MUTINY ON THE AUSTRALIA.

Taranaki Daily News, 12 July 1919, Page 12

MUTINY ON THE AUSTRALIA.

ISTORY OF THE INCIDENT. For having participated in a mutiny on board. 11.M.A.5. Australia, at Fremantle, on June 1, five men, all youthful in appearance, were on June 20 sentenced to imprisonment, and three of them to dismissal from His Majesty's Australian .Service upon the expiration of their sentences. One of them was among the volunteers for the Zeebrugge raid, and holds the D.B.M. The circumstances of the outbreak were told before a court-martialSield on board H.AI.A.S. Encounter. The men charged were: I). J. 0. Rudd (D.S.M.), able seaman; W. Thompson, ordinary seaman; Iv H. Paterson, ordinary seaman; L. T. Rudd, stoker, and W. <i. Mcintosh, stoker. They were charged with "having, while belonging to H.MjVS. Australia, and then being persons subject to the Naval Discipline Act, joined in a mutiny not accompanied by violence on board the Australia on June 1, 1919."

Captain Cumberlege, of H.M.S. Australia, appeared to prosecute. The charge was accompanied by a circumstantial report of Captain Cumberlege, stating that at about 10.30 a.m. on Sunday, June 1, at Fremantle, his attention was directed to a large body of men, between 80 and 100 in number, who came up on the quarter-deck and assembled ill front of "P" turret. He noticed that many of the men wojp the rig of liberty-men, and that tliey straggled on to the quarter-deck and formed up there with a more or less even front, but no attempt at orderly formation, was made. It was, in fact, what may be termed a mob, rather than an orderly deputation. The commander reported that the assembly, through a spokesman, asked that the Bhip might be delayed in sailing, so that the ship's company might be given a further opportunity to entertain their friends from Fremantle. On receiving this information, he at once realised that thia was no ordinary request preferred in a legitimate manner in aeordance with the customs of the service and articles of war, and Ihe, speaking quietly, and in measured tones, indicated that it waß impossible to accede to the request, which, indeed, amounted to a demand, to delay the ship's sailing, and then ordered them off the quarter-deck. A number of ejaculations of an insubordinate nature were being made by them, and certain persons, obviously fomenting trouble, were noticed, and their names were taken. At that time the ship was actually standing by to proceed to sea.

Very shortly after this the Commodore having come aboard and the last boat having been hoisted, he Rave the order "Let so aft," when simultaneously from the telephone room he received a communication that the stokers on watch had left the boiler-room. Certain persons were seen to be conferring on the mess decks prior to the assembly, and these persons' intentions were to collect others with a view to forming the assembly before referred to. Immediately after the assembly had off the quarter-deck, a number of men, some of whom had their faces masked with Mao.k silk handkerchiefs, proceeded below to the boiler-room, and intimidated or indued the watch of stokers to quit their dutv, which had the effect of holding up the ship from proceeding to sea until such time as it was possible to fall in the chief petty officers, and tell off the necessarv duty men for steaming the ship. The act of mnt.inv committed by the accused consists in the fnot that a body of men, of which the following formed part, resisted lawful authority, inasmuch as they prevented taking his imp 'to sea. HOSPITALITY THE MOTIVE.

The accused pleaded guilty, and in a signed statement said: "Our respective agea range from 18 to 23 years, and \vc lmve been on active service, principally in the North Sea, for periods ranging from three to live" years. U'pon arrival at Frenjautle we were the recipients of a great welcome by the people of Western Australia, and many kindnesses were shown us. On the last day, whilst further participating in the hospitality of the people, the rumor went round that the vessel would not leave until Monday, it being then Saturday, and also that the people would be admitted on board on Sunday evening. Thj's gave great satisfaction to the crew, as we felt that we would be able to show in some small degTee our appreciation of all the good things that had been done for us. When we rerturned on board on Sunday morning, and learnt for the first time that the ship was sailing in an hour or two, a great deal of resentment was evidenced among the crew. Personally, we are not clea* of what followed, as we were feeling mor'i or less the effect of four days' fea tivities. Certainly we did not realise the seriousness of attempting to prevent the departure of the ship, or that the same would be tantamount to an act of mutiny. We do not consider that the foregoing in any way justifies the subsequent action taken by us and other members of the crew. We had no desire to be disloyal to our officers or >to bring discredit on our ship." A special plea was made on behalf of Paterson that lie had been exposed to evil counsels before he joined the Australia, and it was not until he' heard the articles of war read for the first time on the Sunday in question that h' realised what a serious matter it wai for a largo body of men to refuse duty. The Court's decision was as follows: Mcintosh to be put to hard labor for two years, and at the expiration of the term to be distnissed from the service; L. T. Rudd to be imprisoned for two years, and at the expiration of the term to be dismissed from the service; D. J. 0. Rudd to for eightern months, and dismissed the service; and Thompson and Paterson each to be imprisoned for one year.