CHARGE OF AIDING ENEMY

Timaru Herald, Volume CLVIII, Issue 23322, 4 October 1945, Page 6

CHARGE OF AIDING ENEMY

New Zealander’s Defence J..ONDON, Oct. 2. Lance-Corporal R. N. Courlandcr, who was charged before a New Zealand court-martial in England with aiding the enemy and joining the enemy forces after being captured in Greece, produced

a 13,500-word statement in defence. Courlander’s statement said he, from the moment of capture, began to plan escape. After two escape attempts at Salonika he was taken to Germany, where he posed as a White Russian in order to join the German forces on the Eastern Front and cross the lines. This failed and he joined the British Free Corps after consultation with John Amery, in order to obtain information and in the hope that he might induce other members to desert at a favourable time. Courlander said his broadcasts on behalf of the Germans were calculated to allay suspicion and do Britain no harm. He volunteered to go to the front in any capacity when his position in Germany became untenable. When he arrived at Brussels last September it was obvious that the Germans were retreating, and he was able to escape. Courlander claimed that after this he cleaned out several enemy strongpoints practically single-handed. He did not think there would Ire the slightest doubt of the motives for his activities in Germany when he returned to England. Courlander said a German told him there was an arrangement between John Amery and the German Foreign Office. Amery could form a provisional Government for Britain to be established in the Channel Islands when 1500 recruits joined the British Free Corps.

Visits to Prison Camps

Questioned about his visits to 40 prisoner of war camps, Courlander declared that he did not try to get recruits for the British Free Corps. He added that he did not try to escape during the visits because he wanted to get more information about the committee behind Amery in England. When the prosecuting officer, Colonel Hiiliear, ridiculed the idea that 30 to 40 men in the British Free Corps would be sufficient to effect any considerable sabotage behind the German lines Courlander said: “Oh, yes they could. They could have occupied the Berlin radio, because there was only a sergeant and a few men guarding it.” Under further questioning, Courlander admitted that he wrote and delivered broadcast talks urging enrolment in the British Free Corps. He tried to communicate by letter with someone in England explaining that his acts, which would in other circumstances be traitorous, were being done for certain purposes.