“WORSE THAN DREYFUS.”

Waikato Times, Volume 109, Issue 18343, 1 June 1931, Page 7

“WORSE THAN DREYFUS.”

MISS DOUGLAS-PENNANT’S CASE • . ; I ALLEGED WRONGFUL DISMISSAL. FORMER HEAD OF W-R.A.F. Unffed Press Assn.—Elec. Tel. Copyright. (Received June 1, 9.15 a.m.) LONDON, May 31. "Worse than Dreyfus” i 3 the description of General R. B. Blakeney, referring to the case of the Hon. Violet Douglas-Pennant, whose dismissal in 1918 from 'the command of the Women’s Royal Air Force is claimed to have never been satisfactorily cleared up. “ The committee has been working for ten years and has obtained astonishing new evldenoe and sworn facts which will amaze the publio,” said the General. “At last we've discovered the charges, which are simply disgraceful to the authors. We will lay the whole atroolous story before the publio."

The Hon. Violet Douglas-Pennant, sister of Lord Penrhyn, was dismissed from the command of the Women’s Royal Air Force on general charges of alleged incompetence and questionable conduct. Nothing substantial, however, was laid against her. Later Miss Douglas-Pennant brought an action against the authorities for alleged wrongful dismissal, and during the course of the hearing many statements concerning the immorality said to be existant in the W.'R.A.F. were made. The trial created great public interest as a large number of people were Included In the accusations. In the end declared that the allegations pf immorality had not been proved, and held that the dismissal of Miss Douglas-Pennant from her position as commandant was justified.