CITY POLICE COURT.
Monday, February 2. (Before Mr J. H. Bartholomew, S.M.) Drunkenness. —Two first offenders were fined 5s, in default 24 hours imprisonment, and a third was fined l0s or 24 hours. — James McLaughlan, who did not appear, was fined 10s, or 48 hours. John Sullivan was fined 5s or 24 hours for a similar offence, and John Ferguson, who failed to appear, was lined 10s or 24 hours.
Obscenity and Resisting the Police. — Thomas Dunford was charged with drunkenness in Princes street on Saturday and also with using obscene language and resisting Constable Beer while in the execution of his duty, he pleaded guilty. John Dunford, a brother of the accused, also appeared on two charges of resisting Constable Parkhill while in the execution of his duty, and pleaded not guilty. The cases were heard simultaneously. In regard to the first accused, sub-inspector Fouhy stated that at 10.15 p.m. on Saturday he was arrested by Constable Beer. The man resisted violently, and used the language complained of in the charge. In respect to the second accused, Constable Parkhill said that on Saturday evening he saw a large crowd at the corner of Princes and Stafford street, and on going over he noticed Constable Beer taking Thomas Dunford away. The other accused was endeavouring to get his brother away, and pulled him by the coat several times. After warning him to desist, witness arrested him. The man was quite sober. — Constable Beer gave evidence in support of that tendered by the previous witness. — John Dunford said that on the night in question he asked his brother to go home with him, and witness had just walked a few yards when a constable rushed at him and knocked him over. Witness returned to pick him up, but the second constable then seized him from the back and pulled him over. He said he would go quietly, but the constable put the handcuffs on him. — The Magistrate said it was quite clear that John Dunford had been just as culpable as his brother, and on the evidence was guilty. Thomas Dunford would be fined 5s, or 24 hours' imprisonment on the first charge, and 20s, or seven days' imprisonment on each of the other two charges. John Dunford would be fined 20s, or seven days' imprisonment for resisting the police. -Otago Daily Times, 3/2/1914.
Mr H. A. Young conducted a short sitting of the City Police Court yesterday morning. Thomas Dunford, a former offender, appeared to answer charges of drunkenness, resisting the police, using obscene language, and damaging a police helmet valued at 12s. Constable Saunders gave evidence in support of the charges, after which the accused pleaded "Guilty." His Worship imposed a fine of 10s, or 48 hours' imprisonment on the first information, and £2, or 14 days' imprisonment, on the charge of obscene language. He also ordered the accused to pay for the damage to the police helmet, and on the charge of resisting arrest, he convicted and discharged him. -Otago Daily Times, 7/7/1915.
Two more appearances for drunkenness were made by Thomas Dunford before his name appears in a list of the recently enlisted.
Army life did not quiet the unruly soul of Thomas Dunford. His personal record shows punishment for disorder while in uniform and hospitalisation with gonorrhea.
In October 1916 Thomas was supposed to be on a troopship bound for the war. He was not on the ship and was court-martialled for desertion. He pleaded not guilty of desertion and was found so - but guilty of being absent without leave. His punishment was 21 days' detention.
During the Battle of Messines Thomas was with his unit for a fairly typical raid of the enemy's trenches. The Auckland Regiment's Official History describes it: "It was decided to raid the whole area, destroy their posts and kill or capture the garrisons. Zero hour was 1 a.m. the morning of the 23rd, and the whole of the 16th Company, with two platoons of the 3rd, were detailed for the task. On the right no opposition was met with, but elsewhere the Huns fought well. In the centre they were holding wired shell-holes, and on the left, in the angle by the creek, a cleverly-concealed pill-box caused a lot of trouble. One German, standing in front and alone, coolly shot down man after man. Such a man might well have turned the tide but for "Jimmy" Greenwood, one of the most desperately brave men in the N.Z.E.F., coming at that moment on the spot. For a second the two faced each other, and then with a shout the New Zealander leaped in, the bayonets crossed, and the brave German fell. Single combats were rare in the war of great guns and magazine rifles, and rarer still was a meeting between two men of so splendid a type. Nine prisoners were taken, and very many of the Huns were killed, while Auckland lost 4 killed, 20 missing, and 1 officer and 52 O.R.'s wounded.
Thomas was one of the "52 O.R.'s wounded."
In a paragraph which we published yesterday reference was made to a wounded soldier who spent three days in a shell hole before he was rescued. A letter received from the wounded man shows that he belongs to Anderson Bay and that his name is Private Thomas Dunford. In the course of his letter Private Dunford, who left with the Nineteenth Reinforcements, says: "Early in the morning of June 23 I got a smack from a shell, the result being a compound fracture of the left thigh. Two of my mates dragged me to a shell hole and stuck to me for a while, but Fritz's fire was so hot that they had to leave me. Almost helpless I lay in No Man's Land for two days and three nights, with about a pint of water in my bottle and not a bite to eat. On the morning of June 25 Fritz put up a heavy barrage over the ground where I was lying, and high explosive shells and shrapnel were bursting all round me. I thought my time had come, but now I think Providence must have been watching over me. About an hour before daylight about six of our patrols were looking round, and by the slightest chance they noticed the top of my helmet. There was an officer amongst them. They got round the shell hole and covered me with their rifles, thinking I might be a Hun in disguise. After a couple of questions had been asked they quickly brought a stretcher from our front line and got me out of it. Fritz caught sight of them carrying me away, and we were shelled all the way to the dressing station — a distance of about three miles, some parts of the journey being over very rough country. I am now doing well in a hospital in France, but as soon as I am fit to travel I expect to cross the Channel to 'Old Blighty.' " -Otago Daily Times, 26/9/1917.
The remains of Private Thomas Dunford, who died at the Hospital on the 13th were interred in the Anderson Bay Cemetery on the 15th with military honours. His death followed wounds received at and exposure after the battle of Messines. His thigh was fractured and he lay out in a shell-hole for two days and three nights. He returned to New Zealand on New Year's Day. Prior to enlisting with the 19th Reinforcements, Private Dunford, who was educated at the Christian Brothers' School, worked for his father, Mr Wm. Dunford, Arawa street, Bayfield. Two of deceased's brothers have lost their lives on active service. Patrick was killed in action in France in December, and James was accidentally drowned in Egypt in April. David and John, two younger brothers, are now serving at the front. -Otago Witness, 21/8/1918.
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| Andersons Bay Cemetery, Dunedin. Allan Steel, photo. |
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