DISMISSED HIS SHIP

Otago Daily Times, Issue 23689, 22 December 1938, Page 4

DISMISSED HIS SHIP

NAVAL OFFICER INTOXICATED DRINKS ASHORE WITH RATINGS (From Our Own Correspondent) LONDON, Nov. 24. Commissioned Gunner Thomas Strachan. 43, of the cruiser Sheffield, was dismissed his ship by a Chatham court martial yesterday. He pleaded guilty to four charges, including one of being drunk on board • H.M.S. Sheffield. , , 4 . 4 . The court also ordered that he should forfeit all seniority in the Fleet as a commissioned gunner, and that he should be severely reprimanded. It was alleged that while officer ot the patrol at Port Edgar. Scotland, on November 9. Strachan took a petty officer into a public house and drank with him; that he drank with two naval ratings; that he returned on board for duty drunk; and that on November 14 he was drunk on board. The first two charges related to incidents while Strachan was supervising ratings on shore who were going to the Scotland v. Wales football match. ASLEEP IN PINNACE It was alleged/ that when returning to his ship 'Strachan had to be assisted into the pinnace, in which he apparently went to sleep, and he was carried up the gangway to the cruiser. On deck he was held up by the quartermaster and the corporal of the gangway. The next day Strachan said: " 1 have had a lot of worry lately, which has caused me to lose sleep. I felt unwell while I was on shore, and to keep myself going I took some whisky." Paymaster-lieutenant D. V. Jesseman. defending, read a statement from Strachan saying that his wife, who was about to have another child was in ill-health, and was unable to look after their three children, awed from six to twelve. He had tried unsuccessfully to get them moved to Glasgow, and this had caused him intense worry. Strachan was reported as having served 27 years in the Navy. His character was good, and he had shown marked ability,