AUSTRALIAN GIRL IN UNIFORM

Dominion, Volume 9, Issue 2723, 18 March 1916, Page 13

AUSTRALIAN GIRL IN UNIFORM

SYDNEY SENSATION

STOWS AWAY ON TROOPSHIP

Maud Butler, the 18-year-old Australian girl who about two months ago was found on board a troopship at sea, made another attempt last week to get to the front (states the Sydney "Sun On tne former occasion she" was wearing BlacS boots, and that, more than anything else, led to her discovery. Miss Butler, who was found on a transport one morning last week, got on board at night because of the simple fact that some soldiers were drunk. She pretended that she was befuddled with drink, and as one of tho zig-zag line Known as tho "Drunks' Procession," sho successfully passed sentries on the gangway. "You see," she said afterwards, "the military people have not given me permission to go and do what I can to help our boys, although I am tired of ask- | ing. There was nothing for it but to | stow away and try to bluff through. Well, you know, what happened to me/ when I got aboard the other transport. It' was ptiff luck after I had climbed hand-over-hand up a 25ft. rope from the wharf lo the ship, and hidden myself away. On that occasion my boots and the fact that I had no identification, disc gave me away. This time I made no mistake. I got military boots and made an identification disc, which I [stamped "No. 4550. I'te. Harry Denton, lotii Battalion, 3rd Infantry Brigade, Australia. Then I waited my I chance," • When all was quiet oil the wharf, Miss Butler, clad in her military outfit, took up a position near the transport, considering means of getting aboard. There was no 25ft. rope left conveniently handy for her to climb to the deck —no open porthole was within reach. Just then, along the wharf, came an unsteady, straggling line of men —soldiers back from final leave. Miss Butler noticed that the sentries grew tired of asking these individuals for names, numbers, and other particulars, because in most cases the mon were too drunk to tell them. So just aB a particularly unsteady group of soldiers passed her she stopped in behind them.

Walking with heavy lurches to either side, and making rough verbal imitations of the noises uttered by the men, Miss Butler essayed a few passable hiccups and eluded the weaned sentries. She was hidden in tho after portion of the vessel this morning when a ship's officer. found her. He asked for her identification disc, which sho produced. With sinking heart sho watched him open his book and look for the corresponding number there. "That'% not the. namo here against that number," the officer said. The girl who wanted to be a soldier knew the game was finished. _ "My n'anio is Maud. Butler, and I tried to go away, on another transport, but I was discovered there also," sho told him frankly.

Miss Butler was then taken to tho Water Police Station, dressed in tlio uniform of a soldier, and was charged that, while not being a member of the Defence forces, she wore a military uniform —a cap, trousers, tunic, boots, and puttees. She pleaded guilty, and said that if elio was given a chance she would not as.iiii attempt- to go awa.v to the war. She undertook to return to her homo.

The Magistrate sentenced the girl to the rising of the Court. Ho ordered the return of the uniform to the military authorities, <Od the handing ovot vi the revolver to the jjollco,