ARMY DESERTER THREE YEARS IN BUSH

Chronicle (Levin), 13 September 1946, Page 7

ARMY DESERTER THREE YEARS IN BUSH

-Press Association !

By Telegrapn —

CHliidTCDCKCll, ilepl. 12. For more than three' vears Pte. Joseph Driscoll has lived in the fSouth Westland buSh after deserting' from the Army. His only food- was*' venison, dampor, lyU'ck. coft'ee and h0v, suilered seyerely from toothache. This morning Driscoll pleaded guiltv j to a charge of deseitiou before a L'ourt- j hiartial at Burnhairt. His counsei (Mr. It. Twyneham) tohi ; the Court that he had asked Driscoll how he had mauaged to iivc under such harsli eonditxOns. Driscoll had replied, "I had freedom. " Driscoll was charged with deserting, , in that at Wingatui on November 11. 1942, when a niember of the Forees, , he absented h'imself without teave from a reeruit training depot until ftrtested by the civjl police at Haast on \ August 20 this year. He pteaded guilty ' also to a chafge of losing his equipmeut | and clothing valued at £5 10s Udj The Court 's sentence will be promulgated. , When he went on leave Driscoll had his travel warrant made out to Malii Tahi, the furtliest south point to ivhich he could go in Westlaud, between the, | Cook and Haast Rivers, said Mr. ; Twyneham. He obtained a rifle, atn i munition, flour, coflee, a small tent, and an axe, and in his own words "headed I for the tali timber". For about three years he lived about the headwaters of : the Moeraki Eiver. His food consisted 1 only of venison, a few duelcs, dampor : and coffee. He met hardly anybody and ! did not come out of tho bush as he j knew the police were lookiug for liiin. ; At one time he had suilered from ! pneuinonia. On one occasion he was | washed dowu the Moeraki Eiver, losing I his paek. He aaved hintseif only by j eatching at a tree that. had fallen | aefoss the stream Mr. Twyuehain | aslced for lenieney for Driscoll because of his unusual cliaracter, the punishment he had already undergon", and the cumulative effect of his oxperieneos.