Flooding of Fore Part of Ship

Manawatu Times, Volume 64, Issue 132, 7 June 1939, Page 7

Flooding of Fore Part of Ship

THREE MEN TAKEN BACK DEAD LONDON, June 5. Mr. 11. if. Johnson, managing director of Cammell Laird and Co., gave the first authentic description of the Thetis disaster. He explained that cither the No. 5 torpedo tube was damaged or the forward door was not shut, and the crew, being unaware of this, opened the after door and the water overpowered them. They tried to shut the door, but the water overpowered them again. They were able to shut it only partially, aud had to skip oat of the compartment into the next in order to make sure of closing the bulkhead. The two forward compartments therefore became full of water, but nobody was drowned there. Mr. Johnson disclosed that three men lost their lives in the escape hatch. Captain Oram and Lieutenant Woods came out first, and four others tried to follow, but for some reason unknown three were taken back into the submarine dead, either from heart failure or having been drowned. “Unless you have strong nerves and are more or less accustomed to the experience,** he said, “it is most alarming to feel water creeping over your head. One man was | taken back alive but later died. Mr. ! Shaw and Stoker Arnold came up later, ! but they felt pretty bad.'* * 4 Everything Possible Done. ’ ’ He explained that Captain Oram and | Lieutenant Woods came up first because I they were the most useful men to direct rescue operations. The Admiralty did everything possible to save life,” he declared; | “it was tho only thing any of us cared about. The difficulties of the rescue work were terrific, and we did not expect anything like it.” ‘‘We sent out air compressors long before the Admiralty requested them. We could not use oxy-acetylene appar atus to cut a hole in the stern. Even if it had been possible, we cauld not have got the men through it. The divers could not get near tho submarine’s air connections. ’ * Mr. Johnson said that Cammell Laird and Co. are striving to raise the submarine, which must now be nearly full of water. The submarine will be raised by degrees from the sea bed and grad ually towed to a beach. Replying to criticisms of tests being made where the current is so strong, Mr. Johnson said that a submarine must be able to dive anywhere. One of the survivors, Lieutenant Woods, has left hospital. He told re porters that the conduct of the entombed men was magnificent. “Breath ing was difficult when I left the submarine,he said. Naval Inquiry to be Held. A naval inquiry into the disaster will be held in camera at Portsmouth after the result of salvage operations is known.