ARMY DESERTER

New Zealand Herald, Volume 78, Issue 24050, 22 August 1941, Page 9

ARMY DESERTER

GUNNER PLEADS GUILTY OBLIGATION TO WOMAN DEFENDING OFFICER'S REMARKS [nv TEf.KC; HAITI —I'IIKSS ASSOCIATION] WELLINGTON, Thursday After being at liberty for ~'l mouths. Gunner William Gladstone Hopkins was arre.-ted in Wellington by the civil police* and pleaded guilty before a district court-martial at Trent ham to-day to desertion. The Court will forward a report of the proceedings, including its recommendation of sentence, to the (•onveiling officer. .Particulars of the charge were: That, being a soldier of the I'oyal Now Zealand Artillery, accused deserted .His Majesty's forces at Auckland on November 11. IS'MO. lie having been transferred to Devonport from ibe army school of instruction at Trent ham. and absented himself until arrested by civil power at Wellington on August 13. 1!M 1. dressed in plain clothes. Living at Thorndon

A summary of the evidence showed that a court of inquiry held on December In, 19.'$!), decided that accuser] had illegally absented himself without leave, and a warrant for his apprehension was issued bv the AdjutantGeneral in April. 19-io. (.'oustable F. Burnett's evidence stated that he ascertained the accused was living at Thorndon with a woman. They were occupying a room as Mr. and Mrs. Hopkins.

The defending officer, in mitigation, said that at Auckland accused became friendly with a woman, whoso hu-bnnd. it was alleged, ill-treated her. Accused decided he would take the woman to Wellington. The Army authorities were told of this through her husband. Although accused had done well in hi< course, he was told he could not he taken on the New Zealand Permanent Staff unless his association with the woman stopped. Thus accused had the choice either of a promising career in the Army or his definite responsibility to a woman. No Attempt at Concealment Accused thought he could not honestly or fairly do other than stand by the woman. She did not take divorce proceedings against her husband because the probable publicity would have brought accused to the notice of the Army authorities. Accused lived openly iu Wellington and worked nt Lower Hutt. making no attempt to conceal the desertion. If the war had not begun two months before matters came to a head over the woman he could have bought his discharge from the Army for 1' 10. as was provided for. He was registered as a single man for Army service and had been called up in the last ballot.

The defending officer asked the Court to look at the matter in the light that accused did the decent thing by standing by the woman. Accused was anxious to rehabilitate himself in the Army and the defending officer a«ked that the punishment be light so that as soon as it was over the accused could do his bit in the war.