Disappearance Of Soldier In 1943

"In August, 1943, a New Zealand soldier, Pte. Thomas Francis King, of Wellington, disappeared after he had set off alone to visit a monastery on Mt Tabor, in Tiberias.

Inquiries over the years to establish his fate proved fruitless and the New Zealand Army recently issued a casualty list in which King was officially presumed dead.

This was the outcome of a motion before the Chief Justice (Sir Humphrey O’Leary) in the Supreme Court for leave to swear his death. King was originally posted formally as a deserter and subsequently classified as missing. About two and a-half years ago Army Headquarters, Wellington, examined the question of presuming his death, and because King’s disappearance was not the result of battle action, it was decided that the military authorities should not assume the responsibility of officially presuming his death.

ONLY ALTERNATIVE

The Army provided all available evidence to enable a Wellington legal firm, as executors of the soldier's will, to make the necessary application to the Supreme Court. The Chief Justice, in approving the motion for leave to swear death, said the evidence made it practically certain that on or after August 8, 1943, King met his death. The only possible alternative to his death was that King deserted, but he could see no indication of such a happening being likely. “Information given in affidavits filed at my request after the hearing indicates to me that King disappeared,” he said.

MAN OF INTEGRITY

“He was a good combatant soldier, a man of integrity and one who was firm in the practice of his religion.” He added that King’s letters to his sister toward the end of July. 1943, indicated that at that time he had a pleasant, optimistic outlook on life.

It was difficult to believe that he would suddenly, of his own volition, wholly disappear and from then onwards cease to have any communication with relatives and friends in New Zealand. The Chief Justice made an order accordingly for leave for swearing of death.

King, who was employed by the Government in Wellington before the war, belonged to a well-respected West Coast family. He was educated at Greymouth, Timaru and Wellington. He was single and is survived by a sister and four brothers.

[Northern Advocate, 21 September 1948, Page 5]