MESSAGE FROM KING

Otago Daily Times, Issue 26635, 4 December 1947, Page 5

MESSAGE FROM KING

ARMY OFFICER’S ARREST

HOUSE OF LORDS MEMBER Rec. 8 p.m. LONDON, Dec. 2. Lord Addison announced in the House of Lords that he had received a message from the King that a member of the House, Captain the Lord Colwyn, had b?en placed under arrest to be tried by court martial for an offence the nature of which was not disclosed. Captain Colwyn served with the London Scottish and the Gordon Highlanders during the war, and participated ih the invasion of Europe in 1944. Reuter stated that it was learned from the War Office that Captain Colwyn is accused of gross impropriety. The court martial takes place at Chelsea barracks on December 4.

Captain Colwyn is charged with an offence under section 41 of the British Army Act. This section deals with offences punishable under the civil law of England, and covers treason, murder, 'manslaughter, felony, rape, and other civil offences. Captain Colwyn. who is under arrest in the officers’ quarters of a London barracks, was- flown Home a few days ago from the Central Mediterranean forces, where he was serving.

The Daily Telegraph says that the last time. an arrest of a member of the House of Lords was announced by the King in this way was in 1810, when Lord Gambier, the Admiral-in-Charge of the Channel Fleet, was tried for missing the opportunity of destroying the. French Flee 4 , by failing to give effective support to Lord Cochrane. He was later acquitted.