SHELL SINKS LAUNCH

Greymouth Evening Star, 13 October 1939, Page 5

SHELL SINKS LAUNCH

WOUNDED MAN’S DEATH TRAGEDY AT LYTTELTON [PER PRESS ASSOCIATION.] CHRISTCHURCH, October 12. When struck by a shot, intended by the Coastal Defence Battery in Lyttelton Harbour to go across her bows, the fishing launch Dolphin sank this afternoon, carrying with her the master and owner, Frederick Janies Brasen. When the shell exploded one of Brassell’s legs was shot off, and he was unconscious when the launch sank. The other occupant of the launch, William Willman, senr., of Exeter Street,. Lyttelton, . narrowly escaped drowning. He was slightly injured in one leg. Being a poor Swimmer, he clung to a lifebuoy when the Dolphin sank. He was picked up later by the examination steamer. Willman declared that no warning of gunfire was given from Battery Point. Willman was interviewed at his home, where he was in bed suffering from shock. He told a tragic story. An official statement, made by the military authorities, was that the launch had failed to stop when signalled.

“The facts are simply these. The vessel came in, and she was signalled with both lamp and flag, to stop from the entrance to within 700 yards of the Battery,’’ said Colonel P. H. Bell, Officer Commanding the Southern Military District. “In accordance with instructions, a. shot, intended to go across her bows, was fired. One man was unfortunately killed, and the oth-.r occupant of the launch was rescued.”

SURVIVOR’S STORY. “We saw no signal whatever, \\ illman reiterated, when the official report was referred to him. “Mr. Brasell saved my life,” said Willman, in praising the courage of his shipmate. “One of his legs was blown off, and, while 1 was trying to stop the flow of blood, he told me to take off my own gumboots before 1 got into the water. “We had been fishing outside the Heads, and we were coming, up the harbour at about eight knots, between 2 and 3 o’clock. We could see no sign of the examination steamer, and we concluded that she had gone into port. Brasell was in charge of the] launch, and I was steering. He was always very apprehensive of being fired upon, and he would take no risks. He told me to steer for the shore battery, and said that we would hail them, and ask if we could go in. If the men at the battery refused permission, he said, we would have to wait until the examination steamer came up again. As we made towards the battery, we both watched carefully. I was using field glasses, 'and I could clearly see some men grouped around a gun, and others running down to the little beach. We saw no signal of any kind. TERRIFIC EXPLOSION. “We were qhite close to the shore, when a terrific explosion occurred on board. For a moment, I thought that the engine had exploded, but Brasell called: ‘Both my legs are broken!’ The the two of us, 1 started to cut away the the two of us, 1 started to ctu away the gumboots from Jim’s legs, which were bleeding terribly. 1 worked at this for some time, when Brasell pointed out to me that the boat was sinking by the bow. He said I had better take my own gumboots off. I did this, and when I next looked, he was unconscious. I could do nothing then, and the launch was sinking under us. I can swim very little. I called to the soldiers on the shore for help, and I waved to them; but there was no response. As the launch sank, the Inrush of water carried Brasell into the wheelhouse and engine-room. I stood by him until the launch sank under me, and I climbed the rigging as she went down.” Willman said that, after the launch sank, he saw one of the lifebuoys floating a few feet to leeward. There was a good jobble on the water, and he had ?, terrible struggle to reach the buoy. He has no idea how long he clung to it until he saw the examination steamer alongside, and he was picked up. Born at Timaru 56 years ago and a member of a well-known early family in South Canerbury, Mr. Brasen spent many years as U plasterer and decorator in Timaru. For more than 20 years he had fished between Lyttelton and Akaroa. He started his career as a fisherman in the Dolphin, with which he sank today. He leaves his wife, two sons and two daughters. At different times he owned the trawlers Muriel and Pioneer, on the latter of which he introduced producer-gas. One of his sons is Mr. George Brasell, a skipper of crews that have won the Sanders Cup for Canterbury on several occasions. No time has yet been fixed tor the colonial inquiry, the body of Mi. Brasell not having been recovered this afternoon. Dragging operations were carried out soon after the U’a.gec y occurred, and the position of e launch was buoyed. Attempts wil made to-morrow morning to bring the launch and the body to the suriace. The only recoveries made to-day were of several cases of fish, which floated to the surface of the harbour.

Mr. F. W. Bra sell, line foreman, Post, and ' Telegraph Department, Greymouth. is a brother of the deceased. IMMEDIATE INQUIRY. WELLINGTON, October 12. Regarding the Lyttelton Harbour incident, the Minister of Defence (Mr. Jones) said that, an immediate inquiry would be held into the whole of the circumstances. _ Mr. Jones expressed his personal sympathy with the, relatives of Bia~->-ell, and the regret of the Government and of himself at the incident. To assist at the inquiry, Lieut.-Col. O. If. Mead. D. 5.0.. N.Z.S.G.. Capt. J. F. Joyce, D.C.M., R.N.Z.A., and Lieut.Commander E. K. H. St. Aubyn, D.S.C.. R.N., left, for Lyttelton by this evening’s steamer express. “NO EFFORT AT RESCUE. CHRISTCHURCH, October 13. William Willman, the survivor nt the tragedy, was left struggling in the water, dazed and battered, when tin* vessel sank underneath him. “No cifort was made by the men at the shore battery to rescue me.” be said, this morning. “Boats were available at the fort", and had one been launched im-

mediately, it could have reached the Dolphin before she sank. Brasell was unconscious from shock and loss oi blood, but I believe that his life might have been saved bad a rescue boat pul out."

Two eye-witnesses of the tragedy, who watched the Dolphin sink, said that, she went down in an incredibly short time. The shell, they said, struck the Dolphin just forward of her engine room. Thej'' heard an explosion, and almost at once the big launch began to settle. According to their estimate. she sank within three or four minutes. PERSONNEL OF COURT. CHRISTCHURCH, October 13. . The Court of Inquiry commenced its sittings at 10 o’clock this morning. The members of the Court are Major Blake (Artillery), Lieutenant McLean (Artillery), and Captain Burrows (Rifle Battalion). The length of time the Court will sit is indefinite, depending on the amount of evidence to be heard and taken down. COMMANDANT QUESTIONED. CHRISTCHURCH, October 13. The officer commanding the southern military district (Colonel Bell) this morning answered questions relating to the Dolphin incident as follows: — Is the investigating body a Court of Inquiry or a. Board of Inquiry? —A Court, of Inquiry. Are its sittings public or private, and open to the newspapers?—Private. To whom will the Court report?—To me. Does the Army or the Navy assume responsibility for the fort? —The army. Who ordered the shot to be fired?— It is not advisable to say at present. Has the officer commanding the fort, or the officer who ordered the shot to be fired, been relieved of his duties, pending the inquiry?—-No. What efforts were made to save the crew, when, it was seen that the Dolphin was sinking?—Every effort. Have alterations been made in the orders at the fort, since the accident? —Yes. Is any record kept of fishing boats going out, so that they can be checked in? —This is a question lor the Court. Where was the examination vessel at the time?—That is also a question for the Court. What is the procedure to be followed by craft when the examination vessel is away?—That is another question for the Court.

What will be the position of pleasure craft during the Summer? —The same as any other craft.

i INCIDENT AT AUCKLAND. COST OF SHOT CLAIMED AUCKLAND, October 13. As a sequel to the incident last Friday, when a shot was fired from the battery at North Shore, across the bows of a fishing boat returning to port, because it did not respond to the signals to come alongside the naval vessel and report, the owner of the boat, D. H. Whitelaw, has been called on to pay the cost of the shot, £2/13/6. He said the police came to his boat and said he had to report at the naval base. On going there, he was informed he had to pay the cost of the shot. He replied he did not have the money, and was told a hill would be sent.