TWO DESERTERS

Otago Daily Times, Issue 24817, 17 January 1942, Page 6

TWO DESERTERS

SOLDIERS' ADVENTURES LATER JOINED THE A.I.F. ONE'S SERVICE ON SHIPS (P.A.) WELLINGTON. Jan. 16. Two soldiers who deserted from their units, one from an overseas port of call and one from Egypt, and who subsequently joined up with the Australian Imperial Force in Australia, pleaded guilty before districts courts martial at Trentham camp to-day. In one case the soldier concerned served on Norwegian and American merchant ships after his desertion. The other soldier had previously left New Zealand for overseas, but missed his transport from a port of call and was returned to New Zealand. Sent away again, he deserted from a transport at another port of call. The court has forwarded its findings and recommendations in regard to sentences, together with reports of the proceedings, to the officer convening the courts martial, the Adjutantgeneral, Brigadier A. E; Conway, 0.8. E., NJZ.S;C. The sentences will be announced after promulgation.

Left Maadi Camp Sapper Kenneth Dudley Walker, Divisional Engineers, 2nd N.Z.E.F., was charged with desertion on active service in that he absented himself without - leave at Maadi, Egypt, on April 2, 1941. till arrestedl by the Australian military police at Sydney on December 12, 1941. He pleaded guilty. . - • The accused’s statement to. Sergeant W. Jackson, V.C., at Sydney set out that he absented himself from Maadi camp and went to the Norwegian Consul at Suez. He joined an oil tanker and sailed for the Persian Gulf, returning with benzine to Alexandria. He made several trips on this run. The ship was bombed on many occasions, and he was on it five months, till paid off at Aden, Arabia. He was three weeks in hospital after an operation for appendicitis, and then joined an American ship on the New YorkCalcutta run. He was paid off in Calcutta, suffering from malarial fever, and the company paid his fare back to Australia. ' ■ “The reason I .left Egypt was- because I was-always .in trouble,” he said... “I could never stand discipline and as a boy would hot take any notice of my parents. I have been going to sea most of my life. I have that roving spirit and cannot settle down. I have always been keen to do my bit and think I can serve my country better in the merchant navy. I joined the A.I.F. because I thought Japan would be fighting on our shores. “ When I joined the A.I.F. at Sydney. the fact of being a- deserter from the New Zealand forces was on my conscience,” he added. ■“ I thought I was doing the right thing by declaring the facts to the adjutant and getting it off my mind. I am still willing to serve my country in any capacity. in Australia, or New Zealand, or overseas, and will do my best to be a good soldier.” Captain W. Wood, assistant provostmarshal, Central Military District, said the ships’ discharge papers and references produced confirmed , the accused’s statements as to his movements. He wgs married with .one child. Deserted at Port of Call Private George Henry Gardner, New Zealand Medical. Corps, 2nd N.Z.E.F., was charged with desertion on active service at a port of call on February 17, 1941, in that he absented himself without leave till arrested by the Australian military police at Sydney on December 13, 1941. He pleaded guilty. In a statement made to Sergeant W. Jackson, V.C.. at Sydney, the accused said he enlisted in the New Zealand' Army Medical Corps in April, 1940, and entered camp in September, 1940. He sailed for overseas in December, 1940. Because of the conditions under which he and others in custody were travelling, and the excessive heat to which they were unaccustomed, several decided to get ashore. He regretted his action-next day, but, fearing the consequences and enjoying the first freedom of many weeks, he decided, not to go back. He had no difficulty ’in getting farm work, and after some months he felt he was in some measure secure. He enlisted in the A.1.F., and was rejected as unfit. He joined up for the, duration for home service with a general hospital. To the court the accused said: I did this in the first place on the spur of the moment, not realising the seriousness of my actions. I do qow and hope for a chance to balance things a bit and get back into the army.”