BIG GUN EXPLOSION.

Dominion, Volume 3, Issue 715, 14 January 1910, Page 5

BIG GUN EXPLOSION.

MANY INJURED. TERRIBLE SCENE IN THE GUN-PIT. , A 64-POUND CHARGE. By TelegraDh—Press Association—CoDyrleht. ... (Koc. Janunry 13, 9.20 p.m.) , Melbourne, , January 13.'. . A serious explosion occurred during, big- ; v;. A ; guli firing practice at the fort at Point'.- ■■ Nepean. A 9.2-inch disappearing gun, ; on hydro-pneumatic mountings, whs being operated, when a shell exploded. before : • ' the gun. had:riseh oUt.-of': the,; ;;; li-eports so far ' show that . thirteen- ' ■. were' injured,; including:' Major The injuries are reported, to ]be only " slight in the' ■ majority of cases; The' : projectile weighed 3901b., and contained a" i t charge. of 641b. of'powdor. - ; THE PROJECTILE RICOCHETTED.'; • : , -;,::-.(Rec. ; January; 13, , ld.4s ; p,in.)V-' :;y^cs:'i\i. Melbourno, January 13. ' The injured arov.;', r'; Major';; M'Knight, l .';fractured, pelvis.:;® 1 , Lieutenant Anderson, concussion ' and : ' ; i ; . in]unes to the eyes. , Sergeant Hardy,, fracture of the arm. ;. V Setgeant".Stidtt,;injuries- to'the eyes, j . '/'Gunner ;WilMiisdn,' : 'injuries' to: the. -.■ , liead/; 1 . s; Gunner Mouotnl'ore,' injulies.,'ti the eyes. Gunner Hatley, injuries in the'region ■ ... of the heart. •■ ; ..v. : '■■ ' Gunner 1 Pinch,; injuries to the.hip. .Warrant Officer..Henderson, t Corporals';. ■; Brignell and Dike,- and. Gunners 'Coi®'-;;.; : ,i Davern,', and ■ Hartley aro reported to be I; suffering from contusioiis and-shock.". >1.: MTiiiclt beeii" eont. to tlio hospitaL' ~ i Hatley has developed serious symptoms..' ; 5 • ; All,.the. injured men;wereVin.'-tKeVg^;l>i-;l : .',K - pit at ihe. time of the explosion.'. Tho : • gull, which worked on hydro-pneumatic '.v..:-' ; mountings, yas jiloaded . in! the; ; -! and'- tho" charge off-before tlio lip of tho gun had cleared ■'■ ! tfi : the parapet. : • The projcctilo ricochotted and broke":. : k .to pieces, filling the gun-pit with' sinoke -s- ■' ■ and flame. V-v';tV"V'-f MISFIRES. PERCUSSION WAS SUBSTITUTED. ! (liec.. January '14; -I.lo' , * Melbourne, January 13. .. ; The. big-gun practico at Point; Nepean': •[' ! ;was%.part. : ;of..'Lord ;;;icamp;4w-" 1 scheme. The ; gun'liad' fired two' -shots,' ftni v}^'; there had' also been ftro misfires.' 14' . consequence of this, if was decided , to : t alter .tho :firing -.apparatus by' substitute .. 'i ■.ing'.; v '• tubo. . yri:Xr : ,V'!K':- . After this was done,-the .. gun ■. was:''' , ; loaded in tho ■ gun-pit,.. and ,1 trasiibeing • - v.;-. raised Vagaini V wheav it V jrematerely;'. 1 plodedi. ' The.' shell'caused,, terrific hayoc.'ifi'j" • It', struck, and: wrecked; .tteVmas'onfy^VtoilS'-'iJ then: ricochetted'.almost vertically:;■. into' ; the . Tho artillerymen i'wore 'hurlbdi!; iii . directions,': stunned and bleeding.Thir- ; ;■ teen, out of fourteen in the' gun-pit.,wereV';.'..' ■ injured. ■ v.- : ;V . ' Hnch was struck-by . the projcctilo ! whicli ho was holding' 'in rfcadifless to ' . placo in tho gun for,the next filiot, 110 sent.toc the .hospital,: sufferiiig,, it ; supposed, from a fractured pelvis.' . . | CORRECTED LIST. ' ! , . FAULTY DESCENT, OF GUN SAVES , r t Livii | (Hoc. January li, Lls ajn.) Sydney, January 13. ■The corrected list of injurcd'gives only <■ ■ oleven names:— :■> , Hardy. ' Monchmore. 1 Scot. - . , Hartney. ".. : Britwell. " . '.. Fink,'. Dike. Cook. 1 ■. Davern. Slat!cry- , Wilkinson. , It is now stated that Major M*Knight was not injured..- Ho attended to '/theVjSi.w wounded. . ' ' vV- >■ i, Si'-.~i Tho cause of. tho accident .'.'is known.'-. Most' of. tho:• men are still too/ ! dazed to. bo ablo to form an opinion; The' ' . officers arc very reKcent. OneSsiiggesHon; is' that '■ in ' looking'! the.. breech of . the guh tlio: charge was e*-'-'' ; ploded by concussion. But for the' faci : - ; that the', gun, 1 , in descending' after, tlle pre- l /;: ;; Ceding charge,; stopped .before completing':::.'-'':: ■ its: descent,and .was..lotlded\two febt. .;. above tho usual base, probably the whble : " of the men in. the .detachment ■ would.' havo been killed. [Though; this baa . flMinrred' with a 9.2-inoh gun, it recalls the accident* iii i-- ■ atthe Fort Ballonce, Point .Halswell, some years ; ago,'when, the breech-blook: .a. 12-]X)'jnder fnni wna bloivn . ; out.' The. big gun • in. Melbourne,.«it seems, Kas 'canscd ;no deaths, 1 - but the ; :'. -': Fort - Ballance ,12-pounder and' in; the'-serious injurv of -four, or ; five y-% others in '.the; gun-pit. In that ' case, ,ka at ; Point Nepenn, the. eleotrio. firing; ap- , partttlis had failed,' and recourse ,was ; 'had%fic;| to''peroussiottiflring';mtH;a'limyai^ which tlio.explosibn.liappe'ned, .the breecliblock being-.blown off,'"and.the .dead.?>>■;J.;.iS and - wounded' scattered nronnd the. gun- -' . ~ .;-' ] J)it;.;:.One;i:theory; whs ' the ivas' exploded ,bv concussion s before ; th9:;.:';;:;;i breecli was)olosettj;bUt; there ;vreie'6e?eral;K\!B:3j ' Wi>: