LOSS OF THE WIMMERA

Dominion, Volume 12, Issue 18, 16 October 1918, Page 9

LOSS OF THE WIMMERA

DUE TO CAPTAIN'S NEGLECT OF WARNING FINDING OF THE COURT OF INQUIRY . . By Telegraph—Press. , Association. ' '.. . Auoklanti, October 15. ',;. The finding of the Qourt of Inquiry into the loss of the AVimmora. says: "There is no room for.doubt that tho .vessel struck. a -moored mine. The next, question for consideration is ■whether any blame attaches to any Vpeison feu , ftihe vessel, striking tibo mine? The vessel at tho time was travelling in water fifty fathoms deep. The. Admiralty issues warnings to mastors of overseas vessels. On October l<0.: 1917,' a. warning was issued stating that a moored enemy mine/had been swept. up oft the coast of Australia, and tliat heavy-draught ships when possible should keep outside the limits laid down. A copy of this warning was ; lmnded to Captain Ke11.911 November 2. 1917. A further -warning was issued on January'lß, 1918, and a copy was handed to Captain Kell on January 22 1918. This 'warning stated that .information received indicated the possibility. of enemy mines being laid at the. northern end of New Zealand.

''Notwithstanding these warnings, on the trip to Sydney previous to the one ;On; which she was .lost, the Wimmeni .'was navigated oh. a course which took .her close to the position where-she 'was-, subsequently'lost.;- In Sydney, on •Tune 17, 1918,- Captain' Kell was handed a warning to keep outside the danger . zone; •■ Oaptaiin KeU jilsd liad. handed to him a "confidential book which deals : with' , every aspect of enemy danger. Warnings other'than'-these "were handed : to Captain Kell,. which havo'been put.before the Court,- knt they heed not be considered for the purpose of this investigation. After receiving these warnings, Captain Koll set the course-which took the ship through water in. the auea which ( the warning of January 18,1918, defined,as a dangerous area. .The-reason-for this is not apparent] There is no evidence of it, and it is difficult to imagine any navigational difficulties to account for the; failure to comply with the warn-

"It,was contended by ;oounsel'that the genoral-, instructions on' the'warning of October 10, 1917, ■'.n olild ■ have the effect of leaving adouEt in the mind of the • master ; whether it' was -really necessary to comply with ' the requirement to keep outside the;limit set. If is difficult to imagine how any .rational mind.could piit such an interpretation., on |.he. words contained in the .general instructions. They state that th'e' precautions should be follow- :« 1' asfa_r .as .possible.'; short of incurring additional navigational risks. The effect would., seem, rathor to emphasise the. neoessity of following the precautions'/at the time of, the trip, prior :to the loss of the boat; and.of .the. trip, on -which she was lost, heca-use there followed the words: 'If thero should be cause to suspect more immediate danger from eneiny. miiies in any area, warning will be issued, dnd vessels should then cTosely follow the above precautions in the area affected.' In other words, in such caso should olosely follow the precautions, even if addjti6nal navigational risks are thereby incurred; ■ and tho evidence discloses t'Jiat on January 18,1918, such further warning was issued, and a copy,- later •handed to' Captain Kell. '

_ "The ; evidence shows that. Captain Kell'was a very oaroful bud capable officer of long experience/and it ivoitld bo a , matter of great interest and of the utmost importance to ascertain if possible vAat induced his failure to comply with the Admiralty, warnings. It-.is impjHisiblß.to ascertain thia,'but it is clear that he treated tho Admiralty directions- too lightly. He 'probably thought he'would be following' a safe course if he passed■''five rules off the most northerly, positioii at which a mine had boon leporfcd to be found, but whatever ■ the explanation of Captain llell's coiwuct may be, it is apparently impossible to come to any other conclusion than that tho loss, of tho ship was due t<) liis.rieglect to take the precautions indicated •in the Admiralty warnings. ' . ;. . "Though'on tjiis,ocoasion. .Captain Kell failed,; this , tribute is due'' to ■ his irioniory-: The "tino discipline oil tho vesacl' at'the time;of her,loss, the comparatively small. number of. lives lost, and tho. facj;-that Captain..,Kell, remained with his sbip ■ to' the last and gave- his , life by so rfoing;; ate in .'accordance with tlie best traditions of tho British morcantile marine.. ' "WM; reference : .to'the tiyoidance of such) casualties in future, it is to be noted, that about.,.the minefield' where the.:Wimmer'a was;-Josti the Admiralty . had- 'defined by latitude arid longitude a dangerous, fl.rca-. within ; which.-.. /heavy, draught vessels are no't.to-feo, andic is now made a puxusliable oflence" under the :Wai- llegulations' t<) navigato any vessel in breach'of- Admiralty-ordera. The only thing further, that', occurs to the Court'is; in view- of the , extreme importance.(it b'vory'-yos.s'el;io 'the Empife'j and of' the terrible loss of' life • that may -result fi;6m suoh a casualty, to make-an urgent appeal to all masof vessels to pay tho utmost attention to ajl Admiralty warnings and directions."'• - .■''■•"'• .