SOLDIER’S DEATH

Wairarapa Times-Age, 7 August 1942, Page 4

SOLDIER’S DEATH

TRAGIC JOKE IN FIJI DETONATOR OUTSIDE HUT. FINDING OF COURT-MARTIAL. SUVA, June 28. How a practical joke resulted in the death of a New Zealand soldier, Sapper L. D. Ferris, was told at a general court martial held at Suva on Friday, June 26, when Company Sergeant-Major (W.O. II.) John Johnston, of the New Zealand Engineers, was charged with manslaughter.

The charge against the accused was that, while on active service, he committed a civil offence, manslaughter, in that on June 15, he unlawfully killed Sapper Ferris, by a negligent act. Accused pleaded not guilty. Captain Warrington, prosecuting officer, said that at 10.25 p.m. on June 15, an explosion occurred and Sapper Ferris was so injured that he died within a very few minutes. The story was that Sapper Murphy, a great friend of the accused, was to have left Fiji the next day, and on the afternoon of the mishap had joked with the accused to the effect that he would pull him out of bed early in the morning. The accused remarked afterward that it would be a good idea to play a joke on Murphy and explode some “jelly” under his hut.

Someone remarked that would be dangerous, and that night, the prosecution said, accused placed a foot length of fuse and a detonator—no geligniteoutside the hut occupied by Murphy and Ferris. They heard a fizzing sound and came out to investigate. An explosion occurred as they came out. and by one chance in a thousand a piece of jagged tin struck Ferris in the neck and damaged the carotid artery. Hearing the explosion, Captain Johnston came down, and practically as he arrived at (he hut Ferris rolled over. Only medical aid would have been of any use, and this was at once sent for from a mile and a-half away, but Ferris was dead when aid arrived. Dr. Thodey would tell the Court that death would have occurred in three oi' four minutes. The case for the defence was a denial of negligence or gross negligence, and therefore a submission that it was not manslaughter. The finding of the court martial was that accused be severely reprimanded and reduced to the ranks.