ESCAPED FROM LEGION

Waikato Times, Volume 113, Issue 18851, 23 January 1933, Page 5

ESCAPED FROM LEGION

BECAME A NA7IONAL HERO

SENTENCED FOR SHOP THEFTS. The mother of a lad whom the Recorder referred to as “something of a national hero’ made a pathetic appeal from the witness-box for her son to be given “just one more chance” ao that he might redeem his good oharacter (says a London paper J. She was Mrs Debora Flanagan, and her son, Stanley, who escaped from the French Foreign Legion some months ago, was one of three prisoners standing in the dock at Manchester Quarter Sessions. The other two were John Gregory, 22, window cleaner, and Joseph Henry Gwilliam, 22, nursing orderly. All three were indicted jointly on two charges of breaking into shops and stealing 3500 cigarettes, chocolates, 3s 6d in money, and other articles. They pleaded guilty. Detective Inspector Valentine told the Recorder (Sir Walter GreavesLord, K.C., M.P.) that Flanagan had not much chance in life as a boy. At the age of 11 he was put on probation, and at 14 his father sent him off to Canada. He worked on a farm there, and also for a clergyman, but subsequently worked his passage back to England.

Jumped Overboard

When he was 16, ctor Valentine, Flanagan joined the Welch Fusiliers, but was later discharged from the Army.jn 1028 he was birched, and m 1930 was bound over for stealing. In January, 1932, he went to London, where he stole boots, and was sentenced to one month s imprisonment. He then went to Antwerp and joined the French Foreign Legion. Inspector Valentine summarised the story of how Flanagan and another lad 'escaped from the Legion by stowing away on a ship, jumping overboard, being picked up by another ship, and eventually landing at RotterRecorder: Yes, I remember reading about It at the time. They made Flanagan Into something of a national hero for a time afterwards. Mr J. McKeever, counsel for Flanagan, agreed that the lad had received considerable publicity after his escape, but had not in any way benefited through that publicity.

A Mother’s Plea. Flanagan’s mother then entered the witness-box and pleaded earnestly for her son. She said she had ton /lildren and was living in London apart from her husband. "He turned myt boy out,’ continued Mrs Flanagan, “and if you will gi\e him just one more chance I know he will make good. . "My brother is in the building trade In London ana will give him a job if vou will let me take him back with me. 1 have come from London for that purpose.’ Mrs Flanagan began to cry when the Recorder remarked that he could not agree to let her son go. "I am sorry for you, Mrs Flanagan, stated the Record r, "for It is no t your fault. ■ “But if your boy keeps on committing offences without being punished he will think he can go on doing it. “He will be sentenced to 15 months' hard labour, but it will be a modified form of Borstal training he will receive there. When lie comes on! I hope he will go back to his mother, and that job now offered will still be •open to him.” Gwilliam was sentenced to J2 months’ hard labour, under the same conditions as Flanagan, and Gregory was bound over for two years. Mrs Flanagan was allowed to see her son in the cells before he was taken to prison.