NO COMPENSATION

Grey River Argus, 5 March 1946, Page 3

NO COMPENSATION

For Widows of Navals

1939 SUBMARINE DISASTER

LONDON, Feb. 27. The House of Lords, 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. , r J Originally Justice Wrottcslcy found Cammel Laird and Company of 'Birkenhead, who built the submarine, liable for damages, but the Court ol Appeal reversed the decision and placed the liability on Lieutenant Frederick Creville Woods, Royal Navy, who. was in charge of the forward end of the Thetis. Woods appealed against this and the House of Lords had before them a cross-appeal from the widows of two workmen killed in the disaster, asking that liability be placed on Woods, and also on the widow of a leading seaman who assisted Woods, and also on the builders and a firm of sub-contrac-tors.

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