TIMARU PRIVATE’S DEATH

Timaru Herald, Volume CXLVIII, Issue 21784, 14 October 1940, Page 4

TIMARU PRIVATE’S DEATH

Result Of Stab Wound Murder Charge Follows LONDON. September 23. As a sequel to an affray in which Private Alexander Lindsay Meikle. of the New Zealand Expeditionary Force, was fatally wounded, a fellow soldier, Private Eric Andrew Clark, aged 20. was charged at Maidstone Police Court with the wilful murder of Meikle, at Maidstone, between September 6 and 7. Meikle. aged thirty-five, lived at 186. Church Street, Timaru. The inquest was adjourned until November 4. Clark was arrested after an allnight search by the Home Guard and soldiers. He was charged at a special sitting of Maidstone Police Court, before the Mayor (Aiderman Sir Garrard Tyrwhitt-Drake). the DeputyMayor (Councillor Percy Brown), and Aiderman W. Egerton Martin. The Chief Constable (Mr H. J. Vann) said that at 12.30 that morning Private Meikle was found suffering from a severe wound in the neck and was taken to hospital, where he was found to be dead. As the result of inquiries Clark was arrested. Mr Vann said that considerable inquiries would be necessary, and the Director of Public Prosecutions should be informed. No Reply to Charge Sergeant Tennant said that at 10.30 that morning he arrested Clark, cautioned him, and toid him he would be taken into custody on a charge of wilful murder. Clark made no reply. When he was asked if he had any questions to put to Sergeant Tennant Clark, who seemed rather dazed, replied, “No, thank you.” A New Zealand colonel said that arrangements would be made for Clark to be legally represented. When Clark appeared on further remand, Mr H. J. Bracher attended on his behalf. Chief Constable Vann asked for a further remand, adding that he was in touch with the Director of Public Prosecutions. The Coroner’s inquiry into Meikle’s death was held by Mr C. P. Whitehead, who .sat with a jury. The Coroner explained that Meikle had died apparently as a result of a stab wound. An arrest had been made and criminal proceedings started, and he was mast anxious that nothing should be said or done to prejudice those proceedings. He therefore proposed to take only evidence of identification and medical evidence. O.C.’s Evidence Lieutenant Richard L. Haines, of the New Zealand Expeditionary Force, gave evidence that he was in charge of the company of which Meikle was a member. He had known him since January. He last saw him alive at 5.30 p.m. on September 6, when he was in perfect health. Dr. P. J. Gaffikin, police surgeon, said he saw Meikle early on the Saturday morning. A post-mortem examination showed that Meikle was a perfectly healthy man. He had a punctured wound above the right collarbone which passed right down through the apex of the lungs to a depth of about four inches. He had bled prousely and that was the cause of death. On this evidence, the Coroner adjourned the inquest until November 4. Present at the inquest was Private Clark. He was represented by Mr J. G. R. Brown.