MONITOR EXPLOSION.

Hawera & Normanby Star, Volume LXXIV, Issue LXXIV, 15 February 1919, Page 4

MONITOR EXPLOSION.

TORPEDOED TO SAVE DOVER

Shortly before the last big advance in Belgium, the' Admiralty announced the loss of some fifty lives in an explosion in one of our monitors. The scene was the naval harbor of Dover, where in the evening a tremendous explosion shook the town. In a few minutes crowds flocked to the sea-front. At anchor, burning furiously, was the monitor Glatten, a new snip of a large type. At intervals loud explosions occurred, and tug boats and pinnaces were busy taking off (injured men. The fire increased, and about seven 0 clock Vice-Admiral Keyes, who, it is said, went on board the Glatten, realising the danger to the crowd, called in the help of the military, who, with bayonets fixed, gradually beat the people into the back streets. It was feared the fire would reach the Glatten's magazines, and if this had happened disaster would have befallen the town. The danger was increased by the presence of other craft with explosives on board, including depth charges, while near by was a loaded munition ship waiting to sail tor France.

Suddenly a muffled report was heard, and the Glatten was seen to be settling down, having been sunk by torpedoes. Several officers and men landed during the fire unhurt, but a large number of the crew were taken to hospital. About thirty died, and some of the crew, it is believed, went down with their ship. By a strange coincidence at Folkestone a week later, the cross-Channel steamer Onward, used as a transport, mysteriously caught fire while moored to the quay and sank.