SUBNORMAL SOLDIER

Dominion, Volume 36, Issue 218, 10 June 1943, Page 4

SUBNORMAL SOLDIER

Was Graded I For Army Service A man stated in a medical report to be simple and childish and of subnormal intelligence but who had- been graded 1 when called up by ballot for military service was charged before a district court-martial at Trantham yesterday with desertion (for 31 months) and 'loss of equipment. He left Trentham, where he was in a medical unit, in September, Ill'll, and was arrested in Auckland last month, wearing civilian clothes. Captain E. C. Matthews, Auckland, said lie formed the opinion, when accused made a statement to hihi, that he was a very shrewd man. Warrant Officer G. Lyttolis, Auckland, said he questioned accused on the Auckland waterfront, where he produced ration and E'jP.S. cards and a wharf pass, all in the name of Norton. Accused' collected £l7 pay for the week when he was arrested and said he earnen £lB the previous week. His opinion of accused was that a man who earned £l7 a week was 110 fool. , , . Lieut. A. J. Mazenganb. defending <Mficer, called Lieut.-Colonel F. W. Kemp, M.C., senior medical officer. Trentham, ■who said his opinion was that accused was definitely of low mentality. He was absolutely satisfied it was incorrect to have -graded accused fit for military serTo the prosecutor. Lieut. G. L. Ewart, Colonel Kemp replied that the norm'll medical examination for military service was .primarily physical, though certain questions were asked as to whether , the person being examined had any previous history of nervous breakdowns. Accused was not insane. The cunning attributed to accused by other witnesses was a common symptom of persons of low mentality, continued Colonel Komp. Taking an assumed name was another form of cunning. Accused s physical condition was fair. The fact that he earned' big wages on the waterfront was not proof, in his opinion, of it being better than fair. He did not think accused could stand up to real hard labour, but he could do moderate exercise. If he was punished his mental condition would deteriorate, and it might lead to his being a permanent charge on the Colonel Kemp said he agreed with the report of Dr. N. I. Lewis, acting deputy Director-General. Mental Hospitals Department. This stated that accused’s family’s history showed his mother and sister to be'inmates of a mental hospital and a .brother a mental case who had -been on a State farm for six years. Accused had a typical feeble-minded appearance. The stigmata of degeneration were apparent. He was simple and childish in manner, speech and outlook; his intelligence was subnormal. It was quite clear he would lie unable to compete successfully with his normal fellows in the Army. His condition was so obvious that it was certain he would be ,a butt for other soldiers. Dr. Lewis’s report continued that he thought there was every reason to 'believe accused when he said that was his reason for deserting. lie did not think treatment, would help accused at the present. Under existing conditions he could earn a living in the outside world. .“My own opinion is that it would be sheer cruelty to court-martial this man. I have not. seen his full medical file, but it is hard to believe that he has ever been examined by a properly constituted medical board mid graded one. He is a clear-cut case for urgent medical boarding, luid his obvious medical grading is four.” 'The Court's finding will be announced later.