MILITARY COURT-MARTIAL.

Taranaki Daily News, 21 September 1918, Page 2

MILITARY COURT-MARTIAL.

CORPORAL AND CAPTAIN. By Telegraph—Press Association. Wellington, September 19. At the court martial, Corpl. d'Oridant, who is alleged to have falsely accused Captain Gray of being drunk on duty, in his evidence, described the patrol trip round the troopship, and said a powerful searchlight was in dse all the time the ship was in plain view. Captain Gray, who was steering, made a sudden turn towards the ship while circling, and the launch almost collided. Witness reversed the engine, and then went slow ahead till the launch cleared the ship. On the way back Captain Gray look a course, straight towards the schooner, visible 300 yards away When the schooner was only GO yards away Private Brown told Captain Gray there was a ship ahead. At the same time witness helped Captain Gray to put the helm over. The launch cleared the schooner by a few yards. The searchlight was burning all the time. At the steps Captain Gray slipped and fell forward on the side of the warship and the steps above the water were dry. Witness followed Captain Gray to the inner guardroom. Captain Gray said Captain Hill had asked if Corporal d'Oridant had not been guilty of a gross dereliction of duty in being away from the ship on the night the Germans escaped. Witness , replied he dad been off duty and that he applied to Captain Gray for a substitute. Capt. Gray asked for a written report, which was made. Subsequently, later in ■ the evening, too took the launch back to the warship »vith Private Brown and asked the private if he noticed anything. Brown said: "Yes, yes; I could smell it on him." On August 3rd, ho reported the matter to Capt. Hill, and said 'he would like to go before a higher authority Captain Hill told him to put the charge m writing. He did this, and took the document to Captain Hill's office on August Bth. Ho did not see Captain Hill till August 16th, when the charges were read to him and some of the evidence. Captain Hill then placed him under close arrest. Witness served in the Second Life Guards and Naval Reserve for more than two years about 30 years ago and it was still his opinion that Captain Sill had been drunk on the | night of August let. He had questioned r.nous members of the forces but found . '.\o;n all very reticent. They appeared ,a be afraid to say what they knew. When asked for a written statement, Private Brown refused, saying it would put his 'pot on." The hearing continues to-morrow. Wellintgon, Sept, 20. The court-martial on Corporal d'Oridant has concluded, and the decision will be sent forward for confirmation and promulgated in due course.—Press Assoc. .