Ng Soldier Charged With
pp. 30-32 · Read in the full issue
Being Awl
CHARGED with being AWL from a military hospital between June, 1944, and February, 1945, W/02 Reginald Hastings Amoore, of ANGAU, stated be fore a court-martial, in South Australia, on March 8, that he had found it im possible to sleep in the hospital, so he went to a guest-house to get some rest.
The following report is from the “Ade laide Advertiser.’’
In evidence, Amoore said that he went to New Guinea as a civilian in 1935. He had enlisted at Salamaua in 1940, and had guarded prisoners at Rabaul for about a month, but had been discharged from the Army in Brisbane on medical grounds about October of that year. He had then been repatriated to New Guinea.
When the Japanese entered the vfar in December, 1941, he re-enlisted, against a doctor’s advice, in the New Guinea Volunteer Rifles, which were part of the AMF. When the Japanese landed at Salamaua and Lae in January, 1942, he said, his unit had been about 25 miles from Salamaua. He had been put on patrol work, during which there were bombing attacks. At Bulolo, in March, he had been wounded, and spent about a month in hospital.
Amoore said that in May he had been selected to escort internees to Port Moresby. The journey was made over the Owen Stanley Ranges at one of the highest points, and through country where the natives were hostile. Many native carriers had deserted, and many soldiers became ill, including the sergeant in charge. He had taken charge. On arrival he had been transferred to ANGAU, when the Japanese were coming down the Owen Stanleys from Buna. He had been given the job of road locating from Moresby to a gap through the range.
He had come to Adelaide on leave in July, 1943, but had spent most of the time in bed with malaria. He had been granted only five days’ extra leave after recovering. When he returned to his unit he had been appointed a magistrate of native affairs, and in November had been transferred to Goodenough Island, He had been sent to Arawe, in New Britain, on Boxing Day, 1943. “Arawe was a feint for the landing at Cape Gloucester,” he said. “We drew the fire while American Marines landed there.
We were bombed day and night.” The supplies had been jungle rations, and his first patrol, carried out with natives, had lasted a month. The work had been par ticularly nerve-racking, especially as it was hard to distinguish friendly or hostile natives. He had almost no sleep.
He had entered the hospital at Arawe— a dugout—in April, 1944, suffering from neurosis, dermatitis and malnutrition. He was returned to Australia suffering from insomnia.
He said that he had gone to Goulburn, ■y/here he was covered from head to foot with prickly heat, and to Northfield. At this time he had been in a highly nervous condition, and he had gone AWL. The only way to get relief from his condition was to go AWL, Occasionally he had been able to sleep during the day, but he found it impossible to sleep at night in a mili tary hospital as an up-patient, owing to “vigorous young up-patients fooling about.” After going AWL he had gradu ally been able to get sleep, and had gained 21 lb. in weight.
In answer to a question by the prose cuting officer, Amoore said that he had intended to stay AWL until his money ran out. When arrested, he had about £6 left. He said that he did not attempt to communicate with the Army.
The Court closed to consider sentence.
Mr. B. W. Brownlee, Mr. A. P. McFarland and Mr. M. Ah Mu recently returned to Western Samoa on the same ship. They had all been on leave overseas, Squadron-Leader Brian Cobcroft, eld est sOn of Mr. A. R. Cobcroft, of Apia, Western Samoa, is on his way home after long service with the RNZAF in the Middle East, Italy and England. He recently was badly wounded by flak, but has now recovered fully.