DARING MASQUERADE

Otago Daily Times, Issue 24827, 29 January 1942, Page 6

DARING MASQUERADE

POSED AS AN OFFICER FORMED NAVAL ACADEMY (Air Mail) SYDNEY, Jan. T.Allan Ivan Ward-Hunt, aged 40, who has a long criminal record, carried out a daring masquerade in Sydney for nearly a year as an officer of the Royal Navy. He was sentenced to 12 months' imprisonment yesterday at the Sydney Police Court.

According to Sergeant Patterson of the Military Police Intelligence Bureau, Hunt, posing as a lieutenant-com-mander of the Royal Navy, induced the New South Wales Education Department to loan him a public school, where he directed a " naval academy " of 100 youths, charging them fees. When several lads had finished the course he found them jobs on transports, and then suggested that they send him part of their wages to be donated to the Naval Widows' Institution, a non-existent organisation. He induced a lad of 16 to represent himself to a well-known engineering firm as a midshipman of the Mediterranean Fleet in order to obtain a job at £7 a week. When the boy got the job Hunt asked for £2 a week from his wages to give to the foreman of the works. He pocketed the money himself.

Alleged Naval Exploits Hunt talked his way into many homes, then wrote to women members of the family, telling- of his exploits against the German pocket battleship Graf Spee, and his service aboard the British battleship Renown. Actually Hunt was in gaol while these exploits were supposed to have taken place. Although a married man with one child, he wrote proposing marriage to several young women, signing the letters i>Allan Ward-Hunt, D. 5.0., Commander. R.N."

He applied for honorary membership of the New South Wales Masonic Club, describing himself' as a commander of the Royal Navy, attached to the Royal Australian Navy. Heappeared at dances in the uniform of a lieutenant-commander, and as such was photographed for the press.

Uniforms Found

He was first interviewed by Sergeant Patterson on August 21, but airily referred the sergeant to Mr Hughes. "He is Minister for the Navy and understands my case," said Hunt. Later, information was received that Hunt was posing as a naval officer at Wollongong. His home was visited by local police, but he escaped through the back way as they were arriving. Naval equipment and uniforms were found. Hunt was arrested by warrant in Melbourne on December 28. After reading Hunt's record, which included sentences of two and three years for false pretences, the magistrate, Mr Arnold, commented: "You are an arch scoundrel. You not only used the naval uniform for immoral purposes, but for your own gain. You are the last man society would like to see in the uniform of any of his Majesty's forces."