Detroit evening times. (Detroit, Mich) 1921-1958, 1942-10-18

From that uneventful period the scene
changes 10 The dock of the Old Bailey in July
1871. In the dock stood Coriat almost in
tears because the past he had tried so hard to
live down had been dragged out in the fierce
light of day. After bombing the Germans
since January 1910 he was charged with MAX
ing false statement for the purpose of join
ing the Royal Air Force as an air-gunner
1t was a sensational case. the biggest SEN
saton Of all coming when Coriat was bound
over for two years. That means there is no
sentence of imprisonment, but the charged
person undertakes TO be Of good behavior, and
during that period there is certain super
vision OF his movements.
AS he walked out from the dock he was
joined by Viscountess Curzon who had been
in court during the whole hearing and who
made no secret of her intention to marry him.
Coriat, who was SO then, had pleaded
guilty
curious Jekyll and Hyde personality
brave and resourceful on the one hand. fired
with patriotism and love Of Britain, and on
the other hand soldier of fortune, schemer
and adventurer he heard conflicting descrip-
tions of himself in court.
The police spoke of him as IAN unde-
sirable alien. in this country without author
ity" But his commanding officer. Wing
Commander J. A. Powell stated he had "cour.
v.
He was a member OF my own crew, and /
think he is a loss to the Air Force.
After being put on probation for a couple
Of years Coriat said: MY one desire is TO
go on fighting for this country in any capacity
/ shall make every attempt TO join up again
My sole object all through has been TO fight
Germans"
Coriat's arrest was dramatic He was just
stepping out of a bombing airplane after
taking part in a raid on Brest, when he was
taken into custody.
According to the Prosecution Coriat. in
applying for a commission, said his name
was Robert Coriat, and that he born at
Bidefordy Devon, in February. 1907 Actually
he was born at Mogador. Morocco. of French
father and English mother, but went TO a
wel-known school at Cambridge.
Chief Inspector Greene told the court that
Coriat had been convicted in New Zealand in
1928 and 1880 and once in Australia in 1883
of fraud and false pretences.
he turned up- in England with a
British passport describing himself as Henry
Dorien Coryton, Dcvonshire man and a
journalist. This time he was accompanied by
his wife, whom he had married in Melbourne
that very year.
Alas, for his efforts to live down his past
He was repatriated to Morocco as an undesr-
able alien in September 1885.
But he was determined man. He landed
in England again in June. 1885, but left once
more on Home Office instructions.
In 1887 at Folkestone after being refused
permission to land, he was inspired to employ
the weekend ticket trick.
1t was so simple, he must have wondered
why his fertile brain had not tumbled to IL
before.
Before the war, people in Europe who had
special reasons for wanting to go to England,
but could not get the necessary regulation
passport permitting them to stay in the coun-
try, used to try the weekend ticket idea
and sometimes It worked.
On the other side of the Channel, you
bought cheap tripper's ticket, allowing you
to stay in England from Saturday to Monday.
With this, you landed just like any rubber
necking tourist to see the sights.