DESERTION CHARGE

Otago Daily Times, Issue 26229, 13 August 1946, Page 6

DESERTION CHARGE

LONG ABSENCE ENDED DISTRICT COURT MARTIAL (P.A.) CHRISTCHURCH, Aug. 12. On the day fixed for his wedding, William Andrew' Moriarty, alias Mitchell, surrendered to the deputy assistant provofet marshal (Major G. H. Anderson) to face a charge of deserting from the 2nd N.Z.E.F. at Burnham. Before a district court martial at Burnham this morning Moriarty, as Private William Andrew Mitchell, the name under which he enlisted, pleaded guilty to deserting in that he absented himself without leave from the 10th Reinforcements on July 3, 1943, until he surrendered on July 31, 1946, in civilian clothes. The sentence of the court will be promulgated later. Major Anderson, in evidence, said that on July 30 the Provost Corps received information that Moriarty was to be married the following day at St. Matthew’s Church. Witness went to the vicarage and saw the Rev. W. E. D. Davies, and said that he would make the arrest after the wedding and not on the church property. During this conversation Moriarty telephoned Mr Davies saying that he could not go ahead with the wedding as something dreadful had happened and he was very upset. Witness spoke to Moriarty on the telephone, and persuaded him to surrender himself, as the court martial would take that into account. Later the same day Moriarty surrendered, saving the Provost Corps much trouble. In a statement read to the court Moriarty said that he went absent without leave when he discovered that his draft was to go to the European theatre of war. He was of the opinion that the Japanese were the real menace to this country. Had he thought the draft was going to the Japanese front, he would have gone willingly. “ I considered that I would -be more use in defending this country against invasion than in fighting an enemy in Europe," continued Moriarty. “At the conclusion of the European war I intended to return to Burnham with the object of going overseas against the Japanese, but the Government delayed so long in making a statement as to their intentions of what part was to be played by the division in the Pacific that I remained where I was. By this time there was a rumour of the Japanese caving in, so I waited to see the result.”