HEROES OF WARSPITE

Greymouth Evening Star, 2 October 1928, Page 2

HEROES OF WARSPITE

KING AWARDS MEDALS.

Heroism of a lieutenant and a seaman in H.M.S. Warspite, the battleship of the Queen Elizabeth class, which was damaged at the Battle of Jutland, is revealed in the “London Gazette.”

The announcement is made that the King has approved of the award of the Albert Medal to Lieutenant Reginald William Armytage, R.N., and Leading Seaman Dick Oliver.

On May 23 last, states the “Gazette” when Warspite was alongside Parlatorio Wharf, Malta, the manhole door, of the lower bilge compartment was removed and the compartment tested. The air was foul and poisonous. A chief stoker attempted to enter the compartment, although aware that it was in a dangerous condition, and was immediately overcome and fell unconscious to the bottom —about 20 feet.

Lieutenant Armytage immediately fetched his gas-mask, and, with a lifeline round him entered the compartment, and reached the bottom, when he was rendered unconscious. With great difficulty, owing to the small size of the manhole, he was hauled to exit by means of the life-line. He was removed to hospital in a precarious condition.

Lieutenant Armytage was aware that his gas mask would afford no degree of protection. He realised that the delay incurred in passing a diver through the manholes would probably prove fatal to the chief stoker and appreciated to the fullest extent the grave risk he ran in entering the compartment. As soon as Lieutenant Armytage had been withdrawn, Leading Seaman Oliver, who was in attendance with a shallow' diving helmet, volunteered to attempt the rescue of the chief stoker, despite the fact that he had witnessed the painful and distressing sights attendant on asphyxiation.

He was passed with considerable difficulty through the manholes and succeeded in reaching the chief stoker and passing a line round his body, by means of which Ihe latter was drawn up through the manhole to the pontoon abreast the ship. On emerging from the bulges, Oliver was a. very bad colour and suffered to some extent from the poisonous gases in the bulge compartment.