LEADING STOKER TELLS THETIS STORY.

Auckland Star, Volume LXX, Issue 157, 6 July 1939, Page 11

LEADING STOKER TELLS THETIS STORY.

WATER GUSHING /JV.

Took Three Dead From Escape Chamber. LEAK SEEN AT DIVING. United Press Association.—Copyright. (Received 10 a.m.) LONDON, July 5. The inquiry into the sinking of the British submarine Thetis on June 5, in Liverpool Bay, off the Mersey, was continued to-day. Leading-Stoker Arnold, one of the four men aboard ■who escaped, gave evidence. Witness stated that before the vessel dived he noticed a small though not serious leak in the dehumidifier pipe. There was a terrible rush of air from the foremost compartments. He heard shouts from the control tower to ''surface." "I realised," he said, "that the torpedo tube was open. I saw several people, including employees of Cammell Laird, the builders, trying to shut the port door. Water was gushing into the second compartment. I helped them jto shut the bulkhead ventilator shafts. The bulkhead was shut later. "The Thetis, 45 minutes afterwards, settled down on an even keel. The air began to get bad at 11 p.m. Next morning the air was. very bad, causing headache and difficulty in breathing. Officers Leave Submarine. "I saw Captain H. B. Oram and Lieutenant Woods (who also escaped) make their exit. A little water came into the main motors and smoke came from a short circuit. I shut the bulkhead. "Several of those on board put on gas masks or Davis equipment. I flooded the escape chamber for four men to escape. Nothing happened for 20 minutes, so I drained the chamber. Three men were dead and the other was j shaky and could not last long. Their ; Davis mouthpieces had been torn off. They were foaming at the mouth. All were very weak before entering the chamber. "Later Mr. F. Shaw, a meiritoer of the staff of Cammell Laird, and I escaped. My feet became caught in some dips i but I kicked free. I could not explain , why four men were sent into the escape chamber, except that some were showing acute distress, and it was desired to get • them up as quickly as possible." Haifa Dozen Fit to Leave. Witness was unable to explain why . nobody followed him and Mr. Shaw. E There were at least half-a-dozen fit to b try to escape. 1 Describing the struggle to shut the t door of No. 25 bulkhead as water rushed in from the open torpedo tube, threatening to flood the submarine, witness said: 'Tour of us had nearly I succeeded when somebody came and pushed to get through. It was a race whether they su/jceeded or whether, we " got the door shut. \ "They got through and we got the \ door shut. If we had not it would f have been the end of the ship." Earlier Lieutenant Woods expressed the opinion that diving trials were not , held before the fatal dive on the acceptance trial because of a fault in the [ j hydroplane pressure controls.

COUNSEL'S QUESTIONS. Omitted To Look At Pressure Gauge On Tube. OFFICER CROSS-EXAMINED. Independent Cable Service. (Received 1 p.m.) LONDON, JvOy 5. Lieutenant Woods, cross-examined by Mr. Miller, for Cammell Laird, said that it had not occurred to him to look at the pressure gauge at the top of No. 5 tube.

Mr. Miller: Nor at the draincockt Lieutenant Woods: No. Mr. Miller: I am afraid we have to face the fact that had you done any of these things you would have found the tube not empty but full, and under pressure. i

Lieutenant Woods: Yes. Witness added that when no water came out of the teet'cock of No. 5 tube he reported that it was not full. Mr. Miller: Did it occur to you that the hole might have been choked? lieutenant Woods: No.