Court-Martial Sought

Sun (Auckland), Volume I, Issue 308, 20 March 1928, Page 1

Court-Martial Sought

SUSPENDED NAVAL MEN Mr Bridgeman Reticent CAPTAIN DEWAR and Commander Daniels, officers of the warship Royal Oak. who were relieved of their positions following trouble with Rear-Admiral Collard, have written to the Admiralty requesting reinstatement to the ship or trial by court-martial. By Cable. —Press Association. — Copyright.

Reed. 9.10 a.m. LONDON, Monday,

IN the IJouse of Commons, the Right Hon. W. C. Bridgeman, First Lord of the Admiralty, informed a questioner that just as the fleet was due to sail on March 10, Captain K. G. B. Dewar, flag-captain of the battleship Royal Oak, and Commander H. M. Daniels, handed written statements to Rear-Admiral Collard, referring to differences between him and them. The departure was postponed for 15 hours for an inquiry, the Court consisting of the admiral and two rearadmirals.

Admiral Sir Roger Keyes, Comman-der-in-Chief of the Station, proposed that Rear-Admiral Collard transfer his flag to the Resolution, but for personal reasons Collard desired to leave immediately. Captain Dewar and Commander Daniels were relieved of their positions and directed to return to England. The Admiralty ha*l asked for a report from the Court, but the Com-mander-in-Chief had replied that it was impossible to telegraph a summary, which might be misinterpreted. Until the report was received the Admiralty was not In a position to make a definite statement. Captain Dewar and Commander Daniels arrived in London on Thursday! They sent a letter requesting reinstatement to the Royal Oak, or, alternatively, trial by court-martial. The Admiralty concurred in the lommander-in-Chief’s action, and Rear-

Admiral Collard was returning to England.

Certain important issues remained which the Admiralty, in the best interests of the service, decided should be investigated by the court-martial to be held at Gibraltar as soon as possible.

Pressed for information as to the exact nature of the serious trouble, Mr. Bridgeman said: “I cannot give it without prejudicing the court-martial. I am sure the House will agree that justice and fair play be done. I therefore hope it wrll not press for details.”

Asked if he did not think the pres ent practice created suspicion and false rumours, Mr. Bridgeman replied that he did not want to create suspicion, but he would take the blame of withholding further details. He said officers could be represented by King’s Counsel at the court-martial. NAVAL WRITER’S VERSION

The naval correspondent of the “Dally Express” states that at a dance given on board the Royal Oak the music was to have been supplied by two bands on the ship, one composed of marines and the other a jazz band formed by the officers and seamen. The jazz band played a number of dances, but a discussion as to when the official band was due to play resulted in the jazz band continuing. This trivial incident, says the correspondent, raises the important question of the degree of authority an admiral possesses on his own flagship.—A. and N.Z.-Sun.