SUBMARINE VICTIMS

Dominion, Volume 21, Issue 290, 7 September 1928, Page 11

SUBMARINE VICTIMS

SILENT HOMAGE AT PORTSMOUTH ON ARRIVAL OF CRUISER CHAMPION (British Official Wireless.) Rugby,, September 5. Silent homage was paid to-day at Portsmouth to the officers and men ol tlie Submarine L 55, which was sunk in Russian waters nine years ago. As is' known, the Russian authorities this spring located the submarine lying m deep water near Kronstadt and the bodies were conveyed in the British merchant ship Truro to Reval, and there transferred to tlie British cruiser Champion, which brought them to Portsmouth. Four submarines of the II class went out from Fort Blockhouse, the headquarters of the submarine flotilla,, to meet the Champion. Two of them took up positions ou each side, and with their colours at half-mast escorted tlie Champion to the harbour entrance, where they fell behind the cruiser. Colours were also flown at half-mast by all the naval vessels and the shore establishments at the port and on merchant craft, and flags were lowered on most of the principal buildings in Portsmouth and Gosport. The Champion made her way slowly to dock and drew alongside the South Railway Jetty, where she was berthed. The work of transferring the coffins across the harbour to Fort Blockhouse began at sunset. Tlie bodies will lie in state at Fort Blockhouse until Friday. Then they will be taken for burial at Ilaslar cemetery on a guncarriage draped with the Uuion Jack. Bluejackets and a firing party will accord full naval honours at the funeral.