COURT MARTIAL

Hokitika Guardian, 21 January 1931, Page 5

COURT MARTIAL

OF LUCIA’S SEAMAN.

REFUSAL TO OBEY ORDERS.

[Uuitcd Press Association—By Electric Telegraph, - Copyright.J

(Received 10.5 a.m.) LONDON, January 20

I In l Lucia’s first court martial, cabled on Kith January, resulted in able seaman A. T. Gratton, being sentenced to three months bal’d labour, and being dismissed from the service. Able seaman Town Lock Wilson will be court martialled later. Twenty-six others are confined to the

barrack,- for decision alter the promlugation of tin* other sentences.

Tin* traditional one gun salute preceded to-day’s enquiry, at which Captain Arthur Powding presided at the library of the Naval barracks at Devonport.

Solicitor Maybiirn Pearce for Gratton pointed out that the reverberations of the ease would spread not only throughout Britain but throughout the Empire. He did not call evidence for the defence and did not place Gratton in the witness box.

It was alleged against Gratton (who was eventually found guilty of disobeying Lieutenant-Commander J. AY. Iloskyns’s order to fall in for exercise, and of disobeying the master at arms; Kingston's command (to fall in on the quarterdeck), that Gratton and thirty Companions sat silent: when Hingston went below and reiterated the order. Prior to that, Doth watches bad been piped for exercise to clean ship.

These events occurred on SuncTiay 4th January. Petty officers and the loading seaman obeyed, but only one able seaman appeared, the remainder staving below with the mess deck batch secured from underneath.

Hingston called down to aide seaman Brimicombe, who was there unwillingly, to unfasten the hatch nun fall in on deck. Brimicombe did this. Hoskyns replying to Pearce’s reminder that Sunday work ahoard was only countenanced in the case of necessity, said permission for it had been granted, because it was urgent to Clean

the ship preparatory to painting on Monday, prior to departure for Lisbon.

Hoskyns denied curtailing the men’s shore leave and doing overytlivng possible, to aggravate them. The Lucia had been a happy ship but was not so happy during the past few montns.