HERO OF THE SUBMARINE.

Auckland Star, Volume XXXIX, Issue 203, 25 August 1908, Page 5

HERO OF THE SUBMARINE.

MEMORY LOST. [(Received 8.20 a.m.)' LONDON, August 24. Lieutenant Groves, one of the heroes of the disaster which befel Submarine A 9 on July 15 S has not recovered his , memory. ' Recollections of incidents of his youth ] are gradually returning, and it is hoped that he will soon remember those surrounding the disaster. ' Physically his health is improving. ~—~~~ ( An experience of the most thrilling charac- ' ter, and one which brought them very neerito death, befell the crew of the Submarine j A 9 on Tuesday. July 14, while engaged In ! taking port in the naval manoeuvres off tie; - English coast. An accident to the machi-;. neiy caneed an escape of deadly petrol gas, i i and It was only through the promptitude' and gallantry of the commander, lieutenant ' 'droves, and his second-in-command, lieutenant Warren, that all the crew were not ; suffocated. ' The torpedo flotilla, consisting of nine ; ships, in company with the "parent cruiser" J Aeolus and a torpedo destroyer, left Devonport and Portsmouth on Monday for a long! rimn up to Dover, where they were to stop ! to replenish their petrol tanks, and then to J proceed to Margate foe--T>atroUlng a section of the east coast in connection with manoeuvxea. I Atter leaving iPortsmouth the Httle fleet ; encountered very rough weather lii the Channel, the submarines practically being under water the whole time owing to the .rough sea. All went well other-wiee tmtll ibout noon j • on Tuesday, when the fleet was off Folke-j I stone, win en Submarine A 0 was observed I from the Aeolus to be going astern, and to ' I .be evidently in difficulties. At length a ! signal was made frtm the little craft for J assistance, which was immediately Tendered, aod it was then round that the whole of line crew were lying about insensible through on escape of petrol gas. It appears that shortly after noon Uent. Erie M. Groves, who was In the conning tower with Lieut, H. H. Warren, noticed | a smell of petrel gas, .somewhat stronger than UKiHil- No attention was paid to it Immediately, as it was thought that it was <ine to a frrak of the wind, which made it more noticeable than usual. Shortly afterwards, however, it wos noticed that something was erratic In the movement of the ship. In the meantime, the fiance of petrol gas became quite overpowering. The officer in command, who had with him in the conning tower I/lent. Warren and a petty officer, signalled to those below, but got no answer. The two officers then consulted together, and tried to go below. ■They found the engines were still going fall speed, and the fumes were overpowering. The oiemfbers of the crew could be ' Been lying about the ship, apparently lifeless. The artificer In charge of the engines had dropped at his post. Realising the serious position of affairs, the two officers reeohred to make a desperate endeavour to reach the engines to stop them, but were at first driven back by the fumes which poured np the hatchway in a volume. Another attempt was m*de, and this time the petty officer who had accompanied the lieutenants fell unconscious. Then the lieutenants enveloped their faces in wet cloths, and dashed desperately into the fumes. -Lieut. Warren fell Insensible a minute later, but staggering on, though he felt his senses leaving him, Heat. Groves, j with magnificent courage, managed tQ I reach the engines and turn off the petrol ' before he fell like a log prone across the maahinery, tt was In this position, stretched orer the engines, that the rescue party from the parent ship found the gallant officer when they were aible t© make their way below. The spectacle presented to them was a remarkable oue, all the crew lying apparently dead. The officer !n charge of the rescue party at once signalled for further assistance, wiuch was promptly sent in a steam pinnace from the Aeolns, with medical aid. All ventilation possible was obtained, and the clothes of the crew loosened, and other means taken to restore them. They were removed as quickly as possible to the parent ship, where restoratives were applied, and artificial respiration resorted to, with the Tesnlt that on Tuesday night the eleven had been restored to consciousness, though the two lieutenants, and two i«.im<m -wore reported in a-very critical condition. The machinery of the submarine after the officers and crew bud been removed, and she had been towed to Dover, was examined, and it was found that the mishap was due to one of the springs connected with the valves falling to act, possibly owing to the roefcujf; of the ship. Tills important part of thl machinery has to do : wlfh thy "ipellin;, of the noxious gas from the poKM. To *•»*%«&♦- the escape of petrol gas, white nVco ■«.-:, r. till recently carried in the 6uib- i irtiectcs They aro very sensitive to the fumes, and squeak and give other signs of discomfort long before the vapour becomes dnngerons to human beings, thus affording warning to the crew. It is now understood that the Admiralty recently orflered the carrying of white nrice to be discontinued, and ha<l fitted in their place a mechanical device to record the presence of dangerous vapour.