NINETY-NINE LOST

Ashburton Guardian, Volume 59, Issue 198, 5 June 1939, Page 5

NINETY-NINE LOST

DEATH-ROLL IN THE THETIS. full inquiry to be held. . ? . : • •\ % disquiet in public mind. ft '. • • • ■ • DELAY .IN RESCUE ALLEGED. United Press Association-Copyright.' (Received This Day, 9.5 a.m.) " ■:' ' London, June 4. The death-roll in the submarine Thetis is 09, only four of those aboard escaping.; The Admiralty has issued a . statement that salvage;. is proceeding, hut it..may. be. some .'time before the Vessel is brought to; tho surface. Cammoll, Laird and Co t will henceforth be responsible. His Majesty’s Diving School tender Tedworth, and the mine-sweepers Habe and Seagull will stand by to render assistance and advice if required. A full inquiry will bo hold as soon as practicable. 4 . ..The Sunday newspapers register the . astonishment, disquiet, and growing indignation of the public at the Thetis ■ disaster. It is . even alleged that the men’s lives were recklessly risked because certain- measures which might have saved- them were delayed in an attempt to save the ship also. 1 Tho United States is shocked and 'deeply I "sympathetic At the loss of men aboard the Thetis which followed so closely the tragedy of the Squalus. 'Germans newspapers express sympathy with the”,relatives. of .the crew of the Thetis.;,. . . . , The “Boerisen Zeitung” says that Germany’s sympathy lies in the admira-tion-Germans have always had for the' -sailor who - fearlessly looks death in the face.- ..... TAPPINGS FROM THE MEN. GAS SPREADING IN THE HULL. •.; COMMANDER RISKS TITS LIFE. LONDON, June 3. Tho Admiralty , h-as. . officially abandoned hope of saving those on boarcl the sunken submarine Thetis. Salvage work is proceedffng. , Cammel, Laird and Co., builders ot the submarine, repeat that there is no hope of saving more, lives. It is considered that the occupants died of the effects of chlorine gas. Tho limited time available between tides, made impracticable the operation of-cutting a hole in the . stern of the vessel when it was ‘ showing above water ..yesterday...... Divers descended at 6 a.m-? when it was slack water, and surveyed tho salvago work was resumed’. Earlier, the Admiralty announced--that-, the. divers reported faint- from the submarine at 2 a.m., indicating that tlioio was still life aboard, and that salvage operations vvould he resumed as soon as slack water permitted. The Admiralty gave an assurance at 8.30 a.m. that efforts would not be slackened while the tide was favourable. The salvage crew Was concentrating on lifting the stern again, realising that the most’ urgent task was to pump in fresh air to revive any who might ho still alive. Many relatives, of. the ..trapped men refused’td abandon hope', and waited at Camvnell, Laird’s offices throughout the night. The strain of waiting affected wives and mothers as the hours wore oil, and ambulances were frequently called in to .restore ( them. Relatives who had gone home at dgwn received- telegrams from Cammed, Laird’s a few hours later, asking them to return to the office. On assembling they were .-informed iliat tlie firm regretted it could not hold out hope., for the safety of the remainder. A. distressing scene followed', women, fainting and others'weeping on the shoulders of strangers. The British .Broadcasting Corporation’s religions service at tho . commencement of the day's -broadcasting included prayers for those ■ entombed and their relatives. Tho latest report states that hawsers have been placed under r tb.e submarine. It is’hoped" to raise lier oh Tuesday. Mr F. Shaw, Cammed, Laird’s expert, who escaped by the Davis apparatus-, stated fhat the gas, by which lie was 1 affected, was spreading when lie escaped. The occupants were sprawling in the various compartmentsas he entered the escape .chamber, but there was no panic. Everyone was behaving magnificently and was most optimistic. Among, the divers operating on the Thetis is a brother of an entombed electrician, Samuel Broad,'.who is a married ’hum with two children. A seaman who was on, tho spot when Captain H. R. Oram, commander of tho Fifth Submarine Flotilla, was picked lip,‘ said that-’Captain Oram risked his life to discover ’whether help was Available, Ho did: not escape as the result’of a signal from the surface, but mndo a,blind ascent and was prepared to float indefinitely in the hope of attracting passing vessels, He was greatly surprised to discover the. destroyer Brazen standing bv. The ejestroyer then dropped explosives in the water, which Captain Oram had told those on board lie would arrange as- a signal .to proceed with the evacuation. It seemed certain that the escape doors jammed alter the fourth man came out; ” SALVAGE IN HANDS OF BUILDERS. " (Received ’ This Day; 11.20 a.m.) - LONDON, June 4. The Press Association states that naval craft will, leave the -scene tomorrow.. Salvage, is now in the hands of the builders.