FORMER WEST COAST SOLDIER WHO DISAPPEARED IN 1943

Grey River Argus, 22 September 1948, Page 7

FORMER WEST COAST SOLDIER WHO DISAPPEARED IN 1943

P.A. WELLINGTON, Sept. 21. In August, 1943, a New Zealand soldier, Private Thomas Francis King, of Wellington, disappeared after he had set off alone to visit a monastry on Mount Taber, in Tiberias. Inquiries over the years to establish his fate have proved fruitless, and the New Zealand Army recently issued'a casualty list in which Private King was officially presumed dead. This was the outcome of a motion before the Chief Justice, Sir Humphrey O’Leary, who, in the Supreme Court, gave leave to swear death.

Private King was originally posted formally as a deserter, but was subsequently classified as missing. Private King was a son of the late Mr. and Mrs. Edward King, who were proprietors of the Union Hotel, Grevmouth, over 25 years ago. Private King, who was employed by the Government in Wellington, before the war, was educated at the Marist Brothers’ High School, Grevmouth, also at Timaru and Wellington. He was single and is survived by a sister and four brothers. NOT ARMY RESPONSIBILITY t —— About two and a -half years ago Army Headquarters in Wellington examined the question of presuming death, and, because Private King’s disappearance was not the result ol battle action, it was decided that the military authorities should not assume the responsibility of officially presuming death. The Army provided all available evidence to enable a Wellington legal firm, as executor of the soldier’s will, to make the necessary application to the Supreme Court. The Chief Justice, in approving a motion for leave to swear death, said the evidence made it practically certain that on or after August 8, 1943, Private King met his death. The only possible alternative to his death was that Private King deserted, but he could see no indication of such a happening being likely. “The information given in the affidavits filed at my request after the hearing, indicates to me that Private King was a good combatant soldier, a man of integrity and one who was firm in the practice of his religion,” the Chief Justice added. Private King’s letters to his sister towards the end of July, 1943, indicated that at that time he had a pleasant, optimistic outlook on life. It was difficult to believe he would suddenly, of his own volition, wholly disappear and from then onwards cease to have any communication with his relatives and friends in New Zealand. The Chief Justice made an order accordingly, for leave for the swearing of death.