FOUND UNDER BED

Dominion, Volume 35, Issue 262, 4 August 1942, Page 2

FOUND UNDER BED

Soldier Charged With Desertion Found under a bed when military police forced the door of a bach when seeking to arrest him, Gunner Herbert Wall, Artillery Training Regiment was charged with desertion, before a district court-martial yesterday. He was stated to .have been absent without leave from May 17 till July 23, when he was apprehended at Buckland, near Pukekohe, dressed in civilian clothes. He was also charged with escaping from lawful custody at Buckland on June 24. Sergeant A. Rowlands, district provost section, Auckland, said he arrested accused at a bach at Buckland on June 24. Accused said: “I am not going back with any stinking provost. He persuaded accused to go and he travelled as a pillion passenger on his motor-cycle. Witness had to slow down and stop because of cattle. Accused jumped oir the pillion and got away into the hills. He next saw accused on July 23 when, with his commanding officer and a sergeantmajor, he went again to the bach. It was locked. The door was forced and accused was found under a bed. Cross-examined, witness said accused used no force to evade arrest. Accused s father assisted by giving information concerning accused’s movements to the authorities. , , . Accused's explanatiou was that, he was refused leave to see hifa parents, and he left camp intending to return. lie denied he was the person arrested on June 24. The court’s finding will be announced later. The court comprised Major R. r . Mitchell, M.C., Captain E. King, and Captain J. Bosomworth. Major A. B. Sievwright, E.D., was judge-advocate. Captain G. G. Wallace prosecutor, ano Captain A. W. Bird, M.M., defending officer.