admitted by the sentry. It is stated that the sentry 011 duty saw Simms climbing over the wire and challenged him. The challenge was unheeded and Simms, who was later described by officers of the Kakapo as being a Wellington provincial boxing champion, began to argue when he was told that he should not have climbed over.

Corporal's Arrival The altercation had been heard by the corporal of the guard, then going his rounds, and it is stated that the corporal told Simms he should not have ignored the sentry's challenge and that he should not have climbed the obstruction, hut that since he was then 011 the wharf he could proceed to his ship. Simms. continues the official account, then challenged the corporal, an ex-ser-viceman holding a war decoration, to a fight. He was told to go to his ship, although it is stated that the corporal would have been perfectly justified i" placing him under arrest. However, he followed the corporal and eventually rushed him. The corporal is stated to have brought his rifle, with bayonet fixed, to the 011 guard position. Simms tried to circle the point, and at one stage grasped the blade. Eventually he went forward and was wounded. Duties of Sentries The official statement is that at no stage did the corporal attack Simms and that he did not once jab at him with the bayonet. Both he and the sentry would have been within their instructions if they had fired at any time after the sentry's challenge was ignored, because Simms was not known to be a member of the crew of the Kakapo. It is added that both the corporal and the sentry showed extreme tolerance and that the last thing guards at vital points wish to do is to injure anybody. However, the fact remains that challenges on various occasions have been ignored and that there has never been any way of telling at_ the moment whether the altercations have been for the purpose of creating a diversion while destructive action is taken against the points guarded. It is emphasised that the men are armed sentries and that their instructions would permit them in such cases to load their rifles from the magazines and fire.