Prisoner In Tower Of London (Court-Martial)

68.

Mr. R. MCNEILL
asked the Under-Secretary of State for War if he can now give any further information with respect to the prisoner in the Tower of London who was put ashore from a German submarine on the West Coast of Ireland?

Mr. MACPHERSON
The accused has been identified as No. 8043 Lance-Corporal J. Dowling, Connaught Rangers, and has been remanded for trial by court-martial for an offence under Section 4 (5) of the Army Act, which deals with the offence of voluntarily aiding or serving the enemy.

Mr. McNEILL
Will the right hon. Gentleman say whether this man was a deserter from the British Army or how he got into a German submarine?

Mr. MACPHERSON
No, Sir; I do not think he could be properly called a deserter from the British Army. I think he was a prisoner of war.

Mr. KING
Will the court-martial be public or the proceedings be reported fairly fully?

Mr. MACPHERSON
I can quite imagine a good deal of the proceedings will not be public.