TREASON CHARGE

Timaru Herald, Volume CLVIII, Issue 23321, 3 October 1945, Page 5

TREASON CHARGE

New Zealander In Court Co-operation With Enemy By Telegraph—N.Z. Press Assn. —Copyright LONDON, October 1. Lance-Corporal R. N. Courlander pleaded not guilty to treachery and joining the enemy forces before a New Zealand court-martial at Westgate-on-Sea. Courlander is charged with voluntarily aiding the enemy in Europe between October 1942. and September, 1944, by writing and delivering broadcasts, by joining and working for an organisation controlled by the enemy known as the British Free Corps, also by joining the armed forces of the enemy. Courlander was born in London and joined the New Zealand Expeditionary Force while living on an island off the coast of New Zealand at the outbreak of the war. He is defended by Captain C. P. Hutchison, an Auckland barrister. • Lieut.-Colonel R. A. Hillard, just promoted to that rank from major is the prosecuting officer. Colonel F. F. Rund is president of the court. The hearing is expected to last five days. The prosecution is calling 16 witnesses. including four Australian soldiers. Lieut.-Colonel Hillard opening the case, said the prosecution alleged that Courlander joined the Germans in planning, foundation, and organisation of the British Free Corps, from which Courlander endeavoured to oust John Amery. Courlander joined the SS as a propagandist and war reporter. Courlander served with the New Zealanders in the Western Desert and in Greece, where he was separated from his unit. When he reached Athens he was put in a reinforcement unit and became a prisoner in April 194 k at Kalamata. Courlander had made a statement in which he outlined his ideas for a British Free Corps which he decided to join and work for. He admitted in a statement broadcasting talks on colonial affairs, also reminiscences as a prisoner. Courlander left the Free Corps and stated that he joined the SS. In August, 1944, he went from Berlin to the Western Front wearing SS uniform, and in Brussels was taken over by the British on September 4. 1944. He claimed that he intended to escape, and also had joined the Free Corps to control it or sabotage it if unable to use it against the enemy. Tire court went into camera to consider details which it was thought unwise to make public. An Australian Regimental SergeantMajor Phillips said in evidence that Courlander told him the Germans wanted to make the British Free Corns a combined operations group byenlisting men from the Army. Naw and Air Force camps to carry out combined operations on the Black Sea front. Candidates were to enlist under assumed names, but their correct names would be registered on a secret file. Courlander wanted witness to become a security officer in the Free Corps. He told him he had been in the German Foreign Office, and had also seen the Fuhrer. Courlander also told witness that there were between 100.000 and 150.000 Nazi sympathisers in Britain who would join the Free Corps. He added that Britain would soon express her willingness to fight with Germany against Bolshevism. , Witness said that Courlander emphasised that members of the Free Corpwould naturally be very successful m saining the best position awarded afterwards