LOSS OF SUBMARINE

Greymouth Evening Star, 20 April 1946, Page 6

LOSS OF SUBMARINE

BRITISH NAVAL OFFICERS FOUND GUILTY

COURT MARTIAL CHARGES LONDON, April 18.

The captain of the submarine Oswald lost in the Mediterranean in August, 1940, Lieutenant-Commander David Alexander Fraser, was found guilty by a court-martial on three charges: First, failure to take evasive action by diving; second, failure to engage the enemy; third, failure to issue orders on the action to be taken in the event of sighting an unknown vessel while surfaced in enemy waters. Lieutenant-Commander Fraser was acquitted of failing to do his utmost to bring the submarine to action on sighting the enemy, and of omitting to ensure that lhe submarine was in a state of readiness for action. He was sentenced to fortfeit all seniority as a lieutenant-commander, to be dismissed H.M.S. Victory, and to be severely reprimanded. He was attached to the Victory for the purposes of the court-martial.

Lieutenant Graham Roy Marsh, second in command, was found not guilty of failing to encourage and rally the crew in. the sea after the Oswald, sank. He was found guilty of not doing his utmost to ensure that the captain’s order was carried out in an effective manner, and of leaving his controlroom post without ensuring that the members of the crew inside had succeeded in leaving the submarine. He was dismissed the service.

Giving evidence, Lieutenant-Com-mander Fraser said the Italian destroyer was 200 yards away when he gave the order “Prepare to abandon’ ship.” He gave the order “Abandon Ship” on impact. He had considered and rejected using the gun. He saw no opportunity of using it before the Oswald was rammed. The SOS to the Italian destroyer was made on his order, because he thought the submarine was on the point of sinking. Lieutenant - Commander Fraser’s counsel (Mr. S. E. Karminski, K.C.) said two of the captain’s own officers differed whether the vessel should have dived. Mr. Karminski asked: “After all these years what do you consider you should have done?”

Lieutenant-Commander Fraser (in a scarcely audible voice): I should have dived, sir. Lieutenant - Commander Fraser cross-examined by the prosecuting officer, said he did not think there was time to dive when he saw and appreciated what the enemy was doing. Lieutenant Marsh gave evidence that everybody in the control room took up the order to abandon ship and the order was taken up outside. He did not consider it his duty to go up last. It was his duty to pass on the order. He had not slept for three days before the incident because of difficulty with the trim of the ship when diving.