FORGOTTEN DISASTER

Evening Star, Issue 25730, 1 March 1946, Page 7

FORGOTTEN DISASTER

LOSS OF SUBMARINE THETIS LORDS FIND NO ONE LIABLE TO WIDOWS FOR DAMAGES LONDON, Feb. 27. The House of Lords (Judicial Committee), in a reserved judgment in a test case following the submarine Thetis disaster in June, 1939, decided that no one could be made liable to the widows for damages. Originally Mr Justice Wrottesley found that Cammel, Laird, and, Co., of Birkenhead, who built the submarine, were liable for damages, but the Court of Appeal reversed the decision and placed the liability on Lieutenant Frederick Greville Woods, Royal Navy, who was in charge of the forward end of the. Thetis. Woods appealed against this,* and the Lords also had before them a cross appeal from the widows of two workmen 'killed in the disaster, asking that the liability be placed on Woods, also placed on the widow of the leading seaman who assisted Woods, and also on the builders and the firm of sub-contractors.

The immediate cause of the disaster was stated to he the .opening of the rear door of a torpedo tube while the bowcap was open, resulting in the flooding of the submarine. The Lords unanimously allowed Woods's appeal and dismissed the widows' cross appeals. . , Lord Simon, presiding, said they reached the conclusion that negligence was not established against Woods, who played a chief part in the gallant efforts to stop the sea pouring in. " It may be thought remarkable that after so long and elaborate an inquiry no one is found liahle. The answer is that it is necessary to prove liability against one or other of the parties sued. The key to what is uncertain may have been lost among the 99 who perished."