DESERTED TO THE ENEMY

Rangitikei Advocate and Manawatu Argus, Volume XLI, Issue 11653, 23 August 1916, Page 5

DESERTED TO THE ENEMY

SOLDIER OF A WELLINGTON BATTALION.

SERIOUS RESULTS.

Per Press Association

Auckland, August 22. The Makura brings the following frqm the “New Zealand Herald’s” London,, correspondent, under date July 13:—‘Ttis not pleasant to have to mention any shortcoming on the part of any of the soldiers who have made New Zealand’s name famous cj and respected in the war, nor would a person setting out to find causes of complaint against our soldiers have found it an easy task. Their conduct throughout had been almost without blemish; and the verdict of the people of England coincides with that of distinguished commanders who have praised them in the held. It is this fact which makes it almost a duty to state the circumstances under which one man wearing the New Zealand uniform proved false to his oaths and untrue to his salt, bringing not only disgrace blit also minor disaster in the field upon his comrad°s. The man referred to has been posted in orders as dismissed from the service, having deserted to the enemy. “Enlisted from Wellington province in an infantry battalion, his record of conduct was not altogether good, and iu June he came under disciplinary punishment for misconduct. He appears to have smarted under this correction and to have set his mind upon ‘getting even’ with his superiors, even at the expense of the lives of his comrades. On the nighlr of the last Saturday in June his battalion was in the trenches, and the brigade command was making complete arrangements for flannelling a gas attack against the Germans. The man continued to sulk, and he saw in. these preparations a chance of getting his revenge. About 3 o’clock in the morning, apparently when things are usually at their quietest, he escaped from nis comrades and stole out past the wire into No Man’s Land, and, before anyone could realise his intention, had made good his escape into the German trenches. There are more or less artistic descriptions of how this was effected. One story is that he ran at the top of his speed across the ground, carrying a white handkerchief as a token of surrender, and In's comrades only realised his intention in time to send a few bullets after him before he got over the Eoche parapet. The Minister for Defence has probably received official accounts which will enable him to say all that is known. At any rate, there is no doubt that the traitor made good his escape to the enemy, aud there is equally no doubt that he gave them information highly prejudicial to our own plans, for with daylight the German guns, which had paid no particular attention to our front line for some days, commenced a hot bombardment of our trenches, inflicting considerable

casualties on the New Zealanders, and further, by shelling headquarters, upset tne plans for a gas attack, which had to be abandoned. All parties agree that this is substantially what occurred. • “The only bright spot in the whole miserable story, of the soldier’s treason is the fact that the traitor is not of British extraction. Though brought up in the Dominion, he is, I believe, not even a hyphenated New Zealander, inasmuch as-both bis father and mother are from the Continent of Europe, one of them being German. Possibly this may assure him a warmer welcome in the Fatherland than he would ever again receive in New Zealand.

“The case is a very painful one, and the traitor’s comrades feel most keenly the slur cast Upon their battalion.”